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

To ensure that the floor in the bathroom is always pleasant for your feet, a heated floor is installed. A warm floor can be electric, or it can be liquid, powered by a heating system. Usually, for this purpose, a connection is made from the heating riser or from the heated towel rail, if it is powered by the heating system.

However, in summer time, or better yet, from May to October, heating in urban multi-storey buildings turn off. And the warm floor, powered by the heating system, also remains inactive until the heating is turned on in the entire house in the fall.

To avoid being left without a heated floor at the end of spring and beginning of autumn, the tubes are powered from the hot water supply system. Of course, hot water also happens to be turned off in the summer. But the period for turning off hot water is not long, and it is also not planned. So even in summer, the heated floor from hot water in the apartment will work properly and warm your feet.

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

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

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

You need to know where to buy all the components, how to prepare a concrete floor in the bathroom for installing a tubular floor, and how to pour the screed. And then put a covering on top - usually ceramic tiles are used for this.

We purchase components

To purchase all the components for making a heated floor, you first need to find out what the length of the heated floor contour in your bathroom will be. To do this, measure the length and width of the free floor in your bathroom.

Why only free? Because you won't place 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 2 meters by 0.5 meters. In a combined bathroom you will actually have a square with sides of 1.5 meters. In custom bathrooms, you can measure the sides yourself for the available floor space.

Next, you can go to a plumbing store or a company that sells accessories for installing heated floors. Also, in any shopping center that specializes in repair products, you will find a department where you will buy everything you need - pipes, fittings, shut-off valves. Don't forget to purchase floor mounts for underfloor heating pipes.

If you are going to power your heated floor from the hot water supply, antifreeze will not flow through the tubes, there will be clean hot water there. This means you can get less expensive water floor tubes since antifreeze tubes cost a little more.

Preparing the base for a heated floor

In order to begin the entire procedure for installing a heated floor, you will first need to dismantle the finished floor covering in your bathroom. Those who have linoleum lying 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 off any remaining tile adhesive and similar sagging and bumps, your new screed will not hold firmly to the concrete base and will eventually crack and collapse.

We install heated floors

Heated floor tubes are laid on a clean and level concrete base, which are mounted on the concrete using floor fasteners. The fasteners are screwed to the concrete with dowels, and the tubes are snapped into the fasteners.

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

Connecting and adjusting the heated floor

Connecting the heated floor should be done in 2 stages. At the first stage, the connection is made. When the underfloor heating pipes have just been laid, fasteners, fittings and shut-off valves.

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

At this stage, you will be able to evaluate how much the heated floor heats up and how correctly it works.

Attention! Filling the screed should be done when there is hot water under pressure inside the underfloor heating pipes.

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

Filling the screed

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

If you installed the heated floor level, you can now use top points it is for attaching beacons that will show you when pouring the screed that you are pouring it strictly parallel to the ground.

Of course, you can upload something like this small space without beacons, but if you make a mistake you will have problems with further laying the tiles. And also because water will accumulate in the corners and recesses of an uneven floor.

After the finishing coating is installed, your new heated floor in the bathroom is ready. All that remains is to finally adjust its temperature. This is done using the most common ball valve, which regulates the flow of hot water into the floor pipes.

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

Increasing prices for hot water supply makes people look for more economical way heating in the apartment. One of these methods, water heated floors in an apartment, will be discussed in more detail, namely, how to properly make a heated floor.

Laying warm floor coverings and warm water floors in apartments in European countries has been done since the 80s of the last century. In Austria, Switzerland and Germany, water heated floors in apartments are installed in 60% of houses. Connected to heating for heated floors different sources energy:

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

The heated floor and the technology for its implementation in the case under consideration provide heating through a layer of hot liquid, most often it is water, sometimes antifreeze or antifreeze is used. Laying a water heated floor requires laying the pipes evenly over the floor surface.

When circulating, the liquid in the heating system passes through a centralized heating source, transfers heat to the concrete, and then heats up the air. The technology for laying water heated floors involves heating water with an autonomous boiler, or heated floors in the apartment are connected from central heating. In both cases, you can turn on and install the water heated floor yourself.

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

Installing and pouring a heated floor is not a complicated process; making a water heated floor with your own hands is quite possible. For this purpose, several methods have been developed and special materials. People show interest in how to connect the warm floor of a room to the heating system, and how to implement this project on their own.

Pipe length calculation

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

The pipes are distributed evenly, the total length covering a certain area depends on the pitch between them. To meet the conditions for heating with underfloor heating, you need to correctly calculate the length of the pipe. To simplify the process, the pipe flow calculated for different options is summarized in a table.

Consumption of underfloor heating pipe 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 m2, multiplied by 5 linear meters/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. If the pipe in the circuit exceeds 70 m, warm floors are not effective, then how to make the right choice?

The pitch is set to 300 mm. Length (L) = 20 m 2 * 3.4 linear/m = 68 m. This fully meets all the requirements. In a large room, several lines are installed, but individual heating circuits should not exceed 70 m. Connection is allowed using powerful pumps warm circuit water floor up to 120 m.

