Underfloor heating pluses and minuses. Water heated floor: the pros and cons of technology. Warm electric floors pros and cons

Modern trends in interior fashion inspire property owners to use smooth and cool coatings as floor materials - laminate, tile, travertine or parquet. Despite the aesthetic appearance and high wear resistance, these materials do not perform at their best in the cold season - they are cool to the touch, so walking on such a floor without slippers is uncomfortable.

To solve this problem, specialists in the field of heating engineering recommend paying attention to a water heated floor, which will appeal to consumers who crave comfort and warmth.

Underfloor heating is an efficient way to heat a home, commercial building, or office by concentrating heat generation at the bottom of the room. The main advantage of this technology is its versatility. The design of a warm water floor can be used in any room - bathroom, living room, bedroom or kitchen.

Among other advantages of the technology, it is worth mentioning the following factors:

The main disadvantages of this type of home heating are associated with the laboriousness of the work and the high cost of consumables necessary for the implementation of the heating scheme. While there are some downsides to the technology, it generally pays off and is the best choice for homeowners who want a reliable source of comfortable heat that doesn't come with high monthly costs.

How does this technology work?

To assess the feasibility of installing a structure, it is not enough just to study the pros and cons of a water heated floor, since a complete analysis requires in-depth knowledge that affects the principle of operation of the technology. through the use of a network of special pipes of small cross section, which are built into the floor, and then poured with concrete or dry screed.

The basic circuit diagram involves the use of the following elements:

In the process of heating the coolant using a boiler, solar collector or electric heater, the floors are heated and contribute to the creation of comfortable temperature conditions in the room. Compared to conventional heating systems, which involve the use of radiators, fireplaces or convectors, underfloor heating technology is the most justified - it concentrates heat below, warms the feet, and makes the climate in the house comfortable and healthy.

The important point is that the supply of the coolant directly is only possible from, which heats the water to an acceptable 40-45 degrees. When using boilers of a different type, the owner will need to equip a mixing unit involved in lowering the temperature of the coolant.

Over the past decades, the technology for creating systems of warm water floors has stepped far forward and today the owners who connect the water floor heating are fully insured against problems such as leaks, water hammer, pipe damage from corrosion, etc. However, in order for the warm floor to meet all expectations , its installation must be carried out by responsible specialists in accordance with the recommendations of the heating scheme developed by heat engineers.

Is the high cost of water heated floors justified?

Underfloor heating systems cost much more than traditional types of heating. The average price per m2 of underfloor heating is about $30, including labor and the purchase of components, so the cost of a project for a 100-square-square house can be quite high. At the same time, low operating costs justify the investment made by property owners in the long term.

The average temperature of a water heated floor is 40-45 degrees. Therefore, in the process of operation, such a system requires much less energy resources than a traditional radiator circuit. In addition, you need to know that the average cost of 1 m2 of a water-heated floor is calculated taking into account the purchase of all the necessary system components, among them:

The larger the area of the house, the lower the cost per square meter of underfloor heating, since the cost of the most expensive element of the system, the boiler, is evenly distributed over each square of the area.

Overview of popular manufacturers

The final cost of 1 square meter of warm water floors also depends on the choice of components produced by various brands. At the moment, on the domestic market, you can buy a Rehau warm water floor, produced in Germany. The German brand guarantees high product quality and excellent consumer performance of the system. Affordable price for a Rehau warm water floor allows you to save money already at the first stage of a house heating project.

Among other advantages that distinguish Rehau warm water floor, it is worth highlighting the following qualities:

There are also manufacturers from other countries on the market, these are:

The choice of manufacturers is quite large and the consumer may not be limited to foreign brands, because in addition to those listed, companies from the Russian Federation and neighboring countries sell their products on the market at more affordable prices.

How does electric water underfloor heating work?

The house can be installed electric water heated floor, which is a combined heating system. A special antifreeze is used as a coolant in this system, and the design itself is pipes with a small internal section (about 24 mm), inside which a cable is placed. Fluid electric floors are easy to install and low installation costs.

