Most homeowners choose heated floors as an additional device to the radiator circuit. In this case, various installation diagrams of water pipes are used. heated floors in a private house. Such a heating system is effective in rooms where children live, as well as in the bathroom. Schemes are selected when individually designing a house or during renovation work.

Option for a project plan in a private house

Installation diagrams for water heated floors in a private house: features and varieties

Installation of underfloor heating is carried out using a cement screed. It is performed to protect the structure from various loads. Warm pipes should be in contact not with air, but with screed elements, transferring heat to the surface.

Installation diagrams of water heated floors used in a private house are planned and designed in accordance with calculations of heat consumption and heat loss and have the following features:

• The required amount of heat is calculated taking into account the dimensions of wall structures and methods of insulation of different surfaces. The characteristics of a certain climatic zone are also taken into account.
• Floor elements are not installed under the entire surface of the floor covering. Space remains free for the installation of heavy furniture, as well as indentations from the walls.
• Premises with an area of ​​more than 30 square meters are divided into sectors. Each individual area is heated using a separate circuit connected to the collector.
• The distance between the pipes must be the same.
• This design requires circulation pumps.
• Installation schemes for heated floors depend on the size of the room and heating methods. If the device is used as additional heating, then the loop pitch should be 0.2-0.3 meters, and if as the main one, then the spirals should be mounted at a distance of 0.1-015 m.
• The length of the lines and the placement pitch depend on the diameter of the selected pipe.
• The height of the structure is taken into account when designing window and doorways.

Related article:

Without a competent project, it is almost impossible to obtain a high-quality heating system. After studying this publication, you can easily calculate the required power, diameter and pitch of pipes. Good luck!

Basic floor mounting patterns include: spiral, snake and zigzag. The choice depends on the specifics of the room, types of pipes and other features. For example, for large rooms, using a simple snake is not entirely correct, since the water in the circuit cools down, “cold” zones will form. While in spiral laying the supply and return pipes alternate, which will ensure more uniform heating.

Helpful information! The diameter of the pipe should be no more than 20 mm. If the section bigger size, then the volume of water and heating costs increase.

Two pipe laying technologies (video)

Construction of a heated floor

An underfloor heating system consists of laid pipes in which heated water circulates. They are installed on concrete or wooden surfaces, and covered with the selected finishing coating on top.

The pipes move hot water. Feeding is done using the main one. The air temperature under the floor rises, transferring heat outer surface floor covering. At the same time, the entire room warms up.

Design features depending on the finishing coating material

Nuances of installation

Technology wiring diagrams water heated floors in a private house are determined by the characteristics of a particular heating circuit.

The installation work of the structure has the following distinctive features:

• The base for the equipment is selected taking into account the floor covering.

1 – floor beam; 2 – longitudinal beam; 3 – logs; 4 – mortgages for pipes; 5 – pipe; 6 – finishing coat

• A damper tape is installed around the perimeter of the room. The shock-absorbing element reduces heat loss at the junction of the floor and wall surfaces.

• The system itself is mounted on concrete slabs in a screed.

• Waterproofing, reinforcing mesh and a layer of insulation are laid on the base.

• Pipes are mounted to the frame using clamps or steel wire.

For heated floors, special seamless pipes are used. The circuit is mounted from a solid line. The pipe material must be resistant to corrosion and resistant to high temperatures.

Helpful information! Profile mats made of extruded polystyrene foam. Then the canvases are covered with a layer of waterproofing.

Features of connecting the structure to a heat source

In a floor circuit, most often the average temperature is 35-40 degrees. Water installations in a private house operate using forced mixing of flows. Part of the coolant from reverse flow goes into the supply circuit.

Gas boilers are equipped with special automation. Solid fuel units require a more complex device. They are equipped with circulation pumps and a special buffer tank. In this case, more complex combustion adjustment is used.

The best option for a heated floor system is considered electric boilers. Special automation allows you to maintain the desired temperature without loss of thermal power.

Helpful information! To heat small houses, a direct connection to an electric boiler is used. In cottages with a large area, a special distribution comb is used.

Advantages and disadvantages of schemes

Installation diagrams for water heated floors in a private house have the following advantages compared to others:

The disadvantages include a large number of time to install the system. If leaks appear, you will have to remove most of the floor covering, including the screed.

Designing schemes for heated floors in an apartment

Designing installation diagrams for water heated floors in a private house differs from an apartment project. After installation, you cannot make changes to the radiator layout. Installation of floor structures powered by centralized heating is carried out during the construction stage by special organizations.

In apartments, the coolant is supplied through pipes through a separate riser, and not from the radiator heating riser. The water is heated in special heat exchanger. If the project initially does not contain data on the installation of underfloor heating, then the connection of a new circuit must be approved by the management company.

Helpful information! After agreeing on the project and obtaining permission, a heat exchanger is installed, as well as a circulation pump and a safety group. For multiple circuits, a collector unit is used.

Prices for installation work of heated floors

Installation diagrams for water heated floors made in a private house may have different costs. It will include materials, preparatory and installation work, as well as connecting and testing circuits for strength. The cost of work per square meter varies from 1,500 to 3,000 rubles. The price is also affected by the type of base and the quality of the equipment.

Helpful advice! It is recommended to purchase ready-made sets of equipment for underfloor heating. Many manufacturers offer a free calculation of the entire system.

The density of the pipeline is determined by the required level of heating of the room. Near the walls and entrance doors more dense installation is performed. In this case, the distance from the highway to the wall should be more than 12 cm. The length of one circuit should not be more than 100 meters. In addition, highway joints are made using metal sleeves. The collector is placed in a special distribution cabinet, for which you need to choose a place in advance.

The quality of installation diagrams determines the complete heating of the room and the creation of a favorable microclimate in the house. Good luck with the renovation!

Do-it-yourself water heated floor (video)

Hydraulic underfloor heating is a worthy alternative to traditional radiator heating in private homes. The costs and labor required for its installation are higher than other options for heated floors, but the initial investment is completely worth it. The “water circuit” is much cheaper to operate. To reduce the cost of heating installations, some homeowners are thinking about installing heated floors themselves. To perform quality work, it is not enough to purchase materials and prepare tools; the main thing is to understand the essence of the technology, understand the calculations, the basics of design and organization of the system, and determine a clear plan of action.

The design and principle of operation of a water heated floor

A water heated floor is a complex multi-component system, where each element performs a clearly defined function. In general, this is a complex of pipes with coolant laid under the finishing floor covering. Heated water is supplied to the pipeline, which transfers heat to the floor and air in the room.

The general principle of organizing water floors is shown in the diagram.

Explanations for the designations:

1. Thermostat valve with temperature sensor
2. Balancing valve.
3. Circulation pump.
4. Surface-mounted safety thermostat.
5. Electric drive of valves of the manifold group.
6. Collector node.
7. Bypass is a shutter valve.
8. Room thermostat.

The essence of the functioning of the heating system is as follows. Coolant is supplied from the boiler to the thermostatic valve. The element reacts to temperature changes - when the value increases, an admixture of chilled water from the return pipeline opens.

The circulation pump transmits the flow to the thermostat, which is responsible for regulating the water heating. Next, the liquid flows to the distribution comb and loops of the circuit. To redirect the coolant through different chains of the heating system, a collector unit (comb) is used.

“Water main”: arguments for and against

Like any engineering system, installation and operation of an underfloor heating circuit has pros and cons. At the planning stage, it is necessary to weigh all the disadvantages and advantages of a warm water floor.

Main advantages:

1. Economical. In terms of operating costs, a water system is less expensive than electric heating. A water floor is the optimal solution for a private home. Compared to traditional radiator heating, savings are up to 20%.
2. Safety. A person does not have direct contact with the heating circuit - heat is transferred through the floor “pie” layer.
3. Aesthetics. All components and equipment are out of sight. Refusal wall radiators makes the room more attractive.
4. Heating uniformity. Underfloor heating promotes uniform heating of the room - cold zones are excluded.
5. Durability. A well-designed system, using high-quality pipes and correct installation- the key to uninterrupted operation of the heating complex. The service life of a heated floor is about 40 years.

It is worth mentioning the disadvantages of the “water system”:

• complexity of installation;
• significant initial investment;
• the difficulty of implementing technology in narrow corridors and on stairs;
• drying the air in the room;
• difficulty in repairing when pipes leak.

Important! A water floor cannot be installed in a multi-storey building with a centralized heating system. Technically, the system can be implemented, but this will disrupt the thermal balance between apartments. For neighbors, the pressure in the pipeline will decrease, and the heating temperature of the batteries will decrease

Methods for arranging a heating circuit

There are three main options for installing a heated water floor with your own hands:

• "wet" technology;
• flooring system;
• wooden method.

The selected technology determines the composition and sequence of floor layers.

"Wet" method. This involves filling the heating circuit with a concrete screed. The technology is most common due to its relative availability and good heat capacity. The disadvantage of this method is the large weight of the system, increasing the load on the foundation and floors.

The concrete system cake includes:

1. The rough base is a floor slab.
2. Waterproofing layer.
3. Insulation to eliminate the appearance of cold bridges and maximize heat accumulation.
4. Polyethylene - total layer thickness is about 150 microns.
5. Reinforcing mesh to increase the strength of the screed.
6. Pipeline coil.
7. Concrete screed.
8. Underlay for flooring.
9. Facing.

Flooring and timber systems are predominantly used in the construction of wooden houses. Their advantage is the possibility of operation immediately after installation, the disadvantage is increased heat loss.

