Warm floor in the country house with water heating. How to do it yourself. Do-it-yourself water heated floor: a complete guide to installing pipes and screeds Assemble a heated floor with your own hands
Warm floors have become available to every home owner; such floors are especially relevant in private properties. Nice in the cold winter evening feel the warming warmth with your feet. And how great it is when a baby, who has just learned to crawl or is trying to walk, can stay on the floor for hours without the risk of catching a cold.
It is useful for every man who has his hands and head in place to know how to properly make a water-heated floor with his own hands, and our instructions with video will help with this.
The following other points count in favor of underfloor heating:
- savings during operation up to 45%;
- the ability to avoid installing radiators, which allows for better use of room space;
- The finishing coating is suitable from any material;
- the air warms up more evenly, there are no drafts;
- The comfort of being in a space heated by thermal radiation is much higher than with radiator heating.
However, there are also disadvantages, which include pressure drop in the heating system due to the coolant being diverted to underfloor heating, as well as the inability to quickly find and repair a leak in the event of an accident.
In any case, the main argument in favor of underfloor heating is opportunity to improve living comfort with significant cost savings.
Design and main features of the installation
The principle of installing a water-heated floor is as follows: to a heating boiler or system central heating pipelines are connected through which hot water is supplied to a system of pipes laid in spirals over the ceilings, and the challenge given thermal energy water is supplied through the return pipeline back to the heating system.
Work should be performed in the following sequence:
- surface leveling, waterproofing (protection against leaks), thermal insulation, laying reinforcing mesh over a layer of foil;
- laying pipes using one of the methods (snake or spiral);
- arrangement of distribution units;
- connection to the boiler or heating system of supply pipes hot water and return pipeline;
- pressure testing and installation of shut-off valves;
- system testing;
- pouring pipes into rooms with mortar (concrete) or laying them with boards;
- installation of a clean floor covering.
You should start laying a water heated floor with your own hands by installing a screed that levels the surface of the base horizontally. Further be sure to provide waterproofing layer to prevent soaking of the underlying rooms in case of pipe damage and water leakage from the system.
Polyethylene film or special waterproofing materials can be used as protection against moisture.
The thermal insulation layer needs to be given special attention. In the basement or first floor, heat loss constitutes a significant proportion, therefore the thickness of the heat-insulating layer should be at least 20-25 cm. On the second and higher floors, a layer 50 mm thick is sufficient.
The following can serve as insulation:
- expanded polystyrene;
- mineral wool;
- glass wool;
- technical plug;
- basalt slabs, etc.
IN retail outlets can be purchased special insulation with recesses for laying pipes, these plates will help reduce operating time and reduce labor costs.
Insulation Be sure to cover with a layer of foil, which serves as a heat reflector and increases heat transfer. It is advisable to reinforce the base for pipes with a serious approach, since in a year or two the insulation will bend in places, or even completely crumble, and the entire work will go down the drain.
The screed is poured with a thickness of 50-60 mm, material - mortar grades 100-150 or cast concrete M-300, but certainly with the addition of plasticizers, which prevents cracking.
When heated, the mass of the screed will expand, and to avoid cracks it is necessary to expansion joint; most convenient for this leave a gap of 1-1.5 cm around the perimeter, which should be filled with elastic material. Instead, before starting work, it is recommended to glue damper tape around the perimeter.
A niche in the wall is knocked out with dimensions of approximately 60x40x10 cm, depending on the number of pipelines that will be located there. There are ready-made boxes on sale, specially designed for such cases, with a set of everything necessary.
Selection of coating, pipes and other materials
You should choose a coating depending on the purpose of the premises: in the bathroom, toilet and laundry room it is preferable ceramic tile, in the hallway there is linoleum, in the living room laminate would be a good choice, for the bedroom and kitchen you can choose any of the materials according to the owner’s preference.
By technical specifications any floor covering is suitable, and the screed that has gained strength will be excellent foundation For finishing coating.
