The water heated floor system is quite complicated; there are a lot of pitfalls, without knowing which, you can break a lot of wood and subsequently regret the wasted effort and money. So, let's try to sort everything out and talk about the pros and cons of heated floors.

Thanks to its advantages, this system is increasingly penetrating our modern life. Let's consider the main consumer advantages of the system:

Landscaping and aesthetics of the system

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

In buildings with underfloor heating, heat is transferred not by convection, but by thermal radiation. In other words, the transfer of thermal energy occurs from one particle to another. The convection component is of course present, but it is no more than 10% of the total thermal radiation and in this case it can be completely neglected.

Versatility

The next advantage of underfloor heating is that you can use any energy source, any heat generator, any type of coolant and type of floor covering.

It is worth paying attention to the only nuance that concerns - this is if we are dealing with, say, laminate, parquet boards, parquet or linoleum, here you need to pay attention to the packaging and carefully read the information indicated on it, you can or cannot use this type floor covering at .

Health and Safety

Another advantage of heated floors is that there is no circulation of dust due to uniform heat flows, and there are no electromagnetic fields compared to electric heated floors.

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

Energy efficiency

Quite an important plus of heated floors. Firstly, the temperature of the coolant that we supply to the underfloor heating pipes is the maximum possible according to the standards - 55°C. In practice, this figure reaches approximately 35-45 degrees. Accordingly, this will make it possible to reduce the cost of heating this coolant.

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

Third point - vertical distribution heat, again there is no need to heat the upper layers of air, which minimizes heat loss through the upper parts of the walls and ceilings.

All listed advantages of heated floors, follow from the physics of the process itself. It is possible to increase energy efficiency by another 15-20% using various types of automation in our system, including weather-sensitive automation.

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

Cons of heated floors

Everything is good and back side. And we should talk about it too.

The disadvantages of heated floors are as follows:

High inertia system

Impossibility sudden change room air temperature. Actually, we don’t always need this, unless of course you live in a country with a sharply continental climate. Where the daily temperature difference can be 15-20 degrees. Since in such a climate with heated floors it is impossible to quickly increase or decrease the heating temperature.

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

Now about the next disadvantage of heated floors.

Limited floor area as a heating device

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

Exit: If we still don’t have enough heat flow from this area and we don’t want to use additional sources like heating radiators, we can use walls. Accordingly, we will receive complete panel heating of our premises without visible heating elements.

Energy dependence

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

Lack of air circulation

This is both a minus and a plus of heated floors at the same time. In the case where more windows will be used in your home, be prepared for the fact that heated floors will probably not cope with cutting off cold flows. Plus, at a height above two meters, the windows will fog up.

When choosing adjustable artificial floor heating systems, you need to have minimal knowledge in this area in order to make a choice in favor of one product or another, and in the case of a negative assessment, refuse the purchase altogether. In this article we will look at the general positive and negative sides such systems.

Warm floors, the pros and cons of which will be carefully studied, can be selected according to the parameters of the building and selected in accordance with individual requirements owner. A correctly selected heating system will not only be cost-effective, but also comfortable to use.

Types of underfloor heating systems

Before you study the pros and cons of heated floors, you need to familiarize yourself with the varieties of such systems. They can be divided into two main groups, which differ in the type of coolant.

• water heated floor;
• electric heated floor.

In turn, each type has several subspecies, which differ in types of construction and methods of heat transfer. This is how convection and infrared electric floors are distinguished.

IR panels give off heat while remaining cool

Infrared heats the floor through a directed flow. The system itself remains cold without heating up. In convection floors, internal heating occurs in the coolant, after which the heat is transferred to the floors.

The same principle applies to artificial water heating. In it, energy is transferred from the coolant to the circuit, and from it directly to the screed in which they are installed.

Diagram of types of electric heated floors.

As shown above, the design of convection and infrared adjustable heated floors can be made in the form of electric mats, cables, film floors and rods. For water heating systems, flexible pipelines of small diameter are used.

In a private house in the countryside, a water-heated floor can be connected to common system heating. IN apartment building such actions must be agreed upon with the housing management company.

Advantages of underfloor heating systems

The floor temperature can be easily adjusted to suit your taste

The advantages of heated floors include the following factors.

These are just some of the advantages of heated floors. In addition to the general advantages for all systems, each manufacturer has introduced additional features into their products to improve their quality level.

Disadvantages of underfloor heating systems

Connecting to the heating system of an apartment building will significantly reduce the pressure in the system

Warm floors, the pros and cons of which have been and will be considered, have disadvantages not only in the water version, although it is these systems that largely form this list.

1. When using water systems for artificial floor heating in an apartment building, a connection is often made to a common heating system. With a large number of such inserts in the house, a decrease in the overall pressure in the central heating may occur.
2. When installing a water heated floor, it is carried out with pumping and filtering equipment, which requires a certain space in the room, as well as the costs of its acquisition and installation.
3. In rooms with low level cold resistance of external enclosing structures, an artificial floor heating system cannot be the only source of heating. The rooms must be heated with radiators.
4. Installation of artificial floor heating is quite a labor-intensive task. He will demand preliminary calculations, drawing up a plan diagram of the pipeline system and equipment, preparatory, installation and finishing works.

In listing the general negative aspects of these systems, the disadvantages of water heated floors were highlighted additionally.

