Electric underfloor heating: reviews, views and features. Installation of electric underfloor heating

The electric floor appeared on the market of construction goods and services relatively recently. However, in such a short period of time, he gained great popularity not only among professional masters, but also among ordinary people. It is used for floor heating under tile, laminate and linoleum. Electric underfloor heating , reviews about which in their majority are positive - an excellent addition to radiator heating. From this article you will find out what it is and what kinds of it are. The feedback of people using such a floor will help you in choosing a product, tell you what to look for when buying. With all the necessary knowledge, you can easily mount the electrical floor yourself.

What is the floor?

Electric floors are a kind of system consisting of cables and wires, the main purpose of which is to heat the room. With the help of heating sections, this coating allows you to keep the rooms, loggias, toilets and bathrooms warm. Electric floor can exist as a standalone, or as an additional heating system.

System Features

Feedback on the electric heat field allows us to conclude that this heating system has a number of advantages in comparison with traditional radiator methods.

Features of heated floor:

- The part of the system that transfers heat is reliably hidden in the floor construction, therefore the useful area of the premises is increased. In addition, the electric floor is laid under any base - tile, carpet, marble. This allows you to diversify the interior of a house or apartment, combining styles.

- The heating cable does not directly affect the atmosphere, so the air in the apartment / house is not dried.

- Electric floors can be used in any humidity room, as they are equipped with double insulation and shield wire braiding.

Composition of the heating floor system

Installation of electric underfloor heating Requires knowledge of all components of the heating system. It includes the following elements:

- heating mat or section;

- temperature sensor that regulates temperature;

- Control Panel;

- layer of thermal insulation with foil.

A heating mat is a conventional wire connected to a heating cable by means of a coupling. These sections can be made of different types of cables, in their composition can be either single-core or two-wire wires.

We choose the electric field correctly

Not everyone knows how to choose the right electric floor. Customer feedback often contains stories about how customers purchased the wrong system. To avoid this, you need to know what to look for in a construction store when choosing a heated floor.

1. First of all, you need to determine the type of system - this will be basic or comfortable (additional) heating.

2. Accordingly, the main system will require a large power cable - 160-190 W / sq. M. M. At the same time, the thickness of the screed must be at least 4-5 cm.

3. Additional heating system in the form of a warm floor is installed most often on the first floors of buildings, in cold hallways and bathrooms. Specific power design - 120-150 W / sq. M. M.

4. Next, you need to check if your wiring will withstand an additional connection.

5. Calculate the required number of cables. Consider the area of the room where the system will pass. Under the furniture, electric flooring is not necessary.

Basic methods of installing floors

Installation of an electric warm floor can be done in several ways. The first method is laying the system in a layer of screed. This is the case when the floor covering is mounted after. The next method is when the cable structure is laid over the base under the tile. The third method differs significantly from the others in that it implies the installation of a film floor under a floor covering.

When the system is laid in the screed layer it is a standard electric warm floor. Feedback about this method of installation is mostly positive. People note the simplicity and speed of the styling process. Most often this method is used for flooring in the bathroom, in the kitchen or in the loggia.

Insulate the floor without an additional layer of insulation is possible only when the lower floor is heated radiator method. The glue layer under the tile protects the cable and wires from negative influences. However, before installing, you need to carefully study the label of the heating system. There are goods that can not be laid under the tile coating without an additional layer of thermal insulation.

If you do not plan to replace the screed, then the film-electric floor is what you need. This is the most suitable variant of the heating system for a laminate or linoleum, which does not require serious construction work.

Analyzing the statistics on the topic: "Warm floor: pros and cons," we can conclude that most Russian consumers do not see anything wrong with this kind of heating. Many people use the third option for laying heating mats. This is associated with a rise in the cost of capital construction work, in contrast to the installation of floor heating, which does not require special costs.

What is necessary for work

To install an electric floor heating, you will need:

- heating section;

- wires for connection;

- fastening;

- RCD protection system;

- Thermal sensor;

- copper wire for grounding.

Installation of electric underfloor heating

Before any kind of installation work, you need to carefully calculate the required amount of materials. You can do this yourself, taking information from the finished tables, or contacting specialists.

Next, you can start preparatory work - cleaning the surface from the old coating. The old layer of screed is dismantled completely. After this you need to lay a layer of waterproofing. It is important to leave 10-15 cm for climbing the walls. With the help of a damper tape you need to fix the base. This is done in order to compensate for the sections of the coating layer during the expansion of the floor as the temperature rises.

That the heat does not go away, you need to isolate the bottom of the floor. The type of insulation depends on the target orientation of the heating system and the location of the room. For a warm floor, foam polyethylene with foil is suitable. Otherwise it is called penofol. If the working room is on the second and more floors, then as an insulator it is possible to use extruded polyester with a thickness of 20-60 mm. For an unheated room, a loggia or a hallway, a thicker layer of insulation is needed - up to 100 mm. To do this, even a minvate will do. Next, reinforcing mesh is laid. Some builders argue that without it it is impossible to mount an electric warm floor. Feedback on the use of this coverage will be discussed in the next section of the article.

The process of installing the electrical floor is possible and with the help of fastening tapes, that is, without reinforcing mesh. The heating mat is spread on the surface to the heater. The wire that passes over the dividing strip of the two plates must be hidden in the corrugated pipe. This is necessary in order to protect the cable from possible rupture when expanding the plates.

Many people use such a heated floor. Opinions, testimonials and impressions of consumers indicate the advisability of using this coating. According to them, in rooms with a warm floor it became much warmer and more comfortable. Place the joint of the heating cable and the power wire should be placed at a small distance from the shtroby.

When all the elements of the warm floor are placed in their places, you need to check the operation of the cover by connecting it to the power supply. The thermo sensor is best placed inside the corrugated pipe to be easily accessible. If everything works properly, then the system of the warm floor is de-energized and the work with the screed is finished.

Typical self-installation errors

Even those who know what the electric floor is electric (reviews, types and features of this coating we have already considered), very often make mistakes during installation. Here are the main ones:

1. Acquire a heating cable, focusing on the area of a free room - that is, not a room full of furniture.

2. In no event should two-wire wires be cut, especially if you bought a liquid electric warm floor! Reviews and stories about such cases are quite deplorable.

3. Do not connect the cable to verify the operability when the adhesive solution and screed are not dry.

4. Lay the floor on a dusty, untreated surface. Turning on the cable can disable the entire system.

5. It is not recommended to walk on wires in tight shoes, it is better to do it carefully, and if possible, to avoid it altogether.

6. Do not hide the temperature sensor in the solution.

7. Save the laying scheme for the warm floor in case of subsequent repairs.

Reviews

If you can not decide on the choice of the heating system, then the opinions of people who have already used an electric floor heating in their house / apartment will help you. Reviews, the prices for it say that this is a practical and affordable solution.

The majority of consumers noted the fact that heated floors make the living space cozier and warmer. In their opinion, installation can be made even to the most ordinary person without special skills. Basically, all are satisfied, there are no serious complaints about the work of the electric floor.