The laying technology for heated floors clearly determines what to fill the warm water floor with. There are ready-made mixtures that just need to be diluted with water in the concentration specified in the instructions. In some cases, a water-heated floor is made without a screed when the floor is made of plywood. If chipboard is laid with laminate, parquet, linoleum, it is not necessary to fill the heated floor with screed mortar. Dry screed is successfully used for warm water floors.

Before pouring and installing the floor covering, the pipes are checked for leaks. A special compressor is used, water is pumped into the pipes under a pressure of 6 bar, a process called pressure testing. If the pressure has not dropped by more than 1.5 bar during the day, the heating circuit is sealed. An incorrectly made heated floor or poor-quality installation can lead to the need to dismantle the floor covering.

Main advantages

Towards old technology With radiator batteries, the new technique has a number of advantages:

• A heated layer at the level of the feet of human feet. Feet warm, head moderately cool - this stimulates human body to active life.
• Eliminates the labor-intensive procedure of removing dust from hard to reach places radiators.
• Uneven heating stimulated colds. In the case of heated floors, all these disadvantages are absent, the surface is easy to sweep and wash;
• Space is freed up, there is no need to think through options on how to fit pipes into the interior of the room;
• Installation work has become much easier;
• Carrying out the work and the main elements of the system are cheaper. To heat the room, a temperature in the pipes of 55 ̊C and no more than 60-70 ̊C is sufficient. Installation and further operation of heated floors turns out to be 30% cheaper. Therefore, many people wanted to know how to make a water-heated floor.

Warm floor from central heating

Organizational matters

Many apartment residents want to dismantle the radiators or additionally connect them to underfloor heating from central heating. Before starting such a reconstruction, it is necessary to resolve organizational issues, namely, 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 heated floor is the process of obtaining permission. The difficulty is that most boiler houses operate at the limit of their calculated power or have a small reserve. 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. This depends on the design of the central system. So, in schemes with direct supply through one pipe, there are no options for connection. Where the coolant circulates along the circuit of forward and reverse pipes, connection is possible.

The location of the heat exchanger largely influences the decision of the management company. When the heat exchanger is located in the lower part, residents of the upper floors are more likely to receive a permit, and vice versa. After obtaining permission, you can purchase equipment and begin installation work on the central heating floor.

Connection diagram

Before pouring, the entire installation scheme is checked for the 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 installation scheme for heated floors includes the following main elements:

• Valves at the entrance to the heated floor circuit;
• Check valve;
• Three-way control valve (thermal head);
• Circulation pump;
• Coolant temperature control sensor;
• Manifold 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 installed to drain direct and reverse flow underfloor heating systems. They are designed to allow you to turn off the water at any time and carry out repairs or Maintenance elements in the heated floor line.

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

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

A manifold for underfloor heating distributes coolant flows through pipes of different circuits. Return line underfloor heating collectors collect 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 manifolds for heated floors from various materials:

• Brass products are durable and strong, withstand high pressure, they are universal for any type of pipe;
• Manifolds for heated floors made of copper can withstand the most high pressure up to 30 bar and high temperatures in heating systems. Often used in circuits where the coolant can be oil, antifreeze or antifreeze.
• Details from of stainless steel are in greatest demand due to reasonable prices and good technical characteristics that satisfy installation in apartments.

Three way valve design

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

When moving locking element in the regulation sector, the space for the flow of hot liquid increases and the space for the flow of the cold part of the coolant decreases and vice versa. In this way, the temperature in the system can be controlled. This diagram of a water circuit with a valve helps to better understand its purpose and operating principle.

Valves with electric drives are sometimes used in conjunction with thermostats. Water flows are adjusted automatically depending on temperature changes. When it decreases, the valve shut-off device moves in the direction of increasing the hot flow, and, conversely, when the set temperature value increases, the electric drive moves the shut-off mechanism in the direction of increasing the cold flow.

Features of the circulation pump

Whether the entire system will work efficiently depends on the correct selection and installation of the pump. The circulation of the coolant depends on the length and diameter of the pipes; bends at pipe turns make it difficult to move the flow. To achieve the required rate of fluid circulation in the system, a pump is installed. Consumers have a greater preference for pumps with three pumping speeds; this makes it possible 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 in the pipes will cool faster. By increasing the circulation rate, flows will pass through the heating element more often, increasing the temperature. The speed switch is located on the pump body and is controlled manually. There are options 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. A wet rotor is more suitable for apartments; their power is limited for rooms of 400 m2, this is quite enough. They consume less electricity and operate silently. The pump body can be made of stainless steel, cast iron or polymer; the latter option is optimal, lightweight, strong and durable.

The numbers separated by a 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 calculating a pipe for a heated floor, use a table to calculate the calculations when choosing a pump.

Characteristics table for pump selection

Heating area, m²	Pump capacity
	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, you cannot 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 when vertical installation pump power is reduced by 30%.

The pump can be placed on any section of the main line, but most often this is done at the entrance to the system after the switchgear or 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 accumulated air in the interval in the network where the pump is installed.

Connection to an individual heating boiler

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

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

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

Essential elements:

• boiler;
• expansion tank;
• pressure gauge;
• circulation pump;
• manifold for underfloor heating;

Unlike the case with central heating, connecting a heated floor to a boiler does not require installing a three-way valve to regulate the temperature of the coolant. Its installation is not necessary; the temperature can be changed from the boiler control panel. Temperature control sensors are also located on the external control panel.

