Underfloor heating in an apartment how to choose: convenient and comfortable heating. How to design a water heated floor Connecting a warm floor from a hot water return riser

The advantages of underfloor heating (abbreviated as TP) over conventional batteries are well known. Therefore, many owners of apartments and private houses want to make underfloor heating circuits, and supply the coolant from the existing radiator system.

A number of difficulties arise here - you need to install and properly connect a water heated floor from heating so that the water temperature in the loops remains within 55-60 ° C. But the first task is to make sure of the technical feasibility of laying the "pie" of TS and connecting to existing highways at the lowest cost.

How to fit a "pie" in a room with low thresholds

This problem is faced by almost all homeowners who decide to arrange underfloor heating in an inhabited house or city apartment. Essence of the question: the height of the thresholds of entrance or interior doors is not enough for the installation of a full-fledged "pie" of warm water floors with a screed (see the drawing below).

Let us analyze the composition of a monolithic heating circuit located on an interfloor or basement floor:

Waterproofing - bituminous coating, more often - plastic film.
Insulation - extruded polystyrene foam with a minimum thickness of 30 mm or polystyrene 5 cm.
Damper tape around the perimeter of the room.
Heating pipe (usually metal-plastic or cross-linked polyethylene with a diameter of 16 x 2 mm), laid in a snail or snake.
Cement-sand screed 8.5 cm thick.
Floor covering (sometimes a vapor barrier layer is made under it). The thickness depends on the material, laminate and linoleum will take up to 1 cm, ceramic tiles with an adhesive mixture - about 20 mm.

The traditional surface heating scheme is made without reinforcement

An important nuance. If a monolithic warm floor is arranged above the ground, the thickness of the insulation increases to at least 100 mm foam or 60 mm extruded foam. The density of both materials is 35 kg/m³.

The total height of the "pie" with a laminate coating will be 85 + 30 + 10 = 125 mm. No normal owner provides such high thresholds. How to solve the problem and implement underfloor heating in a similar situation:

Reference. The only room in the apartment where the thresholds remain high is the balcony and the loggia. There is no need to reinvent the wheel, usually the monolith is freely placed along with thermal insulation.

Floor heating system, dry laid

Some home-grown craftsmen do not put insulation at all or reduce the power of the screed to 4 cm. In the first case, half of the heat generated will go to the basement, the ground or to the neighbors from below, in the second, the monolith expanding from heating will soon crack.

About how best to make a warm floor in the premises of an apartment building, the expert will tell in more detail and in an accessible way on the video:

Connection from central heating

According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, Ukraine and other countries of the former USSR, unauthorized intervention in the district heating system is prohibited. Simply put, for connecting additional heating devices and underfloor heating, you face a large fine and an order to dismantle excess heaters.

Note. Similar measures and responsibility are provided for the connection of TP to the centralized hot water supply network (DHW).

How unauthorized connection from central heating is detected:

Some "tricks" advise connecting the TP loops through a plate heat exchanger in order to isolate the circuits from the central heating. The catch: the hydraulic resistance of the network will not increase and a pipe break will not cause serious flooding, but the amount of heat removed will still increase.

How to do underfloor heating legally:

Contact the heat supply organization with an application and obtain permission.
Together with the permit document, obtain technical conditions for the installation and connection of floor circuits.
Develop and approve the project.
Mount the system yourself and put it into operation.

Admittedly, the vast majority of applicants are refused at the stage of application. An exception is made for residents of new buildings with an individual connection of apartment heating to the distributing risers. But if you decide at your own peril and risk to embed the heating circuits in the heat supply network, proceed to the study of the next section.

Connection options

To ensure the normal operation of the TP circuits and get the long-awaited feeling of comfort, it is necessary to solve 2 issues:

Supply heat carrier with a temperature not exceeding 50 °C (maximum - 55 °C) to the pipes of the heating circuits. Overheated floors cause discomfort in most people, the optimal indicator for the finish coating is 26 ° C.
Ensure the required coolant flow in radiators and underfloor heating loops. If the diameter of the supply line is too small or the circulation pump does not develop the required performance, batteries and underfloor heating will heat equally badly.

Consider several schemes that allow you to connect a water heated floor to an existing heating system. Let's see how well the issues of temperature and coolant flow are solved in each option:

direct connection to a two-pipe radiator network;
the same, with the use of regulating thermostatic heads;
tie-in to the main line of a single-pipe system with an additional pump;
full connection with a separate pipe from the boiler.

Direct connection to the radiator network

The tie-in of the TP circuit into the supply and return of the two-pipe wiring will function tolerably under the following conditions:

the total heated area is relatively small - up to 100 squares;
heat source - a gas boiler capable of maintaining the temperature of the coolant within 40-50 ° C;
the circulation pump installed in the boiler room has sufficient capacity;
heated floors are designed to heat small rooms - bathroom, kitchen, nursery.

The direct connection scheme is suitable only for small heating areas

The direct connection scheme has the right to life, but in general it is very imperfect. Judge for yourself: it is much easier for water to move along the path of low resistance further along the main line than to flow into a long pipe of the heating circuit.

The second moment: when serious cold weather sets in, you yourself will raise the temperature in the boiler, the floor surface will heat up, and the room will become stuffy. The bathroom, covered with tiles, will turn into a bath. Note: intensive heating of the bathroom is absolutely useless, people are not there all the time.

Option for direct tie-in of the contour instead of a dead-end radiator of two-pipe wiring

For reference. As some home craftsmen still do: they include the TP circuit in the break of the return line going from the batteries to the heat source. And then they wonder why the underfloor heating does not work together with radiators. The reason is an increase in the hydraulic resistance of the entire branch and a decrease in the coolant flow rate.

Using RTL valves

To correctly solve the issue of regulating the water temperature when connecting a warm floor, special thermal heads of the RTL type will directly help. The automatic valve is placed on the return pipeline and is easily adjusted to a certain temperature. The algorithm of work is as follows:

Until the heating of the coolant has reached the value set on the thermal head, it quietly circulates through the pipe of the floor circuit.
When the water temperature rises to the set value, the head actuator closes the thermostatic valve. The circulation stops, the coolant cools down.
After the temperature drops as a result of cooling, the thermostat opens the passage and the movement of water resumes.