This does not mean that these floors are much inferior to electric ones. The only point is that it is advisable to study electric and water floors in parallel, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages in comparison with each other. For information on when you should not install a water-heated floor, watch this video:

Comparison of electric and water heated floors

Many people are concerned about electromagnetic radiation emanating from devices and cables

Despite the fact that the advantages of heated floors were common to both types, and water systems had more disadvantages, the latter also have their advantages over electric ones.

For example, water heated floors do not emit electromagnetic waves, which can sometimes have negative impact for certain types of people.

We can say that all people live in the modern world, which is everywhere saturated with radiation and various waves from devices and equipment, but one way or another, the absence of such waves from water floors gives them a certain advantage over electric ones.

Also, when operating artificial water floor heating, you will not need to spend a lot on electricity. Operating from hot water boilers, water heaters and heating systems, water-heated floors remain low-cost in terms of energy costs.

But electric artificial floor heating remains the leader in comparison with water heating in terms of installation speed and cost. The device of electric artificial heating will not in all cases require wet screed over it. For example, before laying the laminate, you can lay infrared film floors underneath it, which will be separated from the final floor covering by a special underlay, and from the subfloor by a foil heat insulator.

The pros and cons of a water heated floor in comparison with an electric one can be assessed in terms of design, maintenance, ease of use and other parameters.

Entrust the selection of components to specialists and then your heated floors will serve you for decades

Also important selection criteria are the type of room and the type of energy used to generate heat.

Installation of modern equipment during the construction and renovation of houses and apartments increases the comfort of living and also makes real estate more expensive.

The service life of heated floors of various brands is decades, which allows you to make a one-time investment for many years.

It is better to entrust the selection and calculation to specialists so that the power and heat transfer are optimal. Then at minimum costs Optimal operation of controlled underfloor heating systems is possible.

The most common option today is considered to be a warm water floor, the use of which allows you to completely warm up the floor surface to the required temperature, without having visual heating devices. In addition, parquet, laminate or linoleum can be laid on top of such a system without any problems. You can read more about warm water floors here (http://www.a-comfort.ru/montazh-teplyh-polov.html)

Warm floor - effective solution among all the options that contribute to heating the room. This system has gained great popularity due to the fact that installation does not require much effort and time. A warm water floor is a structure, or rather a network of pipelines through which water flows, heating up to 35 degrees Celsius. This type of heating is often preferred by urban homeowners, since there is no need to use water from the central heating system. But such a system can also be installed in country houses, in which a heating boiler and a special water pump are installed. The "warm floor" system can work not only from gas boiler, but also from a heat pump.

Such heating has many advantages that make it possible to distinguish a water-heated floor from a radiator heating system.

The heat is distributed evenly throughout the room, making your stay in the room comfortable.

Very often, the feet freeze first from the cold, and with the help of an installed water heated floor, this problem can be eliminated by providing warmth.

Cold air rises.

Saving energy consumption, which is very good when the room area is large.

If such a system is installed by specialists, the customer pays only for their work and the materials used. After this, you will not have to spend money on maintaining the heated floor.

In winter, the system helps to heat the room, and in summer, it cools the room.

When installing a “warm” floor system, you can forget about heaters and radiator pipes.

But, no matter how good everything is, such a system also has a number of disadvantages that need to be considered in more detail:

The main disadvantage when installing a water floor is that if there is a need to obtain a relatively low heating temperature, you need to have a mixing unit operating in conjunction with a water pump, which creates forced circulation of water flowing through the pipes.

In addition, often the use of a water heating system can lead to the fact that the overall pressure in the central heating of the house begins to decrease.

It is important to know that after the water passes through the loop pipes, it enters another room in a cooled form, which leads to insufficient heating.

Today, it is possible to install a water heated floor only with permission from the responsible authorities, who must give their consent to use. Do not connect yourself this type heating without the necessary sanctions.

It is best to consult with specialists who install and maintain water heated floors before installing such a system.

But in general, it should be noted that such a heating system will become an indispensable assistant during the cold season. In addition to the fact that it is hidden from prying eyes, it consumes little electricity, and it also surpasses many heaters in quality.

expert.ru

The concept of a water heated floor refers to a pipeline diagram laid in a layer of concrete screed. Heated by a boiler or boiler, the coolant circulates through the pipes and heats the floor.

1. System Description
2. Consumer Opinions
3. conclusions

Peculiarities

In private houses and cottages, water-heated floors are increasingly being used, the opinions and reviews of buyers about which are ambiguous. To decide on the rationality of using such a design, you should understand some of its features:

• Warm floors are part of a water heating system, so they can be installed in country houses and cottages or new buildings if they have heat exchange risers or autonomous heating. In apartments of houses old building This type of floor heating is prohibited.
• The design is a “layer cake”, quite complex in execution. Installation requires certain experience and a high degree of qualification.
• When pipelines are damaged, a leak occurs, and the location of the breakdown is difficult to identify. To repair the area, it is necessary to dismantle the floor.
• Not all types of finishing coating are suitable for heated floors.

What are the reviews from users?