The expansion tank serves to maintain stable pressure in the system; when heated, the volume of liquid increases. To prevent the underfloor heating collector, pump and other expensive elements in the pipeline system from collapsing, the tank compensates for the expansion of the coolant volume. The pressure gauge shows the pressure in the pipes. The main thing is that before pouring the solution into a warm floor, you need to check the functionality of all components.

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

• buttons or regulators for increasing and decreasing the supply coolant temperature;
• button for automatically setting a comfortable, economical temperature mode, room temperature – 20-22 ̊C;
• It is possible to program control, set the modes “winter”, “summer”, “vacation”, “function of protecting the system from freezing of liquid”.

How to make specific settings for boilers with various panels controls are 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 heated floor in an apartment

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

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

Advantages of heated floors (abbreviated as TP) over regular batteries well known. Therefore, many owners of apartments and private houses want to install underfloor heating circuits and supply coolant from the existing radiator system.

A number of difficulties arise here - you need to install and correctly connect the water heated floor from the heating system so that the water temperature in the loops remains within 55-60 °C. But the first task is to make sure that it is technically possible to lay the TP “pie” and connect to existing highways at the lowest cost.

How to fit a “pie” into a room with low thresholds

Almost all homeowners who decide to install underfloor heating in a habitable house or city apartment face this problem. The essence of the question: the heights of the entrance thresholds or interior doors not enough to install a full-fledged “pie” of warm water floors with screed (see drawing below).

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

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

The traditional surface heating scheme is made without reinforcement

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

In total, the total height of the “pie” with a laminate coating will be 85 + 30 + 10 = 125 mm. No normal owner envisages such high thresholds. How to solve the problem and implement underfloor heating in a situation like this:

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

Dry laid surface heating system

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

How best to make heated floors in rooms apartment building, the expert will tell you in more detail and clearly in the video:

Connection from central heating

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

Note. Similar measures and responsibility are provided for connecting the transformer substations to the centralized hot water supply (DHW) network.

How is an unauthorized connection from centralized heating detected:

Some “cunning people” advise connecting the TP loops through 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:

1. Contact the heating supply organization with an application and obtain permission.
2. Receive along with the permit technical specifications for installation and connection of floor circuits.
3. Develop and approve the project.
4. Install the system yourself and put it into operation.

It must be admitted that the vast majority of applicants are rejected at the application stage. An exception is made for residents of new buildings with individual connection of apartment heating to distribution risers. But if you decide, at your own peril and risk, to embed heating circuits into the heating network, proceed to study the next section.

Connection options

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

1. Supply coolant with a temperature of no higher than 50 °C (maximum 55 °C) into the heating circuit pipes. Overheated floors cause discomfort for most people, the optimal indicator for finishing coating– 26 °C.
2. 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, the radiators and heated floors will heat equally poorly.

Let's look at several schemes that allow you to connect a water-heated floor to current system heating. Let's see how well the issues of temperature and coolant flow are resolved in each option:

• direct connection to a two-pipe radiator network;
• the same, using regulating thermostatic heads;
• connection to the main highway single pipe system with additional pump;
• full connection with a separate pipe from the boiler.

Direct connection to the radiator network

The insertion of the TP circuit into the supply and return of a two-pipe distribution will function tolerably under the following conditions:

• the total heated area is relatively small - up to 100 square meters;
• heat source – gas boiler capable of maintaining the coolant temperature within 40-50 °C;
• the circulation pump installed in the boiler room has sufficient performance;
• heated floors are designed for heating small rooms - bathroom, kitchen, children's room.

The direct connection scheme is suitable only for small heating areas

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

Point two: when severe 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 tiled bathroom will turn into a bathhouse. Please note: intensive heating of the bathroom is absolutely useless; people are not there all the time.

Option for direct insertion of the circuit instead of a dead-end radiator with two-pipe wiring

For reference. As some home craftsmen also do: they connect the TP circuit to a break in the return line running from the batteries to the heat source. And then they wonder why the heated floors and radiators don’t work. The reason is an increase in the hydraulic resistance of the entire branch and a decrease in coolant flow.

Using RTL valves

Special thermal heads of the RTL type will directly help to correctly solve the issue of regulating the water temperature when connecting a heated floor. Automatic valve is placed on the return pipeline and is easily adjusted to a certain temperature. The work algorithm looks like this:

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

Heating is regulated based on 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 blocks built into the wall. There is an RTL type thermal head inside, the adjustment handle is brought out. There are versions with two valves - one controls the coolant flow based on the return flow temperature, the second controls the heating of the surrounding air.

The disadvantage of the solution is the limitation of the pipeline length. If the length of the loop exceeds 50 m, the transformer transformer will begin to operate unevenly due to increased resistance. To heat medium and large rooms, you will have to divide the heated floors into 2-3 circuits and the same number of monoliths, separated expansion joints, as shown in the drawing.

Now about the pros:

• heating with heated floors can be organized 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 operate in the summer - the radiators will turn off themselves.

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

Is it possible to connect to a single-pipe wiring?