The situation is somewhat different; you should choose durable, light and elastic materials. This polypropylene or cross-linked polyethylene.
When choosing polypropylene you need to pay attention to pipes,, then the high degree of expansion of this material when heated is not terrible.
Polyethylene pipes have significantly lower coefficient of linear expansion, for this reason, many experts prefer to choose them.
Pipes are sold in coils or coils; with this form of release, they are conveniently laid out on floor surfaces. Diameters are usually used in the range of 16-20 mm, and there are two more conditions for their suitability: the ability to withstand a water temperature of 95 °C and a water pressure of 10B.
ABOUT comparative characteristics cast iron radiators heating read .
Calculation and distribution of pipes
Apply pipes with diameters 16, 20 or 25 mm. Using a pipe with a smaller diameter will result in impaired water circulation. By measuring the pressure in the heating pipe using a hydromanometer, you can find out the pressure in the system.
Too much large diameter pipes for laying in the floor pie will entail decrease in operating pressure and temperature drop.
Another characteristic of the material is its need, for which the length is calculated. Pipes can be laid in one of the following ways: snake or spiral (snail). DIY installation diagrams for a heated water floor look like this:
In the first case, significant differences in temperature are possible in certain areas of the area, the spiral gives better heat distribution. This layout method involves alternating direct and reverse supply of coolant.
On a sheet of graph paper or a squared notebook you should draw a sketch of the room on a scale of 1:50 or 1:100 and draw pipe routes, and the beginning should be at the riser closest to the window. The first row is laid 25 cm from the walls.
The pipe pitch is taken to be 25-50 cm(25 cm – with a diameter of 16 mm, 30-40 cm – with Ф20 mm, 40-50 cm – with Ф25 mm).
The length is measured on the sketch, a conversion factor is applied to the scale and the required size is obtained. To connect to the riser you should add 2-2.5 meters.
For each circuit, you need to buy pipe footage in one piece, since joining is unacceptable. One collector is made for several rooms, or for the entire floor.
Selecting and connecting the collector and boiler
When it is clear how many circuits will be connected to the collector, you can begin to select its length and decide on the number of valves, but also take into account that in order to be able to regulate the warm coating mode you will need a pressure sensor, air vents, drains.
The manifold with its lower pipe must be located at the same level as the supply pipeline, slightly above floor level.
There are specially developed plumbing standards for the assembly of this unit. It is best to hide the collector in a niche in the wall, approximately in the middle in relation to all contours.
The boiler is selected based on its power sufficient to heat water, plus a certain power reserve. Determine the total power required as follows: 20% should be added to the sum of the circuit powers for reserve.
For greater system efficiency, it is advisable to install circulation pump, in most boiler models the pump is already included in the kit, capable of provide hot water one-two-story house with an area of 120-140 m2. At large areas additional pumps are needed.
Pipe and coating technology
For fixing pipes, excellent devices - plastic tracks, representing combs. They are used as guides, and for more reliable fastening, special tightening elements are also used.
It must be remembered that the pipe must maintain its integrity, therefore sharp bends leading to the appearance of creases are unacceptable(For plastic pipes The bending radius can be at least 5-8 diameters). If the path to the collector passes through a partition or through a wall, then holes must be drilled.
The procedure and technology for installing a water heated floor with your own hands is presented in this video:
After finishing laying the pipes and connecting them to the collector, installing the boiler and all plumbing work, filling with mortar or concrete is unacceptable without carrying out hydraulic test system operation.
The pipes are filled with water, the pressure is raised to a level of 6 B and maintained for 24 hours. If everything is in order and there are no fistulas or breaks, then they are filled with cast mortar or concrete.
When screeding, pipes must be filled with water and under pressure, this is necessary to avoid crushing and squeezing of the pipes.
For ceramic floors, the screed is made thicker, from 30 to 50 mm, for laminate and linoleum - no more than 30 mm, with one more gasket plastic mesh. Thus, the thickness of the cake will allow the coating to warm up quickly.