“The process of installing built-in underfloor heating is truly an amazing thing, I did it in my home. I hired contractors for installation - the floors turned out like something out of a fairy tale. General heating operates at minimum mode, the rooms are warm and cozy. The bathroom is absolutely classy, ​​there is no such dampness and the water dries quickly on the tiles. Even with the heating turned off, the cold floor does not cause any discomfort.”

Igor, Moscow.

“I installed heated floors throughout the entire area of ​​the apartment to use as the main option without radiators. I laid ceramic tiles on top in the hallway, bathrooms and kitchen, and laminate flooring in the rest of the rooms. The room thermostat regulates the operation of the boiler, while the system copes well with heating - an economical and convenient type of heating.”

Anatoly, Nizhny Novgorod.

“In the house, I heat the entire first floor only with a water-heated floor system - there are no radiators. Very warm even in very coldy. The main disadvantage is the price. Laying technology and materials are much more expensive more expensive than batteries, plus special thermostatic mixing pump groups. It’s better to hire specialists to carry out the work – this is also an additional cost.”

Konstantin, Volgograd.

“Heated floors have increased comfort compared to radiator heating - this is undeniable, but they also have a number of disadvantages. I have floors like this in my bathrooms, hallways and bathhouse. At temperatures below 25 °C, I heat the floor in the bathhouse to 30-35 °C - it’s hot for the feet. I visit the house periodically, so I lower it to 15 °C. The radiators can warm up the house to 22 °C in 4 hours, and heated floors in 8. In the summer I encountered the problem of a cold tiled floor.”

Alexander, St. Petersburg.

“I have a big house, I installed heated floors in all the rooms. They didn’t turn it on the first year, they started it up only the next year – the winter was harsh. The radiators were turned off, the temperature in the rooms remained 21-22 degrees - it was warm to walk on the floor even without slippers. The average monthly gas consumption turned out to be 1.7 times less than with radiator heating.”

Danil, Samara.

“I have been installing floors under parquet boards for quite some time. I would like to note that the maximum temperature on the surface of the parquet should be no more than 27 ° C, and you should definitely avoid laying a warm water floor under the furniture. With good ventilation and insulation external walls the temperature in the room will be 24-25 degrees, taking into account floor heating to 27 °C without additional heating sources.”

Maxim, Moscow.

Let's sum it up

The main role in the effectiveness and feasibility of using a warm water floor is played by the finishing coating (linoleum, ceramic tiles, laminate, parquet or engineered boards). You should choose materials with medium or high thermal conductivity, otherwise all the heat will be “extinguished.” Ceramic tiles are considered the most heat-conducting option, but some reviews indicate excessive “coldness” outside the heating season.

According to reviews, the system of warm water floors under laminate can only be used by paying special attention to the choice of finishing coating:

• load class 31-33, thickness 8-10 mm;
• the presence of special pictograms or inscriptions on the labeling - “Underfloor heating” or “Warm Wasser”, “H 2 O”;
• safety class E0-E1.

The following are suitable for installation on a water floor system: Quick-Step Creo (Belgium), Tarkett Woodstock Premium (Russia), Pergo Living Expression (Sweden), Classen Futuro Harmony (Germany) and others.

Many consider floor heating as the main heating without the use of radiators, but for such a design to be effective, all necessary measures must be taken to thermally insulate the walls and roof of the building. Owners of private houses and cottages note the rationality of warm water floors for the first floor of a building with a basement. Warm water floors create increased comfortable conditions in the premises of a house and apartment due to the large heat transfer surface.

Related articles:

termogurus.ru

Electric heating

Advantages of electric floors

This system, as the name suggests, runs on electricity.
It uses cables made of special alloys as a heat conductor. The current passing through the wires heats the cables, and from them the surface of the floor and more are heated. The ability to organize several temperature zones is the main advantage of an electric heated floor. The first zone is directly above the floor surface (+24°), the second is 1.5-2 m from the floor (+22°) and the third is under the ceiling (+20°). This regime fully meets the needs of the human body.

Warming up the room and distributing temperature flows in the room with a traditional radiator and warm electric floor

Electric floors are designed for long-term use. They are less susceptible to external mechanical influence, which distinguishes them favorably from water floors.

The electrical "warm floor" system has the following advantages:

1. It can be used indoors in conjunction with central heating.
2. Since the air is heated by thermal radiation, the air in the room does not become dry.
3. Does not require additional equipment, as a result, costs are reduced.
4. Thanks to thermostats and temperature sensors, you can control the temperature and set it as you wish.
5. Installation of film heated floors does not require major repairs to the base, and the installation mesh of heating mats can be cut if necessary.

An interesting fact is that, according to scientists, the use of infrared floors not only reduces energy costs, but also increases human immunity. Under the influence of infrared rays, microorganisms and cells vibrate. Due to this, vital processes are stimulated, and well-being improves. It's up to you to believe this statement or not.

Disadvantages of electric floors

Electric flooring is not suitable for large spaces because the efficiency of using electricity as heat is quite low.

The larger the area of ​​the room, the greater the energy consumption for heating it. Water systems here look more economical. In addition, laying electrical elements (cable or film) under furniture is impossible due to the high risk of their failure due to overheating. However, the rod floor shown in the photo does not have these disadvantages.

Cables in heated floors warm up evenly, but this is their disadvantage: this can affect the arrangement of furniture and the choice of finishing floor covering. Thus, cable floors will work best with self-leveling floors, tiles and ceramic tiles, film - with laminate or linoleum.