Heating is controlled by the temperature of the return flow, limited by the thermal head

Reference Information. The European company Oventrop has long been offering solutions for such cases - UniBox units built into the wall. Inside there is an RTL type thermal head, the adjusting handle is brought out. There are versions with two valves - one controls the flow of the coolant according to the return flow temperature, the second - to heat the ambient air.

The disadvantage of the solution is the limitation of the length of the pipeline. If the length of the loop exceeds 50 m, the TP will start to work unevenly due to increased resistance. For heating rooms of medium and large area, it will be necessary to divide the warm floors into 2-3 circuits and the same number of monoliths separated by expansion joints, as shown in the drawing.

Now for the pros:

heating with warm floors can be arranged in any room, without being tied to the boiler and furnace;
the price of the product is incomparable with the cost of mixing units and additional pumps;
if the batteries are equipped with air thermal heads, the TP system will be able to work in the summer - the radiators will turn off by themselves.

The described scheme is also suitable for connecting underfloor heating to a two-pipe district heating network. But keep in mind one caveat: a dirty coolant can quickly clog a thermostatic valve or disable it. The wizard will tell you about the intricacies of the RTL heads in the next video:

Is it possible to connect to a single-pipe wiring

To power underfloor heating from heating - a one-pipe “Leningradka” beloved by many masters, you will have to assemble a mixing unit with your own hands and put a second pump, as shown in the diagram. For the normal functioning of the system, the following conditions must be met:

the inner diameter of the distribution line is at least DN25, the maximum number of radiators on the ring is 5 pieces;
the connection of the TP loop is made to the return pipeline after all batteries;
the minimum distance between the supply and return tie-ins of the underfloor heating is 30 cm;
to maintain the temperature in the circuit, a three-way mixing valve is installed.

Note. A similar scheme is used by the owners of apartments for unauthorized connection of the transformer substation to the old type of central heating - single-pipe vertical risers.

In this and other diagrams, shut-off valves and are conditionally not shown, but it is necessary to install this fitting

Three-way valve - a simplified design, capable of preparing water with a fixed temperature of 45-50 ° C. The pump “drives” the coolant along the loop, and the valve mixes portions of hot water from the main line.

In practice, the scheme is rarely used. The reason is the instability of work and the imbalance of radiators connected to a single pipe "Leningradka". When the three-way valve opens slightly and feeds the heating circuit, the pump pressure is transferred to the main line, the water flow in the batteries changes.

Advice. If you want to assemble a reliable underfloor heating scheme with your own hands, it is better to run separate supply and return pipelines from the boiler. The consequences of perversions with a single-pipe radiator network are unpredictable.

Traditional scheme with a mixing unit

When it is necessary to arrange floor heating in each room of a two-story house, it is impossible to connect to the existing radiator heating. It is necessary to lay separate pipelines and install a distribution manifold. What connection options are practiced:

if the length of the circuits does not exceed 50 m (including connections to the collector), thermal heads are placed on the comb that respond to the return flow temperature;
mixing unit with manifold and two-way valve;
the same with a three-way thermostatic valve.

In the first case, the principle of operation is similar to inserting one loop through the RTL head, only the regulators are on the comb and control each circuit separately, as shown in the photo. Circulation is provided by the main pump located in the furnace or inside the wall-mounted gas boiler.

In the second version, hot water is mixed with a two-way valve installed on the supply and controlled by a thermal head with an external temperature sensor. The latter is hidden in the collector pipe or screwed to it from the outside.

When the temperature of the supplied coolant increases, the liquid from the sensor flask presses on the valve stem and it closes. The scheme provides for the installation of an additional pump that pumps water through all the loops of the transformer substation.

The scheme with a three-way valve, whose principle of operation is described above, is more perfect and is designed for a solid coolant flow in warm floors. The disadvantage of both options is the decent price of equipment and the complexity of installation. All details about heating circuits are given in the corresponding manual.

Installation instructions for underfloor heating

If you have settled all the questions regarding the laying of the "pie" and the choice of the connection scheme, you can proceed to pouring the heating plates. To get started, find out the required thermal power of the circuits, the diameter and distance between the pipes, using.

Before installation, level the surface and carefully remove debris. When installing a screed on the ground, prepare a compacted sand cushion or footing 4 cm thick. The technology for pouring a monolithic warm floor looks like this:

Perform waterproofing from film sheets laid out over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe room with an overlap of 100-150 mm. Glue the joints with high-quality adhesive tape, along the edges make laps on the walls up to the level of the future clean floor.
Paste the lower part of the walls in contact with the screed with damper tape around the entire perimeter, as shown in the photo. The overlap of the waterproofing film must remain on top of the strip.
A damper strip is glued to the walls, and a deformation seam is arranged between the monoliths
Lay the thermal insulation boards tightly against each other. Roll out the coil and straighten the pipe, lay out the loops of the heating circuits with the desired step. The pipeline is fixed to the insulation with plastic brackets at intervals of 35-40 cm.
Bring the ends of the loops to the connection point - a collector or radiator heating lines. Before the final assembly of the circuit, fill the circuit with water and check the tightness with a pressure of 3-4 bar.

Note. If you plan to pour a thin screed (6 cm), lay a reinforcing mesh on top of the polystyrene plates. Do not connect pipes inside the future monolith, put only solid ones, without joints.

Leaving the hinges filled with water (so that they do not float or collapse under the weight of concrete), make a cement-sand mortar from the finished dry floor mix and pour the screed. Continue work after about 4 weeks - this is how long it takes for complete hardening. The technology without cement screed is described in detail in our other publication.

Conclusion

Listening to the opinion of master plumbers and experts, we will finally give a recommendation: avoid connecting a water heated floor to the working heating branches. It is better to tie the heating circuits of the TP directly to the boiler, then the floor heating will be able to function independently of the batteries, including in summer. The process of laying pipes and pouring a concrete screed, see the last video.

Today we will consider the question of how to make a warm floor from hot water in an apartment, in particular, in the bathroom.

