Disadvantages of heated floors in an apartment. The truth about heated floors: reviews, disadvantages and advantages. Cable heating source

Modern trends in interior fashion inspire property owners to use flooring materials smooth and cold coatings - laminate, tile, travertine or parquet. Despite the aesthetic appearance and high wear resistance, these materials do not perform their best in the cold season the best side– they are cool to the touch, so walking on such a floor without slippers is uncomfortable.

To solve this problem, experts in the field of heating engineering recommend paying attention to water heated floors, which will appeal to consumers who crave comfort and warmth.

Water heated floor is effective method heating of a residential home, commercial building or office, in which heat production is concentrated in the lower part of the room. The main advantage of this technology is its versatility. The design of a warm water floor can be used in any room - bathroom, living room, bedroom or kitchen.

Among other advantages of the technology, the following factors are worth mentioning:


The main disadvantages of this type of home heating are related to the labor-intensive work and high cost Supplies necessary for the implementation of the heating scheme. Despite the fact that the technology has some disadvantages, in general it justifies itself and is optimal choice for homeowners who want to get reliable source comfortable heat, the operation of which is not associated with high monthly costs.

How does this technology work?

To assess the feasibility of installing a structure, it is not enough to simply study the pros and cons of a water heated floor, since a complete analysis requires in-depth knowledge affecting the operating principle of the technology. through the use of the network special pipes small cross-section, which are built into the floor and then filled with concrete or dry screed.

The basic circuit diagram involves the use of the following elements:

In the process of heating the coolant using a boiler, solar collector or electric heater the floors are heated and help create comfortable temperature conditions in the room. Compared with conventional systems heating systems that involve the use of radiators, fireplaces or convectors, heated floor technology is the most justified - it concentrates heat below, warms the feet, and makes the climate in the house comfortable and healthy.

An important point is that direct supply of coolant is only possible from, which heats the water to an acceptable 40-45 degrees. When using boilers of another type, the owner will need to equip a mixing unit involved in lowering the temperature of the coolant.

Behind last decades technologies for creating heated water floor systems have stepped far forward and today owners who connect a heated water floor are fully insured against problems such as leaks, water hammer, pipe damage from corrosion, etc. However, in order for the heated floor to meet all expectations, its installation must be carried out by responsible specialists in accordance with the recommendations of the heating scheme developed by heating engineers.

Is the high cost of water heated floors justified?

Hydronic underfloor heating systems cost much more than traditional types heating. average price per m2 of water heated flooring is about $30, taking into account the work and the purchase of components, so the cost of a project for a house with an area of ​​one hundred square meters can be quite high. At the same time, low operating costs in the long term justify the investment of property owners.

The average temperature of a water heated floor is 40-45 degrees. Therefore, during operation, such a system requires much less energy resources than a traditional radiator circuit. In addition, you need to know that the average cost of 1 m2 of water heated floor is calculated taking into account the purchase of all necessary components of the system, including:


The larger the area of ​​the house, the lower the cost per square meter of heated floor, since the cost of the most expensive element of the system - the boiler - is evenly distributed over each square meter of area.

Review of popular manufacturers

Final cost 1 square meter Warm water floors also depend on the choice of components produced by different brands. At the moment, on the domestic market you can purchase a Rehau warm water floor, produced in Germany. German brand guarantees high product quality and excellent consumer characteristics of the system. The affordable price of a Rehau water-heated floor allows you to save money already at the first stage of a home heating project.

Among other advantages that a Rehau warm water floor has, it is worth highlighting the following qualities:


Manufacturers from other countries also operate on the market, these are:


The choice of manufacturers is quite large and the consumer may not be limited to foreign brands, because in addition to those listed, their products are more expensive affordable prices They are sold on the market by companies from the Russian Federation and neighboring countries.

How does electric-water heated floor work?

An electric water heated floor, which is a combined heating system, can be installed in the house. This system uses special antifreeze as a coolant, and the design itself consists of pipes with a small internal cross-section (about 24 mm), inside of which a cable is placed. Liquid electric floors are different simple installation and low installation costs.