The most popular products on the market are products from the XL Pipe brand. Positive feedback on XL Pipe electric water heated floor is a confirmation of the high quality and reliability of products.

Among the tangible advantages of products from this brand are the following characteristics:

high maintainability;
overheat protection;
absence of electromagnetic radiation;
the possibility of laying pipes according to any scheme;
simplified floor screed.

What flooring is compatible with underfloor heating?

In addition to answering the question: how much does a warm water floor cost, owners are also faced with other dilemmas. Most often they touch upon the compatibility of the design with various types of floor coverings. Based on the principle of operation of a warm floor, it can be assumed that the most effective solution would be to choose a floor covering with maximum heat capacity.

The first type of coating is protected from deformation and has sufficient heat dissipation, so it is often used in rooms with a high level of load.

Tiled flooring for a warm water floor will be durable and practical.

Although laminate and parquet do not have the same wear resistance as tiles, they have a number of other positive qualities - this is good heat conductivity and an easy installation process. Thus, a water-heated floor under a wooden floor can also be implemented in the house. Linoleum can also be used in various rooms, while it is worth remembering that the maximum thickness of a warm water floor should not exceed ten centimeters.

The owner can consider each of the options and determine which flooring is best for underfloor heating after evaluating the layout of the house and the resources available.

Installation of a warm water floor

The main aspect of the proper functioning of the heating system is competent installation. You can do it yourself or use the services of companies that offer turnkey installation at an affordable cost. It should be understood that professional installation of a water heated floor - the price for which is about 30% of the cost of consumables, is more preferable to self-installing the system.

The rather high cost of a warm water floor per 1m2 should not confuse property owners who are thinking about implementing an energy-efficient and reliable heating circuit. The fact is that the solid initial investment required for the purchase of components and the wages of installers over time is justified by the reliable operation of the system and the low costs associated with the operation of underfloor heating.

A warm electric floor is a unique engineering design that allows you to heat the entire room, perfectly complementing other heating systems. In some cases, underfloor heating even becomes the only heating element. This design can be used not only in houses, but also in other renovated premises.

Most often, underfloor heating is used in rooms where the floor is lined with porcelain stoneware or tiles. In addition, it is extremely rare that an electric floor is used without a central heating system. As a rule, these structures complement each other. The electrical system helps warm up the cold floor. Most often, tiles or porcelain tiles are laid out in the bathroom, in the kitchen or in the hallway, therefore, underfloor heating is often used in these areas.

It is worth noting the absolute advantage of a warm floor - heating the air to a height of up to 2.5 meters from the floor. Warm air in the room makes the living conditions in it even more favorable and comfortable.

Particular attention should be paid to the installation process of the electric floor. It is highly not recommended to save on materials, even if it seems that the difference will be insignificant. It is best to entrust the installation to professionals.

Benefits of installing underfloor heating

Electric underfloor heating is very popular today for a number of reasons:

The design of the electric floor is able to eliminate the lack of central heating in apartments. As a rule, the main heating in modern dwellings heats the floor the least, leaving it rather cold. This is due to the fact that the batteries are located at some distance from the floor, as a result of which cold air accumulates below. Underfloor heating helps solve this problem. As a result of the installation of an additional structure, the heating of the room becomes uniform.
Installation of a warm floor does not require the use of additional equipment, which makes it possible to install such a design in any room.
The degree of floor heating can be easily controlled, choosing the most optimal option for yourself.
A warm electric floor is complemented by a special thermostat, which allows you to set the required temperature in each room. In some areas, the heating can also be easily turned off altogether.
Warm air from the floor rises, thereby eliminating the formation of drafts in an apartment or house.
An electric floor allows you to rid any room of excess moisture, which, in turn, eliminates the likelihood of mold.
Warm flooring can easily be made the main source of heating in the house, thus getting rid of the batteries, which take up extra space and collect a lot of dust.
The electric floor is a fairly reliable design that rarely fails. If the installation process went correctly - in accordance with the instructions, then breakdowns are unlikely to appear. Most often, problems with a warm floor appear only in cases where a breakdown or damage has occurred through the fault of the owner. For example, if a nail was driven into one of the elements of the system. If some kind of malfunction nevertheless arose, you should not worry and panic, since any electric floor can be easily repaired. If it is not possible to do this yourself, you can contact the service center.
The underfloor heating system is absolutely safe and resistant to moisture. Thanks to this design, you can create warmth and comfort in the house.
The design of the warm electric floor is compact and convenient, so it does not reduce the height of the ceiling in the room.
All structural elements of the warm floor are well hidden from the eyes, which makes the system inconspicuous and neat.
Installation of the structure is quite simple, even a person without much experience can install all the equipment and the system as a whole.
With the help of a warm floor, the surface in the house warms up evenly and equally everywhere.