To ensure that the floor in the bathroom is always pleasant for the feet, they make a warm floor. The warm floor can be electric, or it can be liquid, powered by a heating system. Usually, for this, a branch is made from the heating riser or from the heated towel rail, if it is powered from the heating system.

However, in the summer, or rather, from May to October, heating in city high-rise buildings is turned off. And the warm floor, powered by the heating system, is also inactive until the heating is turned on in the fall throughout the house.

In order not to be left without a warm floor at the end of spring and early autumn, the pipes are powered from the hot water supply system. Of course, hot water is also turned off in the summer. But the term for turning off hot water is not long, and it is also not planned. So even in summer, a warm floor from hot water in the apartment will work properly and warm your feet.

How can a warm water floor in a bathroom be connected to a hot water supply system and how to do it right.

Firstly, you can contact a specialized company that constantly works with heating and water supply. The specialists of the firms will do everything without any hassle for you, from installing floor pipes and filling it with a screed, to connecting the floor to hot water and adjusting its temperature.

Secondly, you can do this whole process yourself, but for this you will need to study thoroughly all the information on this issue.

You must know where to buy all the components, how to prepare the concrete floor in the bathroom for the installation of a tubular floor, how to fill the screed. And then, put a coating on top - usually ceramic tiles are used for this.

We buy components

To purchase all the components for the manufacture of underfloor heating, you first need to find out what the length of the underfloor heating circuit will be in your bathroom. To do this, measure the length and width of the free floor in your bathroom.

Why only free? Because you won't be placing water floor tubes where you don't walk. And this is the area on which there is a bath or shower, a cabinet under the washbasin, the area occupied by the bases of the cabinets.

In a standard bathroom, you get a rectangle with sides of 2 meters by 0.5 meters. In a combined bathroom, you will actually get a square with sides of 1.5 meters. In non-standard bathrooms, you yourself can measure the sides for free floor space.

Next, you can go to a plumbing store or a company that sells accessories for installing underfloor heating. Also, in any shopping center that specializes in goods for repairs, you will find a department where you can buy everything you need - pipes, fittings, valves. Do not forget to purchase floor mounts for underfloor heating pipes.

If you are going to power your underfloor heating from hot water, antifreeze will not run through the pipes, there will be clean hot water. This means that you can use less expensive water floor pipes, as antifreeze pipes cost a little more.

Preparing the base for underfloor heating

In order to begin the entire underfloor heating installation procedure, you will first need to dismantle the finished flooring in your bathroom. Those who had linoleum there receive a “bonus” in the form of its easy dismantling. Those who have tiles on the bathroom floor will be forced to dismantle them.

Next, the concrete base is cleaned and leveled. If you do not clean up the remnants of tile adhesive and similar sagging and bumps, your new screed will not hold firmly to the concrete base and, as a result, will crack and collapse.

We install a warm floor

Underfloor heating pipes are laid on a clean and even concrete base, which are mounted on concrete using floor mounts. The fasteners are screwed to the concrete with dowels, and the tubes are snapped into the fasteners.

Be sure to leave an excess length for the inlet and outlet pipes - this will help you at the stage of connecting the underfloor heating to hot water.

We connect and regulate a warm floor

Connection of a heat-insulated floor has to be made in 2 stages. The first step is to connect. When the floor heating pipes are just laid, fasteners, fittings and valves are installed.

This test connection should show you that the whole system is assembled correctly, there are no currents, everything is working. At this point, it will be possible to correct everything that is done incorrectly or needs to be improved.

At this stage, you will be able to assess how much the warm floor heats up, how well it works.

Attention! The screed must be poured when there is hot water under pressure inside the underfloor heating pipes.

The final temperature adjustment of the warm floor is made after the installation of the finishing coating in the bathroom.

Fill the screed

After the warm floor is installed, you can start pouring a new screed, which will hide the water floor pipes and protect them from mechanical damage. It is best to use a ready-made screed for this purpose. It has much better plasticity than an ordinary solution.

If you installed a warm floor according to the level, now you can use its top points for fixing beacons, which will show you when pouring the screed that you are pouring it strictly parallel to the ground.

Of course, it is possible to pour such a small space without beacons, but in case of an error, you will have problems with further tiling. And also with the fact that water will accumulate in the corners and recesses of an uneven floor.

After the final flooring is installed, your new underfloor heating in the bathroom is ready. It remains only to finally adjust its temperature. This is done using the most common ball valve, which regulates the flow of hot water into the floor tubes.

You can also use a mechanical thermostat that will automatically maintain the set temperature.

The increase in prices for the supply of hot water makes people look for a more economical way to heat their apartment. One of these methods - water heated floors in the apartment will be discussed in more detail, namely, how to properly make a warm floor.

Laying of warm flooring and warm water floors in an apartment in European countries has been done since the 80s of the last century. In Austria, Switzerland and Germany, a water heated floor in an apartment is installed in 60% of houses. Different energy sources are connected to heating for underfloor heating:

infrared emitters;
heating electric cables;
PLEN device, films with built-in electric spiral and others.

The warm floor and the technology of its execution in this case provides for heating through the laid with hot liquid, most often it is water, sometimes antifreeze or antifreeze is used. Laying a water-heated floor requires laying pipes evenly over the floor surface.

During circulation, the liquid in the heating system passes through a centralized heating source, gives off heat to the concrete, and then the air is heated. The technology of laying a water-heated floor provides for heating water with an autonomous boiler, or heated floors in an apartment are connected from central heating. In both cases, the inclusion and installation of a water-heated floor can be done by hand.

Modern technologies simplify the installation of a water-heated floor. Pipes are used, the configuration of which is based on the molecular memory of cross-linked polyethylene. This reduced the cost of materials, the connection scheme for a water-heated floor and the installation technology became simpler, and reliability increased.

Installing and pouring a warm floor is not a difficult process; it is quite possible to make a warm water floor with your own hands. For this, several methods and special materials have been developed. People are interested in how to connect the warm floor of the room to the heating system, how to implement this project on their own.

Pipe length calculation

How to calculate the length and lay pipes on a water heated floor with underfloor heating will be discussed below. There are several options for how pipes for heating should be installed in a water-heated floor: in the shape of a snail or in straight parallel lines, in other ways. But everywhere the main requirement is fulfilled.

