Today, water underfloor heating is a very popular option for heating private houses. This design has, in addition to high efficiency, many advantages, including the ability to radically change the interior, by getting rid of classic radiators. Despite the many advantages, hydraulic system heated floors has one significant drawback - the complexity of installation, which increases the estimated cost of water heating in a private house at times.

To reduce the cost this system heating (CO) is possible if all stages of creation are performed on their own. This publication will address issues related to the preparatory work and the creation of a hydraulic heated floor with your own hands.

Preparation of the base

Proper preparation of the surface for laying the underfloor heating coil provides half the success in the implementation of this CO of a private house.

• If the base is a floor slab, then preparatory work includes surface cleaning, leveling with cement-sand or specialized mixtures. If the surface of the base is wooden, then the work algorithm is as follows: cleaning from dirt and debris, stuffing plywood or chipboard sheets for leveling. If it is planned to lay the coil on the ground, then the following operations are carried out in advance: creating a layer of sand and gravel, ramming with a vibrating plate, leveling. In some cases, it is recommended to create a rough reinforced base.

The second stage in the preparation of the base is waterproofing. Floor heating in a private house cannot be carried out without an appropriate waterproofing layer. Materials for its creation can be: mastics, bituminous materials, plastic film, at least 100 microns thick.

Important! After laying the waterproofing along the entire perimeter of the room, a damper tape is attached, which compensates for the thermal expansion of the floor when heated.

The third stage is insulation. This activity is designed to prevent the heat from the coil from going deep into the floor.

Advice: If you plan to organize this CO, only as an additional one, then it is enough to apply a water substrate under the warm floor made of foamed polyethylene with a foil coating. If a warm floor is planned over a heated room, then 50 mm thick expanded polystyrene sheets are used as insulation. If a water-heated floor is created on the ground or over an unheated basement, then the insulation layer should be from 50 to 100 mm.

• The fourth stage in the preparation of the base is the reinforcement, which is necessary for fastening the pipeline and fixing the screed. The thickness of the screed for a water-heated floor varies from design and materials. The optimum cake thickness is from 70 to 130 mm.

  Construction and constituent elements systems

  Consider the classic scheme of a warm water floor with connection to an autonomous heat generator. This design comprises:

  1. Boiler unit.

     Important! It should be understood that the temperature of the coolant in the central CO varies from 70 to 90 ° C. To avoid circuit breakdown, direct connection to the central heating pipe is not recommended. Even if the material of the piping and fittings can withstand the high temperatures, consider moving comfortably on floors with temperatures above 60 ° C!

  2. Expansion tank of closed type.
  3. Pressure gauge.
  4. A pump that circulates the coolant in the circuit. This device can be included in the design of the boiler plant.
• Coil piping.

In addition, for self-creation water floor heating will be needed: ball valves installed at the inlet of the heat generator; circulation pump(may be included in the design of the boiler unit); pipes and fittings for laying the route and connecting the coil to the collector, the number of which is calculated individually, based on the scheme and design of this CO.

The underfloor heating circuit can be connected from an autonomous heat generator (gas electric or solid fuel). If the house provides heating from central heating, then if you have permits, it is quite simple to connect a warm floor from heating with your own hands. Recently, a rather popular source of thermal energy is a boiler indirect heating or instantaneous water heater.

The main conditions for using a particular heat source are sufficient performance, efficiency and safety. The required power of the boiler unit can be calculated according to the algorithm: for heating 10m 2 of a brick private house with double plastic windows, you need 1 kW of heat generator power.

Advice: Not all houses are insulated according to European standards (heat loss no more than 40W / m2). In addition, much depends on the region of residence. Based on this, for houses in the northern regions and poorly insulated buildings, experts recommend increasing the design capacity heating installation by 20-30%.

Pipes

The material for creating a water heated floor, when heating a private house, are: metal-plastic, reinforced polypropylene or cross-linked polyethylene. Recently, the recognition of specialists has been earned by polyethylene pipes, which do not have high values ​​of linear expansion when heated, have good tightness and thermal conductivity. The pipe diameter should be between 16-20 mm. In addition, a pipe for a water floor must have the following characteristics:

• Thermal conductivity more than 0.43 W / m 0 С;
• Expansion coefficient is not higher than 0.025 mm / m;
• Working pressure - 10 Bar;
• Working temperature 95 ° C.

Calculate required amount pipes can be according to the table below:


Pump

As already mentioned above, today most modern heat generators are equipped with a circulation pump, and it is necessary to purchase it only if it is not available in the equipment.

The main condition for choosing this device is performance. You can choose the right circulation pump according to the table below:


The collector for heating and underfloor heating is a branch pipe with a number of outlets. This splitter is designed to connect several heating circuits (including underfloor heating) to the supply and return of the autonomous CO main line. In this design, two such devices are used: one is for distributing the hot coolant, the second is for collecting chilled water from the kennel. The manifold also includes air vents, necessary valves and taps designed to adjust the efficiency of this CO.

When choosing this device, it is necessary to determine the number of outlets sufficient for all heating circuits. If you are ready to pay for the complete automation of the operation of a warm floor in the composition of CO, then pay attention to the models equipped with servo drives on valves and mixers. You should not neglect the collector box, the dimensions of which are selected in accordance with the dimensions of all the equipment included in the collector group.