Scheme of organization of a flat water floor:

1. Rough floor.
2. Thermal insulating substrate with bosses 30-70 mm thick.
3. Heating circuit. The pipe is mounted in an aluminum plate.
4. Substrate. Moisture-resistant drywall, chipboard or plywood - the choice depends on the finish coating.
5. Cladding layer.

Installation of a water circuit in a wooden system is carried out in different ways:

1. Insulation is placed between the joists, and heating pipes are placed on top; the cake is covered with plywood and finishing.
2. Thermal insulation made of polystyrene foam is fixed along the joists; plywood or OSB is laid on top, in which grooves are formed for the pipeline. The surface is covered with foil and a water circuit is placed, with a laminate on top.
3. Application of aluminum plates on top of the joists. After placing the pipes, the floor is covered with chipboard and a finishing coating is laid.

Design: calculation and layout diagram of the coil

Before proceeding with the selection of heating equipment and related elements, it is necessary to perform a system calculation. It is better to entrust responsible work to a specialist. Ultimately, the calculation results should answer the following questions:

• what is the length and diameter of the heating circuit;
• how many loops of coils are connected to one collector;
• contour layout step, pipe flow rate.

The heating engineer takes into account a number of factors when making calculations:

• climatic features of the region;
• thermal costs of the room, which depend on the materials of the structural elements: walls, roof, etc.;
• availability of an additional heating system;
• house glazing area;
• type of finishing coating;
• purpose of the room.

When making calculations, they adhere to following rules and norms:

1. Optimal floor temperature: kitchen - 21-25°C, living rooms - 28°C, lobby - 30°C, swimming pools, bathrooms - 31-33°C.
2. The maximum length of the circuit depends on its diameter: the length of a coil with a cross section of 16 mm is 80 m, 17 mm is 100 m, 20 mm is 120 m.
3. All loops of the system must have the same diameter, but different lengths are acceptable. It is better to divide the area into several zones than to increase the pump power.
4. The layout step depends on the calculated coolant temperature and heat flux density. Range of values ​​- 100-600 mm.

An important design point is the choice of layout of the heating main. There are three options: snake, snail, combined.

Snake. The easiest way to implement. The pipeline is laid in successive loops running from one wall to another and returning to the collector. The disadvantage is uneven heating.

Snail. The forward and return lines of the main line run next to each other, forming a loop in the center of the room. Most heated floors are installed according to this scheme, since it provides the same intensity of heating of the floor.

Combined. The method is relevant for indoors complex configuration and rooms with external walls. The marginal zones are formed by a snake, and the remaining area by a snail.

Features of distribution along the contours:

1. Each loop should be located within the boundaries of one room. The exception is adjacent bathrooms, for example, a toilet and a bathtub.
2. When arranging several circuits within one room, it is desirable that their length be approximately the same. The maximum permissible length run is 15 m.
3. The coverage area of ​​one circuit is no more than 40 sq.m. The maximum length of one side of the loop is 8 m.

Selection of heating system elements

Having calculated the system, you can begin to select components. The main attention should be paid to the following elements:

• collector;
• pipe type;
• option of thermal insulation and substrate.

Collector node. The distribution element is one of the most important components of the heating system. In addition to redirecting the coolant, the equipment regulates the temperature, balances the loops, and removes air.

In its primitive version, the collector is equipped shut-off valves- such an assembly reduces the cost of the system, but limits the possibilities of adjustment. It is optimal if the distribution unit is equipped with:

• balancing valves and shut-off valves;
• automatic air vent;
• drainage channels for draining coolant;
• fittings for fixing pipes.

In the absence of a separate riser for a heated floor, a mixing unit is required - a set of equipment is responsible for preparing the coolant. The unit design includes: pump, bypass, thermostatic valve.

Type of pipeline. The main choice lies between the following types of rolled pipe:

1. Cross-linked polyethylene. The best option is PERT or PEXa pipes with a crosslink density of about 85%. Connection of the circuit using fittings, maximum coolant supply temperature - 120°C. Preference should be given to modifications with an EVOH barrier layer that reduces oxygen diffusion.
2. Metal-plastic. The material has good thermal conductivity and is resistant to deformation, but is susceptible to repeated bending/extension. When scrolling about the axis, there is a risk of damage to the aluminum layer.
3. Rolled copper. The undoubted leader in terms of thermal conductivity, durability, resistance to corrosion, strength and ability to bend over a small radius. The downside is the high cost and the need for expensive components.
4. Stainless steel corrugation. The hose pipe has many advantages comparable to copper piping. Disadvantages: vulnerability of steel to a number chemical substances contained in water, the roughness of the internal walls.

Substrate. The bedding material must have low thermal conductivity, be elastic, durable, resistant to temperature fluctuations and waterproof. These criteria are best met by:

• polystyrene foam boards;
• foamed polyethylene backing;
• metallized heat-reflecting film;
• pads with pimples.

Rules for installing equipment: principles of system organization

Let us outline the basic requirements for the placement of structural elements of a heated floor:

1. The collector is mounted in a special box. Block width - 12 cm. Exact dimensions determined taking into account the complete equipment of the distribution unit.
2. Under the collector group it is necessary to leave a distance to the floor - an area for bending the connected contours.
3. One of the main rules for laying a warm water floor with your own hands is to install the collector equidistant from all circuits. That is, while maintaining approximately the same length of loops. Alternatively, it is possible to move the cabinet closer to the largest contour.
4. Installation of the collector unit above the level of the heated floor. Diverting circuits upward from the cabinet is not allowed. Otherwise, the air exhaust system will fail.

Step-by-step technology for installing heated floors

Basic preparatory work before starting work on installing a heated water floor with your own hands includes:

• system calculation;
• selection of structural elements;
• determining the method of laying the coil;
• selection additional materials, tools;
• preparation of the premises.

The first three points are discussed above. The next step is the selection of the necessary materials for a warm water floor. To arrange the system according to the method wet screed you will need:

• damper tape;
• cement, sand;
• reinforcing mesh;
• roll insulation;
• polyethylene film;
• construction tape;
• reinforcing tape;
• level, clamps.

Preparing the room comes down to the following steps:

1. Remove all furniture from the room.
2. Clear the room of debris.
3. Mark the installation locations of the collector mixing unit.
4. If necessary, hollow out a niche in the wall.

Upon completion of the dusty work, you can begin installing the heated floor “pie”. The further sequence of actions includes the following stages.

Laying a thermal insulation layer. The insulation is placed on a flat base. Thermal insulation boards are tightly joined, the joints are taped, and disc-shaped dowels are fixed at the corners.

Installation of pipes and connection to the collector. Mark the contour routes on the base and cover the perimeter of the room with damper tape. Lay pipes along the lines, securing them with brackets. Bring the loops to the collector and record the length of each loop.

Placement of reinforcing mesh. It is enough to place a wire mesh with a cross section of 3 mm on top of the highway, the dimensions of the cells are 10*10 cm. Metal reinforcement can be replaced with plastic. the main task mesh - preventing cracking of the screed.

Pressure testing and system testing. This step is necessary to eliminate possible malfunctions and leaks before pouring the screed. Procedure:

1. Open the air ducts on the manifold, close all circuits except one.
2. Connect tap water, connect a hose to the drain pipe and lead it into the sewer.
3. After checking, close the circuit and do similar actions with other loops.

Filling the screed. Install beacons, prepare a solution, component ratio: 1:3 (cement:sand), water - a third of the mass of cement. Mix the mixture thoroughly with a mixer and pour the floor, starting from the far corner.

Final adjustment. After 3 weeks, the loops of the “water” line are balanced. When circulation in the circuits is established, start the heated coolant.

Commissioning. At the final stage, the system is filled warm water, starting from 23-24°C and daily increasing the temperature by 3-5°C.

Adjusting the media temperature with your own hands:

1. Set the temperature control tap to 23°C, run the pump at minimum power and leave these parameters for the day.
2. After 24 hours, increase the temperature to 28 °C.
3. Check the temperature difference between the supply and return manifolds - it should not be more than 10°C. Otherwise, you need to increase the pump speed.

To feel the heating of the floor you need to wait a couple of hours. Final adjustment temperature regime and the pump takes time.

Advice from experts on installing a warm water floor with your own hands

1. The areas of the room along the external walls and near the balconies are decorated with pipes laid more “densely” - a small step stabilizes the heating of the room.
2. When choosing a “snake”, the pipe consumption is greater, since the scheme assumes a reduced pitch. With a “spiral” the distance between the pipes is up to 20 cm.
3. It is advisable to add polypropylene fiber to the concrete solution - this will increase the strength of the screed.
4. Connecting pipes with couplings when installing in a screed is prohibited.
5. The thickness of the insulating layer depends on the base: floors on the ground - from 10 cm, the first floor with a basement - from 5 cm, the second floor - 3 cm.
6. The height of the screed is determined by the type of floor covering and the pitch of the pipes. A screed 3-5 cm thick is installed under the tiles.

The choice of high-quality components and adherence to installation technology is the key to the durability and uninterrupted operation of a warm water floor. A well-functioning heating system will create a comfortable microclimate in the room.

Warm water floor with your own hands: video

2015-06-04, 23:57

Schemes of a water heated floor Scheme calculation Pipes for a water heated floor Insulation for a water heated floor Screed for a heated floor Laying a water heated floor

Let's talk about water heated floors, and consider the nuances of manufacturing, knowing which a skilled person will be able to independently make it for his home or apartment.