The pipes are distributed evenly, the total length covering a certain area depends on the step between them. To fulfill the conditions for heating with underfloor heating, it is necessary to correctly calculate the length of the pipe. To simplify the process, the pipe consumption calculated for different options is summarized in the table.

Underfloor heating pipe consumption depending on the loop pitch

Using the table, it is easy to understand how to do the calculations yourself. With a room area of 20 m and a laying step of 20 cm, the length (L) will be equal to 20 m 2, multiplied by 5 linear / m, which will be 100 m. The length of the warm coating circuit should not exceed 70 m, this is due to the effective circulation of the coolant through the pipeline and pump capacities. With an excess of a pipe in a circuit of 70 m, warm floors are not effective, then how to make the right choice?

The pitch is set to 300 mm. Length (L) \u003d 20 m 2 * 3.4 linear / m \u003d 68 m. This fully meets all the requirements. Several lines are installed in a large room, but individual contours of a warm coating should not exceed 70 m. Using powerful pumps, it is possible to connect a warm water floor circuit up to 120 m.

Laying technology for a warm floor clearly defines how to fill in a warm water floor. There are ready-made mixtures that remain to be diluted with water at the concentration indicated by the instructions. In some cases, a water-heated floor is made without a screed when the floor is plywood. If chipboard is laid: laminate, parquet, linoleum, it is not necessary to fill the warm floor with a screed solution. A dry screed is successfully used for a warm water floor.

Before pouring and installing flooring, pipes are checked for leaks. A special compressor is used, water is pumped into the pipes under a pressure of 6 bar, the process is called pressure testing. If the pressure has not dropped by more than 1.5 bar within 24 hours, the heating circuit is leak-tight. Incorrectly made underfloor heating, poor-quality installation can lead to the need to dismantle the floor covering.

Main advantages

In relation to the old technology with radiator batteries, the new technique has a number of advantages:

Heated layer at the level of human feet. The feet are warm, the head is moderately cool - this stimulates the human body to active life.
The time-consuming procedure for removing dust in hard-to-reach places of radiators is excluded.
Uneven heating stimulated colds. In the case of warm floors, all these shortcomings are absent, the surface is easily swept and washed;
Space is freed up, there is no need to think through options for how to fit pipes into the interior of the room;
Installation work has become much easier;
Carrying out work, the main elements of the system are cheaper. To heat the room, the temperature in the pipes is 55 ̊С and not more than 60-70 ̊С. Installation and further operation of underfloor heating is cheaper by 30%. Therefore, many people appeared who wanted to learn how to make a water heated floor.

Underfloor heating from central heating

Organizational matters

Many residents of apartments want to dismantle the batteries or, in addition, connect a warm floor from central heating to them. Before starting such a reconstruction, it is necessary to resolve organizational issues, namely, to coordinate the project with the management company that services the house.

Unauthorized connection to the central heating system is punishable by very high fines, in addition, they will subsequently be forced to dismantle all installed equipment.

The difficulty in the question of how to make a warm floor from heating is the process of obtaining permission. The difficulty is that most boiler houses operate at the limit of the calculated capacity or have a small margin. Several apartments can be connected, with a mass connection, the central system will not be able to function normally.

Connecting a water heated floor to a heating system has some technical difficulties. It depends on the design of the central system. So, in schemes with direct supply through one pipe, there are no options for connecting. Where the coolant circulates along the contour of the pipes in the forward and reverse direction, connection is possible.

In many ways, the location of the heat exchanger affects the decision of the management company. When the heat exchanger is located at the bottom, residents of the upper floors are more likely to get a permit, and vice versa. After obtaining permission, you can purchase equipment and proceed with the installation of the floor from the central heating.

Wiring diagram

Before pouring, the entire laying scheme is checked for tightness of the warm water floor. Depending on the length of the circuit and the diameter of the pipes, the pump power is selected. The laying scheme for a warm floor includes the following main elements:

Valves at the inlet to the underfloor heating circuit;
check valve;
Three-way control valve (thermal head);
Circulation pump;
Coolant temperature control sensor;
Collector for underfloor heating;
Plastic pipes.

The scheme for installing a water-heated floor begins with connecting the central heating system to the return line. Two valves are cut in to drain the forward and reverse flow of the underfloor heating system. They are designed so that at any time you can turn off the water and carry out repairs or maintenance of elements in the underfloor heating line.

The check valve ensures the movement of the coolant fluid in one direction. Of great importance in the system is a three-way valve, it distributes hot and cold flows, mixing them until the desired temperature is reached. Sometimes this device is called a thermal head. The temperature of the water entering the warm floors from the central system can reach 70 ̊С, this is too much, for normal operation no more than 50 ̊С is required. The thermal head reduces the temperature to the value set on it, usually 40-45 ̊С.

The circulation pump ensures the circulation of water within the circuit in a given direction. Temperature sensors indicate the temperature of the coolant. There are automatic control systems that combine the operation of sensors and three-way valves, but this topic requires a separate, more extensive description.

A collector for a warm floor distributes heat carrier flows through pipes of different circuits. The return line underfloor heating collectors collect the cooled flows, directing them to a three-way valve, where the liquid is distributed by a thermal head for further circulation in a closed circuit, maintaining the temperature set in it. Manufacturers make collectors for underfloor heating from various materials:

Brass products are durable and strong, withstand high pressure, they are universal for any type of pipe;
Underfloor heating collectors made of copper withstand the highest pressures up to 30 bar and high temperatures in heating systems. Often used in circuits where oil, antifreeze or antifreeze can be used as a coolant.
Stainless steel parts are in the highest demand due to reasonable prices and good technical characteristics, satisfying installations in apartments.

Three way valve design

The heating system, to which underfloor heating is connected, necessarily includes a three-way valve, its design and principle of operation require detailed consideration. In fact, the valve works like a hot and cold water mixer, you can make it warmer or colder.

When the locking element is moved in the adjustment sector, the space for the flow of hot liquid increases and decreases for the flow of the cold part of the coolant, and vice versa. Thus, the temperature in the system can be controlled. This diagram of a water circuit with a valve helps to better understand its purpose and principle of operation.