Disadvantages of an electric floor

Despite the large number of advantages of the design of a warm floor, this system still has some disadvantages:

The first and most obvious disadvantage of the electric floor is the increase in electricity costs in the house. In this case, in order to reduce costs as much as possible, it is best to use a thermostat that will allow you to lower the temperature or turn off heating in some areas.
The second disadvantage is also associated with significant costs. The fact is that a warm floor is an expensive construction, which also requires certain costs for its installation.
Before installing the electric floor structure, it is necessary to change the wiring in the house. Such a system significantly increases the load on the electrical system, so the old wiring may simply not withstand.
The design of a warm floor is very demanding on the floor covering. It must, first of all, have good thermal conductivity in order to feel the effectiveness of the system. If there is a carpet or carpet on the floor, which transmit heat rather poorly, the efficiency of the warm floor will not be great.
Some types of flooring may be affected by the use of a warm electric floor. The greatest impact is on the wooden floor, as the wood shrinks when heated, and then begins to change shape.
If the floor covering is additionally varnished on top, the heating temperature cannot exceed 21 degrees.
In order to save energy and energy costs as much as possible, underfloor heating, as a rule, is not installed in places where there is furniture. In this regard, the rearrangement of furniture in the house will also entail the reinstallation of the floor heating structure.
The use of a warm floor in the house provokes the appearance of electromagnetic radiation. Of course, today everyone uses electrical appliances, despite the propagation of electromagnetic waves, however, with the installation of an additional electrical system, the radiation increases, so this factor must be taken into account.
The use of any electric heater, including an electric floor, entails an increase in the risk of electric shock. This factor should be taken into account, especially in rooms with high humidity.

It is worth noting that, despite all these shortcomings, most people still use underfloor heating in the house, since for them such systems are a necessary condition for a comfortable stay. Moreover, most of these shortcomings are completely insignificant and easily eliminated. As for the additional costs, then, as a rule, everyone is well aware that comfort costs extra money.

Electric underfloor heating is used much more often than water. This is easily explained, since such a design has several advantages:

Electric underfloor heating is much easier and more convenient to regulate in terms of temperature supply than water. It is enough to use just a thermostat, with which you can set the desired temperature and do it much more accurately than in a water system.
Installing cables in an electrical underfloor heating structure is much easier and faster than installing water pipes in a water heating system.
The use of an underfloor heating water system entails the installation of a gas boiler to heat the water. This measure requires additional space as well as increased installation costs.

Thus, it can be determined that the electric floor heating is very convenient to use. It is especially well suited for heating small rooms, such as an apartment or a small country house. Also, the design of a warm electric floor is great for an office, since it is far from always possible to install a gas boiler in such a room.

Disadvantages of electric underfloor heating compared to water

Unfortunately, the electric floor heating system also has some disadvantages in comparison with the water structure:

Often, a water heated floor becomes a more economical option than an electric one. Such savings are especially noticeable in large areas.
Using hot water for floor and space heating is a safer option than using electricity. Hot water can harm a person to a lesser extent than electric current.
The water heating design can last much longer than the electrical system. According to the most popular manufacturers of such systems, a water floor can last up to 50 years in a house.

Using a water floor is best suited for heating large rooms. For example, it is better to use it in large country houses or in work areas.