Regarding “how to do it”, there is so much information on the Internet that you can easily go crazy, and there is nothing surprising here.

Each plumber is the navel of the earth, and only does what is necessary, while the rest do it incorrectly. Hence there are so many pieces of advice, each more sophisticated than the other. You shouldn’t blame plumbers for this, that’s just the nature of the profession.

I am not a plumber pure form, but as a generalist, I have more than once had to make a water-heated floor and observe how it behaves during operation.

Let's start with the diagrams.

Water heated floor schemes

The most common are three floor heating schemes: snake, snake+snake, spiral.

The choice of scheme depends on the shape and size of the room or area that is supposed to be heated.

Let's look at it in order.

1. The snake is the easiest to make. But this outline looks great operating pressure, and as a result, after 10-12 turns, a noticeable difference arises between the temperature at the beginning and end of the circuit.

Therefore, it is better to use the snake in small areas, with three or four turns, such as window sills, entrance and toilet “rugs”.

2. Snake + snake - also increases the pressure, but the temperature difference at the beginning and end of the circuit is much smaller.

It turns out this way because its number of feed turns is half that of a snake, and at the end of the circuit, the feed goes into the return, running parallel and next to the feed.

Based on this, it is better to use this scheme for narrow and long corridors, where it is difficult to make a spiral, and a snake will give a temperature difference at opposite ends.

3. Spiral - does not reduce pressure. The pressure at the outlet of the collector and at the outlet of the spiral is the same, even with a circuit length of 100 m.

The spiral is suitable for large rooms. The heat distribution in it is uniform, since both the supply and return flow in parallel.

Calculation of a water heated floor scheme

The length of the circuit is determined by the formula 1 m 2 floor area x 4-5 linear meters of pipe + the distance between the circuit and the collector multiplied by 2.

4 or 5 meters of pipe to be placed per square meter depends on the heat resistance of the room. If the room holds heat well and is located above another heated room, then 4 meters is enough.

Based on this, the distance between the highways is 20 or, respectively, 16-17 cm.

To visually represent the location of the circuit in place, let’s draw an installation plan.

This is done like this: take school notebook in a box, and on a scale of 1 X 20, a floor plan is drawn.

Then, on the same scale, a heating circuit is drawn. Two cells - 20 cm, just the pitch of the highways. Thanks to this scheme, you won’t be able to make a mistake in the turns, and you can calculate the length of the pipe with a minimum error.

The error, by the way, should always be positive.

Quite a few questions have been broken about which pipe is best to make a heated floor from. There are plenty of fans for each material, and everyone claims that the pipe they recommend is the best option.

Let's think about pipes made from the materials that I came across in my work, and which are used in the manufacture of water-heated floors.

1. Smooth stainless steel or copper (close in results and costs).

Advantages:

a) the internal diameter of the pipe at the joints does not narrow, which facilitates the flow of the coolant;

b) easily repaired if damaged;

c) durable, even if a drill bit from a hammer drill hits a pipe filled with a screed, it will crumple, but will not break through immediately, unlike plastics, which are barely touched and there’s already a hole.

d) environmentally friendly material.

You can also speculate about heat transfer, impurities, the crystalline structure of the metal, and what wavelength of infrared radiation copper generates, but this is for theorists and those who like to argue. And you won’t find a consensus anywhere. But this does not apply to practice.

The disadvantage of these materials is their high cost. Both the material and the work are expensive. Not everyone can afford it.

2. Corrugated stainless steel.

Yes, they make such warm floors too. Why, to be honest, I still don’t understand. Expensive. For repairs you will need equipment and a master, whom you won’t find anywhere. How the corrugation affects the flow of the coolant is also not clear.

3. Polypropylene.

Easy to make and easy to repair. Does not require continuity, like metal-plastic. The coupling can be placed anywhere and there are no problems.

The problems manifest themselves in other ways:

a) after installation, crimping is required to check the welded joints.

b) the polypropylene pipe has a thick wall, which reduces heat transfer.

c) internal sagging, if done carelessly, which is impossible to see.

4. Metal-plastic.

Optimal material for water heated floors. It has stood the test of time, is easy to install, and is affordable.

The metal-plastic pipe fully meets the requirements for water heated floors, with the exception of environmental friendliness.

Installation nuances:

a) continuity of the contour, since the metal-plastic fitting narrows the bore diameter by half.

b) in closed areas (screed, thick wall, box without access), only a compression fitting is used, since it does not flow after turning off the heat, which cannot be said about a threaded one.

Manufacturer's choice:

a) expensive and reliable: Belgian Henco and Italian ValTec.

b) by average price and reliable: Russian Sanmix and RVK.

c) cheap and unreliable: Chinese Lemen.

Result of using Lemen:

The pipe worked for 2 years, and the owner constantly fed the boiler until finally water came out.

It was a shame that I even thought that the pipes had been specially cut to this cool pepper during installation, the crack turned out to be so even, but then, during further dismantling, it cracked a couple more times in my hands.

It follows from this that the price of a metal-plastic pipe is not a position on which it is advisable to save.

5. Stitched polyethylene.

I haven't worked with him yet. The reason for this is not flattering reviews from trustworthy colleagues.

If you are seduced by this material due to its low price, then dig into the additional materials needed for installation and ask about the final cost.

Pipe diameter.

It is difficult and unnecessary to make an accurate calculation and then conclude which pipe is better Ø16 or Ø20.

This water has been pounded in a mortar for a long time on forums, and nowhere is there a consensus or a single calculation formula.

If you really dig to the end, then this requires a bunch of initial characteristics. These are the characteristics of the coolant, pipe material, boiler, and gas quality.

Practical experience tells me that if you make an exact calculation, there will be no noticeable difference, except for the price.

In the pictures below, where I will show the installation process, the pipe is Ø20, although I prefer Ø16, but this is already an oddity of the owner of the cottage. No beliefs penetrated his iron logic: the thicker the better. The issue price was the last one on the list.

And after he casually asked me: “Is there a pipe Ø25?”, I preferred to close this topic so as not to run into laying the 25th. He'll be fine.

Insulation for water heated floors

There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that there is no point in reflecting heat from below the circuit, however, in cases where it is necessary to cut off the flow of cold from the outside, insulation under a warm floor is necessary.

That is, if the floor is above a cold basement, or on concrete base, which lies on the ground, or there is an open street underneath it.

Let's consider the insulation materials that are used in such cases.

1. Mounting on foam plastic. Then, a masonry mesh, pipes and then a reinforced screed are supposed to be placed on it.

What happens: a thin (5-6 cm) monolithic reinforced slab, pierced with expanding and contracting pipes, lies on loose foam.

It is obvious that it will crack. The reinforcement will not allow it to fall apart, but since the load on the screed is dynamic, movement is inevitable. And where there is movement, there is slow destruction.

2. Installation on penoplex. Penoplex is a rigid material and will withstand dynamic loads, but this rigidity places strict demands on the evenness of the base.

Advantages:

a) Good heat and sound insulation

Flaws:

a) Thickness 30 mm and above

b) Requires ideal levelness of the base. A sheet of penoplex, if the base is uneven even by 5 mm, will begin to puff up, and therefore move. If you pull the sheet with umbrellas, the bending of the sheet will create a void at the bottom, and the void will create a potential crack in the screed.

3. Installation on penofol. Penofol is foamed foil polyethylene.

Advantages:

a) Not expensive. Price for 5 mm thickness. 45 rubles per m2

b) Fits tightly on an uneven base.

c) Good heat and sound insulation.

d) Reflects infrared radiation.

Flaws:

a) Screed 60 mm thick. and above it compresses penofol, causing it to lose some of its properties.

4. Laying the contour on expanded clay.

Expanded clay is used in cases where it is necessary to raise half a centimeter by 15-20. We make expanded clay concrete from expanded clay, since a warm floor requires a rigid base, and from it there is already a smooth screed.

No additional insulation is required.

Often screed for heated floors has to be done in two stages. And that's why:

The thickness of the screed above the pipe, for uniform heating, should be 35 mm, with a tolerance of ±5 mm. This size can only be maintained on a level base.

The laid pipe has some waviness, and if this waviness overlaps with the waviness of the base to which the pipe is attached, then it will not be possible to maintain this area size.

Therefore, the first thing you need to do is “shoot” the plane of the base, and if the curvature turns out to be 0.5-1 centimeters, then this base requires alignment.

The second point is that the screed is thicker than 70 mm. In this case, the base needs to be raised, that is, the first screed must be made, to which the pipe is attached, then the second finishing screed.

The pictures below are the following original ones:

The thickness of the screed is 120 mm, the thickness of the first screed is 65 mm, the pipe is 20 mm. the thickness of the finishing screed is 55 mm.

This was the basis:

Before you start pouring, you must close all mounting holes in the ceiling. You can use foam, or you can use glass wool insulation.

I described how to make an even screed in the article, so I won’t repeat it here. I will only show the results.

Warm floors are considered in our understanding to be more modern system heating than radiator heating. However, this is far from true - they appeared much earlier. Stubborn historical facts indicate that heated floors were successfully used back in the days Ancient Rome, on the territory of Korea, and in Russia too. True, only stove heating was used at that time, since the system for transporting hydrocarbons through pipes did not yet exist. In the modern world, the most economically successful countries widely use heating warm floors, and this is done not only for reasons of obvious comfort, but also takes into account the fact that such heating allows saving energy resources, the demand for which is growing every year.

