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 district heating, often froze in the cold or opened the 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 methods buildings offer the installation of floors with a heating function. And it’s warmer in the house, and the children can safely play on the floor without fear of a cold, and it’s nice to walk along warm coating, like on a summer sand. A lot is written and said about warm floors. it whole system, allowing to heat the dwelling, at which heat is evenly distributed throughout the room. The heat carrier is located in the floor. If a water base, then these are pipes, if electric, then cable. Water heated to forty-five degrees makes regular movement in the pipe, the cable connected to the network performs the same heating function. electrical heat regulated by a thermostat, water - using 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. FROM warm floors- The temperature is the same everywhere.
- Installation does not require special equipment, faults are easily fixed.
- At correct installation such a floor can serve up to fifty years.
- The appearance of the warm floor does not differ from the usual one, it does not attract attention, like batteries.
- rising from the floor warm air 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.
- It's not simple Maintenance, 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 off the floor to allow heat to circulate freely, unless it is made of natural materials, it is possible to extract from it small but constant concentrations harmful substances 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.
- When staying indoors for a long time warm heating gender, exacerbation of diseases is possible lower extremities(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. This film is different 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 will crack on tiles if you put it on the 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. attached from tiles special glue, the layer of which is not less than one and a half centimeters.
One of the varieties heating systems, often used in dwellings, are heated floors powered by electricity. For example, those with a high degree reliability of cable systems. Modern electric underfloor heating systems are designed for easy and fast installation.
- Principle and features of work
- Pros and cons of underfloor heating
- Types of electric underfloor heating
- Cable floor heating
- Infrared warm floor
- Film floor heating
- Rod warm floor
- How to choose a warm floor model?
- Electric underfloor heating under tiles
- Electric underfloor heating for laminate and parquet
- Electric underfloor heating under carpet or linoleum
Principle and features of work
Electric underfloor heating is heated by electricity, i.e., it heats up first electrical cable, and that gives off heat to the floor surface.
regular kit heating system includes:
- underfloor heating element (cable, mat, etc.);
- supply wires supplying voltage to the heating elements and connected to them by couplings;
- control device (sensor);
- control device (thermostat).
Also, during installation, additional materials may be required:
- thermal insulation;
- damper tape;
- reinforcing mounting mesh;
- adhesive tape and other consumables.
When working with normal electrical wires, which are connected to sockets and lamps, calculate the cross section of the conductor and set the appropriate rating of the devices automatic shutdown. This is done so that the wires do not overheat during operation, because otherwise their insulation will dry out, crack and crumble, which in the end will inevitably cause short circuit online.
Wires in underfloor heating elements work quite differently. In them, electricity should be converted into heat as efficiently as possible. Here the wires are special, they are not destroyed by heat and can work in this mode for many years. Top Producers such systems guarantee 20 years of operation of their products.
Pros and cons of underfloor heating
When choosing a floor heating design, you need to compare the pros and cons of the available options.
Advantages of electric underfloor heating
- Allows you not to be afraid of water leaks.
- Works completely silently.
- It does not require space and remains invisible, because it does not need a boiler and pumps, like a water heated floor.
- Electric underfloor heating heats the surface evenly, which cannot be achieved with water systems.
- Easy temperature control with ergonomic remote control and thermostat.
- Long service life, which can reach 50 years.
But there are also disadvantages in electric heating systems:
- Highly expensive operation does not allow heating large areas of premises, in this case they are cheaper hydraulic systems heating.
- The generation of electromagnetic radiation - however, it is very weak, and does not harm a person, but still it exists.
- Serious load on electrical network, which not every household network can withstand.
Types of electric underfloor heating
Electric heating in such systems can be carried out by two types of heating elements:
- in the form of a cable;
- in the form of films with infrared radiation.
You can also classify them according to the design method:
- Heating cable (single-core or two-core). It may be self-adjusting.
- Warm floor "electric mats" - when the same cable is already attached to the mounting grid.
- Film underfloor heating - uses an infrared heating element.
- Rod underfloor heating - also uses infrared principle heating.