Resistive heating cables cannot be cut. Therefore, before installation, you need to accurately calculate the length of the wire.

The negative aspects of using an electric floor include:

• Increased energy costs.
• When using an electrical system, electromagnetic radiation inevitably occurs, which can negatively affect the health of particularly sensitive people and the environment in the room.
• Installation without your own hands is quite expensive.
• Laying wires requires precise calculation of the pitch, so it will be difficult to do without some experience.
• The cable floor is laid in a screed. If you are renovating old apartment, then the costs of refurbishment of floors will increase.
• Infrared floors are expensive.
• Heating mats must not be placed under household appliances and large furniture.

Only by considering all the positive and negative qualities of the electrical underfloor heating system can you decide which type is best to use: cable, matte or film.

Water heating

Pros of water floors

Water heated floors are a modernized design of water heating. Water enters the pipes from the autonomous heating system. A mandatory requirement is the presence of a pump, since without it the liquid will not be able to circulate through the system.

A significant advantage of a water floor is the low cost of the coolant. Water at low cost provides high quality heating of premises.

Water heated floors have the following advantages:

1. Can be placed under almost any flooring, including natural parquet.
2. Reliability of system operation.
3. Electricity costs are significantly reduced.
4. Possibility of use as the main heating system, which allows you to abandon visible heating sources (batteries, convectors, etc.).
5. Installing a water floor is cheaper than installing an electric one.

Cons of water floors

Like any heating system, water floors are not without certain disadvantages:

• It cannot be installed in an apartment building without permission from the relevant authorities. The fact is that if such floors are connected to a central heating system, then temperature losses for the remaining apartments increase. It is prohibited to connect to a common heating system without permission from housing and communal services.
• They require the purchase of additional equipment (circulation pump, manifold, mixing unit, etc.).
• Damage to communications is possible, which will lead to leaks. Therefore, when purchasing pipes, you must first figure out what material they are made from and which one is better suited for the “warm floor” system.
• Complex installation that requires certain skills in laying pipes, pouring and leveling floors.
• Since the water floor is filled with cement-sand mortar, in the event of a breakdown, the entire screed will need to be dismantled.
• A competent calculation of the system power is required. In case of errors in the project, the consumer risks being left without heating.

polprofy.ru

A water heated floor is a room heating system from a boiler or from a boiler. The pipes are laid on the base and must be filled with concrete screed.

Advantages of water heated floors

The main advantage of this design is that the room is heated evenly and heat loss is significantly reduced, which means fuel is used economically. In addition, you don’t have to install radiators, which will give you the freedom to implement many design ideas.

Warm floors of this type are often installed in country houses or cottages, as well as in apartments with autonomous heating. If the house does not have an automatic boiler, it is better not to install water heated floors. In ordinary apartments, such a floor cannot be installed, since it is prohibited by law; in this case, electric heated floors are installed.

Disadvantages of water heated floors

The disadvantage of water heated floors is that leaking pipes can lead to the need to break the floor, although the service life of pipes that are used today is 50 years. In addition, you cannot lay any kind of floor covering on the floor; ceramic tiles are best suited, as they have high thermal conductivity. Parquet in this case will not be a suitable covering, since wood transfers heat very poorly.

Technology for laying water-based heated floors

Water heated floors are installed only inside cement screed. To install it correctly requires professional knowledge, skills and experience. An important step work is to carry out all the necessary calculations. It is very difficult to do this yourself, since it takes into account the dimensions of the room, what the floors are made of, the presence or absence of insulation, what power the boiler is using, as well as the diameter of the pipes and the type of flooring.

Conclusion

If you decide to make a water heated floor, it is better to entrust this work to professionals, otherwise there is a risk that you will not get the desired result.

sof-trans.ru

Warm water floor - the main differences from other types of heating

The “warm floor” heating systems that exist today are divided into two subtypes: electric and water. According to the method of application, such systems can act as the main source of space heating or be auxiliary heating equipment. Electric heating elements are often used for local heating of technological rooms, balconies, loggias, bathrooms and toilets. On the contrary, a water heating circuit can be installed throughout the entire apartment or used in one of the rooms, for example, in a children's room.

This heating option is usually chosen in corner rooms, where there is a high probability of cold zones appearing. Thanks to its operating principle, this heating option is able to provide the most comfortable temperature conditions. Despite the fact that, in comparison with other heating methods, water heated floors have their pros and cons, in the general context this type of heating deserves more attention. In any case, there are always aspects and situations in everyday life that allow one to evaluate the advantages of the system, or, conversely, that indicate the technical imperfection of the chosen option.

For reference: a floor equipped with a water circuit allows the use of a wide variety of floor coverings, unlike electric mats.

For example: in order to maintain normal circulation in a home heating system using heated floor technology, you will need to install not only a pipeline, but also install additional equipment. A circulation pump, a manifold-mixer, a whole set of three-way valves (according to the number of water circuits), all of these are mandatory attributes and accessories in this case, regardless of the heated area. Availability special devices will avoid a drop in coolant pressure in the central heating circuit and will prevent interruptions in the circulation of domestic hot water.

It should also be remembered that such a system is prohibited for installation in an apartment building, which was originally designed for district heating. For private sector residents and owners country houses On the contrary, this option is preferable to traditional heating options.