This type of heating is not a cheap pleasure. Parts and labor are very expensive. That is why any zealous owner may have the idea of ​​making a water-heated floor with his own hands. Why not? Moreover, the experience of both successful and unsuccessful implementations has already been accumulated enough to give specific recommendations. The purpose of our article is to give specific advice to those owners who are going to make a warm water floor, but at the same time so that they save their money and ultimately get what they wanted - comfortable and economical heating.

Why water heated floor?

Of course, they are simpler to implement and easier to manage, but the cost of energy makes its own adjustments - this type of heating is much more expensive to operate than a water-heated floor. Only 4-5 years will pass and the warm water floor will pay for itself with interest, but only on the condition that it is done competently and correctly. This is exactly what the authors of the article want to tell our readers. Disregarding colorful catalogs with expensive equipment, and based only on the experience of people who were able to implement a warm water floor in their home.

Most heating systems currently use natural gas as a heat source - and this makes perfect sense, since this type of fuel is cheaper than others. And this trend will continue for at least several more decades. Therefore, it is best to implement heated floors with water, in which the coolant is heated by the energy of combustion of natural gas. But for this, a number of conditions must be met.

Water heated floor installation

A warm water floor is a complex multi-component system, each part of which performs its own function. Let's look at its structure in the following figure.

Typical design“pie” of a warm water floor

This type of underfloor heating is called “wet” because it uses “wet” construction processes, namely pouring cement-sand screed. There are also so-called dry heated floors, but they are made mainly. In this article, we will consider “wet” warm water floors, since they are much better, although their installation is more difficult.

A warm water floor is mounted on a stable and durable base, which can be concrete slab or soil. A vapor barrier made of polyethylene film with a thickness of at least 0.1 mm is laid on the base. The next layer of the “pie” is insulation; it is best to use extruded insulation, which has a very low thermal conductivity coefficient, high mechanical strength and reasonable cost. A cement-sand screed is installed on top of the insulation, to which a plasticizer is necessarily added - for the mobility of the mixture, ease of installation and reduction of the water-cement ratio. It is advisable to reinforce the screed with metal wire mesh with a cell pitch of 50*50 mm or 100*100 mm. There, inside the screed, there are underfloor heating pipes with coolant circulating in them. It is recommended to make the height of the screed above the pipes at least 3 cm, however, practice suggests that 5 cm is better, as the strength will be higher and the heat distribution across the floor will be more uniform.

At the junction of the walls and the screed, as well as at the boundaries of the warm water heating circuits, a damper tape is laid, which compensates for the thermal expansion of the screed when it is heated. The final floor covering must be designed specifically for use with heated floors. The best solution is ceramic or porcelain tiles, but some other types of coverings - laminate, carpet or can also be used with heated floors, but they must have a special symbol in their markings.

Such coatings, however, require strict adherence thermal regime floor, which is achieved by using automation - special mixing units.

Requirements for premises where heating with warm water floors will be implemented

The smartest move in construction is when the underfloor heating pipeline is laid at the stage of erecting the floors. This is very successfully used in Germany, Sweden, Norway, Canada, and in other economically successful countries where energy resources are very expensive and therefore they use underfloor heating, which is 30-40% more economical than a radiator. It is quite possible already in the finished premises, but it must meet certain requirements. Let's list them.

The most correct underfloor heating pipeline is the one that was laid during the construction of the house

• Considering the significant thickness of the warm water floor - from 8 to 20 cm, the height of the ceilings in the room should allow the installation of such a heating system. It is also necessary to take into account the size of the doorways, which must be at least 210 cm in height.
• The base of the floor must be strong enough to withstand a heavy cement-sand screed.
• The base for heated floors must be clean and level. Irregularities should not exceed 5 mm, since differences greatly affect the coolant current in the pipes; they can lead to airing of the circuits and an increase in hydraulic resistance.
• In the room where a warm water floor is planned, all plastering work must be completed and windows must be installed.
• Heat loss in the premises should not be more than 100 W/m2. If they are larger, then you should think about insulation rather than heating the environment.

How to choose a good pipe for heated floors

Warm water floor pipes are written in sufficient detail on our portal. Obviously, for heated floors it is better to choose pipes made of cross-linked polyethylene - PEX or PERT. Among PEX pipes, preference should be given to PE-Xa pipes, since they have a maximum cross-linking density of about 85% and therefore have the best “memory effect”, that is, pipes, after being stretched, always tend to return to their original position. This allows you to use axial fittings with a sliding ring, which can be walled up without fear building construction. In addition, if a pipe is broken, its shape can be restored by heating problem area construction hairdryer.

PERT pipes do not have a memory effect, so only push-in fittings are used with them, which cannot be walled up. But if all the contours of the heated floor are made with solid pipe sections, then all connections will be only on the manifold and it is quite possible to use PERT pipes.

In addition, manufacturers produce pipes of composite construction, when aluminum foil is placed between two layers of cross-linked polyethylene, which is a reliable oxygen barrier. But the heterogeneity of the material and the difference in the coefficients of thermal expansion of aluminum and polyethylene can provoke delamination of the pipe. Therefore, it is better to choose PE-Xa or PERT pipes with a polyvinylethylene (EVOH) barrier, which significantly reduces the diffusion of oxygen into the coolant through the pipe wall. This barrier can be located in the outer layer of the pipe, or inside, surrounded by layers of PE-Xa or PERT. Of course, the better pipe is the one with the EVOH layer inside.

For underfloor heating circuits, there are three main pipe sizes: 16*2 mm, 17*2 mm and 20*2 mm. Most often they use 16*2 and 20*2 mm. How to choose exactly the “right” pipe.

• Firstly, the brand matters in this matter and you need to pay attention to it. The most famous manufacturers: Rehau, Tece, KAN, Uponor, Valtec.
• Secondly, the marking of pipes can “tell” a lot; it should be carefully studied and do not hesitate to ask more questions to the sales consultant.
• Thirdly, the qualifications of the sales consultant are very helpful when choosing a pipe. Don’t forget to ask for certificates of conformity, inquire about the availability and price of fittings, mixing units, manifolds and other equipment. It is necessary to find out in which coils the pipe is sold, and how many meters, in order to take this into account in future calculations.
• And finally, if a PE-Xa pipe is selected, then you can conduct a small test. To do this, you need to bend a small section of pipe, and then warm up this place with a hair dryer. A high-quality PE-Xa and PE-Xb pipe should also restore its original shape. If this does not happen, then no matter what is written on the label, it is simply not a PEX pipe.

Principles of designing heated floors

One of the most important stages in the arrangement of warm water floors is their proper calculation. Of course, it is best to entrust this to specialists, but sufficient experience already suggests that this can be done independently. You can find a lot on the Internet free programs and online calculators. Most reputable manufacturers provide their software for free.

water heated floor

First you need to decide what temperature the heated floor should be.

• In residential areas where people spend most of their time standing, the floor temperature should be in the range of 21 to 27°C. This temperature is most comfortable for the feet.
• For work premises - offices, as well as living rooms the temperature should be maintained around 29°C.
• In hallways, lobbies and corridors, the optimal temperature is 30°C.
• For bathrooms and swimming pools, the floor temperature should be higher - about 31-33°C.

Heating with warm water floors is low temperature, therefore the coolant must be supplied at a higher temperature. low temperatures than into radiators. If water can be supplied to the radiators at a temperature of 80-90°C, then the heated floor cannot be supplied at more than 60°C. In heat engineering there is such an important concept as temperature drop in the heating circuit . This is nothing more than the difference in temperature between the supply pipe and the return pipe. In heated water floor systems, the optimal modes are 55/45°C, 50/40°C, 45/35°C and 40/30°C.

A very important indicator is (loops) of a warm water floor. Ideally, they should all be the same length, then problems with balancing will not arise, but in practice this is unlikely to be achieved, so it is accepted:

• For a pipe with a diameter of 16 mm, the maximum length is 70-90 m.
• For a pipe with a diameter of 17 mm – 90-100 m.
• For a pipe with a diameter of 20 mm – 120 m.

Moreover, it is advisable to focus not on the upper limit, but on the lower one. It is better to divide the room into more loops than to try to achieve circulation with a more powerful pump. Naturally, all loops must be made of pipes of the same diameter.

Step of laying out (laying) heated floor pipes - another important indicator, which is made from 100 mm to 600 mm, depending on the thermal load on the heated floor, the purpose of the room, the length of the circuit and other indicators. Make a step less than 100 mm PEX pipes almost impossible, there is a high probability of simply breaking the pipe. If the heated floor is equipped only for comfort or additional heating, then the minimum step can be made 150 mm. So, what layout step should be used?

• In rooms where there are external walls, so-called underfloor heating is used. edge zones , where pipes are laid in increments of 100-150 mm. In this case, the number of rows of pipes in these zones should be 5-6.
• In the centers of rooms, as well as in those where there are no external walls, the laying step is 200-300 mm.
• Bathrooms, baths, paths near swimming pools are laid with pipes with a pitch of 150 mm over the entire area.

Methods for laying heated floor contours

The contours of a water heated floor can be laid in different ways. And each method has its advantages and disadvantages. Let's look at them.

• Laying a heated floor pipe in a “snake” pattern easier to install, but its significant drawback is that there will be a noticeable temperature difference on the floor at the beginning of the circuit and at the end - up to 5-10°C. The coolant, passing from the supply manifold to the return manifold in the heated floor structure, cools down. Therefore, such a temperature gradient arises, which is clearly felt by the feet. This installation method is justified in boundary zones, where the floor temperature should decrease from the outer wall to the center of the room.