In order to power the heated floors from heating - the single-pipe "Leningrad" favorite of many craftsmen - you will have to assemble the mixing unit with your own hands and install a second pump, as shown in the diagram. For the normal functioning of the system, the following conditions must be met:

• the internal 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 into the return pipeline after all batteries;
• the minimum distance between the supply and return taps of the heated floor is 30 cm;
• To maintain the temperature in the circuit, a three-way mixing valve is installed.

Note. A similar scheme is used by apartment owners to unauthorizedly connect TPs to the old type of central heating - single-pipe vertical risers.

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

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

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

Advice. If you want to collect reliable circuit warm floors with your own hands, it is better to install separate supply and return pipelines from the boiler. The consequences of perversions with a single-pipe radiator network are unpredictable.

Traditional scheme with mixing unit

When is it necessary to install underfloor heating in each room? two-story house, it is not possible to connect to existing radiator heating. It is necessary to lay separate pipelines and install a distribution comb. What connection options are used:

• if the length of the circuits does not exceed 50 m (including connections to the collector), thermal heads are installed 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 located on the comb and control each circuit separately, as is implemented in the photo. Circulation is provided by the main pump located in the combustion chamber or inside a wall-mounted gas boiler.

In the second option, hot water is mixed by a two-way valve installed on the supply and controlled by a thermal head with a remote 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 loops of the TP.

Scheme with three way valve, whose operating principle is described above, is more advanced and is designed for a significant coolant flow in warm floors. The disadvantage of both options is the high price of the equipment and the complexity of installation. All details about heating circuits are given in the corresponding manual.

Instructions for installing heated floors

If you have settled all the issues regarding laying the “pie” and choosing a connection diagram, you can proceed to pouring the heating plates. First, find out what you need thermal power contours, diameter and distance between pipes, using.

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

1. Perform waterproofing using film sheets laid out over the entire area of ​​the room with an overlap of 100-150 mm. Tape the joints properly and make overlaps along the edges onto the walls up to the level of the future finished floor.
2. Cover the lower part of the walls in contact with the screed with damper tape around the entire perimeter, as shown in the photo. Overlap waterproofing film should remain on top of the strip.

   A damper strip is glued to the walls, and an expansion joint is made between the monoliths

3. Place tightly thermal insulation boards right next to each other. While rolling out the coil and straightening the pipe, arrange the loops of the heating circuits with the required spacing. The pipeline is fixed to the insulation using plastic staples at intervals of 35-40 cm.
4. Bring the ends of the loops to the connection point - the collector or radiator heating lines. Before final assembly diagram, fill the circuit with water and check the tightness with a pressure of 3-4 Bar.
   

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

Leaving the hinges filled with water (so that they do not float up and collapse under the weight of the concrete), make a cement-sand mortar from the ready-made dry mixture for floors and fill the screed. Continue work after about 4 weeks - this is how long it takes for complete hardening. Technology without cement screed is described in detail in our other publication.

Conclusion

Listening to the opinions of master plumbers and experts, we will give a final 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 the summer. The process of laying out pipes and pouring concrete screed watch the last video.

Installing a heated water floor in a bathroom with your own hands in an apartment in a multi-storey building can solve many problems. According to standard project, the bathroom is heated exclusively by a heated towel rail, which is clearly not enough for comfortable water treatments.

Cold floors, insufficient heating of the room - all this is a consequence of an insufficient and ill-conceived heating system. It is not surprising that many owners are seriously thinking about improving their bathroom heating system.

Is it possible to have water floors in the bathroom?

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

Complaints from neighbors about a decrease in heating intensity are grounds for initiating a lawsuit, which will result in an administrative penalty and an order to eliminate the changes within a short time.

Based on this, the legality of installing water heated floors in apartment building is dubious at best. The Housing Code allows you to change the design and layout of the heating system, but only 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 department.

Connecting a warm heated floor in a 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 your neighbors does not drop. A two-way valve can be used for this.

How to install heated floors in the bathroom

Making a water heated floor in a bathroom yourself is not that difficult, 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 without a collector is installed. The short distance of the heated area allows you to power the circuit from the heated towel rail and get sufficient quantity thermal energy.

How to fill a bathroom floor

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

1. Withstand temperature changes– it is almost impossible to make a cement composition yourself that will not crack after several years of use, so it is best to opt for ready-made mixtures.
2. Maintain strength– heated floors are subject to constant loads from changes in temperature and humidity. For decreasing negative impact you will need to lay a layer of reinforcing mesh. The fittings are especially necessary if you plan to install a drain in the shower room.

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

How to connect a water floor in the bathroom

There are several solutions for how to create and power a water floor in a shower or bathtub. 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 bathtub with a warm water floor can be connected to the apartment’s heating system. Before carrying out work, you will need to obtain permits and make a technical design.