The electric floor is a unique modern design that allows you to create maximum comfort in your home. With such a system, your floor will always be warm, which will not only allow you to walk barefoot, but also allow children to play on the floor without fear that they will be blown by a draft. At the same time, the design is absolutely safe, the system perfectly protects all elements from the ingress of water and other objects.

Video: which electric underfloor heating is better?

A water heated floor system is quite complicated, there are a lot of pitfalls, without knowing which, you can break a lot of firewood and subsequently regret the wasted effort and money. So, let's try to put everything on the shelves and talk about the pros and cons of a warm floor.

Thanks to the advantages, this system is increasingly penetrating into our modern life. Consider the main consumer advantages of the system:

Well-being and aesthetics of the system

In other words, this is a comfortable temperature of the heated surface and a comfortable temperature regime in the room. In addition, in a place with such a system, there is no zone of local overheating and barely heated areas. There are no visible elements of the heating system. The system is not tied to the arrangement of furniture in the room.

In buildings with underfloor heating, heat is not transferred by convection, but by radiant heat. In other words, the transfer of thermal energy occurs from one particle to another. Of course, the convection component is present, but it is not more than 10% of the total thermal radiation, and in this case it can be completely neglected.

Versatility

The next plus of a warm floor is that any source of energy, any heat generator, any type of heat carrier and type of flooring can be used here.

It is worth paying attention to the only nuance that concerns - this is if we are dealing, say, with a laminate, parquet board, parquet or linoleum, here you need to pay attention to the packaging and carefully read the information indicated on it, whether this type of flooring can or cannot be used. coverage at .

Health and safety

Another plus of a warm floor is that there is no dust circulation due to uniform heat flows, there are no electromagnetic fields compared to electric warm floors.

This is all due to the presence of constant circulation of convection air flows in the room, with these layers of air the smallest dry particles, microorganisms, which can cause allergic and negative reactions to the human body, move.

energy efficiency

Quite an important plus of a warm floor. Firstly, the temperature of the heat carrier that we supply to the pipes of the underfloor heating, the maximum possible according to the norms is 55°C. In practice, this figure reaches about 35-45 degrees. Accordingly, this will make it possible to reduce the cost of heating this coolant.

Secondly, due to the even distribution of heat in the room and the absence of the need to warm up the upper layers of the air, the average temperature in the room decreases by about 2°C, without changing the sensations of heat by a person. This reduction in average temperature results in 15-20% energy savings for heating this space. This is if we are talking to you about a room with a standard ceiling height of up to 3 meters. If we consider an industrial or sports facility with high ceilings, then these savings can reach up to 30% and 40%. During the heating period, which on average in our country lasts about 200 days, this is a fairly significant savings in financial terms.

The third point is the vertical distribution of heat, again, the absence of the need to heat the upper layers of air, which minimizes heat loss through the upper parts of the walls and ceilings.

All of the above benefits of underfloor heating, follow from the physics of the process itself. There is an opportunity to increase energy efficiency by another 15-20% using various kinds of automation of our system, including weather-dependent automation.

We do not always realize how much this or that heating concept will cost us. We can see how much the equipment costs, according to the specification, and we think that's it. But this iceberg also has a small hidden part, which is much larger than its upper part. So, the tip of the iceberg symbolizes the start-up costs for equipment and installation. But a water heated floor system is made not for one year, but for many decades, so the hidden bottom of the iceberg shows the operating costs over the entire life of the system. We pay monthly for energy consumption, the more energy efficient the heating system is installed, the lower the monthly energy consumption costs of our house will be.

Cons of underfloor heating

Everything good has a downside. And we should also talk about it.

The disadvantages of underfloor heating are as follows:

High inertia system

The impossibility of a sharp change in air temperature in the room. Actually, we don’t always need this, unless of course you live in a country with a sharply continental climate. Where the daily temperature difference can be 15-20 degrees. Since in such a climate with underfloor heating it is impossible to quickly raise or lower the heating temperature.

Output: Weather-dependent automation completely minimizes the inertia of heat flows.

Now about the next minus of the warm floor.