• Laying a heated floor pipe "snail" more difficult to implement, but with this method the temperature of the entire floor will be approximately equal, since the supply and return pass inside each other, and the difference is leveled out by a massive floor screed when the calculated requirements of the laying step are met. In 90% of cases this method is used.

• Combined methods of laying underfloor heating pipes are also used very often. For example, the edge zones are laid with a snake, and the main area with a snail. This can help to correctly divide the room into contours, distribute the pipe coil with a minimum of residue and ensure the desired mode.

In each of the methods it can be used variable laying step , when in the edge zones it is 100-150 mm, and in the room itself 200-300 mm. Then it is possible to meet the requirements for more intense heating of the edge zones in one room without using other installation methods. Experienced installers most often do just this.

Layout of the heating circuit “snail” with a constant pitch (left) and with a variable pitch (right)

To calculate contours, it is best to use special and very easy-to-learn software. For example, the well-known manufacturer Valtec, which distributes its program for free. There are also simpler programs for calculating the layout of contours that calculate the length of the loops, which is very convenient. For example, the “Snail” program, which is also distributed free of charge. For those who are not very computer friendly, you can calculate the contours yourself by using graph paper, on which you can draw a floor plan to scale and, on this sheet, “lay out” the contours with a pencil and calculate their length.

When dividing rooms into water-heated floor circuits, the following requirements must be met:

• The circuits should not move from room to room - all rooms should be regulated separately. An exception may be bathrooms if they are located nearby. For example, a bathroom next to a toilet.
• One heating circuit should not heat a room with an area of ​​more than 40 m2. If necessary, the room is divided into several circuits. Maximum length any side of the contour should not exceed 8 meters.
• A special damper tape must be laid along the perimeter of the room, between rooms, as well as between individual circuits, which, after pouring the screed, will compensate for its thermal expansion.

Choosing the type of insulation for a heated floor and its thickness

Insulation for a warm water floor is mandatory, because no one would like to spend their money on heating the ground, the atmosphere or unnecessary building structures, but the floor is exactly what is needed, which should receive the lion's share of the heat from the heating circuit. This is why insulation is used. What types should be used? Among all their diversity, the authors of the article recommend that you should pay attention to only two of them.

• Extruded polystyrene foam (EPS). This material has low thermal conductivity and high mechanical strength. EPS is not afraid of moisture, it practically does not absorb it. Its price is quite affordable. This insulation is produced in the form of slabs of standard sizes 500*1000 mm or 600*1250 mm and thicknesses of 20, 30, 50, 80 or 100 mm. For good joining of the plates there are special grooves on the side surfaces.

• Profile thermal insulation made of polystyrene foam high density. On their surface there are special round or rectangular bosses, between which it is very convenient to lay the pipe without additional fixation. The pipe fastening pitch is usually 50 mm. This is very convenient for installation, but the price is much higher than EPS boards, especially from famous brands. They are produced with a thickness of 1 to 3 cm and dimensions of 500 * 1000 mm or 60 * 1200 mm - it depends on the manufacturer.

Eps boards may have an additional foil layer with additional markings. Marking the slabs is, of course, useful, but the presence of foil only increases the cost of the insulation, and it will be of no use for two reasons.

• The reflectivity declared by the manufacturers will not work in an opaque environment, such as a screed.
• Cement mortar is a strong alkaline environment, which will perfectly “eat” an insignificant (several tens of microns) layer of aluminum before it hardens. You need to realize that foil plates are a marketing ploy and nothing more.

The authors of the article recommend using EPS boards for insulation. The savings compared to profile mats will be obvious. The difference in cost will be enough for fasteners, and there will still be a lot of money left over. Let us remember the popular wisdom that money saved is akin to money earned.

How thick should the insulation be in the construction of a warm water floor? There are special and complex calculations, but you can do without them. If you learn a few simple rules.

• If heated floors will be made on the ground, then the thickness of the insulation should be at least 100 mm. It is best to make two layers of 50 mm each and lay them in mutually perpendicular directions.
• If heated floors are planned in rooms above ground floor, then the thickness of the insulation is at least 50 mm.
• If heated floors are planned above rooms heated from below, then the thickness of the insulation is at least 30 mm.

Additionally, it is necessary to provide for fastening the EPS boards to the base material, since when pouring the screed they will tend to float. Disc-shaped dowels are ideal for this. They must be used to secure all slabs at the joints and in the center.

To attach the pipe to the EPS, special harpoon clamps are used, which securely fix the pipe. They are fastened at intervals of 30-50 cm, and in places where the PEX pipe turns, the step should be 10 cm. It is usually calculated that 500 pieces of harpoon clamps are required for a bay of 200 meters of pipe. When purchasing them, there is no need to chase the brand, as it will cost several times more. There are very high-quality and inexpensive staples from Russian manufacturers.

Selecting a collector-mixing unit for heated floors

The water floor collector is the most important element that receives coolant from the main, distributes it among the circuits, regulates flow and temperature, balances circuit loops, and promotes air removal. Not a single warm water floor can do without it.

It is better to entrust the choice of a collector, or, more correctly, a collector-mixing unit, to specialists who will select the necessary components. In principle, you can assemble it yourself, but this is a topic for a separate article. We’ll just list what elements should be included so as not to make a mistake in choosing.

• Firstly, these are the collectors themselves, which can be equipped with various fittings. They must be equipped with tuning (balancing) valves with or without flow meters, which are placed on the supply manifold, and on the return manifold there may be thermostatic valves or simply shut-off valves.

• Secondly, any manifold for removing air from the system must be equipped with an automatic air vent.
• Thirdly, both the supply and return manifolds must have drain valves to drain the coolant from the manifold and remove air when the system is filling.
• Fourthly, to connect the pipe to the collector, fittings must be used, which are selected individually in each specific case.

• Fifthly, special brackets are used to fasten the collectors and ensure the required center distance.

• Sixth, if the boiler room is not equipped with a separate riser for heated floors, then a mixing unit, including a pump, thermostatic valve, and bypass, must be responsible for preparing the coolant. The design of this node has many implementations, so this issue will be discussed in a separate article.

• And finally, the entire collector-mixing unit must be located in a collector cabinet, which is installed either in a niche or openly.

The collector-mixing unit is located in such a place that all the lengths of the mains from it to the heated floor loops are approximately equal and the main pipes are in close proximity. The manifold cabinet is often hidden in a niche, then it can be placed not only in change houses and boiler rooms, but in dressing rooms, corridors and even living rooms.

Video: What calculations are necessary before installing a heated floor

Do-it-yourself water heated floor installation

After making calculations and purchasing all the necessary components, you can gradually implement a warm water floor. First, it is necessary to outline the places where the manifold cabinets will be placed, hollow out niches if necessary, and also make passages through building structures. All slotting and drilling work must be completed before the next step.

Installation of insulation

Before this stage, it is necessary to prepare the premises for this - take out everything unnecessary, remove all construction debris, sweep and vacuum the floors. The room must be absolutely clean. When installing slabs, you must wear shoes with flat soles, as heels can damage the surface. We list the sequence of actions when installing insulation.

• First of all, the level of the clean floor is marked on the walls using a laser or water. All base irregularities are measured using a long rule and a level.
• If the unevenness exceeds 10 mm, then they can be completely leveled by adding clean and dry sand, which should subsequently be leveled.

• If the heated floor is installed on the ground or above the basement floor, then a waterproofing film is spread with an overlap of adjacent strips of at least 10 cm and overlapping the wall. The joints are taped with tape. A polyethylene film of 150-200 microns is quite suitable as waterproofing.
• Starting from the far corner of the room, the process of laying EPS boards begins. They are laid close to the walls with the marked surface facing up.
• The EPS boards must fit tightly together using grooves on their side surfaces. When laying each slab, it must fit tightly to the base and be in a horizontal plane, which is checked by the building level. If necessary, add sand under the slab.

• If along the laying path there are obstacles in the form of protrusions, columns and other elements, then after preliminary marking the slab is trimmed with a construction knife along a metal ruler. In this case, the EPS must be placed on some kind of non-solid base so that the knife does not become dull, for example, a piece of plywood or OSB.
• When laying the next row, it should be taken into account that the joints of the slabs should not coincide, but run apart, like brickwork. In order to ensure that at least 1/3 of its length remains from the last remaining EPS slab in a row, then laying the next row should begin with it.
• If it is planned to lay the second layer of EPS, then it should be laid in a mutually perpendicular direction with the first layer.
• After laying the thermal insulation, use a hammer drill with a long drill and a hammer to secure the disc dowels at each joint - at each joint and in the center of each EPS board. The joints between the EPS are sealed with construction tape.

• If after installing the insulation there are cavities or cracks left, they can be filled with EPS cuttings and blown out polyurethane foam, but this can be done later, after the pipes have been installed.

After this, we can say that the installation of insulation has been completed. Although EPS boards are dense enough to support the weight of an adult, you still need to take precautions when moving on them. It is best to use wide boards or pieces of plywood or OSB.

Installation of a warm water floor pipe

The most crucial and difficult moment has arrived - installation of underfloor heating pipes. At this stage you need to be especially attentive and careful, and you can’t do it without an assistant. It is also advisable to have special device for unwinding the pipe, since it is strictly forbidden to remove the pipe from the coil with rings, since then there will be very strong stresses in it, which will complicate or make installation impossible. The main rule is that the coil must be twisted, and not removed from the fixed coil. In principle, this can be done manually, but with a device it is much easier.