Making water floors with your own hands is quite possible, but for a truly long-term service of underfloor heating, a project or at least It is better to order sketches and calculations from a heating engineer, who will take into account all the fittings, equipment, materials down to the smallest detail and fulfill the specification.
Doing such serious work yourself will save significant money and increase the owner’s self-esteem.
Warm floors are useful in all respects: they create additional heating of rooms and increase the degree of comfort. It is not surprising that some owners of private houses have an irresistible desire to assemble this type of heating system themselves. Why overpay for a team of craftsmen when you can do everything yourself, right?
Are you also excited about the idea of installing a heated floor, but you don’t fully understand the specifics of this system and don’t know all the intricacies of design? We will help you - in this material we will try to figure out under what conditions it is advisable to install a water heated floor with your own hands and what skills you need to have for this.
And to make the whole arrangement process clearer to you, we have selected step by step photos on installation and detailed videos that explain the nuances of design, calculations and pipe laying.
There are several options for installing heated floors. The principle of operation of any of them is simple: under the finishing floor covering they are placed, or, which act as heating devices.
Films are suitable for almost all rooms and, mainly, for. Let's take a closer look at the last type.
Image gallery
If you decide to lay a water floor with your own hands, let’s say right away that this task is not an easy one, but in any case, you can cope with absolutely any task you set yourself, just be aware of how to implement it. If you have enough money to order installation from specialists, we recommend using their professional services. But in times of crisis, when every penny counts, it would be more advisable to use your strengths. In this regard, the topic of creating a warm water floor with your own hands is becoming very relevant.
It’s worth noting right away that it is better to install warm water floors in a country or private house. In an apartment, it is quite problematic to connect a heated floor system to a riser, and the opportunity for owners of apartments in high-rise buildings only appeared with the start of construction of the so-called “elite housing”, where the project provides for a heated floor system.
In an ordinary "Khrushchev" or panel house You most likely will not receive permission to install; you can find out everything by contacting your housing and communal services department. It's a completely different matter if you're already using heating system and decide for yourself how and to what extent you need to heat your apartment.
Floor installation
Warm floors can be divided into 2 types according to the type of installation:
- grazing;
- concrete.
Floor mounting is divided into wooden system installations and polystyrene, and concrete paving implies that the floor surface will be filled with concrete screed. The flooring type differs from the concrete one in that it completely eliminates all wet processes, due to which the speed of work on installing heated floors increases several times.
Installation of heated floors
Before you start self-installation warm floor, you need to familiarize yourself with as much information as possible. First, let's look at the possible installation systems for such a floor in a little more detail. IN modern construction This system is the most common installation system; the circuit pipelines are closed with concrete mortar and additional heat separators are no longer required.
The installation technology is guided by the following steps, which must be followed:
- Coating insulating material rough surface;
- Installation of reinforcing mesh and installation of pipeline contours;
- Carrying out pressure testing of the system;
- Pouring concrete solution;
- Clean floor covering.
Dividing a room into sections
The premises are divided into sections. The number of such sections will depend on the geometry and area of the room. The maximum area of one heated area should not be more than 40 m2, in addition, the ratio of all sides of the room should be at least 1:2. Such requirements for marking are related to the fact that the screed will expand significantly under the influence of temperature and in order to get rid of cracking of the concrete screed, this must be compensated.
Covering the surface with an insulating layer
A thermal insulation layer must be placed on the previously cleaned base. Thanks to this thermal insulation layer, heat loss from the floor is prevented. Heat will only go upward in the heated room. When installing thermal insulation in construction, a variety of materials can be used that are approved for use for these purposes. The most common building thermal insulation material is polystyrene foam. Such a thermal insulation layer must have a density of up to 15 cm, depending on the thermal regime rooms and the amount of heat loss.