You need to know that in order to implement this type of heating in your house or apartment, considerable costs will be required associated with a large amount of work and consumables. The drawings and diagrams show the temperature conditions inside the room, achieved as a result of using a thermal curtain and when operating the heated floor covering of the system.

It is clearly visible on the basis of what principle heating is carried out internal space. In the case of a water floor, the heat source is located in the lower part of the room. Due to this, thermal energy is evenly distributed over the entire floor area, transferring it to the air masses circulating inside the living space required heat. When using radiator heating, during which internal air exchange occurs due to convection, the floor is the coldest place in the living room.

Insufficient heating, especially in corner rooms and with a large glazed surface, is compensated by installing additional heating devices. A water floor is fully capable of solving this problem, uniformly heating the entire internal volume of the room. It is also important aesthetic side question. The absence of heating radiators has a positive effect on the quality of the interior of residential premises. A warm floor distributes heat evenly throughout the entire space, thereby heating all objects in the room.

For reference: the most acceptable indoor temperature for comfortable living is + 18 0 C. By heating the coolant in the water heating circuit to a temperature of +35-45 0 C, it is achieved optimal temperature heating the floor covering 25 0 C. Accordingly, the lowest floor layer of air heats up more, while the upper layers have a comfortable temperature.

Warm floor design. Scope of application

The main advantage that you should pay attention to when studying a heated floor heating system is cost-effectiveness and high efficiency. Large interior spaces, especially in private houses, designed for autonomous heating, can be successfully heated in this way. Even the installation and arrangement of heated floors in all residential premises of a large multi-room residential building will be a completely profitable enterprise. For that category of citizens who have water gas heating or expect to use solid fuel units, a water floor is practically perfect option solving the issue of organizing heating.

Comparison of this heating scheme with electric floors inappropriate in this case. The latter option, even taking into account the comparative ease of installation and ease of operation, is clearly inferior to a water floor in terms of economic indicators. The electric floor can be installed in selected places, where there is a need to heat small areas.

Before summing up the advantages and disadvantages of a water heated floor, let’s try to understand its design and technological features.

The basic principle of operation in this case is as follows:

• heat source - coolant liquid, boiler water, which can flow into a pipeline laid in the floor;
• heated water can come either from the riser of the central heating supply line or from an autonomous heating device.

Thanks to design features and new technologies, today there are several ways to equip heated floors. As an ideal floor covering, it is best to use ceramic, concrete or combined materials (tiles, decorative rock, concrete screed). The advantages and disadvantages in this situation are subjective. Ceramic tiles or concrete screed have high thermal conductivity, and accordingly, when heated by the heated coolant, they transfer heat better into the room. Conversely, laminate, parquet, and linoleum are convenient and comfortable floor coverings that play the role of additional insulation, reducing the intensity of heat transfer in internal spaces.

The efficiency of a warm water floor directly depends on the quality of the layer cake, i.e. on the composition of the underfloor heating substrate. The substrate usually includes:

• Waterproofing;
• Metal mounting mesh;
• Thermal insulation;
• Damper tape;
• Dry or wet screed.

On a note: As a rule, the traditional thickness of a layer cake varies in the range of 50-150 mm. The final parameters of the cake are determined depending on the diameter of the pipes for the water circuit, the thickness of the floors, the quality of the floor covering and the power of the underfloor heating system.

The main operating tool in this case is a pipeline made of metal-plastic pipes. Pipes connected into separate fragments or sections (circuits) are laid on a cushion, after which they are connected to collectors through which coolant is supplied to the heating circuit and returned.

The design of the heating system also contains the operating principle. The distance between the screed and the floor covering is where the warm water circuit is laid, through which the entire surface of the floor is heated to the required temperature. Due to insignificant heating (the optimal heating temperature of the coolant is 35-45 0 C), the “warm floor” heating system is low-temperature.

Obvious advantages of heated floors

If you do not take into account installation difficulties, heated floors are rightfully considered one of the most effective heating systems. The low-temperature operating mode of heated floors can provide real and significant savings in heating costs. On average, 20-40% compared to the radiator heating option. The absence of overheating of the air mass indoors ensures good saturation of the internal space with positive ions.

Other obvious advantages include the following qualities:

• high environmental safety of the system, full compliance with sanitary and hygienic standards for heating residential premises;
• the main part of thermal energy is transferred as a result of thermal radiation, which has a positive effect on the human body;
• real heat savings in residential buildings with high ceilings (up to 50% with ceiling heights of more than 3 meters);
• the absence of open wiring and radiators greatly simplifies interior decoration residential premises;
• real subsequent savings in heating costs compared to electric heating(on average 5-7 times);
• Unlike electric heated floors, a water floor does not produce a powerful electromagnetic field that negatively affects the well-being of the inhabitants of the home.

Obvious disadvantages of this heating system

The main drawback that can overshadow you if you decide to install heated floors in your home is rather the presence of administrative prohibitions on the use similar system heating. You can get around the bans if you focus on small area heating and you have the first floor. Otherwise, the situation is fraught with further administrative fines and restoration of dismantled equipment.