Sometimes electrically actuated valves are used in conjunction with thermostats. Water flows are adjusted automatically, depending on temperature changes. When lowering, the shut-off device of the valve moves in the direction of increasing the hot flow, and, conversely, when the set temperature rises, the electric actuator moves the locking mechanism in the direction of increasing the cold flow.

Features of the circulation pump

It depends on the correct choice and installation of the pump whether the entire system will work efficiently. The circulation of the coolant depends on the length and diameter of the pipes; bends at pipe bends make it difficult to move the flow. To achieve the required fluid circulation rate in the system, a pump is installed. Greater consumer preference for pumps with three pumping speeds, this allows you to control the temperature of the coolant, and therefore the air in the room, by changing the circulation speed.

When the room temperature drops, the coolant will cool faster in the pipes. By increasing the circulation rate, the streams will more often pass through the heating element, raising the temperature. The speed switch is located on the pump housing and is operated manually. Options are provided when the entire process is controlled by an automatic system.

Manufacturers produce two types of pumps: with a wet and dry rotor, in the first version the rotating part is in the circulating fluid, in the second version the rotor is isolated. For apartments, a wet rotor is more suitable, their capacities are limited for rooms of 400 m 2, this is quite enough. They consume less electricity and operate silently. The pump housing can be made of stainless steel, cast iron or polymer, the latter option is optimal, lightweight, strong and durable.

The numbers through the fraction sign on the marking indicate the dimensions of the inlet and outlet holes, the last number indicates the length of the product for calculations during installation work. In order not to go into details, when making a pipe calculation for a warm floor, calculations are used when choosing a pump using a table.

Characteristics table for pump selection

Heating area, m²	Pump performance
	radiator heating	warm floor
80-120	0,4	1,5
120-160	0,5	2,0
160-200	0,6	2,5
200-240	0,7	3,0
240-280	0,8	4,0
300-350	1,2-1,5	-

When installing the pump in a line, it is impossible to confuse the direction of movement of the coolant, it is indicated by an arrow on the body. The rotor must be in a horizontal position, with a vertical installation, the pump power is reduced by 30%.

The pump can be placed on any section of the pipeline, but most often this is done at the inlet to the system after the switchgear, thermostat. It is very important that the pump is equipped with an air release valve. An air lock can block the circulation of the coolant and the operation of the pump, opening the valve will help get rid of the accumulated air at the interval in the network where the pump is installed.

Connection to an individual heating boiler

The presence in an apartment or a private house of an individual boiler for heating removes all organizational problems to allow the installation of water-heated floors. In this case, the connection of a warm water floor does not require any permissions. Depending on the conditions of location and operation of the facility, boilers can be of various types:

on gas fuel;
on liquid fuel (solar oil, fuel oil);
solid fuel: firewood, pellets, coal;
electrical;
combined.

In apartments of multi-storey buildings, gas or electric heating boilers are most often used; connection to the central heating system of the underfloor heating circuit is not required. In this case, the scheme differs slightly, and the functional purpose of the main elements remains the same.

Main elements:

boiler;
expansion tank;
manometer;
circulation pump;
collector for underfloor heating;

In contrast to the case with central heating, the connection of underfloor heating to the boiler does not require the installation of a three-way valve to regulate the temperature of the heat carrier. Its installation is not mandatory, the temperature change is done from the boiler control panel. Temperature control sensors are also located on the external control panel.

The expansion tank serves to maintain a stable pressure in the system; when heated, the volume of liquid increases. In order not to collapse the collector of the warm floor, the pump and other expensive elements in the pipeline system, the tank compensates for the expansion of the volume of the coolant. The pressure gauge shows the pressure in the pipes. The main thing is that before pouring a warm floor with a solution, you need to check the performance of all nodes.

Regardless of the modification of the device and its manufacturer, all panels have basic options, and some additional programming functions:

buttons or regulators for increasing and decreasing the temperature of the coolant at the supply;
button for automatic setting of a comfortable, economical temperature regime, room temperature - 20-22 ̊С;
program control is possible, setting the modes "winter", "summer", "holidays", "system protection function against liquid freezing".

How to make specific settings for boilers with different control panels is described in the operating instructions. Filling a water-heated floor with a solution for a separate boiler is done in the same way as for central heating.

Video: water floor heating in the apartment

All this shows that it is preferable to make underfloor heating with the installation of an autonomous heating boiler, the main part of the installation can be done by hand. A water floor made without a screed, or dry with a screed, will simplify the work and make it cheaper.

If the scheme for connecting a warm floor is not entirely clear, you can and should consult with professionals on individual elements in the floor. Having studied the purpose, the correct connection of the main elements to the general scheme, technically literate people understand that laying a warm floor is not difficult, making a warm floor with your own hands is a very real task.

If during the autumn-winter cold the room still remains cool, you should think about how to keep warm using radical methods. Today, such an opportunity as the installation of a warm floor with a liquid heat carrier has proven itself well. The water heated floor system in the apartment is gradually replacing classic heaters and fans.

The device of a warm water floor in the apartment

A water heated floor in an apartment is a self-sufficient design and effectively heats a room of any size even in severe frosts. Polymer pipes circulate warm liquid coming from a gas boiler or central heating system. The air in the room heats up, and rising up, evenly distributes heat over the entire area of the room.

This allows you to create the most optimal and comfortable conditions, thanks to which you can not be afraid of hypothermia of the legs, at the same time, the temperature near the ceiling decreases slightly. Doctors say that such a thermal regime is the most suitable for good health.

This type of structure is:

flooring (laminate, tiles, etc.);
laying layer;
a pump that circulates water;
heater;
polymer pipes;
fasteners and distribution manifolds.

This heating option increases the service life of the finishing floor covering, and makes it possible to apply original design solutions in the interior.

Is it possible to make a water heated floor

Not infrequently, the question arises whether it is possible to make a water-heated floor in multi-storey buildings? Today, legislative acts prohibit changes that relate to various improvements in piping schemes in housing stock where there is central heating. It can give an increased load, which was not taken into account at the time of designing the house. Forced circulation and a rather complicated installation of a special pump will be required.