A damper tape must be placed between the sectors and along the entire perimeter of the room, which serves to compensate for the thermal expansion of the concrete screed used. Above thermal insulation material plastic film is placed.
Reinforcement mesh and pipeline installation
Stacked reinforcing mesh with a rod cross-section of 0.4-0.5 cm, with cell dimensions of 15×15 cm. There is the possibility of double reinforcement, in which the second layer of mesh is installed on top of the mounted pipeline.
Next, we begin the installation of the warm water floor pipeline. Depending on the project used, the pipeline is installed in increments of no more than 30 cm and the installation diagram of the pipeline circuits is selected. With the help of special plastic clamps we fasten the pipeline to the reinforcing mesh, put it on the pipeline at the expansion joints corrugated pipe to protect against damage.
Several are allowed standard circuits laying out contours: double snake, spiral with an offset center, snake and ordinary spiral. When laying the pipeline along outer wall, it is necessary to reduce the distance between the pipes in order to avoid temperature changes on the surface; the main part of the circuit should run along the wall because there is higher heat loss. The approximate flow rate of a pipeline per 1 m 2 mounted on the surface at a pitch of 20 cm will be approximately 5 linear meters.
Upon completion of installation work, it is necessary to pressure test the system under operating pressure to detect mechanical damage. After pressure testing, the concrete screed is poured, and the system must be under operating pressure for at least 24 hours.
During everyone else installation work After pouring the concrete solution, the system must also be under pressure.
The solution is poured up to 70 mm thick, using special mixtures for water-heated floors or sand-concrete M-300. After it dries concrete mortar You can begin laying the final floor covering with linoleum, laminate or ceramic tiles, which have excellent thermal conductivity.
System pressure testing
Hydraulic tests of pipes of underfloor heating systems are carried out in accordance with existing requirements.
Before carrying out such tests, the pipeline circuits must be filled with water and the air must be completely displaced. Tests must be carried out before pouring concrete.
When pouring concrete, the pipeline must be under a pressure of at least 3 bar. Leak testing must be carried out at a pressure exceeding the working pressure by 1.5 times.
First, a visual inspection of all existing connections takes place, and it is necessary to make sure that all shut-off elements are closed behind and in front of the collectors. When testing with air, time is needed, which will be sufficient to return to temperature environment temperature compressed air. All pressure gauges used in the system must provide reliable readings accurate to within 0.1 bar.
Connecting the system
To connect the pipe to a common hot water supply pipeline or to a boiler, you need to install distribution units for each room or one large unit for several rooms. Of course, it is necessary to ensure that this unit does not interfere with the arrangement of furniture and movement. One way to hide such a knot is to recess it into the wall.
In order to install a warm water floor with your own hands to the collector, you need to make a niche in the wall directly for the collector itself or place a collector cabinet in the same niche. This cabinet holds two combs and supplies all the circuits used for heating the premises. There are different types of combs. Some are sold with faucets included. The most important requirement for a distribution comb is its compactness.
Do not forget that in front of each pipeline there must be a tap on the comb at the inlet.
These cranes serve two purposes. The first goal: complete closure of any individual circuit of the system; second purpose: to regulate the supply of hot water, which makes it possible to change the temperature in each heated room.
The temperature in the sectors does not have to be changed manually. Automatic temperature control in the sector is allowed by special thermostatic control valves. The principle of their operation is quite simple. The valve sets the required temperature, and the thermal head determines the required degrees. This is accomplished through the use of a thermal cylinder with paraffin. Paraffin wax expands and contracts under the influence of temperature, increasing or decreasing the flow capacity of the faucet.
Filling the screed
When a water heated floor is installed, you can install the top screed. Before filling the pipeline, it is not necessary to fill it with water. It is quite rigid due to its excellent characteristics, but it is imperative to apply pressure to the entire system before filling. For the second concrete screed, it is necessary to install special beacons.