The most popular products on the market are products from the XL Pipe brand. Positive reviews of the XL Pipe electric water heated floor are confirmation High Quality and product reliability.

Among the tangible advantages of products from this brand are the following characteristics:

  • high maintainability;
  • overheat protection;
  • absence of electromagnetic radiation;
  • possibility of laying pipes according to any pattern;
  • simplified floor screed.

What coating is compatible with underfloor heating?

In addition to answering the question: how much does a warm water floor cost, owners are faced with other dilemmas. Most often they touch on the topic of design compatibility with various types floor coverings. Based on the operating principle of heated floors, it can be assumed that the most effective solution there will be a choice of flooring with maximum heat capacity.

The first type of coating is protected from deformation and has sufficient heat transfer, so it is often used in rooms with high level loads.

The tiled covering for a warm water floor will be durable and practical.

Laminate and parquet, although they do not have the same wear resistance as tiles, however, have a number of other positive qualities- it has good heat conductivity and a simple installation process. Thus, water heated flooring under a wooden floor can also be implemented in the house. Linoleum can also be used in different rooms, it is worth remembering that the maximum thickness of a warm water floor should not exceed ten centimeters.

The owner can consider each of the options and determine which coating is best for a warm water floor after assessing the layout of the house and the resources available.

Installation of a warm water floor

The main aspect proper functioning The heating system requires proper installation. You can do it yourself or use the services of companies that offer turnkey installation at an affordable cost. It is worth understanding that professional installation water heated floor - the price for the work of which is about 30% of the cost of consumables, is more preferable self-installation systems.

The rather high cost of a warm water floor per 1 m2 should not confuse property owners who are thinking about implementing an energy-efficient and reliable heating circuit. The fact is that the substantial initial investments required to purchase components and pay installers are justified over time reliable operation systems and low costs associated with the operation process heated floors.

The use of smooth and cool materials in flooring looks aesthetically very attractive. However, in the cold season it is impossible to walk on such a floor without slippers. A water heated floor will help eliminate discomfort while simultaneously solving the problem of heating the room. The versatility of the design allows it to be used in any single room, be it a bedroom, bathroom, living room or kitchen.

Technologically so heating system is laid inside the genitals building structures a piping system through which coolant water passes. In this case, an existing centralized heating system or an individual heating source can be used to heat the floor.

Advantages of water-heated floors

Using a water heating system through flooring based on the principle of conversion. In this regard, its main advantages include:

  • A high level of efficiency of the heating system, which ensures uniform heating of the room without incurring unproductive costs for heating the ceiling and walls.
  • The possibility of damage from hot surfaces of radiators is excluded;
  • Lack of dust and pollution, which are inevitable during convective air movement.
  • Protection from harmful organisms.
  • Possibility of designed provision of temperature control in a separate room.
  • Using a heated water floor under different types coverings (laminate, parquet, tiles)
  • Due to the absence of radiators on the walls, interesting solutions in interior design.
  • Creating a comfortable environment not only in winter, but also in summer, cooling the room with cold water.
  • A guarantee of health for the whole family, when you can walk barefoot in winter, and the air is clean and healthy.

The undoubted advantage of a warm water floor is its long term services. In this case, the service life depends only on the quality of the pipes used in this system. The low temperature of the coolant, which does not exceed 50°C, and in some cases 40°C is sufficient, reduces costs by an average of a third compared to using traditional system heating.

Disadvantages of floor heating with water coolant

If we talk about the disadvantages of such a heating system, then first of all, it is installation difficulties. The system itself consists of several layers, including waterproofing, cement- concrete screed, flooring made of decorative material.

Before laying pipelines, it is necessary to carry out careful preparation subfloor surfaces with leveling. High initial costs, which compared to installing radiators or electric heating, approximately five times higher.

Effectively use underfloor heating technology water coolant it is impossible in a room where there are many stairs, because landing it cannot be applied. In an apartment building, it is prohibited to install a water-based floor heating system on high floors due to the fact that this significantly increases the hydraulic resistance.