The second argument that can be attributed to the disadvantages of this heating system is the lengthy and painstaking installation of the equipment. The disadvantage of a water floor during installation is the involuntary weighting design features building. Due to the layer cake used for the substrate, the weight of the ceiling can increase by 10-15%, which is extremely dangerous for residential multi-storey buildings old building.

Following installation and installation technology, homeowners will have to face quite large financial costs. Unlike electric floors, water heated floors are labor-intensive in the process of maintenance and repair. In terms of safety, a water floor is inferior to other home heating options.

Conclusion

There are many advantages to this heating system, but there are also some disadvantages when it comes to heated floors. However, the situation looks like this. In any case, if you decide to install warm water floors in your house or apartment, the advantages that you will receive in the future will clearly outweigh the disadvantages. High efficiency, efficiency and practicality are the main advantages of this heating system.

znatoktepla.ru

Peculiarities

Water heated floor systems are a fairly new solution in the field of built-in heating systems. The peculiarity is that the coolant in this case is heated water circulating through pipes laid in the floor, which transfers heat radiated through the decorative flooring into the room.

At the same time, the efficiency of water heated floors is high; this type of heating seems to be extremely economical, allowing one to reduce the cost of heating a home to a comfortable temperature by 20-30, or even 50%. It's all about the temperature of the circulating fluid, which, as a rule, does not exceed 50⁰C, and often 40⁰C is enough.

Why? It's simple. The floor in a room, in the case of a heated floor, is a continuous convective surface that radiates heat. At the same time, the floor covering remains pleasant and comfortable, without posing a risk of burns, and the air in the room is heated evenly over the entire area.

Unlike traditional heating radiators, a heated floor immediately warms up the air to comfortable temperatures below (22-24⁰С), while at head level the temperature is already somewhat lower (18-20⁰С), and an overheating zone does not form under the ceiling, and no empty heat loss occurs. This property is one of the advantages of water heated floors, as it provides optimal “healthy” heating that promotes comfort and health.

Like any type of heating, water heated floors, of course, have their own advantages and disadvantages. And this must be taken into account when deciding whether to install this type of heating system.

The undoubted advantages of water heated floors include the following:

1. Economical– compared to radiator heating from 20-30% to 60%. When heating water to low (30-50⁰C) temperatures using gas in autonomous systems, especially with large heated areas, a water floor is even superior to an electric floor in terms of operating costs (up to 5-7 times more economical).
2. Safety, because the pipes with the coolant, firstly, have a low temperature, and secondly, they are completely hidden. This eliminates the risk of injury and burns.
3. Comfort, ensured by uniform heating of the air and pleasant tactile sensations when walking on the floor barefoot.
4. Aesthetics, because the built-in system solves the problem of hiding or camouflaging unaesthetic radiators and opens up wide horizons for the implementation of design ideas for remodeling and interior arrangement.
5. Smooth and soft heating, safety for capricious floor coverings due to gradual heating and low temperatures, absence of thermal shock (in the case of installing a thermostat and the ability to control the temperature of the coolant).
6. No generation of harmful electromagnetic field and oversaturation of air with positive ions.
7. Water heated floor does not dry out the air in the room.

While listing the advantages of water heated floors, it is worth analyzing its disadvantages:

1. Labor intensity of installation– to lay a water floor, you will have to undertake a major overhaul with leveling and careful preparation subfloor surfaces. The system consists of several layers various materials, including waterproofing, cement-concrete screed and decorative flooring.
2. Significant initial costs for installing a hydronic floor option- approximately 5 times higher than electric or traditional radiator. However, with active use, water heated floors demonstrate high efficiency and pay for themselves.
3. It is impossible to install heated floors, for example, on stairs and in small corridors. In such areas it is required additional installation radiators.
4. The likelihood of a leak and the difficulty of eliminating it– to find damage and repair the pipeline, you will need to completely dismantle the floor covering and remove the screed.

Due to the risk of leakage and, accordingly, flooding of neighbors below, water-heated floors are not recommended for installation in multi-storey buildings. Also, when connecting water-heated floor circuits to the central heating system, there is a high risk of pressure drop in the system throughout the house and a sharp decrease in heating efficiency.

Is it enough to analyze the information on the query “water heated floor advantages and disadvantages” to make a final decision, especially if people with poor health live in the home? On the one hand, if the difficulties do not frighten you, but the advantages captivate you, it is worthwhile to critically evaluate them again.

The point is that she main feature and the advantage of this type of heating, namely, constant elevated temperature flooring, which allows you to “keep your feet warm” all the time, may also have a downside.

Namely, it has a negative impact on the vascular system of the legs, because blood constantly rushes to the “warm” legs, putting a constant load on the veins and expanding them.

Therefore, it is recommended to install a water or electric floor in rooms with periodic and short-term presence of people there, or to limit the time they walk on the floor or stay on it.

The question of whether heated water floors are harmful to the general physical condition and well-being cannot be answered unambiguously. The air in the room is not overdried, there is no improper mixing of layers, but in the case of heated floors it is difficult natural ventilation. In order to avoid air staleness, it is necessary to ventilate the room more often and take care of forced ventilation.

Conclusion

Water heated floor is an effective alternative to radiator heating and a good option for first floors, private houses. However, making a decision about installation requires a scrupulous analysis of the pros and cons.

Today, heated floor technology is not much inferior in efficiency to radiator heating systems, but has many advantages. We propose to consider the main advantages of hidden heating systems, installation and connection features.