Common mistakes during installation and connection

To install heated floors in the bathroom, everything must be done in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Judging by consumer reviews and reports from teams who have to remodel and repair heating systems, the main violations during installation are:

1. Lack of waterproofing in the bathroom water heated floors During installation work, the prevention of leaks is neglected. Waterproofing is a layer that prevents moisture from reaching neighbors in the event of a water circuit break. It is also necessary to waterproof the floor before installing the underfloor water heating system of the bathroom in a heated polypropylene floor.
2. Lack of work plan and installation scheme. Preliminary calculations help to carry out installation quickly and efficiently, to avoid waste of material.
3. Carrying out installation work without obtaining permission. After installation, obtaining approval is much more problematic.
4. Filling the screed with regular cement mortar. The technology for installing water heated floors in the bathroom of a private house or apartment requires the use of adhesive compositions 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 heated floor for the bath is better, electric or water. Each option has its own advantages.

Thus, it is best to install an electric floor in an apartment building. The solution does not require obtaining permits for installation. Installation 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 additional material load.

Why "Warm Floor"?

Availability Water system underfloor heating has quite high level adaptability to existing autonomous heating systems. Based on the radiator heating system in your home, it is possible to organize a “warm floor” both in the entire building and in individual rooms, for example, in the bathroom or children’s room. When using underfloor heating systems, you get the most correct distribution of heat in the room. Heat spreads from bottom to top and the saying “keep your head cool and your feet warm” comes into practice. Hygiene When using heating devices (radiators, convectors, etc.), you will inevitably encounter convection movement of air mass within the room. This effect is due to the suspended state of dust in the indoor air. In the case of underfloor heating, the room is heated evenly, and dust does not circulate along with the air mass. This is especially true when it comes to children or people with allergies or asthma. Economical When using an underfloor heating system, heat spreads throughout the room in such a way that the space under the ceiling remains unheated, and, in addition, the floor ceases to be a heat-absorbing surface. As a result, the level of energy savings is 10-15% in standard rooms, and in the case of rooms with high ceilings reaches 50%.

Durability

The service life of a water underfloor heating system is determined by the mode of operation and the type of materials used. Considering the fact that underfloor heating is low-temperature and operates at a coolant pressure of 2 atmospheres, all elements of the system operate in a gentle mode, unlike radiator heating systems, where high temperatures lead to increased linear expansion of materials and, as a result, faster wear of system components. An underfloor heating system made using polymer pipes based on cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) and installed in compliance with all standards and requirements will serve you for a period no less than the period between major repairs buildings, i.e. at least 40-50 years. If copper pipes are used, such a system can operate uninterruptedly for up to 200 years. For comparison, the service life of an electric heated floor is 15-20 years, systems based on steel or aluminum radiators- 20-25 years.

Self-regulation

One of the main features of water heated floors is the effect of maintaining the selected temperature in the room without the need for additional regulation. The essence of this physical phenomenon lies in the fact that the surface that radiates heat gives off more heat the lower the air temperature in the room, and at the same time cannot heat environment hotter than itself. Accordingly, depending on the “warm floor” setting, the temperature regime in room. This effect does not exclude temperature fluctuations, but every time there is external influence (ventilation of the room, change outside temperature etc.) the room temperature will tend to the initially set one.

Simplicity

No matter how strange it may seem, the most difficult thing in installing a water heated floor is the design process. Direct installation of components, pipe layout and screed preparation does not require highly qualified personnel. If desired, the entire installation process can be carried out on your own. The following instructions will help you understand the intricacies of preparing, designing, installing and operating underfloor water heating systems.

Restrictions on use

Floor water heating used in autonomous systems heating of private buildings, as well as multi-apartment buildings, if this system was originally included in the project. According to the law, it is prohibited to organize water underfloor heating in apartments with direct selection of coolant from central heating or hot water supply networks. This is due to the fact that the temperature conditions and pressure in central heating networks are designed for radiator heating and, when used in water-heated floor systems, will create a danger to residents, the structure and utility networks of the building. The installation of water heated floors in urban multi-apartment buildings from centralized heating networks must be organized using a heat exchanger, and must be agreed upon with the operating organization. Before deciding whether you will have heated floors, you also need to decide on the type of flooring. The most acceptable solutions are tiles and laminate. You can use linoleum, but in this case you need to pay attention to its quality, since cheap varieties often contain low-quality components that will emit when heated bad smell. A number of traditional solutions such as parquet or carpet are not suitable for laying over underfloor heating systems due to the high thermal insulation ability, which leads to insufficient heat transfer and, as a result, makes the “warm floor” system ineffective.

Component Selection

The direct engineering solution for organizing a water heated floor consists of two main parts:

Distribution node- consists of a collector group, a pump to ensure coolant circulation and mixing unit, providing the required temperature regime of the coolant when connected to a radiator heating system. The installation of small-area systems is possible using hand-held mixers, and when organizing underfloor heating as the main or only source of heat, it is advisable to use ready-made pumping and mixing units.

Underfloor heating circuit- consists of pipes through which coolant is pumped and thermal energy is transferred to the floor material and floor covering.

Optimal choice based on the combination of such qualities as price, specifications and service life are polymer pipes based on cross-linked polyethylene PEX or heat-resistant PERT - their service life coincides with the period between planned major repairs of the building and is 40-50 years. At the same time, they are lightweight, highly flexible and durable, have a uniform coefficient of linear thermal expansion throughout the entire wall thickness and leave you “the right to make mistakes” - unlike metal or metal-plastic pipes, you can afford to lay the contour incorrectly; dismantling will not change the characteristics pipes. The cost of cross-linked polyethylene pipes is close to the cost of average quality metal-plastic pipes. In its turn metal-plastic pipes and fittings for their wiring are very common, and the service life copper pipe in heating systems can reach 200 years, which justifies the 4-fold superiority in price over polymer analogues.