If the layer of concrete screed that is poured over the pipeline does not exceed 7 cm, then beacons can be installed on a cement mortar. If it is higher than this value, then it will be very difficult to install beacons on such a concrete solution, since the concrete solution will “float”.
Comparative characteristics of underfloor heating and radiator heating systems
Everything is quite simple with radiators - with a heat source located on the wall, a rather noticeable and not very pleasant temperature difference forms in the room. Let's find out why. As we taught in school, warm air rises upward, while cold air rapidly descends.
Lateral location heating elements leads to the fact that the warmest place in the room is only close to the heat source, then the heated air goes upstairs, and the already cooled air sinks to the base of the floor.
So it turns out that your feet are cold, and you can’t breathe upstairs, and the constant air circulation throughout the room spreads dust and creates nasty drafts. And all this leads to countless health problems.
Warm floor is excellent option to create a comfortable temperature regime in 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 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.
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In order for the heating floor installation scheme to be as clear as possible for perception, it is worth first recalling the traditional water heating scheme. 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, the legs 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 install water system heating is too complex to occupy just 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 V 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 installing 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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 you place on top of the internal heating system carpet covering, linoleum and other materials that do not conduct heat, its effectiveness 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 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 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 pipes come into contact with air masses, then there is no sense in such a heating system.
- 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 one will also be of quite high quality. sand-cement mixture. A building level is used to check straightness.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Pipeline laying. First of all, you need to connect the pipe to the outlet of the collector installation for supply. If internal system- this is the only source of heating, then they are laid in small increments, the value of which does not exceed 20 cm. When will this floor heating system is additional source comfort, then a wider laying step 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.
- 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.
- 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
Do you want to make your home cozy, modern and warm? Pay attention to the warm water floor. In this article we will describe in detail all its advantages and disadvantages, tell you how to select pipes and lay them, and describe the layout of the collector and control system.
Advantages and disadvantages of water heated floors. Preparing the base. Installation nuances. Selection of pipes, methods of laying them, frequency of turns and fixation options. Screed and ripening time.
Design and principle of operation
A water heated floor is a room heating system in which the coolant circulates through a circuit located under flooring. Please note that the pipes are not always screeded. There are “decking systems” in which the contour is not poured with concrete.
Upon closer examination, the water heated floor cake consists of the following elements:
- Prepared base;
- Screed (5 cm);
- Heat insulator (5 cm);
- Pipes (2 cm);
- Screed (4 cm);
- Floor covering (2 cm).
Depending on the pipes used, there may be several layers of waterproofing. The base is the subfloor in basement or on the ground floor of a private house. The first layer of screed is required precisely in the absence of a flat surface.
A 5 cm thick thermal insulator is a standard solution. But if possible, it is better to increase the thickness to 10 cm. This increases the efficiency of the entire system by 10-15%. Especially if the water-heated floor is installed on the first floor. The best material for this layer is extruded polystyrene foam.
Pipes in the vast majority of water heated floors are used with a diameter of 16 mm.
The second layer of screed covers the entire system and serves as a giant heat accumulator.
The thickness of the water heated floor cake varies from 18 to 23 cm. And the mass of 1 m 2 of this system reaches a quarter of a ton! Such harsh conditions significantly limit the spread of water-heated floors.
The circuit is connected to the pump and boiler through an adjustment and control system.
Where can I use it?
Due to the sufficient thickness and mass of the entire system, its use is limited to private housing construction. It is extremely irrational to install water-heated floors in apartments.
The main reason is difficulties with connecting the power. You can connect to the central heating system only after permission from the regulatory authorities. And it is almost impossible to get it. Even if it exists, the main leitmotif – autonomy – will disappear. We know of options for installing electric and even gas boilers in an apartment, but these are isolated cases that only confirm the rule: water heated floors are used only in private homes.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of water heated floors are fully revealed only when using cheap energy sources, such as gas, coal, firewood. Heating the coolant with an electric boiler is approximately 7 times more expensive than using gas equipment.