There is no unequivocal answer to the question of which floors with electric heating are better to choose, since each system is not devoid of not only advantages, but also disadvantages.
Cable floor heating
The heating element here is a special cable, which converts the electricity passing through it into heat. Moreover, different cables can be found in cable heating elements: single-core, two-core or self-regulating:
- A single-core cable includes a single heating thread, its ends are brought together during installation and one of them is connected to the phase current-carrying wire, and the second to zero.
- There are two threads in a two-core cable, so its installation should not be reduced to a loopback, but uses a “dead-end” laying method.
- A type of two-core cable is a self-regulating cable, which is able to regulate the degree of heat generation in its different sections. It is often used to protect pipes from freezing and in snow melting systems.
- A heating mat is a single-core or two-core cable, which is fixed on a mounting grid with a certain pitch. Its advantage is that it can be embedded not only in a concrete screed, but also in a layer of tile adhesive in the bathroom, if it is used there top coat. Thanks to this, it is possible to reduce the thickness of the floor in the bath and speed up the installation process.
Electric floor heating systems based on cable heating elements are good because it is convenient to make any configuration of the heating zone from them (heating mats, alas, cannot boast of this).
Any cable structures quickly enough (in 10-15 minutes) they heat up and are able to continuously give off heat for 4-6 hours.
Best for any stone coating (porcelain stoneware, ceramic tile etc.) to mount cable systems.
Infrared warm floor
This system is divided into film and rod underfloor heating.
Film floor heating
It is made from a multilayer polymer film, the thickness of which ranges from fractions of a millimeter to several millimeters. At the edges of the sheets there are thin copper electrodes, to which thin graphite strips located between the polymer layers, which are heating elements, are connected.
Benefits of underfloor heating film:
- The film for underfloor heating with infrared radiation is universal - it goes well with different floor coverings: laminate, parquet, tiles, etc.
- Such a floor can be arranged with your own hands, if you have minimal skills.
- Relative efficiency - per unit area, it spends no more than 30-70 W of electricity.
But film floors, especially those made of too thin a film, are quite easy to damage, however, they will work after that, except for the place of damage.
Repairing such a floor with the dismantling of the floor covering, replacing the damaged area and re-installing it will be very expensive. Therefore, the installation of such floors must be treated very scrupulously and carefully.
Rod warm floor
He also uses infrared system heating, but here the heater is a flexible rods of composite material containing carbon and silver.
The advantage of this heating system is the possibility of its use on any flat surface even on the ceiling.
Other benefits:
- Even if several rods get damaged, the system will continue to work.
- Installation of rod systems is so simple that any man who knows how to hold tools in his hands can handle it.
- It can be placed under any floor coverings, including in a bathtub under a layer of tile adhesive or under a thin layer of screed.
Video about the types of electric underfloor heating:
How to choose a warm floor model?
When deciding how to choose one or another model of a warm floor, you should be guided by the following criteria:
- whether the underfloor heating will serve as the main source of heat in the house or only an additional one;
- what kind of flooring is planned to be used in the room;
- what is overall height premises and the condition of their ceilings.
Different floor coverings require the installation of different heating elements. Not all systems are suitable for carpet or tiles, and others cannot be laid under parquet or laminate, so you need to choose which electric underfloor heating is best for a particular finish.
Electric underfloor heating under tiles
Under porcelain stoneware and ceramic tiles, you can put:
- self-regulating and resistive cables;
- rod systems;
- cable mats.
If you really need to combine them, then you need to put a reinforcing mesh on the heating film, and only then pour everything tile adhesive. But at the same time, a significant part of the thermal radiation gets stuck in these layers. Therefore, this option will be ineffective, in addition, rod mats and infrared films are the most expensive materials of all used in electric underfloor heating. It is worth using a cheaper and more effective solution.
Electric underfloor heating for laminate and parquet
Laminate and parquet can be heated by the following systems:
- heating cable;
- infrared film;
- rod mats;
- cable mats.
Although you can use any design, but still the film turns out to be the most convenient, since its installation will be the easiest. If you take heating cables, then you should prefer self-regulating.
Electric underfloor heating under carpet or linoleum
Under the linoleum, you can also place any heating electrical elements.