Limited floor space as a heating device

Since the floor area is limited, there is a limit to the thermal output of the system.

Output: If, nevertheless, the heat flow from this area is not enough for us and we do not have the desire to use additional sources such as heating radiators, we can use the walls. Accordingly, we will get full panel heating of our premises without visible heating elements.

Energy dependence

In some regions, this is quite significant minus warm floors. In the event of a power outage, the boiler, circulation pump, and automation are turned off. Against the background of all this, the only positive nuance in can be considered that it is possible to preserve some kind of natural circulation, the gravitational component. In warm floors, this natural circulation is impossible due to high hydraulic resistance. Therefore, the system is really energy-dependent, but at the same time, due to its inertia, the room with a warm floor will cool down many times longer than where the radiator system is installed.

Lack of air circulation

This is both a minus and plus of a warm floor at the same time. In the event that more windows are used in your home, be prepared for the fact that underfloor heating will probably not cope with cutting off cold streams. Plus, at a height above two meters, the windows will fog up.

By nature, people are thermophilic, so each owner tries to warm his home as much as possible.. Someone uses a heater, someone insulates the facade, and someone arranges a warm floor. If all these methods of accumulating heat indoors are used together, then you definitely won’t have to worry about the fact that it will be cold in the house in winter. The harm from an electric heater is obvious - it dries out the air in the room, but is a warm floor harmful to health? This should be sorted out.

Benefits of underfloor heating

Before you begin to understand why a warm floor is so dangerous for a person, one cannot fail to mention its merits. Among them:

environmental friendliness. This type of heating proved to be an order of magnitude better than an electric heater. The carrier temperature is at such a level that the operation of the system does not affect the environment in any way;
economy. This is perhaps the most economical heating system today;
rapid heating of the room. The convector will first heat up and then dry the air in the room, while the warm floor from the first minutes will begin to maintain a comfortable temperature in the room;
heating elements are hidden from view. This allows you to implement any design idea, because you do not need to install any bulky boilers and pipes;
durability and structural strength. When using high-quality materials and observing the installation technology, the need for preventive maintenance will not arise for many years;
versatility. Such a heating system can be used both in residential and office premises..

Reading the above information, it is easy to understand why the warm floor is in such demand among the consumer. And yet, what is its negative impact on human health?

Fiction or real harm

The harm and benefits of underfloor heating - this is what you should understand before installing it in your home. Which accusations against this heating system are fiction, and which ones are really true?

The following negative characteristics are attributed to this heating system:

Emission of toxic substances when heated flooring. This assumption can be immediately refuted. Even if you lay linoleum or PVC tiles on the floor, no toxic substances will be released into the air. To harm a person from fumes from the surface of low-quality materials, you need to decently heat the floor. Does anyone walk around their home like hot coals? The temperature of the coolant is 45C, and the floor is usually heated to 28C, which is quite safe.
Harmfulness of electromagnetic radiation. Warm floors are made not only from pipes that cut into the heating system. The design of this heating system can be of several more types: heating mats, infrared thermal film, electrical cables. All of these options involve connecting to the mains, and like any household appliances that run on electricity, such warm floors emit electromagnetic waves. However, no matter what cable is used for the floor construction, single-core or twin-core, the radiation intensity will be negligible. Nevertheless, doctors do not recommend increasing the level of electromagnetic radiation in your home. Many consumers think about the dangers of infrared underfloor heating. In fact, this radiation is safe for humans.
Furniture can not be placed on a warm floor. But this is just the opposite. If you do not provide for the installation of heating elements in areas with furniture, then what to do when you want to update the room and make a rearrangement? It turns out that sofas and cabinets will move to the heated areas of the room, and you will have to walk on the cold floor. This is not rational. If you look at this issue from the point of view that the temperature of the coating can affect the durability of furniture, then you definitely should not be afraid of this. After all, the floor is not hot, and under the influence of 28C nothing will happen to the furniture.
Walking on a warm floor is harmful. Why should this fear be true, if on the hottest days of summer everyone is happy to walk barefoot on hot sand? Yes, and children love to take off their shoes and run barefoot on warm ground, because adults themselves say that this is useful.
Underfloor heating dries out the air in the room. Of course, if you place the heating elements too close to each other, then the room will be too hot, and this threatens that the mucous membranes of the eyes and nose will dry out. There is nothing left but to ensure the humidification of the room by regularly using a humidifier. However, if the floor design is thought out correctly, then this will not reduce the level of humidity in the apartment.
Because of the warm floor, the room is very dusty. The idea of this heating system is not to dilute cold air with warm air, but to radiate heat, i.e. it does not lift air masses from the floor covering. If a person is allergic to house dust, then there is nothing left but to clean more often, and it doesn’t matter if the house has a warm floor. Breathing dust is harmful, however, the wind raises whole clouds of dust on the street and few people think about its harm.