Advantages of hidden heating

One side of the attractiveness of underfloor heating systems is the concealment of utilities. Neither radiators, nor heating pipelines, nor shut-off and control valves will disturb the harmony of the interior. However, this is not the only advantage of the secrecy of the heating system.

If in living rooms pipes do not pass through the wall ceilings and along them, this will greatly facilitate the finishing work. For leveling and application decorative materials The entire plane of the walls is accessible; in addition, there are no difficulties with cutting the floor covering; there is no need to hide the passage of pipes during installation suspended ceilings. The absence of visible communications is especially beneficial when changing layouts.

In addition to aesthetic advantages, there are also technical ones: uniform heating of the floor creates an optimal distribution pattern for warm air. Since the main emphasis is not on convection heat transfer, but on its direct radiation, there is no need to warm up the upper uninhabited zone. This ensures a reduction in heating costs of about 10-15%. What’s most interesting is that savings here do not come at the expense of comfort: the temperature in the leg area is about 20-22 ºС, in the head area it is 3-4 ºС lower.

The main disadvantages of water heated floors

The main disadvantage of a heated floor system is the complexity of its design. The process of laying heating elements in the floor is quite technological and labor-intensive, but if we are talking about a water heating system, additional difficulties arise with organizing the piping and setting up the heating operation.

This is not at all a reason to refuse to use heated floors. Using quality materials and installation system, compliance with the technology of laying pipes in the floor and installing floor coverings, all efforts will pay off handsomely. Underfloor heating is a truly effective, economical and durable heating system, but, we repeat, only if it is designed in compliance with a number of key requirements.

Among the difficulties of the device, it is worth mentioning separately the need to carefully select the material for the floor screed. In addition to strength qualities, it must meet standards for heat capacity and thermal conductivity, as well as the ability to emit heat in a certain spectrum - about 9-10 microns. In principle, when heated to 40 ºС, almost all cement-bound materials emit heat in this range. All that remains is to achieve the highest possible density of the coating and uniform distribution of thermal energy in the warm layer of the screed. For this purpose it can be used steel fiber, liquid glass or special polymer additives for underfloor heating screed - plasticizers C-3, HLV-75, BV 3M and the like.

Materials for the device

As already mentioned, underfloor heating systems require extremely careful selection of materials. Just one and a half to two decades ago, everyone was content with laying in the floor metal-plastic pipe, convincing yourself that nothing threatens the heat exchanger in the floor other than corrosion. This approach has a number of disadvantages that become apparent during the first 3-5 years of operation.

In order not to repeat the mistakes of others, for heated floors you should use tubes that, if damaged, can restore the structure of the polymer over time and have the highest possible thermal conductivity. It is impossible to guarantee that when installing the tubes they will not be broken, but for metal-plastic this, without exaggeration, is a death sentence. Cross-linked polyethylene behaves best in this regard, the alternative to which is copper. In the latter case, there are a number of additional advantages: even higher thermal conductivity, a miniscule coefficient of thermal expansion and the ability to remember shape during deformation.

For open systems heating, the absence of excess pressure can lead to the ejection of gas molecules through the walls of the tubes; over time, gas particles can accumulate into fairly large plugs. To exclude such phenomena, modern pipes for heated floors they are made of composite materials with a built-in oxygen barrier.

When it comes to materials for installing heated floors, insulation cannot be ignored. Its choice is decisive for the durability of the heating system and the floor as a whole. The thermal barrier must be incompressible, retain its shape and, naturally, have high resistance to heat transfer. Of all the options, extruded polystyrene foam and polyurethane foam are most suitable for use as a thermal cutoff; polyisocyanurate boards are less commonly used.

Do you need a backup heating system?

You can often hear the opinion that water heated floor systems are unreliable, and therefore when using them as the main source of heating, there is an illusory risk that over time the house will be left without a single source of heat. This misconception is associated, first of all, with the experience of operating underfloor heating systems, which, in essence, are budget counterfeits of the original technology.

Judge for yourself: if low-quality pipes are used for the heat exchanger, the risk of their clogging, breakage and destruction of the screed due to thermal expansion increases significantly. Here it really makes sense to combine floor heating with the installation of radiators, although this version of the heating system is fraught with adjustment difficulties: you constantly have to adjust the flow, otherwise the temperature in the room increases to truly uncomfortable values.

However, if a warm floor is designed taking into account all technological requirements, it can work as the main heating system for many decades. Care and sensitivity during the installation of thermal insulation, pipes and when pouring screed eliminate the main risk factors for both the occurrence of leaks and damage to the floor covering or the base on which it is laid. In general, the costs of organizing a backup heating system and correct device water heated floors are approximately equal.

Preferred types of boilers

The main disadvantage of water floor heating systems is their extremely low resistance to overheating. This rule mainly applies to heat exchangers made of polyethylene - this material has one of the highest coefficients of linear thermal expansion. For copper pipes this figure is much lower.

Due to such restrictions, it is required right choice boiler unit and corresponding adjustment of its operating mode. Boilers running on natural gas and electricity are considered the most suitable. Their thermoregulation system eliminates the supply of too hot coolant to the underfloor heating system.