Another disadvantage of using a water floor is significant impact on air humidity levels, requiring the installation of a humidifier. Installation work is recommended to be carried out during the construction of the house or during overhaul. A water heated floor leads to a significant increase in the floor level, which also needs to be taken into account with such a heating system.

Features of choosing flooring and installation

When choosing the type of flooring under which you are going to install a heating pipeline system, you need to decide what goal you are pursuing. In rooms with a high level of load, a coating made of parquet ceramic tiles. Practical coverage tiles last a long time, but require large initial costs when heating due to the low thermal conductivity of the tiles.

Laminate and parquet do not have the high wear resistance characteristic of tiles. However, the simple installation process and excellent thermal conductivity speak in favor of choosing a wooden floor. Linoleum is also often used for covering different rooms, but it should be taken into account that the thickness of the heated floor is not more than 10 cm.

Depending on the choice of execution form, the technology for laying water mains may differ radically. The most important condition efficient work underfloor heating systems are correct installation, correct engineering work on power and heat loss. In addition, it is necessary to take into account local climatic conditions, features of housing that may be in apartment building or a private house with cold walls.

Previously, the main procedure for installing a heated floor was laying a pipe system with concrete screed. Such installation requires a long time, since it will not go away until complete drying(28 days), the system cannot be used. Currently, instead of screeds, wooden or polystyrene linings are used, with niches for pipes. Lightweight systems make it possible to reduce the thickness by four times (from 80 to 20 mm), providing quick regulation of room temperature. In addition, they are ideal in conditions where, due to heavy weight Concrete screed cannot be used as a standard heated floor. Doesn't fit water design, if the floor is covered with a rug or carpet.

Modern technologies for warm water floor systems completely eliminate the possibility of damage to pipes, leaks and water hammer. Warm water floors offered by well-known brands are distinguished by quick installation, efficiency, and the ability to be used in different schemes heating systems, no matter how complex they may be. The manufacturer provides a guarantee for the underfloor heating collector.

A worthy alternative radiator heating, water heated floors are not a bad option for owners of private households and those living on the first floors of high-rise buildings.

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The comfort of a home depends not only on the interior, but also on the temperature. It is not comfortable to be in a cold room, and it also risks catching colds. Also in winter you may encounter the problem of cold floors - if it can be solved in the rooms by placing a carpet on the surface, then floor surface It's not very pleasant to walk in the bathroom and kitchen. A heated floor system will also come in handy in a children's room. It would seem that there could be nothing better than such a heating system. But it is worth considering that heated floors have pros and cons. You can see what it looks like in the photo.

Advantages of heated floors

Heated floor has the following advantages:
  • comfortable floor surface temperature;
  • uniform heating of the room;
  • increase in air temperature in the room.

It must be said right away that a heated floor system cannot replace conventional heating. Traditional radiators provide the main heating of the air in the room. Warm floors can only be used as additional heating of the room. These are the disadvantages of a warm water floor. It is usually used to warm up the floor - nevertheless, walking on a warm surface is much more comfortable than walking on a cold one. But at the same time, thanks to this system, the room will be heated better, since another heating source is added to the traditional radiators. On top of that, the heat will be distributed evenly, as the room will heat up over the entire area.

Features of underfloor heating systems

Optimal temperature floor surface - 25-28 degrees. When installing the system, it is worth considering that the highest temperature will be observed at the very beginning of the water heated floor - as it moves through the pipes, it will drop. WITH electric floors no such problem arises.

But electric heated floors also have pros and cons. First of all, furniture and some floor coverings can interfere with heating. It is also not recommended to install electric heated floors under coverings that are susceptible to fire, such as parquet. In principle, wood will withstand heating up to 30 degrees, but if there is no main heating, and the room temperature sensor needs to reach 20 degrees, it is possible that this material will catch fire. Read also: “How to make a heated floor in the kitchen - installing an electric or water heating floor.”

As for whether heated floors are harmful, their surface temperature will be higher than the air. But this cannot contribute to the occurrence of a cold - on the contrary, you are more likely to get sick when moving on a cold surface. By installing a heated floor system in the bathroom, kitchen, or children's room, you don't have to worry about illnesses - as you know, colds often occur when the feet are hypothermic (read: " ").