The above accusations against underfloor heating are mostly untrue. Of course, some of these problems come up, but they are always the result of improperly laid heating elements.

What is the negative impact of underfloor heating on human health

Now we should talk about more significant problems that may arise during the operation of a warm floor:

Uncomfortable temperature conditions for sleep. There really is such a problem, since at the height at which the sleeping place is located, the air temperature reaches 23C. It is too hot and not everyone can sleep peacefully under such conditions. Somnologists say that the most comfortable temperature for sleeping is 18-20C, so heating at night will have to be turned off, and this is not economically viable. However, there is a way out: you need to install a thermostat and connect it to the heating system. With it, you can easily adjust the temperature and set the most comfortable sleep mode.. In addition, in the bedrooms it is better to have heating elements with a large step.
Warm floors are harmful to the health of people with vascular diseases. This is true, because it is harmful for a person who suffers from varicose veins or swelling of the lower extremities to keep their feet warm. In this case, again, you will need a thermostat that will allow you to choose the most appropriate mode.
Most of all, housewives suffer from such a heating system. This opinion came because women, standing at a hot stove on a warm surface, risk earning a gynecological disease and varicose veins. To avoid such an outcome, it is recommended to cover the floor with a parquet board, and not with artificial material, and, if possible, install an adjustable system.

What you should pay attention to when installing a warm floor:

compliance with the technological process when installing a heating system;
arrangement of heating elements with a large step in the bedrooms;
provide the ability to set different temperature conditions;
choose a high-quality natural coating, for example, a special parquet board that will not dry out and will be safe for health.

There is no need to talk about some incredible harm of a warm floor for human health. This is a modern heating system that allows you to heat the room well and at the same time save money.

Even in ancient times, a person, creating a living place for himself, tried to protect it as much as possible from enemies, predators and weather conditions, and make it cozy and comfortable. This is how it happens today: in countries where there are snowy and frosty winters, heating the home and work premises plays a very important role in terms of convenience and comfort.

Multi-storey buildings and buildings of the private sector, which were built during the Soviet Union, were equipped. Such a system was easy to install and repair, at any time the owners could increase the number of sections in the battery. The owners of private housing could regulate the heat by changing the parameters in the gas boiler. Residents of high-rise buildings depended on centralized heating, often freezing in the cold or opening windows on warmer days, suffocating in the apartments from the heat. Thermal comfort during construction was not in the foreground. Since winter in Russia is still a very cold season, modern construction methods suggest the installation of floors with a heating function. And the house is warmer, and the children can safely play on the floor without fear of a cold, and it’s nice to walk on a warm surface, like on a summer sand. A lot is written and said about warm floors. This is a whole system that allows you to heat a home, in which heat is evenly distributed throughout the room. The heat carrier is located in the floor. If the water base, then these are pipes, if the electric, then the cable. Water heated to forty-five degrees makes regular movement in the pipe, the cable connected to the network performs the same heating function. Electric heat is regulated by a thermostat, water heat is regulated by sensors on the boiler.

If you have not settled on any option yet, let's look at the positive and negative aspects of such coverage together.