The gigantic heat capacity of the water heated floor system is another plus. A room containing ≈ 100 kg/m2 of heated concrete cannot cool quickly (only upper layer screeds).
But there are also disadvantages. First of all, this is monstrous inertia. It takes time and energy to warm up such a layer of screed.
Inertia leads to the fact that temperature control of a water heated floor is very conditional. Control equipment takes temperature readings from the coolant, floor surface and air (in some thermostats). But the changes made through the thermostat appear very slowly.
Installation of water heated floor
The task is quite difficult, but doable. You just need to level the base first. This is a very important requirement, given that leveling will still be required and it is more effective to do this with the first layer of screed. Why?
For example, the height difference in a room is 3 cm. If you immediately lay the pipe and only then level it with a screed, it will turn out that in one corner the height cement mixture there will be a minimum of 4 cm, and in the other 7. This means that during the operation of heated floors, on one side they will warm up 4 and on the other 7 cm of concrete. Such an uneven load has a very detrimental effect on the entire system as a whole and leads to rapid deterioration of the floor covering.
Therefore, the first and important step is to level the floors to the horizon level. To prepare concrete floors you will need:
- Beacon profile;
- Laser level;
- Construction square;
- 5-10 kg of gypsum;
- Primer;
- Mobile concrete mixer;
- Cement;
- Polypropylene fiber.
Work progress:
The floors are swept and primed. While the soil dries, beacons are set up. To do this, install in the middle of the room laser level in such a way that the projection of the horizontal beam is at a height of 15-20 cm from the floor. Then use a square to measure the height from the floor to the beam in different angles rooms and, based on the results, determine the highest point. In this place, the height of the screed will be the minimum allowable - 4 cm. In other places - according to need.
To install beacons, gypsum is diluted to a thick sour cream state. Then small piles are made from the resulting mass along one wall, in increments of 60-80 cm, and a beacon profile is laid on them. By placing a square on it, level it with the horizon, placing it at the desired height. There should be 50 cm from the wall to the first beacon. Between adjacent beacons the distance varies depending on the length of the rule (guide by 1-1.3 m). Please note that the plaster sets quickly, the work is carried out “without a smoke break”.
After about 30-40 m, you can pour the screed. Cement is diluted with ASG in a ratio of 1:5. Polypropylene fiber is added at the rate of 80 g. per 100 liters of mixture. Fiber is an element of dispersed reinforcement, qualitatively increasing the strength of the coating. In addition, after hardening, the new surface will be perfectly smooth.
Pour the resulting mixture so that each subsequent portion overlaps the previous one by 10-15 cm. The screed is leveled according to the rule, with orientation along the beacons.
After filling the entire surface, time is required for the technical maturation of the cement-sand screed. Calculation is approximately the next 1 cm of thickness – 1 week.
Laying the heat insulator
Extruded polystyrene foam and cross-linked polyethylene foam, only these two materials can be used for thermal insulation in a water heated floor system.
Before laying the heat insulation sheets, a damper tape 10-12 mm thick is glued around the perimeter of the room. It serves not only to compensate for the thermal expansion of the screed, but also to prevent heat from escaping into the walls. In height, it should protrude beyond the boundaries of the top layer of the screed.
The heat insulation sheets are laid out staggered and always on top of the waterproofing layer. For waterproofing, it is best to use polyethylene film with a thickness of 0.2 mm.
If you decide to make the thermal insulation thickness 10 cm, then it will be better if you lay two layers of slabs 5 cm thick. Be sure to have a spacing between the layers.
There is an option to use special slabs designed for organizing water-heated floors as a heat insulator. Their difference is in the bosses on one of the surfaces. A pipe is laid between these bosses. But their cost is unreasonably high. In addition, not all pipes will be supported in such slabs. For example, polypropylene and polyethylene pipes too elastic, they will require additional fixation.
The pipes are not attached to the heat insulator. The fastener must pass through the foam layer and be fixed in the screed. This is very labor-intensive process, given the amount of work.