Therefore, if the elements mentioned above are used, they must be supplemented with a correctly installed high-quality temperature sensor.
It is much better to combine self-regulating wires and rod mats with linoleum, since they do not overheat.
Pretty good showed itself in combination with these coatings film heating. Although the film is afraid of overheating (blocking), its melting point is very high, which gives an additional margin of safety if temperature sensor systems will fail.
Are you considering electric floor heating as a heating system for your home? Which of its types would you lay down, and why? Tell us about your plans or experience in the comments - they will be of interest to other builders!
Underfloor heating is a heating system that uses hot water as a heat source. The principle of operation of this system is extremely simple: it is mounted on the floor flexible pipe, along which it goes hot water. Heats the liquid system central heating or stand-alone boiler. The most popular is the scheme for connecting the system to a gas boiler, since in this case the heating will not be associated with seasonal shutdowns.
Advantages of a water heated floor
If a indicators of warm water floors calculated correctly, the system will please with its efficiency and durability. The main advantages of water heating include the following parameters:
The relative cheapness of installation, which is very important, given the high cost of the equipment itself. Many consumers opt for this option precisely because of the simplicity and affordability of installation;
The water system, unlike other types of underfloor heating, can be used in combination with almost any floor covering. Carpet, ceramic tile, laminate and even linoleum - this is far from full list possible options;
Possibility of connecting the system to an autonomous heat source or centralized heating;
Maximum heat retention, for example, in a room with normal dimensions, the savings are about 30%, and in a dwelling with a ceiling height of more than 3 meters - about 50%;
Possibility of complete rejection traditional systems heating, which allows to significantly expand usable area premises;
At battery life heating will not depend on interruptions in the power supply network.
There are a lot of advantages for water heated floors, but there are no ideal systems, so even this option has its negative sides.
Disadvantages of a water heated floor
The disadvantages of using a water heated floor system include the following points:
1. Installation of this type heating is possible only in private houses, since most apartments do not have necessary conditions for its installation.
2. If you select stand-alone operation, you can only partially regulate the heating if the system is connected to centralized system then no adjustment is possible.
3. In case of late detection of defects in the pipeline system, there is a high risk of flooding.
Of course, we have not considered all the advantages and disadvantages of water heated floors, but the main pros and cons are reflected. In general, this system, although it requires compliance with certain conditions, is one of the simplest and most effective in the category of underfloor heating.
Today we would like to touch upon one of the most controversial issues in the field of space heating - is it possible to use underfloor heating as the main heating of a private house or apartment? Below we will consider the pros and cons of such an idea, which in fact will allow you to answer this question!
Flat
Electric underfloor heating as the main type of heating is reasonable to use only in private homes. It is extremely illogical to use such a heating system in an apartment for several reasons:
- You still have to pay for heating, because. risers will pass through your apartment.
- overlap central system quite problematic, and expensive (dismantling batteries, changing the pipe system, welding, etc.).
As you can see, in apartments, the ability to use electric underfloor heating as the main heating is not advisable due to several significant drawbacks. If you are not satisfied with city services, you can simply do it without turning off the central system. This solution to the problem is recommended if the housing and communal services are late to launch heating season and you just need to get out of the situation for a while.
By the way, water system floor heating also cannot be used in apartment buildings, because this is prohibited by law. The reason is obvious - hot water will pass under your flooring, cool down and only after that it will flow further to the neighbors.
private home
As for the use of electric underfloor heating as the main heating of the house, here you can already think about whether to do it or not. The only thing that can stop you monthly expenses to pay the electricity bill. If you do economical system, install electricity and turn on the heating wisely, while the main type of heating will be quite reasonable.
The advantages in this case are:
- Ease of installation. even a person without special skills can.
- The heating cable, thermomat or film will not occupy the free space of the rooms, unlike radiators or convectors.
- Good room heating. Heat will be radiated evenly over the entire area of a private house.
- Long service life with proper installation and use.
- No need to spend money to buy a boiler and other types of equipment.
- The cost of creating electric floor heating (as the main one) is at least 2 times cheaper than water.