Pros:

Save money on heating bills (up to 30 percent). The warmer the room, the less heat is spent on heating it. If the feet are warm, we perceive even a low temperature as comfortable. Heat, according to the laws of physics, rises. That is, without warm floors, the warmest place in the apartment is under the ceiling. With warm floors - the temperature is even everywhere.
Installation does not require special equipment, faults are easily fixed.
With proper installation, such a floor can last up to fifty years.
The appearance of the warm floor does not differ from the usual one, it does not attract attention, like batteries.
Warm air rising from the floor creates an obstacle to the formation of drafts.
Ideal conditions for children's games. You can play wherever you want without the risk of catching a cold.

Minuses:

Pleasure is expensive. The cost and installation, of course, will pay off someday, but the money is needed now.
This is not a simple current repair, you will have to raise the floors a few centimeters, this is not always realistic. Now, if your construction has just begun - this is your option!
You will have to think about floor coverings, because, for example, laying a warm dense carpet on such a floor will bring all your efforts to nothing, there will be no benefit from the floor.
Almost always there are difficulties with the repair. The floor heating system in the rooms is common, sometimes it is difficult to determine the place where the breakdown occurred. But if you do not spare money for installation and invite real professionals for this, you will follow the rules of operation - there should be no problems.
All furniture should be raised above the floor for free circulation of heat, if it is not made of natural materials, there is the possibility of the release of small but constant concentrations of harmful substances from it when heated.
Slow heating of the decking (three to five hours) can occur, first the concrete in which it is embedded will be heated, and then the coating and air. But when the system is off, cooling is just as slow.
With a long stay in a room with warm floor heating, exacerbations of diseases of the lower extremities are possible (for example, varicose veins - a vascular disease of the veins).
Installing water in city apartments has technical difficulties and requires special permits.

Advantages and disadvantages of infrared underfloor heating

Half a dozen years ago, film warm floors were a unique phenomenon, today infrared film floors are used to create comfortable zones in residential buildings, apartments and offices. Popularity and demand have created competition and, consequently, advertising and product reviews, which may or may not be true.

In the system of electric infrared film underfloor heating, the main thing is the presence of a thin heating carbon film, which, when connected, begins to emit infrared rays and anions. The radiation comes from carbon paste deposited in parallel, even or curved stripes.

On expensive films, the paste is applied in the form of a uniform layer. In order for the heat to heat the floor covering, and not the neighboring ceiling, it is necessary to use a heat-reflecting substrate. If the laying of materials can still be done by you yourself, then we advise you to invite a qualified electrician to connect to the network. Most markets now offer Korean-made heating films. Such a film is of good quality and moderate prices, which, unfortunately, depend on the value of the currency.

Selecting and installing infrared film

The market can offer products made in Ukraine, the Czech Republic, the USA, China and, of course, Russia. Increasing competition expands the choice, but at the same time, the company, presenting the quality of its product, often speaks impartially about the products of competitors. Film infrared floors are the floors of the future. Hydrocarbon fiber is much more thermally conductive than many alternatives used in heating systems. The most popular installation method is under the laminate. This material warms up literally in a matter of minutes, and can be quickly dismantled if necessary. But, covered with laminate, the film floor still cannot be the main heating system in the room, since the material that heats up quickly also cools down quickly if the system is turned off.

The film mesh, by the way, can be attached not only to the floor. It mounts perfectly on walls, ceilings, curved surfaces. What users do not come up with: they heat containers with honey, heat various equipment, the bottom in a home pond, build greenhouses and much more.

Myths about infrared underfloor heating

Many sellers of cable floors convey to buyers a horror story that the premises are ionized by negative particles from film floors. Some radiation does come from the film itself, but the laminate, tile or linoleum covering it from above does not let it through further. You can even make a mobile system when the heating film with the substrate is laid under the carpet, and the removal of the wires and the thermostat to a safe corner allows you to use it in the cold season, removing it for the summer.

Many consumers ask if the seams on the tile will crack if it is laid on a film floor. If the installation has been done correctly, the tile will hold exactly as it would on a conventional screed. When properly installed, a fiberglass reinforcing mesh is used and must be nailed to the floor underneath. from the tile is attached with special glue, the layer of which is at least one and a half centimeters.