The least suitable for connecting a water floor heating system can be safely called solid fuel boilers. Their peak power is almost impossible to limit, especially when periodically changing the type of fuel. That is why such systems require the inclusion of special devices in the hydraulic circuit that maintain the water temperature in the heating circuit by mixing liquid from the return line.

Connection diagram

The final argument against underfloor heating systems is the complexity of organizing the coolant distribution scheme. If the system has more than one floor heating circuit, the installation of hydraulic manifolds with flow regulators is required.

House heating scheme with water warm floors. A - gas heating boiler; B - combined mixing unit and collector group; B - heated floor contour. 1 - boiler with built-in circulation pump; 2 - security group; 3 — expansion tank; 4 - three-way mixing valve; 5 - circulation pump; 6 - ball valve; 7 - needle valve or valve with a servo drive; 8 — pressure reducer; 9 - flow meter

On the one hand, installation and commissioning of such complex networks is comparable to additional costs. However, all the efforts to organize heating with underfloor heating are more than compensated by the comfort of its use: each room can easily adjust its own thermal regime, while the entire system can be easily and efficiently balanced even if there are several dozen “loops”.

Otherwise, the heating floor connection is made according to classic scheme organizations closed system heating with overpressure. The only addition is the water preparation unit at the make-up inlet: since the heat exchanger consists of fairly narrow channels located at the lowest point of the system, it is necessary to remove from the water all mechanical impurities that can settle and eventually completely clog the tubes.

Warm electric floor - unique engineering design, which allows you to heat the entire room, perfectly complementing other heating systems. In some cases, the heated floor even becomes the only one heating element. This design can be used not only in houses, but also in other premises being renovated.

Most often, heated floors are used in rooms where the floor is paved with porcelain stoneware or tiles. In addition, it is extremely rare that an electric floor is used without a central heating system. As a rule, these designs complement each other. The electrical system helps warm up cold flooring. Most often, tiles or porcelain stoneware are laid in the bathroom, kitchen or hallway, which is why heated floors are often used in these areas.

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

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

Advantages of installing heated floors

Electric heated floors are very popular today for a number of reasons:

1. Electric floor design can eliminate the disadvantage central heating in apartments. As a rule, the main heating in modern homes heats the floor the least, leaving it quite cold. This is due to the fact that the batteries are located at some distance from the floor, as a result of which cold air accumulates below. Warm floors help solve this problem. As a result of installing an additional structure, the heating of the room becomes uniform.
2. Installation of heated floors does not require the use of additional equipment, which makes possible installation such a design in any room.
3. The degree of floor heating can be easily controlled by choosing the most optimal option for yourself.
4. The warm electric floor is complemented by a special thermostat, which allows you to set the required temperature in each room. In some zones you can also easily turn off the heating altogether.
5. Warm air from the floor rises, thereby eliminating the formation of drafts in the apartment or house.
6. An electric floor allows you to rid any room of excess moisture, which, in turn, eliminates the possibility of mold formation.
7. A warm floor covering can easily be made the main source of heating in the house, thus getting rid of radiators, which take up additional space and collect a lot of dust.
8. An electric floor is a fairly reliable design that rarely fails. If the installation process went correctly - in accordance with the instructions, then breakdowns are unlikely to occur. Most often, problems with heated floors appear only in cases where breakdown or damage occurs due to the fault of the owner. For example, if a nail was driven into one of the elements of the system. If some kind of malfunction does occur, do not worry or panic, since any electric floor can be easily repaired. If you can’t do this yourself, you can contact a service center.
9. The heated floor system is absolutely safe and resistant to moisture. Thanks to this design, you can create warmth and comfort in your home.
10. The design of a warm electric floor is compact and convenient, so it does not reduce the height of the ceiling in the room.
11. All elements of the heated floor design are well hidden from view, which makes the system invisible and neat.
12. Installation of the structure is quite simple; even a person without much experience can install all the equipment and the system as a whole.
13. With the help of a warm floor, the surface in the house warms up evenly and equally everywhere.

Disadvantages of an electric floor

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

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

It is worth noting that, despite all these disadvantages, most people still use heated floors in the house, since for them such systems are a necessary condition comfortable stay. Moreover, most of these shortcomings are completely insignificant and can be easily eliminated. As for additional expenses, as a rule, everyone understands perfectly well that comfort costs extra money.

Electric heated floors are used much more often than water ones. This is easily explained, since such a design has a number of advantages:

1. An electric heated floor is much simpler and more convenient to regulate in terms of temperature supply than a water one. It is enough to simply use a thermostat, with which you can set the desired temperature and do it much more accurately than in a water system.
2. Installing cables in electrical design warm floor is much easier and faster than water pipes in a water heating system.
3. Using a water-based underfloor heating system entails installing a gas boiler to heat the water. This measure requires additional space, as well as increased installation costs.

Thus, we can determine that electric heated floors are very convenient to use. It is especially suitable for heating small spaces, such as an apartment or small country house. Also, the design of a warm electric floor is excellent for an office, since in such a room it is not always possible to install a gas boiler.

Disadvantages of electric heated floors compared to water ones

Unfortunately, the electric floor heating system also has some disadvantages compared to the water design:

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

Using a water floor the best way Suitable for heating large rooms. For example, it is best used in large country houses or work areas.

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

Video: which electric heated floor is better?