But, theoretically, such systems can be installed in any room, the main thing is not to disturb the balance of the water flow and observe the conditions for dosing heat consumption. In addition, in new buildings, the layout provides for the presence of risers for connecting TVP.

To make the installation of the structure in the apartment legal - special permits from the representative of the housing and communal services and heating networks will help. The necessary documents will be issued only after checking the premises and agreeing on the equipment necessary for further use. Unauthorized connection of a warm floor threatens with fines, litigation and other troubles:

if necessary, it will not be possible to legally sell the apartment;
if there is a break in the circuit and the apartment of the neighbors below suffers, all repair costs will have to be paid in full.

Before you make a water heated floor in an apartment, you should calculate the possible consequences and negative risks, take into account the positive and negative qualities of this modernization.

Advantages and disadvantages of a water heated floor

In comparison with alternative heating systems, a warm water floor stands out with a number of undeniable advantages.

Profitability. Water, which has a low temperature, reduces heat consumption in residential buildings by 20-30%. In spacious rooms with ceiling heights above average, the savings reach about 60%.
Safety. The heating elements hide the screed and the flooring layer. The risk of burns and injury is completely eliminated. This also applies to facts involving long contacts with a warm surface. The probability of the appearance of the fungus is reduced to zero, since there are no areas of increased dampness.
Convenience. It is very pleasant to walk on such a floor without indoor slippers, and you can also not worry about the health of children who want to play on the floor.
The humidity level practically does not change, the air does not dry out. The room warms up evenly, which allows you to obtain temperature conditions that are optimal for a person.
Visually aesthetic interior. The system does not affect the overall design of the room, which cannot be said about traditional batteries and pipes. All parts and devices of the heating structure are hidden from prying eyes; redevelopment can be easily done. Radiators do not have to be hidden behind drywall panels or replaced with new ones.

In the process of using a water-heated floor from central heating, it requires lower costs than an electric one. The system practically does not require maintenance, and during installation all the necessary norms of sanitary, hygienic and environmental safety rules are observed.

Among the disadvantages are:

high cost and complexity of installation - the basis of a multilayer structure includes several types of materials;
the likelihood of a possible leak of pipes - you can find and fix the problem only by fully raising the floor covering;
slow heating of the screed - this method is only suitable for rooms in which they live permanently.

Installation of a water heated floor in an apartment is not always possible. Some rooms will require the installation of additional heating sources (convectors or radiators).

Preparing for work on installing a water-heated floor in an apartment

Before starting work on installing a water-heated floor in an apartment from heating, you should calculate the amount of materials that will be needed to organize the system. To do this, it will be necessary to evaluate the characteristics of the finish coating, the area and features of the room (maintained temperature, window features, wall material, etc.). If there is a strong draft in the room, it is advisable to start insulating it first.

It is also necessary to take into account the characteristics of the pipes used for the circulation of the liquid acting as a heat carrier. Today the following types are most popular:

foam;
metal-plastic;
copper;
corrugated stainless steel

The length of the harvested pipes is affected by the laying method - a snail or a snake. The first option, despite the complexity of design and installation, is more efficient. In such a system, pipes with relatively hot and cool water alternate in series, evenly distributing warm air throughout the room.

Installation of the underfloor heating system

The device of a warm water floor in an apartment must begin with careful surface preparation. Construction debris should be removed and the base leveled. The horizontal plane should not have differences exceeding 5 mm. Otherwise, coolant stagnation zones are formed, as a result of which the structure may fail. There are three options for installing this heating system.

Concrete water floor heating system

The most popular installation method, in which a cement-sand screed is the main material in the base and distribution layer. A film is laid on the concrete layer, which provides thermal and waterproofing. Then, a special tape is glued around the perimeter of the room, which will prevent cracks and absorb the expansion of the screed when the circuit is heated.

On top of the thermal insulation, special grids with cells are mounted, and pipes are connected to them. It is important to correctly calculate the distance between them, it depends on how evenly the incoming heat will be distributed. Recommended laying step:

in cold zones (near windows, doors) - 10 cm;
in rooms with normal heat loss - 20-30 cm;
in cold rooms - 15 cm.

For spacious rooms, a reinforcing mesh is used during installation. It is not recommended to lay pipes where furniture can be installed.

Structural elements are fixed, powered and maintained for several days. If there is no damage, fill the carrier layer with a mixture with the addition of cement, sand and plasticizers.

Then the final flooring is laid. If the laying of the water heating system in the apartment must be done under ceramic tiles, then the screed should not be wider than five centimeters.

Wooden floor heating system

Polystyrene underfloor heating system

Do-it-yourself water-heated floor in an apartment can be made using special heat-insulating plates. Products are distinguished by a special form of pressing and have the appearance of convex circles. They are the best suited for quick and convenient installation of pipes. The plates are securely interlocked with locks at the edges, thanks to which it is possible to create a monolith around the entire perimeter of the floor.

Is it possible to make water heated floors on your own without resorting to the help of specialists? This option is possible, but several recommendations should be taken into account.

When arranging the heating structure, it is necessary to completely dismantle the old finish up to the concrete screed.
Replace metal pipes (if any) with a plastic counterpart, this will avoid rust at the joints.
Reliable waterproofing from a trusted manufacturer will save the floor from possible leaks.
When installing insulation, be sure to glue the seams between the sheets with metallized tape. An additional layer of waterproofing will minimize all possible risks of leakage.
If a laminate or natural wood was used as a finishing coating, the temperature of the coolant should be increased gradually. With a sharp jump, the material may be damaged, which will significantly reduce its service life.
The water heated floor in the apartment from heating must be installed so that when the circuit is turned off, the coolant circulates in the central system. Filling the screed or laying the thermal distribution plates is necessary only on the filled system.

Features of operation and probable errors

When you connect a warm floor, the temperature in the apartment rises for a long time. It takes time for the floor, walls and air in the room to warm up, so installation should begin before the onset of the first cold weather.

