Warm floor, which is better? Reviews with video

Installation of the underfloor heating system requires significant investments and time, therefore it is important to think over all the stages of repair in advance, to carefully select the floor structure. Warm floors differ in power, length and area, cable (single-core, two-core, ultra-thin), heating element and much more.

First of all, you need to decide whether a system is installed for the main or additional heating. If the house already has or is planning heating radiators, gas or electric boilers, then any warm floor will do – from the most powerful to a small rug by the bed or bathroom.

As the main source of heat, you can choose a single or two-core cable, placing it in more frequent turns. The total area on which the warm floor will be laid cannot occupy less than 70% of the entire area of ​​the room. An ultra-thin heating cable, on a coil or film, will not work, since the power density of the heating section per square meter of the room is too low.

Conventional underfloor heating, which is a system of single-core or two-core heating cable, is distinguished by its efficiency and economy in energy consumption. It can be installed only under a cement-sand screed, the thickness of which should not be less than 3 cm. A thicker screed layer, up to 5-7 cm thick, will ensure uniform heating of the floor, there will be no differences in temperature over the heating cable and between the turns.

This design is reliable, with proper installation it will last at least 30 years. However, there is a significant drawback: an error in installation, natural corrosion, damaged contacts – and the system will stop working, the screed will have to be completely removed. In addition, installing the floor under the screed requires laying an additional layer of thermal insulation, which adds another couple of centimeters.

Usually, when reconstructing or renovating an existing building, it is not possible to raise the floors a few centimeters, therefore, an ultra-thin cable is used, it can be laid in a layer of tile adhesive or in a thin screed under laminate, carpet, tile or linoleum. The easiest way is to lay heating mats: just spread it on the floor, cut it in the right places, cover it with a floor covering and connect it to the thermostat. The thickness of such a floor is only a few millimeters, but it is only suitable as an additional source of heating.

Since the heating mats are not covered with a screed, it is much easier to damage or spoil them.

The power and area of ​​the warm floor should be selected based on the heating requirements. If the system is used as an additional heat source, a power of 110-130 W per square meter is required, and the main heating source must have a power of at least 150 W per square meter. As a rule, manufacturers indicate the area for which a set of heating sections is designed.

The degree of thermal insulation of the room should be taken into account. For example, on a balcony, loggia, veranda, attic, on the first and last floors of a building, it is necessary to increase the specific power per unit area. It is not always possible to do this by simply increasing the frequency of cable sections: too close a location can cause mutual overheating and failure of the warm floor.

It is important to correctly assess the possibilities of electrical wiring, since the load can increase significantly. The ideal would be a system in which the power supply of the system is connected with a separate line, with its own differential circuit breaker or circuit breaker.

With the help of a thermostat, you can turn on and off the system, set a comfortable heating level, and it also helps to eliminate unnecessary energy costs. Basically, regulators are divided into three types:

– manually controlled thermostats; – control with LCD display; – programming with LCD display.

It is not allowed to turn on the warm floor directly into the network, without using a thermostat

Manual control implies a conventional rotary lever, with which the desired temperature is indicated, as well as a button for turning off and on the warm floor. It is a simple, cheap, but very reliable system, easy to operate and repair.

The liquid crystal display indicates the actual and desired floor and air temperature. Control is performed using buttons on the panel. It is enough to indicate the temperature that you want to maintain in the room and enjoy the warmth.

Programmable thermostats allow you to create a work schedule for the whole week in advance, literally in minutes. For example, during the working day, the minimum heat will be maintained, and by the evening return from work, the water floor heating system will heat the air in the room to the desired temperature.

The underfloor heating system is so well thought out that its service life exceeds 50 years. Well-known brands and manufacturers give a guarantee for their floors for up to 25 years. The service life may turn out to be less, due to the following reasons:

– voltage drops in the network; – poor quality of the heating element material; – accident, flood, earthquake, flooding the floor with water.

Often the reason for the short life of the floor is improper installation, for example, excessive tension, twisting, kinking of the cable, installation at too low temperature or high humidity, mechanical damage. For a water-heated floor, it is important that the quality of the laying of the material of the water-bearing pipes and the waterproofing film is at a height. Underfloor heating systems such as spyheat, green, caleo, devi, energy have proven themselves well and received many positive reviews.