Heated floors have disadvantages, including, for example, the inability to fully control the temperature. This mainly applies to water systems. The heating level of electric floors can be adjusted, if, of course, you purchase good sensor, qualitatively measuring temperature. Experts advise installing programmable electronic devices - with their help you can set the desired level of air or floor surface temperature, and when this indicator is reached, the system will automatically turn off. Read also: "".

Pros and cons of heated floors, detailed in the video:

Heated floor installation

The heating element is placed on thermal insulation material when, a screed is poured on top and the floor covering is laid. As for whether heated floors are harmful, this statement is absolutely false.
Specific heat release is the main parameter of a heated floor system. It ranges from 15-25 W/m. To lay the floor, you need to choose an insulating material that can withstand temperatures above 100 degrees. Otherwise, problems may arise during system operation. Read also: "".

As for the fact that heated floors are harmful to health, this is absolutely false - heating the floor surface can only affect health in a positive way. But for such a system to last for a long time, it must be installed correctly.

The electric floor heating system has both positive and negative reviews. In order for you to decide whether to use this option for your home or apartment, we will now provide the main pros and cons of electric heated floors.

Main advantages

Among the main advantages of electric heated floors are:

  • Possibility of use not only at home, but also in offices;
  • can be used with any floor covering: tiles, laminate, linoleum, etc.;
  • all elements of the system are hidden from view, thereby not spoiling the interior of the room;
  • using the included thermostat you can adjust temperature regime up to 0.1 o C, while you can also set a specific time for turning on/off the heater;
  • can be used as main and auxiliary heating;
  • (and even more so parquet) can be done by a person without the slightest experience, and besides, there should be no special tool at hand;
  • long service life if the system is handled correctly;
  • the surface is heated evenly over the entire area;
  • It will take a little time to determine the cause of the breakdown;
  • not required for system operation optional equipment(for example, for water heating you need either gas);
  • temperature heating element not too large, which is good when taking into account the safety of use.

As you can see, the advantages of electric heated floors are significant, which makes this option quite competitive compared to other heating options.

We would like to immediately provide a video on the topic:

Video review of the advantages and disadvantages of electric heated floors

Existing disadvantages

As always, something must be sacrificed when choosing one system or another. As for the disadvantages of electric heated floors, the main ones are:

  • high cost of operation (if you use a heating cable for central heating large area, the required heater power can reach up to 15-20 kW, which will significantly increase the monthly electricity consumption);
  • any type of electric heater has an increased risk of electric shock and electric heated floors are no exception, so this point must be taken into account, especially in wet rooms;
  • to improve electrical safety, it is necessary to spend additional money on purchasing and, as well as creating a reliable one;
  • the heating cable, which is the main executive element of heating, creates an electromagnetic field that negatively affects the human body;
  • floor coverings, in particular wooden ones, suffer when heated: they dry out and become deformed;
  • when laying heaters (especially cables), the ceiling height can be reduced to 10 cm;
  • If heating will be used as the main one and the house will have a large area, then quite powerful electrical wiring will be required for the system to operate.

It is clear that the shortcomings of the system are quite significant. But still we pay attention to the fact that when, as well as installation work According to the instructions, most of the listed shortcomings are immediately cut off. This is what makes the floor heating system popular and in demand.

Comparison with alternative

So that you are finally convinced of the correctness of your decision, now we will talk a little about why an electric heated floor is better than a water one.


So, we have highlighted the main points of comparison:

  1. It is more reasonable to use a water heated floor on large areas, especially if heating will be carried out due to gas boiler. In small rooms, it is more logical to give preference to an option that operates from the mains, because... in this case, installation and operating costs will be low.
  2. Heating hot water has a longer service life (as manufacturers say, the mark can reach up to 50 years).
  3. Water will not harm human health, which cannot be said about current.
  4. Installation of cables (or thermomats) is much simpler than water pipes.
  5. Adjusting an electric heater is much faster and more accurate than a water heater.