During installation, certain errors are often made:

independent connection to the riser - the pipe is constantly filled with coolant, to start work you need to get a special permit and completely drain the water;
the impossibility of adjusting the temperature - you need to install a water collector and a mixing unit;
lack of a project - you should not start work without determining the layout of pipes and dividing an apartment or house into heating zones;
materials and components from different manufacturers - this common mistake can cause rapid depressurization of the structure.

Installation of such a system as a warm water floor is a rather complicated and time-consuming process. But, if you wish, you can handle the installation yourself, without involving specialists. The main thing is to obtain the necessary permission and strictly follow the recommendations for working with the materials used. However, so that the question of how to make a water-heated floor in apartments does not cause unnecessary financial costs, it is better to seek qualified help.

A bathroom is one of those areas where there is almost always a high level of humidity. That is why it uses a cladding material such as ceramic tiles. However, its disadvantage is that it is cold. That is, it is very unpleasant to become barefoot on it. That is why underfloor heating in the bathroom is a must.

Before insulating the floor with the help of floor heating systems with your own hands, you need to understand their varieties.

Water

The heating system of a water-heated floor is pipes laid in contours that are filled with a screed

This heated floor is heated from hot water (from central or autonomous heating), which passes through the pipes of the system. quite difficult to produce. Most often, pipes made of metal-plastic are used for its arrangement. After laying the structure, it is poured. After complete solidification of the solution, you can. In this case, a thermostat is used to control the temperature. The warm floor in the bathroom, which works on the basis of hot water, is safe for human health, cheap in terms of operation. But if it depends on the general heating system, then heating will be carried out only during the cold season. In addition, this option is almost impossible to do in an apartment (with some exceptions).

Electric

Such a warm floor can be quickly mounted with your own hands, without the involvement of other craftsmen. To equip the electrical structure you will need:

special cable,
Reflective thermal insulation material,
Temperature controller.

Heating cable, heat-reflecting penofol substrate and thermostat

Please note that this structure will have to be filled with a screed. A warm floor based on has some disadvantages: there is a risk of electric shock if the installation technology is broken. And the system also produces electromagnetic radiation. However, you can mount it yourself, and it fits perfectly under the tile.

Infrared

This electric underfloor heating differs from the previous one in that the heating elements are surrounded by carbon. They are located in parallel. This underfloor heating in the bathroom quickly fits with your own hands. It is enough just to spread the film on the base, no screed is required, the installation takes place in a layer of tile adhesive. has a small thickness, so it does not take up usable space. In addition, the radiation emitted from the film does not harm living organisms.

Pie infrared floor heating in the bathroom

Foundation preparation

Before making any underfloor heating, it is necessary to prepare the base in advance. To do this, dismantle the old tile. Try to eliminate all adhesive residues, repair possible cracks and cracks. If necessary, make a rough screed. Next, it is necessary to equip a layer of protection against moisture penetration: roofing material, plastic wrap or apply a coating.

Coating waterproofing, like rolled waterproofing, is made with a launch on the walls

After that, the base is insulated. This can be done with polystyrene foam. If there is a layer of foil on it, then it should be at the top. If not, then the reflector spreads separately.

Next, you need to mount the reinforcing mesh. It will not only help strengthen the cement screed, but will also become the basis for fixing pipes (cable). The thickness of this material is 3-4 mm, and the cell size is 10x10 cm.

Features of laying the water system

If you still decide to install a warm floor powered by hot water, then this process has the following sequence of actions:

As you can see, it is possible to make a water floor with your own hands, but this work is troublesome, and requires accurate calculations.

Features of the arrangement of electric and infrared floors

Electric underfloor heating is also often used in the bathroom if there is a need to lay tiles. So, in this case, the process provides for the following sequence of work:

Pouring a rough screed, with which the base is leveled.
Laying of heat-insulating material with a reflective layer.
Installation of reinforcing mesh. This is where the cable will be attached to.
Heating cable installation. Please note that metal clamps should not be used to fix it. It is necessary to lay out the cable exactly according to the previously drawn diagram.

Installation of a thermostat. At the same time, please note that it should be located at a height of about 0.8-1 m from the floor.
Test run of the system. At this stage, the resistance of the structure is checked. If possible, it is necessary to find the foci in which the closure occurs. If they are not, you can continue to work.
Screed filling. In this case, its thickness is at least 5 cm.
Additional performance check. That is, you again need to measure the resistance in the system.

Should not have voids. In addition, it should be reinforced with fiberglass. Only in this case you can avoid its subsequent destruction under the influence of temperature differences.

Installs the fastest. Its distinctive feature is the absence of the need for arranging a screed. That is, the tiles can be laid directly on the film. Such a warm floor just needs to be spread according to the scheme. It must be taken into account that the heating elements should not end up under heavy pieces of furniture. Otherwise, local overheating will occur, and the warm floor will fail.

It is important to correctly connect and insulate the infrared system. You should also take care of the correct installation of the sensor and thermostat. After checking the performance of the structure, you can lay the tiles.

That's all the features of arranging underfloor heating in the bathroom. Be careful when installing. Leave your comments on the article and finally, a video about the technology of laying heating mats:

In recent years, floor heating technology has become popular in ordinary city apartments. Underfloor heating from a heated towel rail is a budget option for a heating device, which is used in cases where the installation of a boiler is impossible for some reason.

The scheme for connecting a heated towel rail to the central heating system has a number of varieties, it is from the existing scheme that you need to build on during installation. In some apartment buildings, heated towel rails are powered from the “return” of the heating system. This option implies a fairly low temperature in the riser and heated towel rail, and in the summer, during periods of heating shutdown, the pipe cools down completely. It is better to refuse the idea of installation in such houses, the system will not function correctly.

Another option is to power the heated towel rail from the hot water in the bathroom. In this case, the heating circuit will work much more efficiently, but at the same time it is necessary to correctly calculate the cross section of the pipe, measure the area and correctly connect the water floor itself. The metal-plastic pipe should be of a smaller diameter than the riser, most often the best option is D16. The water floor requires special attention during installation, especially if the installation is done by hand.