It is also necessary to pay attention to the materials that will be used for thermal insulation of the floor and installation of concrete screed. For insulation, it is recommended to use polystyrene boards and polyethylene foam. To prevent cracking of the screed, it is necessary to use plasticizing additives and reinforce the screed with iron reinforcement. It is also advisable to add polypropylene fiberglass when preparing the solution for additional protection during shrinkage.

Heating system design

Initially, you need to decide how your home will be heated. In the case of underfloor heating, two options are possible: an underfloor heating system and a combined system, which in turn can use underfloor heating as the main or auxiliary heat source.

The main difference between a radiator system and a heated floor system

In the case of radiators, high-temperature heating circuits are formed, where the temperature of the coolant fluctuates between 60-90°C. In the case of heated floors, low-temperature circuits with a coolant temperature of 30-40°C. Accordingly, systems with different layouts will require different boiler settings. When selecting a distribution unit, it is necessary to proceed from the heated area. On average, for heating 1 square meter of area, the consumption of 5 linear meters of pipe is assumed. Taking into account hydraulic resistance in pipes optimal area heated by one circuit is 10-15 square meters. The number of inputs of the collector group corresponds to the number of circuits on the floor.

Underfloor heating system

In this case, it is taken into account that the only source of heating in the house will be a water heated floor system. The very essence of the engineering solution will differ little from conventional radiator heating systems, with the main differences being the reconfiguration of the heating boiler for low-temperature operation and the source of heat transfer - pipes in the floor screed instead of radiators.

At the design stage, it is necessary to take into account that each floor of the building requires a separate collector unit connected to the main riser. Setting the boiler according to the temperature of the coolant supply to the main riser when heating only with a water-heated floor is 40-50°C, depending on the heat loss within the room.

Modern gas boilers are completed circulation pumps, but, as a rule, of low power, which makes it possible to organize sufficient pressure in the main riser, formed over relatively short intervals from pipes of large diameters. To draw water from the main riser and overcome the hydraulic resistance of the “warm floor” circuits, it is advisable to use an additional circulation pump with increased productivity. This makes it possible to reduce the temperature difference between the flow and return lines, thereby increasing the efficiency of the system, since the temperature in different parts the heated room will tend to the average value, which in turn eliminates the formation of “islands of cold”.

Combined heating system

A system whose design includes both high and low temperature heating circuits. This usually happens in cases where a “warm floor” is introduced into an already finished project providing radiator heating or water heating via a boiler indirect type, or the design features of the structure require it. In such a situation it is necessary to ensure serial connection high and low temperature systems heating by installing a mixing unit. The purpose of this device, by mixing in a certain proportion the coolant from the high-temperature part of the system (70°C) with the cooled coolant (30°C) from the return manifold of the underfloor heating system, prepares the required heating level (40°C) in the supply manifold of the underfloor heating system.

When designing combined system, in which underfloor heating plays the role of the main heat source, it is advisable to use ready-made balanced pump-mixing units. In this case, a device is installed, complete with all the necessary fittings, fully compatible with ready-made manifold groups and standard circulation pumps. In the case when underfloor heating is auxiliary, and the total area heated by a “water heated floor” does not exceed 60 m2, it is possible to use a manual mixing unit. To do this, you will need a three-way mixing valve.

The operating principle of this device is identical to a conventional sanitary mixer and allows you to adjust the temperature of the coolant entering the underfloor heating system. For this process, heated coolant is used, coming from a boiler or radiator heating circuit and cooled from the return manifold of the “warm floor” system. But if there are serious temperature changes in the main riser, for example, with a temporary increase in the consumption of hot water from the boiler, there may be a need to change the settings of the three-way mixer, which creates some inconvenience.

However, if necessary, such a mixing unit can be switched to automatic control by installing a thermostat on the supply line manifold in the underfloor heating circuits and an electric servo drive on the three-way mixer.

Pipe layout project

After the heating engineering design has been prepared, it is necessary to create pipe layout diagrams in the premises. To do this, you need to decide on the step and layout scheme.

To determine the layout step, it is necessary to take into account the zones of active heat loss, namely: external walls, windows and doors. It is advisable to shorten your stride in the immediate vicinity of these zones. In order to obtain the most comfortable heating possible, it is worth designing the underfloor heating supply in such a way that the circuit pipe coming from the supply manifold with heated water passes along the active heat loss zones first.

To heat the central part of the room, a pipe pitch of 20-30 cm is used, and in zones of active heat loss, a pipe pitch of 10-15 cm is used. This is done in order to increase the heat transfer of the floor surface without changing temperatures and to eliminate duplicate heating sources. However, make sure that in all rooms you set the same step ratio, for example, for the central zones 25 cm, and for zones of active heat loss 10 cm, in this case the calculation of the dependence of heat transfer on the coolant temperature for the entire floor surface of the building will be the same.

