Heated floor – a specialized room heating system
First of all, we note that in houses with central heating, during the off-season, there is a special opportunity to appreciate the irreplaceable advantages of heated floors, since many of us are familiar with the situation when in spring utilities stop supplying heat, and in autumn they do not turn it on for a long time. The choice of heated floors is also justified in families with small children – kids love to crawl and play on the floor. Of course, such a floor will please those who do not recognize house slippers and are used to walking barefoot at home. More arguments in favor of such a heating system will be added if we carefully consider its pros.
Types of heated floors and their properties
Modern heated floors can be water-based or electric. When installing a water system, it is necessary to lay pipes of small diameter and special strength in the space between the floor covering (local) and the floor base. Then these pipes will carry water heated to 40 degrees (on average) that gives off heat to the room. Most often, polyethylene or polybutene pipes are used – they are durable, easy to bend, almost resistant to corrosion, and withstand high temperatures. Polybutene pipes allow circulation of water heated to 90 degrees, and polyethylene pipes – up to 60. Diffusion welding ensures strong connections of fittings and pipes.
There is no need to adjust or redesign the interior for a chosen water floor. This type of heated floor can be easily installed under parquet and any other floor covering. There is also no need to fear overheating of this heating system, and furniture can be placed anywhere in the heated rooms.
Electric heated floors, on the contrary, do not allow furniture to be placed as desired; one must take into account the places where heating elements are laid. More suitable floor coverings for it are ceramic tiles and linoleum. Placing a sofa or wardrobe on an electric thin mat can cause overheating and breakdown of the entire system.
However, manufacturers have recently begun to install fuses that block the power supply when an overheating signal is detected. The thermostat included in the kit allows you to set the desired temperature. The components of a cable floor are individual electric sections or mats designed to convert electrical energy into thermal energy. The sizes and power of such sections can vary.
Features
In terms of manufacturing technology, water and electric floors are similar: cables and pipes are laid in the same way. Cables require more careful pouring; the formation of air bubbles in the concrete is unacceptable. This can cause overheating of the heating cable and its failure.
Each system has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, electric systems do not require maintenance during operation, but electricity is an expensive source of heat. The heating process of electric floors is very easy to control, since a thermostat is installed in each room, but for large areas, additional, often expensive electrical equipment must be installed.
Often, water floors allow you to do without a screed at all: the floor structure consists of several layers of gypsum board, in which all installation is carried out. Control and thermostatic valves maintain the temperature in the room with high precision. Water floors have no competitors for heating large areas, while electric floors are unrivaled for small areas.
Heated floors last a long time – more than 50 years. In fact, heating systems based on this principle actually save energy (up to 15%) used for heating, due to heating only the layer of air at the level where people are. Moreover, the energy savings are greater the higher the ceiling. Such systems are becoming increasingly popular all over the world, because a heated floor is extremely simple installation, convenient operation and high comfort.
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