So we have provided the pros and cons of electric heated floors. To summarize, it can be noted that both versions of the system have their own advantages and disadvantages, which in any case force you to sacrifice something. We recommend giving preference to electric heating, because... it is more modern, efficient and multifunctional!

Video review of the advantages and disadvantages of electric heated floors

Advantages of film coating

Pros and cons of heated floors

Everything you need to know before choosing a heated floor...

“With the arrival of cold weather, we put on warm slippers at home, and forbid children to play on the floor. We wrap ourselves in blankets and sleep in flannelette pajamas. But the “weather” in the house can be corrected with the help of warm floors - they not only warm the soles of bare feet, but also warm air in the apartment."

What types of underfloor heating exist today? Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Electric

It consists of a heating cable that transfers heat to the floor covering, which, in turn, heats the air. The operation of the heating system is controlled electronic thermostat. You can install a heated floor in a screed or under any covering.

Advantages: electrical systems do not require maintenance during operation, it is very easy to control the heating process.

Disadvantages: power consumption at constant maximum use can be very high. True, you can install a so-called accumulating warm floor, which due to large thickness The screed will gain heat at night. But will the stored heat be enough for the whole day? The question is...

Laying features: underfloor heating cables require careful handling when pouring to avoid the appearance of air bubbles in the concrete - this can lead to overheating of the cable and its failure.

Application: Most often used for heating tile floors in the kitchen and bathroom. It is rarely used as an independent source of heat in Russia, since electricity prices rise from year to year.

Price: varies widely, as there are several types of electric underfloor heating: with single-core and double-core cable, with thick and thin fill, for full heating and for minor heating.

By the way, it has been found that floors with a two-core cable emit less electromagnetic radiation.

Heats up due to warm water, going through the tubes.

Advantages: the cheapest to use - no extra costs (except for increased consumption hot water). As well as durability and the absence of electromagnetic radiation.

Disadvantages: a water pipe that bursts or leaks in the thickness of a concrete screed means not only a leak several floors down, but also the need to break into the floor covering.

Installation features: there are two ways to install a water floor - either in a concrete screed or on aluminum guides, which ensure uniform heat distribution. The tubes through which water flows are made of metal-plastic, copper or polypropylene. Copper ones are the most durable, but also the most expensive.

Metal-plastic is cheaper and combines durability with high flexibility and thermal conductivity. Polypropylene pipe the cheapest and shortest-lived. Not all polypropylene is suitable for underfloor heating, but manufacturers sometimes “forget” about this. Installation requires highly qualified workers.

Application: due to the sudden increase in pressure in the pipes at the beginning heating season Tube rupture may occur. Therefore, installing a water floor is allowed only in owned apartments. The blame for your neighbors' bay will be entirely yours.

Price: high, since it consists of the cost of a full floor screed or installation of guides and pipes through which water will flow.

Infrared

A film interspersed with a carbon polymer that heats up using electricity and warms objects in the room. And they, in turn, give off heat environment. This type of heating uses the most suitable range of infrared radiation for humans, creating a literally comfortable environment.

Advantages: cost-effectiveness and mobility, floor installation does not require repair interventions. The film can be cut into any number of individual strips and heat those areas where it is necessary. The thermal film is very thin, so installing the system will not take up a single centimeter of height, which is especially important for rooms with low ceilings.

Installation features: installation is accessible even to a non-specialist. The film is simply placed under the floor covering, connected and covered on top with any material - from linoleum to tiles. If necessary, heated film-type floors can be easily dismantled and moved to another room.

Application: in bedrooms, living rooms and kitchens, as well as children's rooms.

Price: low, since there is no need to make a screed and carry out labor-intensive installation work.

Thermomat

It consists of carbon rods mounted on a fiberglass mesh.

Advantages: does not require any special floor preparation, does not “eat up” the height of the room.

Disadvantages: a warm floor of this type can provide additional heat, but it will not allow you to fully warm up.

Laying features: mats can be poured using technology cement-sand mortar 1.5-2 cm thick, then put finishing coat floor. But you don’t have to do this - in this case, the tiles or carpet are placed directly on the mat.

Application: suitable for any residential premises, especially with low ceilings.

Price: low, since there is no need to make a major screed.