For direct pipe laying, there are 2 main schemes: “snake” and “spiral”. Depending on the room, the priority of using one or another scheme changes. To determine the step, you will have to decide how much power is needed to heat a particular room. In case it is necessary to organize heating small room, it is advisable to lay the pipe in a “snake” manner. In principle, this installation option is the simplest and most versatile, but it has several disadvantages. Firstly, the temperature difference between the floor surface and different angles the room will be most noticeable, and secondly, if necessary, lay the pipe with a small pitch (<15 см) существует вероятность столкнуться с проблемой сгибания - труба может не выдержать перегрузки и сломаться.

In this case, it is necessary to provide for the use of wide fold loops. If it is necessary to heat living rooms of medium size (12-16 m2), it is better to use the “spiral” laying method.

In this case, the temperature at different ends of the room will tend to the average value, since next to the pipe with the cooled coolant there is always a pipe on the supply side with the heated coolant. In addition, all bend angles are directed at 900, which greatly facilitates the installation of a rigid pipe, especially if it is necessary to lay it in small increments (<15 см) по периметру внешних стен и под окнами. Минусом такой укладки является ограничение по минимальной площади помещения - в комнате меньше 10 м2 лучше применить «змейку». В случае, когда необходимо обеспечить отопление большого помещения (>18-20 m2) and there is a need to lay two or more contours, then it is still advisable to use several “spirals”.

Surface preparation

Installation begins with leveling the main screed. If the height difference in one circuit exceeds half the pipe cross-section (~6 mm), then the likelihood of air pockets in the pipes increases sharply, which in turn will impede the normal movement of the coolant and reduce the efficiency of the system.

Next, it is necessary to provide hydro-, steam- and thermal insulation of the floors. This can be done using a combination of special waterproofing mastics, polyethylene film, polyethylene foam insulation and polystyrene foam.

To begin with, using mastic or polyethylene film, it is necessary to provide vapor and waterproofing. Foamed polyethylene has high insulating properties with a relatively small layer thickness (3-5 mm). However, you should not lay a concrete screed directly on top of it. It is very soft and easily pressed, so when shrinking there is a risk of cracking the screed. Perform installation in small steps (<15 см) по периметру внешних стен и под окнами. Минусом такой укладки является ограничение по минимальной площади помещения - в комнате меньше 10 м 2 лучше применить «змейку».

In the case when it is necessary to provide heating for a large room (>18-20 m2), and there is a need to lay two or more circuits, then it is still advisable to use several “spirals”, but use it as additional insulation. To ensure the necessary rigidity and correct shrinkage of the screed, as well as a minimum level of heat loss through the plane of the floor, it is recommended to use expanded polystyrene with a thickness of at least 20 mm. When installing thermal insulation on slabs laid on top of the ground or above unheated rooms, it is necessary to increase the thickness of the insulating layer to 80 mm.

If you plan to install a water-heated floor in a wooden or other building without reinforced concrete floors, the formation of the screed must be done in a pre-prepared box made of waterproof plywood, which will prevent the solution from spreading over the structure and under the floors. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the load-bearing capacity of the beams based on the mass of the screed formed for the installation of a water-heated floor. In order to minimize the weight of the structure, it is advisable to reduce the thickness of the screed to the minimum possible, but not less than 20 mm above the pipe. The pipe pitch should be uniform and not exceed 15 cm for the most uniform heating. The design temperature of the coolant should not exceed 40 o C. In this case, lightening particles (shavings, expanded clay) can be introduced into the screed, but the dosage of such additives must be carefully calculated so as not to reduce the heat transfer properties of the surface being formed. To further protect the structure from leakage of the solution, it is recommended to cover the box inside and outside with plastic film.

Layout of the heating circuit pipe.

After you have decided on the pitch and layout of the pipe in each room and prepared the surface for laying the pipes, it is recommended to transfer the sketch of the diagram to the top layer of thermal insulation, on top of which you plan to directly lay out the pipe. This can be done with a regular marker if the surface allows. In the future, such a drawing will greatly facilitate and speed up the installation process, and will also identify errors made at the design stage, if any.

There are several ways to secure the pipe above the insulation surface in the desired position. The most common method is laying out using reinforcing mesh. Reinforcing mesh is laid out on the surface of the thermal insulation in increments of 5-15 cm, the pipe is attached every 50-80 cm and at the bend points using plastic clamps or thin wire. In this case, you will immediately get a double effect: you will secure the pipe and prepare a reinforcing layer for the screed, which will have a positive effect on its durability during shrinkage and operation. In this option, it is recommended that after the final layout of the pipe, before pouring the solution, “raise” the mesh with the pipe 5-10 mm above the surface using wooden or plastic elements.
The second, no less common option for attaching the water heated floor circuit pipe is special polystyrene plates. A special feature of such slabs are special regular elevations on the upper surface, arranged in a checkerboard pattern (“bobs”). The pipe is laid out around the “bosses”.

In this option, in addition to the pipe fastening element, a 20-mm thermal insulation layer is provided, but in the future it will be necessary to reinforce the screed in one form or another.