Mounting tapes are a more acceptable solution, but it is very difficult to lay a pipe on them in a spiral (snail).
The best option would be to fix the pipes on the mesh. In this case, the mesh will serve specifically for fastening pipes, and not for reinforcing the screed.
There are special meshes made of biaxially oriented polypropylene, or you can use simple masonry mesh.
Selection of pipes and their installation
Suitable for water heated floors the following types pipes:
- Copper;
- Polypropylene;
- Polyethylene PERT and PEX;
- Metal-plastic;
- Corrugated stainless steel.
They have their own strengths and weaknesses.
| Characteristic Material |
Radius | Heat transfer | Elasticity | Electrical conductivity | Life time* | Price for 1 m.** | Comments |
| Polypropylene | Ø 8 | Low | High | No | 20 years | 22 RUR | They bend only with heat. Frost-resistant. |
| Polyethylene PERT/PEX | Ø 5 | Low | High | No | 20/25 years | 36/55 RUR | Can't withstand overheating. |
| Metal-plastic | Ø 8 | Below the average | No | No | 25 years | 60 RUR | Bending only with special equipment. Not frost-resistant. |
| Copper | Ø3 | High | No | Yes, requires grounding | 50 years | 240 RUR | Good electrical conductivity may cause corrosion. Grounding required. |
| Corrugated stainless steel | Ø 2.5-3 | High | No | Yes, requires grounding | 30 years | 92 RUR |
Note:
* pipe characteristics are considered when operating in water-heated floors.
** Prices are taken from Yandex.market.
The choice is very difficult if you try to save on yourself. Of course, you don’t have to consider copper ones - they’re very expensive. But corrugated stainless steel, at a higher price, has exceptionally good heat transfer. The difference in temperature in the return and supply is the largest. This means that they give off heat better than their competitors. Considering the small bending radius, ease of operation and high performance characteristics, this is the most worthy choice.
Pipe laying is possible in a spiral and snake. Each option has pros and cons:
- Snake - simple installation, almost always a “zebra effect” is observed.
- Snail – uniform heating, material consumption increases by 20%, installation is more labor-intensive and painstaking.
But these methods can be combined within one circuit. For example, along the walls “facing” the street, the pipe is laid in a snake pattern, and in the rest of the area in a snail pattern. You can also change the frequency of turns.
There are generally accepted standards that professionals are guided by:
- Step – 20 cm;
- The length of the pipe in one circuit is no more than 120 m;
- If there are several contours, then their length should be the same.
It is better not to install pipes under stationary and large-sized interior items. For example, under a gas stove.
IMPORTANT: be sure to draw the installation diagram to scale.
Laying begins from the collector. Unwinding the coil, fix the pipe according to the diagram. It is convenient to use plastic clamps for fastening.
Corrugated stainless steel is produced in coils of 50 m. To connect it, proprietary couplings are used.
The last element laid between the turns of pipes is a temperature sensor. It is pushed into a corrugated pipe, the end of which is capped and tied to a mesh. The distance from the wall is at least 0.5 m. Don't forget: 1 circuit - 1 temperature sensor. The other end of the corrugated pipe is led out to the wall and then along the shortest path is brought to the thermostat.
Control system and circuit testing
The control system for water heated floors includes:
- Pump;
- Boiler;
- Collector;
- Thermostat.
Arrangement of all elements in compliance technical parameters, a very complex thermal engineering problem. A lot of parameters are taken into account, starting from the number of fittings and the length of the pipes, and ending with the thickness of the walls and the region of the country. IN general outline You can rely on the following data:
- The pump can only be used as a circulation pump. The “wet” type of pump is more reliable than the “Dry” type and less demanding to maintain.
To calculate performance, use the following formula:
P = 0.172 x W.
Where W is the power of the heating system.
For example, with a system power of 20 kW, the pump capacity should be 20 x 0.172 = 3.44 m 3 /h. Round the result to big side.