If there are markings on the top side of the EPS slabs, then this is simply wonderful, then laying the pipes will be greatly simplified. And if not, then you shouldn’t go for the purchase of thin foil insulation made of foamed polyethylene with markings applied. It won't be of any use. You can apply the markings yourself. To do this, marks are made with a marker on the top side of the slabs at the distance of the required contour step, and then the lines are marked with paint thread - this way you can make markings in a short time. After this, you can draw the routes of the heated floor contours.

screed for heated floors

A manifold cabinet is attached to the intended location and a manifold is mounted in it, without a pumping and mixing group for now, it will be needed later. At the entrance to the collector, at the exit from it, and also at the entrance to the pipe, each pipe must be protected with a special corrugation. However, corrugation from famous manufacturers costs mind-boggling money, so it is quite acceptable to replace it with thermal insulation of the appropriate diameter. Also, pipes must be protected during transitions from room to room and from circuit to circuit.

Installation of underfloor heating pipes should begin from the areas furthest from the collectors, and all transit pipes should be covered with thermal insulation made of foamed polyethylene, which will ensure maximum energy conservation to the destination point and will not “lose” heat along the way. Next, the pipe “emerges” from the EPS slabs, already “naked” it bypasses its entire heating circuit and “dives” back and, already in thermal insulation, follows to the collector. The transit pipes themselves are placed inside the EPS slabs; for this, passage routes are first cut into them with a knife.

If the thermal insulation consists of two layers of EPS boards, then the first layer is laid first, then all communications are laid, including transit pipes for the heated floor, and then the second layer is adjusted and trimmed on site.

In addition, in the area where the heated floor is located, pipes to radiators, as well as hot and cold water supply lines, can run. If there are several pipes, then they can be secured in a bundle either with disc dowels or with a perforated metal strip and dowels. In any case, they should not protrude beyond the top surface of the EPS slabs, so that the heated floor contour can be laid on top without any obstruction. All cavities are filled with polyurethane foam, which, after hardening, is cut flush from the surface of the insulation boards.

Along the perimeter of the room where there will be heated floors, a damper tape is glued to the walls, which is designed to compensate for the thermal expansion of the screed. The tape comes with or without an adhesive layer. When purchasing it, you don’t have to chase the brand and pay several times more. A damper tape that is worthy in every sense is now being produced Russian production. If there is no tape at all, then this is also not a problem - it can be replaced by foam plastic 1 or 2 cm thick, glued to the wall with liquid nails or polyurethane foam.

Damper tape should also be installed between rooms and different circuits. For this purpose, a special tape with a T-shaped profile is produced. And in this case, it can be replaced by thin foam plastic glued with polyurethane foam or glue.

Pipe installation is done as follows:

• 10-15 m of pipe is unwound from the coil, thermal insulation and a corresponding fitting for connection to the collector are put on its end.
• The pipe is connected to the supply of the corresponding outlet of the manifold.
• The pipe is laid along previously marked routes and secured with harpoon clamps on straight sections after 30-40 cm, and on turns after 10-15 cm. The pipe should be bent carefully, without creases.

• When laying, you should not try to fasten the pipe immediately, but should first lay it out approximately along the routes for 5-10 m, and only then fasten it with brackets. The pipe should lie on the insulation without tension, there should be no force that tries to pull the staples out of the EPS.
• If for some reason the bracket has flown out of its place, then it is mounted in another place, at a distance of at least 5 cm.
• After bypassing the entire circuit of the heated floor, the return pipe returns to its supply pipe and follows next to it to the collector. If necessary, thermal insulation is put on it.
• Upon arrival at the collector, the pipe is connected to it with the appropriate fitting.

• Near the corresponding loop of the heated floor on the wall, as well as on paper, the length of the contour must be written down. This data is necessary for further balancing.

All contours are laid in the same way. At first it will be difficult, but then, after one “snail” has been laid, everything will be clear and the work will go without problems. When moving along already laid contours, you need to lay boards, plywood or OSB under your feet or knees.

Walking in shoes through pipes is not recommended. It is better to organize such “paths”

Video: Laying a heated floor pipe

Installation of reinforcing mesh

Disputes about the appropriateness of reinforcing mesh are ongoing. Some say that it is needed, others say the opposite. There are plenty of examples successful implementation warm floor without a reinforcing mesh and, at the same time, there are examples of unsuccessful implementation of a warm floor with reinforcement. The authors of the article claim that reinforcement will never be superfluous, but only if done correctly.

The Internet is replete with examples where a metal mesh is laid and secured onto the insulation, and only then a heated floor pipe is attached to it using plastic ties. It seems convenient, but this is not reinforcement, but simply placing an absolutely useless mesh under the screed, on which money was spent. Reinforcement is when the mesh is inside the screed and not under it. This is why the authors recommend placing the mesh on top of the pipe.

To reinforce the screed, a metal mesh made of wire with a diameter of 3 mm with a cell size of 100 * 100 mm is suitable - this is quite enough. It is not recommended to use mesh made from reinforcement due to the fact that the reinforcement has a corrugated surface and during installation can damage the smooth surface of the pipe. And you shouldn’t spend extra money on the excessive strength of the screed, because it is assumed that the heated floor is already installed on a fairly solid foundation. The mesh is laid overlapping one cell and tied either with knitting wire or plastic clamps. The sharp protruding ends must be bitten off so that they do not damage the pipe. Additionally, the mesh is attached to the pipe in several places with plastic clamps.

Instead of a metal mesh, a plastic mesh can be used, which will perfectly reinforce the screed and save it from cracking. It is more convenient to lay plastic mesh, as it comes in rolls. Application plastic mesh practically eliminates damage to pipes, and its cost is significantly lower.

After laying the mesh, the question of protecting the pipes again arises, because when moving in shoes along metal mesh, you can easily damage both it and the pipe. Therefore, it is again recommended to move only on boards, plywood or OSB. But there is also a very smart solution that will avoid damage to pipes when pouring screed.

A cement mortar is prepared - the same as it will be when laying the screed (1 part M400 cement and 3 parts sand) and during the laying process, “lappers” are made from the mortar, which protrude slightly beyond the surface of the mesh - 2 cm is enough. These “blunders” are made at such a frequency (30-50 cm) that will allow you to later put boards or plywood on them and move completely safely. Another advantage of this approach is the fixation of the mesh, because when walking on it it tends to bend, and this can damage the welds.

“Bands” from the solution will fix the mesh and help you move safely

Filling the contours. Hydraulic tests

This operation should definitely be carried out before pouring the screed, since in case of a hidden fault it is easier to eliminate it immediately than after the floors have been poured. To do this, a hose is connected to the drain pipe on the manifold and discharged into the sewer, since a lot of water will be spilled through the heating circuits. It is best if the hose is transparent - this will make it easy to track the release of air bubbles.

Connect to the input of the supply manifold, which must be equipped with a shut-off ball valve. tap water through a hose or pipe. If the quality tap water low, then it is worth filling the system through a mechanical filter. A pressure testing pump is connected to any other output connected to the underfloor heating circuits. This may be the free outlet of the supply manifold, the return outlet from the manifold, and other places - it all depends on the specific implementation of the collector unit. In the end, you can screw a tee into the ball shut-off valve of the supply manifold and use it to fill the system and perform pressure testing. After testing, the tee can be removed and the manifold connected to the supply line.

Filling the system is done as follows:

• On the collector, all the contours of the heated floor are covered, except for one. Automatic air vents must be open.
• Water is supplied and its purity and air output are monitored through the drain hose. During production, process grease and chips may remain on the inner surface of the pipes, which must be washed off with running water.
• After all the air has escaped and the water flows absolutely clean, turn off the drain valve, and then turn off the already flushed and filled circuit.
• All these operations are performed with all circuits.
• After flushing, removing air and filling all circuits, turn off the water supply valve.

If leaks are detected during the filling stage, they are eliminated immediately after the pressure is released. The result should be a system of warm water floors filled with clean coolant and de-aired.

To test the system you will need a special tool - a pressure testing pump, which can be rented or invited experienced craftsman having such a device. Let us describe the sequence of actions during crimping.

• All underfloor heating circuits connected to the collector are fully opened.
• Clean water is poured into the container of the pressure testing pump, and the pump supply tap is opened.
• The pump builds up pressure in the system twice as high as the working pressure - 6 atmospheres; it is controlled by the pump pressure gauge and on the manifold (if it has a pressure gauge).
• After raising the pressure, a visual inspection of all pipes and connections is carried out, which, in principle, should only be on the manifold. The pressure is also monitored using a pressure gauge.
• After 30 minutes, the pressure is again raised to 6 bar and all pipes and connections are again inspected. Then after 30 minutes these steps are repeated. If leaks are detected, they are repaired immediately after releasing the pressure.
• If no leaks are detected, then the pressure is again raised to 6 bar and the system is left for a day.
• If after 24 hours the pressure in the system has dropped by no more than 1.5 bar and no leaks are detected, then the underfloor heating system can be considered correctly installed and sealed.

When the pressure in the system increases, the pipe, according to all the laws of physics, will try to straighten out, so it is possible to “shoot off” some staples in those places where they were “greedy” with them. Therefore, “blobs” from the solution will greatly help to hold the pipe in place. In the future, when the screed is poured, the pipe will be securely fixed, but during pressure tests, a poorly secured pipe can present unpleasant surprises.