In addition to traditional ready-made layout methods, you can also prepare the mounting base according to the layout yourself. To do this, you will need long boards 15-25 mm thick and 50-80 mm wide. Using a jigsaw, you can form a frame for pipe layout with any pitch and type of layout. To do this, you will need to cut recesses in the boards along the outer diameter of the pipe at the required interval, then fasten the boards in such a way that the contours of the future layout contour are formed, while the insulation should be laid out so that the lower edge of the recesses is flush with the upper plane of the insulation layer . Next, a pipe is placed into the recesses in order to repeat the previously designed layout and layout step.

To lay out the circuit pipe like a “snake”, it is necessary to form a rectangular frame.

Depending on the size of the room, you will need 2-3 blanks in length corresponding to the length of the room, as well as 2-3 boards to secure the frame in width. If the pipe is laid out in a “spiral”, you will need to secure the boards diagonally or in two triangles. At the same time, it is quite difficult to calculate the locations of the recesses “on paper”. It is advisable to first assemble the frame and lay out the insulation, transfer the sketch of the design diagram to the surface and mark the places for the cuts. After this, carefully remove the frame, cut out the notches and return the frame to its place. In this case, you can guarantee a complete match between the design and the frame. In addition, when laying out the pipe in a “spiral”, it will not be possible to achieve the correct geometry of the circuit. It is worth noting that this layout option is the least expensive in terms of purchasing materials, but from the point of view of additional work, it is certainly more time-consuming and complex.

System testing

After all the pipes of the underfloor heating circuits have been laid out and connected to the distribution units, it is necessary to check the system for leaks. First of all, you should be interested in the tightness of the connections and sections of the pipe that will be in the screed. In addition, you must ensure that all connections are made correctly and will withstand the intended pressure.

All these steps must be completed before pouring the screed. First you need to fill the system with water or a special solution - antifreeze. It is recommended to fill the contours one by one. To do this, leave one circuit open and start supplying water. Once the circuit is completely filled and the air has been removed, close the taps and open the next circuit. In the same way, you need to fill all the circuits connected to this distribution node. When the entire system on the floor is completely filled, open all circuits and increase the pressure to 4-5 bar, which will correspond to 1.5 times the maximum operating pressure. The pressure will gradually drop, but provided the system is tight, it will stabilize after some time, which will mean the functionality of the system. In order to additionally check the connections for leaks, it is necessary to once again bring the pressure to 4-5 bar and leave for 2 hours, then release the pressure and leave for 2 hours. It is recommended to repeat the cycle 3-4 times.

After completing the test, it is advisable to set the operating pressure to 1.5-3 bar and leave the system for a day - the pressure should not drop any further. If pressure drops, check all connections and circuits. As a rule, given a certain degree of dust in the room being repaired, it is not difficult to detect fresh stains. If antifreeze is poured into the system, a specific smell will also let you know about a leak. After filling and testing the underfloor heating circuits, the supply circuits and boiler can be filled and tested. Open the distribution manifolds and fill the main riser, supply lines and boiler. Carry out hydraulic tests according to the regulations specified in the operating instructions for your boiler. After hydraulic tests, you can proceed to thermal tests of the system. Shut off all “warm floor” circuits at the distribution nodes. Set the operating pressure, turn on the circulation pumps to the design level and bring the temperature in the main riser to the design temperature. Open the underfloor heating circuit furthest from the boiler and wait until it has warmed up completely.

After the temperature difference between the supply and return manifold reaches 5-10 o C, open the next circuit. In this way, run the entire system sequentially. After the entire system has warmed up and reached its design capacity, increase the temperature in the circuits to the maximum specified in the design. If the underfloor heating system is the only source of heating for the building, check the boiler settings.
If the system is combined, then set the required values ​​on the mixing units or thermostats. The maximum temperature of the coolant in the underfloor heating system should not exceed 55 o C. The system must operate in peak mode for at least 6 hours. Record the pressure and temperature at peak heat load at various points in the system. In the future, if the emergency protection of the boiler is triggered or improper operation of the system is detected, you will be able to use this data to diagnose and identify malfunctions. After the thermal test, check the system again for air and leaks.

Screed device

Once you are sure that the heating system is tight and operational, you can begin installing the concrete screed. To do this, check the insulation again and prepare a solution. Don't forget to add plasticizer and fiberglass. To prevent the destruction of the screed due to linear thermal expansion, it is necessary to lay a damper tape around the perimeter of the room. Only the supply and return pipelines are allowed to pass through the damper tape - it is advisable to lay them corrugated for additional protection from accidental damage during operation. Start the system. Set the average design pressure to 1.5-2 bar. Do not heat the coolant. The maximum temperature in the screed pouring circuit should not exceed 25 o C until the final hardening of the concrete (17-28 days). After this period, the system can be started up at its designed capacity. The thickness of the screed directly above the pipe should be 30-50 mm. The thinner the screed, the faster it will warm up, and a “thermal zebra” effect may appear when the passage of the coolant pipe is clearly felt. Accordingly, the larger the pitch between the pipes, the proportionally greater the thickness of the screed to ensure uniform heating of the floor surface. After pouring the screed, it is recommended to vibrate the surface to remove air bubbles and ensure a tighter fit of the concrete to the pipe. This will significantly increase the efficiency of your heating system. After the screed has completely hardened, the flooring can be laid.