Of the minuses of underfloor heating as the main heating of a private house, we can distinguish:
- There should be no problems with power supply on the site, otherwise in winter there is every chance to freeze if the light is turned off for a long time.
- Far from all regions, the cost of a kilowatt of electricity is acceptable. First of all, you need to take into account the costs, so as not to face material problems later. We provided a detailed cost calculation in the article -.
- Heating cable or infrared foil must not be laid under the installation points. household appliances and furniture. If the warm floor is used as the main heating, so-called cold bridges can form just in unheated places. As a result, as the reviews on the thematic forums show, there may be significant heat loss and dampness on the walls.
As you can see, the possibility of using this heating option as the main one has its advantages and disadvantages. To begin with, in relation to your conditions, weigh the pros and cons, and then draw a conclusion. We also recommend watching the video below, which provides more modern version main heating in the cottage.
The electric underfloor heating system has both positive reviews, as well as negative ones. In order for you to decide whether it is worth using this option for your house or apartment, now we will provide the main pros and cons of an electric underfloor heating.
Main advantages
Among the main advantages of electric underfloor heating are:
- the possibility of application not only at home, but also in offices;
- can be used with any floor covering: tiles, laminate, linoleum, etc.;
- all elements of the system are hidden from view, thus do not spoil the interior of the room;
- can be adjusted using the supplied thermostat temperature regime up to 0.1 ° C, while you can also set certain time turning on / off the heater;
- can be used as main and auxiliary heating;
- (and even more so parquet) can be carried out by a person without the slightest experience, besides, no special tool should not be at hand;
- long service life with proper handling of the system;
- the surface is heated evenly over the entire area;
- it will take a little time to determine the cause of the breakdown;
- the system does not require additional equipment (for example, for water heating it is necessary or gas);
- temperature heating element not too large, which is good when considering the safety of the application.
As you can see, the advantages of electric floor heating are significant, which makes this option quite competitive compared to other heating options.
Immediately we want to provide a video on the topic:
Video review of the advantages and disadvantages of electric underfloor heating
Existing deficiencies
As always, something must be sacrificed when choosing a particular system. As for the disadvantages of electric underfloor heating, the main ones are:
- high operating cost (if a heating cable is used for central heating of a large area, required power heater can reach up to 15-20 kW, which will significantly increase the monthly electricity consumption);
- any type of electric heater has increased danger electric shock and electric underfloor heating are no exception, therefore, especially during wet rooms must take this into account;
- to increase electrical safety, it is necessary to spend additional money on the acquisition and, as well as the creation of a reliable one;
- the heating cable, which is the main executive body of heating, creates an electromagnetic field that negatively affects the human body;
- the floor covering, in particular wood, suffers when heated: it cracks and deforms;
- when laying heaters (especially cables), the ceiling height can be reduced to 10 cm;
- if the heating will be used as the main one and at the same time a large house, then a rather powerful electrical wiring will be required for the system to work.
It can be seen that the disadvantages of the system are quite weighty. However, we pay attention to the fact that at , and also installation work according to the instructions, most of the listed shortcomings are immediately cut off. This makes the floor heating system popular and in demand.
Comparison with an alternative
So that you are finally convinced of the correctness of your decision, now we will talk a little about why an electric underfloor heating is better than a water one.
So, we have highlighted the main points of comparison:
- Water heated floor is more reasonable to use on large areas, especially if the heating will be carried out at the expense of gas boiler. In small rooms, it is more logical to give preference to the option powered by the mains, because. in this case, the cost of installation and operation will be small.
- Heating hot water has a longer service life (according to manufacturers, the mark can reach up to 50 years).
- Water will not harm human health, which cannot be said about current.
- Installation of a cable (or thermomats) is much easier than water pipes.
- Adjustment electric heater carried out much faster and more accurately than water.
Here we have provided the pros and cons of electric underfloor heating. Summing up, it can be noted that both versions of the system have their own advantages and disadvantages, which in any case force them to sacrifice something. We recommend giving preference to electric heating, because. it is more modern, efficient and multifunctional!
Video review of the advantages and disadvantages of electric underfloor heating
Advantages of film coating