Do-it-yourself ways to connect a warm floor with your own hands are quite simple; through the main hot water riser, an additional tie-in is made to the floor heating circuit. The pipe goes to the floor and returns to the heated towel rail. A control valve cuts into the riser, which can be used to dose the hot water supply through the riser directly. The main flow is assumed to be through the floor contour in the room.

The floor pipe is mounted on the substrate, the bending radii should be minimal so that the flow resistance is not critical. Such a floor in the bathroom will only work with good pressure in the pipes.

To connect several circuits of a warm floor to a hot water supply system, a collector is used, through which it is possible to regulate the supply of hot water to each circuit separately, sometimes the system is supplemented with a pump for circulation, but such options can be cost-effective only in large apartments and use in more than one room.

The main advantages of the system:

economy in use;
durability with proper installation.

Possible problems

H2_2

Conducting a water-heated floor in this way is the exception rather than the rule. The functionality of the heating system largely depends on the readings in the general network, if the pressure drops, then the operation of the circuit will be disrupted, because the circulation of the coolant will slow down and the heating temperature will drop. If the house has frequent heating cuts, then the flooring in the bathroom will be cold. Another problem is the possibility of an emergency. If the pipe breaks as a result of a water hammer or other impact, then it will be possible to eliminate the leak only by completely disassembling the entire cake, it will be necessary to remove the tile and dismantle the screed.

Preparing for installation

When installing the structure with your own hands, you need to pay special attention to the materials; laying metal-plastic in an apartment involves using only high-quality pipes that will not break at high pressure in the bathroom. Threaded inserts should be made using reinforced fittings. The shut-off valves must be of high quality, and each node must be able to independently shut off and circulate water using a bypass. You can do the work yourself, having the skills and experience of similar work, otherwise it is better to seek qualified help.

Important! At the highest point of the heated towel rail coil, an air release valve (Mayevsky tap) must be provided. Its absence will air the system and the pipes in the bathroom will remain cold.

Installation instructions

Do-it-yourself installation of a water-heated floor in a bathroom in an apartment of a multi-storey building can solve many problems. According to a typical project, the bathroom is heated exclusively by a heated towel rail, which is clearly not enough for comfortable water procedures.

Cold floors, insufficient heating of the room - all this is a consequence of an insufficient and ill-conceived heating system. Not surprisingly, many homeowners are seriously considering upgrading their bathroom heating system.

Is it possible to make water floors in the bathroom

Installing a water floor in the bathroom is a personal matter only in the case of a private house. According to the housing code, any independent change in the design of the heating system is illegal.

Neighbors' complaints about the decrease in heating intensity are the rationale for initiating a lawsuit, the result of which will be an administrative penalty and an order to eliminate the changes in a short time.

On this basis, the legality of installing underfloor heating in an apartment building is dubious at best. The Housing Code allows you to change the design and layout of the heating system, but after obtaining the necessary permits and coordination with the relevant authorities. In any case, registration should begin with a visit to the housing and communal services.

Connecting a warm heated floor in the bathroom from a heated towel rail is one of the most commonly used solutions for heating a bathroom in a high-rise building. At the same time, it is extremely important to ensure that the heating temperature of the neighbors does not decrease. To do this, you can use a two-way valve.

How to install heated floors in the bathroom

It is not so difficult to make a water heated floor in the bathroom on your own, especially after obtaining all the necessary permits to change the heating system. It is enough to follow the basic installation steps.

In the shower and bathroom in an apartment building, in most cases, a water circuit is installed without a collector. The short distance of the heated area allows you to power the circuit from the heated towel rail and get a sufficient amount of thermal energy.

How to fill the floor in the bathroom

Self-installation of underfloor heating is much easier to carry out when using special leveling, leveling mixtures. At the same time, in order to make water floor heating in the bathroom and shower, you need to take care of the quality of the screed, which must meet the requirements:

To withstand temperature fluctuations - it is almost impossible to make a cement composition that can not crack after several years of operation, so it is best to opt for ready-made mixtures.
Maintain strength - heated floors are subjected to constant stress from changes in temperature and humidity. To reduce the negative impact, it will be necessary to lay a layer of reinforcing mesh. Fittings are especially necessary if you plan to install a ladder in the shower.

The composition of the "pie" of the floor consists of: waterproofing, reinforcing mesh, foil insulation and thermal insulation. A high-quality screed allows you to connect all four types of layers and make almost a monolith.

How to connect a water floor in the bathroom

There are several solutions for how to make and power a water floor in a shower or bath. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

From the heated towel rail - the temperature of the coolant will remain unchanged. Since in most multi-storey buildings heated towel rails are connected from the hot water return, the heating intensity largely depends on how much the coolant has time to cool.
From the boiler - the solution has certain advantages, consisting in the possibility of adjusting the water heating of the bathroom floor. You will need to install a thermostat.
From the central heating system - a bath with a warm water floor can be connected to the heating system of the apartment. Before carrying out work, you will need to obtain permits and make a technical project.

Common mistakes during installation and connection

For laying underfloor heating in the bathroom, everything must be done in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Judging by the feedback from consumers and the reports of teams that have to redo and repair heating systems, the main violations during installation are:

Lack of waterproofing in the bathroom with underfloor heating. During the installation work, the prevention of leakage is neglected. Waterproofing is a layer that prevents moisture from entering neighbors in the event of a water circuit breakthrough. It is also necessary to waterproof the floor before laying the floor water heating system of the bathroom in a warm floor in polypropylene.
Lack of a work plan and laying scheme. Preliminary calculations help to perform the installation quickly and efficiently, to avoid overspending of material.
Performing installation work without obtaining a permit. After laying, getting approval is much more problematic.
Filling the screed with ordinary cement mortar. The technology for installing water heated floors in the bathroom of a private house or apartment requires the use of adhesives with the addition of plasticizers and additives. Without additives, cement eventually begins to crumble, crack and become unusable.

Heated floors in the bathroom - electric or water

Only one question remains unresolved, which warm floor in the bath is better, electric or water. Each option has its own advantages.

So, the electric floor is best laid in an apartment building. The solution does not require permits for installation. Laying requires less material costs and is faster.

Water floors are completely safe. Fire and short circuit are excluded. In an apartment building, their use does not carry an additional material burden.