Video: Filling the system with coolant

Video: Pressure testing of a heated floor system

Installation of beacons

The heated floor screed must be poured through pipes under operating pressure. Considering that in most closed heating systems the operating pressure should be in the range of 1-3 bar, you can take the average value and leave the pressure in the circuits at 2 bar.

It is best to use guides as beacons plasterboard profiles PN 28*27/UD 28*27. They have sufficient rigidity and a smooth top surface, which is very useful when leveling screeds.

Beacons should be installed at the level of the finished floor minus the thickness of the finishing floor covering. To secure them, very often they simply use mortar pads, on which a guide profile is laid, and then it is recessed according to the level. But this approach has the disadvantage that if the beacon falls below the required level, it has to be taken out, fresh solution added and set again.

It is best if the beacons made of a guide profile have a rigid support underneath, and concrete dowels and a screw of the appropriate length can serve as it. It is preferable to use special concrete screws - pins, which do not require the installation of a dowel, and, therefore, the drilling diameter will be smaller. If you need to drill a hole with a diameter of 10-12 mm for the dowel, then 6 mm is enough for the dowel. The top surface of the screw head should be level with the surface of the future screed.

Concrete screws - dowels

Beacons should be located at a distance of no more than 30 cm from the walls. There should not be a large distance between the beacons, since the solution tends to settle and a hole may form on the finished screed. Optimally - 1.5 m, then the construction rule of 2 m is used to level the screed. When installing beacons, do the following:

• Two lines are drawn from the walls to the left and right of the entrance at a distance of 30 cm - this will be the position of the outer beacons.
• The distance between these two lines is divided into equal parts so that it does not exceed 150 cm. It is desirable that one of the stripes falls directly on the entrance to the room. If necessary, the strip at the entrance can be smaller.
• Lines for the position of future lighthouses are drawn on the floor. Marks are made on them for the location of the dowels in increments of 40-50cm.
• Using a hammer drill with a drill corresponding to the dowel, holes are drilled to a given depth.

To align the dowel heads in one plane, it is best to use a laser level. If in the arsenal home handyman he’s not there, it doesn’t matter, now he’s very useful tool You can rent it, especially since you only need it for one day.

Laser level - indispensable assistant when marking and installing beacons

The position of the beacons is marked on the wall. To do this, subtract the thickness of the finishing floor covering from the finished floor level previously drawn on the wall. The laser level is aligned to this mark, and then, by screwing or unscrewing the dowels, their caps are aligned at the same level. If you use a regular building level for this operation, it will take much longer, and the error will be higher.

Next, guide profiles are placed on the caps of the dowels, and the correct installation is checked with a building level. To fix the beacons in their places, use a cement mortar of the same recipe as for floor screed (1 part cement + 3 parts sand).

The beacons are removed from the dowel caps, and then slides are made from the prepared solution slightly higher than the height of the screed. It is enough to do them every 1 meter, since the beacon will already be securely fastened to the dowel caps. Next, the profile is laid and pressed into the solution, and its excess on top is immediately removed with a spatula. Finally, the level checks the correct installation of all beacons.

At the same time, you can check the correct installation of all damper tapes separating the rooms and contours and, if necessary, strengthen their position with a solution.

water heated floor

Video: Installation of beacons for underfloor heating screed

Pouring heated floor screed

Increased demands are placed on a heated water floor screed, because in addition to the mechanical loads it carries, it also experiences temperature deformations. And usually a cement-sand mortar will not work here; the concrete mixture must be modified with a plasticizer and fiber.

The plasticizer is designed to reduce the water-cement ratio, increase the mobility of the mixture and increase its strength when drying. Mobility when laying underfloor heating screed is extremely important, since the solution must tightly “grab” the pipes and easily release air bubbles out. Without using a plasticizer, the only way to increase the workability of the mixture is to add water to it. But then only part of the water will react with the cement, and the rest will evaporate for a long time, which will increase the setting and hardening time and reduce the strength of the screed. The water-cement ratio should be exactly the same as to allow the screed to set. Typically, 1 kg of cement requires 0.45-0.55 kg of water.

The plasticizer is available in liquid and dry form. It must be used exactly as the manufacturer recommends, and no other way. Any “substitutes” in the form of liquid soap, washing powder, PVA glue are unacceptable.

The fiber is intended for dispersed reinforcement of a concrete mixture, which allows one to significantly reduce or virtually eliminate the formation of cracks, increase strength and abrasion resistance, and increase bending and compressive strength. This is achieved by the fact that fiber microfibers are distributed and fasten the screed throughout the entire volume of the concrete mixture.

Fiber can be metal, polypropylene and basalt. To screed heated floors, it is recommended to use polypropylene or basalt fiber. It is added according to the manufacturer's recommendations, but it is recommended to use at least 500 grams of polypropylene fiber per 1 m 3 of the finished solution. To obtain a mixture with the best properties, add 800 or more grams per 1 m 3.

You can find it on sale ready-made mixtures for pouring heated floor screeds from well-known and not so well-known manufacturers. These mixtures already contain a plasticizer, fiber, and other components. Despite their undoubted ease of use and high quality, the cost of the finished screed will be significantly higher than a solution prepared independently.

Before pouring the screed, it is necessary to remove all unnecessary objects from the floor and, if necessary, vacuum the surfaces. It is also necessary to prepare all the tools and utensils for mixing and transporting the solution. All work on pouring a heated floor screed in a room must be done at one time, so it is advisable to have two assistants: one prepares the solution, the second carries it, and the main person lays and levels the screed. All windows in the room must be closed, the screed must be limited from exposure to drafts and direct sunlight.

Independent preparation of a solution for screeding a heated floor should be done only by mechanization - the quality of the solution must be high. A concrete mixer or a construction mixer can be used as auxiliary mechanisms. No attachments for a drill or hammer drill will work here, no matter what various “truthful” sources say.

The basis of the solution is Portland cement of a grade not lower than M400, which must be dry and with a shelf life of no more than 6 months after the date of issue. The sand must also be dry, washed and sifted. River sand will not work - it is too regular in shape. For screed, the ratio of cement to sand should be 1:3 by weight, but in practice, few people weigh sand and cement, and a universal measurement method is used - a bucket. Considering that the density of construction sand is in the range of 1.3-1.8 t/m 3, and that of cement during transportation is 1.5-1.6 t/m 3, then you can not be afraid to measure cement and sand in buckets, since the quality mixture will be quite acceptable.

The water in the solution should be approximately a third of the mass of cement, that is, for 1 bag of 50 kg of cement, approximately 15 liters of water are needed. However, the use of a plasticizer reduces the water-cement ratio, so when preparing a solution with water you need to be very careful - it is better to underfill a little and then add it, rather than overfill it.

The technology for preparing the solution with a mixer and a concrete mixer is slightly different. Using a mixer, you need to mix dry cement, sand and fluffed polypropylene or basalt fiber at low speeds and then gradually add water with a plasticizer dissolved in it. In gravity-type concrete mixers, of which the vast majority are, it is difficult to mix dry cement and sand (dry cement sticks to wet blades and drums), so first part of the water with a plasticizer is poured into it, and then gradually add first cement, then sand, then another portion of cement and the remaining water. Fiber is added gradually. One part with water, the other with sand. In this case, the fiber cannot be thrown into the drum of a concrete mixer in a lump, but must be divided into portions and fluffed before loading.

The time for preparing the solution in a concrete mixer is usually 3-4 minutes, and with a mixer it is a little longer - 5-7 minutes. The readiness of the solution is determined by its uniform color and consistency. If you take a lump of solution in your hands and squeeze it, no water should come out of it, but at the same time the solution should be plastic. If you place the solution in a heap on the floor, it should not spread much, but only settle a little under its own weight. If you make cuts in it with a spatula, they should not blur, but should hold their shape.

Laying the screed begins from the far corners of the room and is carried out in strips along the beacons. Only after completing one strip, the next one is laid and leveled; the process should end at the entrance to the room. During the leveling process, there is no need to immediately try to perfectly level the surface of the screed along the beacons. The main thing is that there are no dips in the screed, and small sagging and marks from the rule can be easily corrected later.

After 1-2 days (it all depends on external conditions), when you can already walk on the screed, you need to clean its surface. First, the damper tape protruding from the screed is cut with a construction knife and the damper tape protruding from the screed is removed, and then the construction rule is taken and the sharp end is pressed against the plane of the beacons. In the direction away from you, with short but energetic movements, stripping is done until the beacons are completely exposed. Then the resulting debris is removed, the screed is moistened with a spray bottle and covered with plastic wrap.

The next day, the beacons are carefully removed, you can also unscrew the dowels, and the resulting grooves are rubbed with a solution or tile adhesive. The screed is moistened and covered again; it is recommended to do this daily for the first 10 days after pouring.

Balancing the contours of a warm floor. Commissioning

After the screed has fully matured, which is at least 28 days, you can begin to balance the contours of the heated floor. And manifold flow meters will help a lot in this process. That is why it is necessary to purchase a manifold with balancing valves and flow meters.

The fact is that the loops of the heated floor have different lengths, and accordingly they have different hydraulic resistance. It is obvious that the “lion’s share” of the coolant will always follow the path of least resistance - that is, along the shortest circuit, while others will get much less. In this case, in the longest circuit the circulation will be so sluggish that there can be no talk of any heat removal. A well-designed underfloor heating project always indicates the flow rate in each circuit and the position of the control valves, but if the underfloor heating is done on your own, then a simplified but effective method will do.