The pressure is calculated over complex technique. After all, the pipes are located horizontally, and the pump characteristics show vertical pressure. Use the following formula: H = (L * K) + Z/10. Where L is the total length of the circuits, K is the pressure loss coefficient due to friction (indicated in the pipe passport, converted to MPa), Z is the pressure reduction coefficient in additional elements
Z 1 – 1.7 thermostat valve;
Z 2 – 1.2 mixer;
Z 3 – 1.3 valves and fittings.
Using an example, it looks like this, let’s say there are 3 circuits, 120 m each. In total there are 18 fittings, 3 thermostat valves, 1 mixer. Pipe – corrugated stainless steel ø16 mm, loss coefficient 0.025 MPa.
H = (120*3*0.025) + ((1.7 * 3) + (1.3 * 1) + (1.2 * 18))/10 = 9 + (5.1 + 1.3 + 21 .6)/10 = 11.8 m. The result is rounded up - the pump head is 12 m.
- The boiler power is calculated using the formula W = S * 0.1. Where S is the area of the house. There are also a lot of correction factors, depending on the thickness and material of the walls of the house, the climate of the region, the number of floors, and the presence of adjacent rooms.
Please note that the outlet water temperature should be more than 30 - 35˚C. To withstand this temperature, a mixer is installed in front of the collector. In it, water is mixed to the desired temperature before entering the circuit.
- The collector regulates the water supply in each circuit. Without it, the water will follow the path of least resistance to flow, that is, along the shortest circuit. The adjustment is carried out by servo drives, according to data from the thermostat.
- Thermostats monitor the temperature in controlled rooms by taking readings from temperature sensors.
Before crimping the circuit, it is washed and only then connected to the manifold. Water is supplied at normal pressure, but the temperature is increased by 4˚C per hour, up to 50˚C. In this mode, the system should function for 60-72 hours. IMPORTANT: constant monitoring is required during crimping!
At home, without the use of special equipment, crimp high blood pressure impossible.
If the inspection does not reveal any installation flaws, then you can proceed to further operations.
Screed
IMPORTANT: the top layer of screed is poured only when the contour is filled. But before that, metal pipes grounded and covered with thick plastic film. This important condition, to prevent corrosion due to electrochemical interactions of materials.
The issue of reinforcement can be solved in two ways. The first is to place a masonry mesh on top of the pipe. But with this option, cracks may appear due to shrinkage.
Another method is dispersed fiber reinforcement. When pouring water-heated floors, steel fiber is best suited. Added in an amount of 1 kg/m 3 of solution, it will be evenly distributed throughout the entire volume and will qualitatively increase the strength of hardened concrete. Polypropylene fiber is much less suitable for the top layer of screed, because strength characteristics steel and polypropylene do not even compete with each other.
Install the beacons and mix the solution according to the above recipe. The thickness of the screed must be at least 4 cm above the surface of the pipe. Considering that the pipe ø is 16 mm, the total thickness will reach 6 cm. The maturation time of such a layer cement screed– 1.5 months. IMPORTANT: It is unacceptable to speed up the process including floor heating! This is a complex chemical reaction of the formation of “cement stone”, which occurs in the presence of water. And heating will cause it to evaporate.
You can speed up the maturation of the screed by including special additives in the recipe. Some of them cause complete hydration of cement within 7 days. And besides this, they significantly reduce shrinkage.
You can determine the readiness of the screed by placing a roll on the surface toilet paper, and cover it with a saucepan. If the ripening process is over, then in the morning the paper will be dry.
First start
Very important stage operation of water heated floors. To prevent the screed from cracking due to uneven heating and the pipes from being damaged, switching on is carried out according to the following scheme:
1 day – temperature 20˚C.
Day 2 – increase the temperature by 3˚C.
3 and the next day, raise the temperature by 4 ˚C until the operating mode is reached.
Only after this can you proceed to the installation of the floor covering.