• If the pumping and mixing unit has not yet been connected, then it is being installed. The underfloor heating collector is connected to the supply and return lines.
• All circuits of the heated floor are opened completely, the supply and return ball valves of the manifolds are opened at the inlet. Automatic air vent valves must be open.
• The circulation is turned on. The maximum temperature is set on the head of the mixing unit, but the boiler does not turn on yet; the coolant must circulate at room temperature.
• The pressure in the entire heating system is brought to working pressure (1-3 bar).
• All contours of the heated floor are closed, except for the longest one. The position of the flow meter on this circuit is noted and recorded.
• The second longest circuit opens completely. If the flow rate in it is greater, then the balancing valve is tightened until the flow rate is equal to the longest one.

• Next, all circuits are opened sequentially in descending order of their length, and the flow is regulated by balancing valves.
• As a result, the flow rate in all circuits should be the same. If this is not the case, then you can adjust the adjustment on the contours without touching the longest loop.

All of the above operations are performed correctly and the flow meters show that circulation in the circuits is occurring, then you can begin testing the heated floor with heated coolant. You need to start with low temperatures - from 25°C, and then every day gradually increase the temperature by 5°C, until the coolant is supplied to the circuits with its own operating temperature. What is the sequence of actions at this stage?

• The temperature on the thermostatic valve of the mixing unit is set to 25°C, the circulation pump is turned on at first speed, and the system is allowed to operate in this mode for a day. At the same time, the circulation through the flow meters is controlled and adjusted.
• After a day, the temperature rises to 30°C, and the underfloor heating system is left on again for a day. The flow and temperature of the supply and return are controlled.
• The next day the temperature rises another 5°C, to 35°C. This is much closer to the operating mode of a heated floor, so it is already worth adjusting the temperature difference between the supply and return collectors. If it is in the range of 5-10°C, then this is normal, but if it is more, then the speed of the circulation pump should be increased by one step.
• The maximum temperature to which you can raise the temperature in the heated floor supply manifold is 50°C, but it is better not to do this, but check it at operating modes - 45°C or 40°C. The temperature difference between the supply and return is checked in the same way. The pump must operate at the lowest possible speed to maintain a temperature difference of up to 10°C.

The correct adjustment of the heated floor cannot be assessed immediately, since such a heating system is very inertial. It may take several hours to feel a change in temperature. Therefore, anyone who has made a heated floor on their own should arm themselves with patience and gradually bring the system to a mode that would ensure the desired floor temperature taking into account the coating. To do this, you will need to “play around” with the settings of the balancing valves, thermal heads (if the collector is equipped with them) and the speed of the circulation pump. The main thing is that the water heated floor system, made by yourself, works.

Find out how by studying the instructions with photos in a special article on our portal.

Conclusion

Stubborn statistics show that the system of warm water floors, in addition to obvious comfort, also provides significant energy savings. The same statistics indicate that the number of successful independent implementations of such heating is growing every year. All technologies have already been developed, the market is flooded with any components for every taste, color and budget. Necessary information is always in open sources, you can always ask experts for advice. The team of authors hopes that this article dispelled the initial fear and made it clear to readers that it is quite possible to make a water-heated floor with your own hands.

Video: How to calculate and make a water heated floor with your own hands

Warm floors are an excellent option for creating a comfortable temperature in the room. Cool tiles only make you happy in the summer, and even then not always, but in the winter, bare feet on a cold floor are completely unpleasant. Installing a heated floor will create acceptable conditions for the operation of any decorative floor covering, no matter whether it is laminate or ceramic finishing.

Today there are 2 large groups of underfloor heating - water and electric. The first option is very labor-intensive to install, but economical to operate. The second one, on the contrary, can be installed even by a beginner, but electricity bills will increase significantly. In this article we will tell you how to install a water heated floor and what you need to pay attention to.

general information

Before we talk about the technology for installing a warm water floor, let’s understand the very concept of such an installation.

So, warm floor is one of the variations of room heating, the most important feature which is a large heat-releasing surface with constant air convection. In other words, with the same power of radiators and heated floors, it will be warmer in the room where the latter option is installed.

In order for the layout of the heated floor to be as clear as possible for perception, it is worth first remembering traditional scheme water heating. The main heat-transmitting elements in such a circuit are radiators. The air masses, heating up from the walls of the radiator sections, rush upward; as they cool, they descend downward, and such circulation occurs constantly.

Typical pipe laying schemes

Of course, modern radiators heat the room well, but there are also a lot of cold areas. Basically, this is the space near the floor surface, which does not warm up completely.

Features of the floor system

The technology for installing water heated floors is characterized by a slightly different picture. The heating pipe element is located directly in the cavity of the floor covering, and if this system is installed correctly, the heat coming from the source will be distributed evenly over the entire area of ​​the room.

As a final result, heat flows of air masses begin their upward movement directly from the coating itself, providing more comfortable conditions for humans. In addition, your feet are in constant contact with the floor, and when this surface is warm, it is impossible to freeze even in light clothing.

A water-heated floor, the installation of which, although complicated, is quite within the capabilities of inexperienced craftsmen, is in most cases used as the main heating system of a house, apartment or separate room. And if electric floors can only be installed in a separate area, then installing a water heating system is too difficult to occupy only a couple of square meters.

What you need to know before installation

If you plan to use hot water as a coolant, the meaning of such a system is quite simple. Instead of batteries connected to centralized heating, a flexible special pipeline is laid under the coating, through which hot water will circulate. Such an installation can operate from an autonomous gas boiler.

Connect water underfloor heating to apartment buildings access to the centralized highway is prohibited. As a result of the operation of the equipment, the pressure in the entire riser will drop and the temperature may not be sufficient to reach the upper floors.

Connection to the central network is allowed only in private homes, but this option is not ideal, since you will have to wait until the heating is supplied. Moreover, due to regular breakdowns of communications, the risk of being left without heating is quite high. Accordingly, the most rational option for installation of warm water floors is either a private house or individual heating in a high-rise building.

Why is thermal insulation needed?

According to the rules for installing warm water floors, a mandatory stage of work is laying insulation under the pipeline. Often hired craftsmen overlook this, which leads to significant heat loss.

So, why is such material needed at all:

1. To create a heat-reflecting screen that prevents heat from penetrating to the lower floors. Due to this ability, all the heat coming from the pipe is reflected and moves upward into the room, but not into the interfloor space or into the neighboring apartment.
2. The substrate is necessary to distribute heat evenly over the entire surface. In its absence, the floor will not be heated entirely, but in separate fragments where the pipe runs.
3. Modern insulating mats are equipped with clamps, thanks to which the tubes are easily fixed and do not move when they are poured with concrete screed. Also, with the help of such clamps it is easy to maintain the specified pitch between turns.

Coefficient of thermal conductivity

If carpeting, linoleum and other materials that do not conduct heat are placed on top of the internal heating system, its efficiency will be minimized. Therefore, it is worth taking into account the properties of materials and laying ones that will not interfere with heat transfer.

Thermal conductivity coefficient is an indicator demonstrating the ability to transfer heat. The higher it is, the better the material will transmit waves emanating from the system. These include laminate, ceramic tiles, self-leveling floors, etc.

Installation subtleties

Installation of a water-heated floor is carried out according to a long-developed scheme, when the pipeline is located in a concrete screed. Why is that? Everything is quite simple. Firstly, large loads that pass through pipes need reliable fastening and protection, and secondly, air is an excellent heat insulator, and therefore, if the pipes are in contact with air masses, then such a heating system is of no use.

1. First you need to clean and bring it to one level floor surface. After which, you should check whether there are differences in height. If they do not exceed 10 mm in height, you can begin installing a warm water floor.

If the difference exceeds 10 mm, it is necessary to use a self-leveling mixture, which hardens literally within 3-5 hours. But the traditional sand-cement mixture will also be of quite high quality. A building level is used to check straightness.

1. The next stage is installation waterproofing film, allowing you to protect the coolant from moisture. It is desirable that it be a foil covering. After that, a damper tape is laid and secured along the perimeter of the wall ceilings to the height of the heated floor.

1. Next, the insulation is laid, the thickness of which depends solely on your preferences. A layer of vapor barrier material is placed on top of the insulation.
2. Carrying out reinforcement. To do this, you need to buy reinforcement mesh with cells of 18-20 cm, which will allow you to lay the pipeline without any problems. This step can be skipped if mats with clamps are used for insulation.
3. Pipeline laying. First of all, you need to connect the pipe to the outlet of the collector installation for supply. If the internal system is the only source of heating, then they are laid in small increments, the value of which does not exceed 20 cm. When this floor heating system is an additional source of comfort, then a larger laying increment is allowed - up to 35 cm. The pipes are attached to the mesh using special clips. The pipeline may expand slightly during heating, so there is no need to firmly fix it.

Each circuit is laid as a whole piece, without resorting to additional connections. Such connecting elements increase the risk of various leaks.

1. Checking systems for operability and reliability. A test run of a water heated floor is carried out with an increase in pressure to approximately 0.3 MPa per hour, the water temperature should remain unchanged.
2. After successfully passing the tests, in which no leaks or defects were found, you can begin pouring the screed. Its maximum height should not exceed 70 mm, otherwise the heat emanating from the tubes will not be enough to overcome the thickness of the concrete mixture.

If you doubt that you can install a warm water floor yourself, it is better to contact professional craftsmen that will help you realize your plans.

Now you know what a water heated floor is, installation, video and photographic materials of which are presented in this publication.

VIDEO: How to assemble a water heated floor with your own hands