For a clearer understanding of the collector assembly process, we recommend that you watch the video

Warm water floors in a private house have been installed for a relatively long time, and during this time they managed to show their advantages and disadvantages in practice. Progress does not stand still, at present fundamentally new floor heating systems are emerging, but water systems still do not lose their attractiveness among developers. When choosing a specific solution, you must carefully analyze the actual features of the structure, weigh your desires and capabilities.

The more factors are taken into account during the development of wiring diagrams, the better they cope with their direct responsibilities, the higher the efficiency, the lower the cost of maintaining a house during the heating season. In addition, the reliability and durability of the system is increased, and this is a very important indicator. You need to know that the planned or emergency repair of warm floors with a water coolant requires a lot of time and financial resources, in difficult cases, the elimination of leaks can exceed the estimated cost of building new floors.

During self-planning wiring diagrams, there are several parameters to keep in mind.

1. The quality of insulation of structural elements of the premises. Here it is necessary to pay attention not only to the thermal characteristics of the bases and floor insulation, but also to the amount of heat loss of walls, windows and ceilings. Depending on these values, a decision is made on the power of the circuit, the step between the pipes, the temperature of the coolant at the inlet and outlet. At the same time, you should calculate whether the power of the warm floor is enough for the main heating of the room or it can be used only as an additional one. The decision is made for each climatic zone, taking into account the minimum temperatures in winter period time and for each room separately, depending on the microclimate indicators recommended by state sanitary organizations.

   

2. The geometry and dimensions of the premises. Each room has its own zones, the decision to install a heating system under them is made on the spot. It depends on the characteristics and layout of furniture, types of finishing flooring, etc. If for additional heating the loop pitch is within 20-30 cm, then for the main one it is reduced to 10-15 cm, and only one assembly room can be used in the room. scheme or a combination of two options.

   

3. Level of placement of doorways. If the house is being built according to the project, then all dimensions in it are given with reference to the level of placement of the finishing floor covering, this is the zero point of reference. Everything above the floor is indicated by a plus sign, and everything below is indicated by a minus sign. There is no need to solve any problems on your own, you just need to accurately carry out the installation drawings, they are included in the project kit. The calculation has to be done if the work is carried out without drawings - in these cases, before starting the installation, it is necessary to agree on the height of the floor pie with the existing ones doorways in interior partitions and front walls.

   

Based on preliminary calculations, the power of the heating boiler is selected.

Each house has its own characteristics that have a direct impact on the choice of the scheme. But there are also general recommendations, the implementation of which increases the efficiency of use and minimizes Negative consequences possible accidents.

1. In all cases, it is not recommended to install underfloor heating under heavy overall furniture. This is one of the major disadvantages of all underfloor heating systems. The fact is that over time, furniture can be thrown away or its location can change, warm floors create big problems when performing such permutations.

   

2. It is considered impractical to do heating near the walls. There are no people in such zones, there is no need to waste in vain thermal energy... But these tips are very individual, experienced installers consult with customers before making a decision. It must be remembered that performers can only give advice, the final decision is always made by the customers.

   

3. Division of large rooms into several sectors. It is recommended to make at least two water heating circuits for a room with an area of ​​more than 30 m2. This recommendation is explained simply - in very long pipelines, significant eddies appear, which create additional resistance to the movement of fluid flows. As a result, the load on the pumps increases, they work with critical loads. And any engine with long work at maximum loads, it dramatically consumes its resource and quickly breaks down.

   

4. It is not necessary to regulate the temperature of floor heating by changing the distance between the pipes. It is recommended to make this parameter the same in all wiring diagrams. If you do not follow this recommendation, then it is very difficult to regulate the floor temperature in the premises from a single control panel for the heating system.

   

Important. Each plastic pipe has a minimum bend radius, this value should be taken into account when choosing a wiring diagram.

The bending radius is indicated in the manufacturer's instructions, experienced installers advise increasing it if possible. The smaller the radius, the more vortices the fluid flow has, the higher the total resistance with all the negative consequences.

Types of wiring diagrams

The layout of the pipes for the heating system should be drawn up slowly. Errors can cause very unpleasant problems during the operation of a building, and their elimination is an expensive and difficult task. It is far more expedient to anticipate the consequences of decisions several steps ahead. Currently, professional floor heating installers recommend using three schemes. Each has its own characteristics, strengths and weaknesses. The final decision should be made only after a careful analysis of all factors.

Table. Water floor contour options

Outline circuit type	A brief description of the features of the arrangement and operational characteristics
	Feature - the pipes are laid in a double spiral, which copies the geometry of the floor of the room. The first turns are made with a double step, the return line reduces this size by half and brings it to the recommended values. Advantages of the wiring diagram - material consumption is minimized and uniform heating of the room is ensured. The downside is the complexity of installation, on the basis it is necessary to make a preliminary marking.
	Most often used in non large rooms rectangular shape. Allows you to accentuate individual heating zones. Disadvantages - a significant difference in floor heating temperature at the inlet and outlet of the coolant.
	Most complex construction, recommended for use in large rooms with unheated areas. It makes it possible to install underfloor heating with different heating temperatures for individual zones, and reduces the percentage of inefficiently used pipes.

Important. The choice of the system connection method should take into account the type and specifications of the wiring diagram.

Ways to connect the underfloor heating system

Four connection diagrams of heating systems are used, each has its own requirements and capabilities. Due to the correct solution of the issue, it is necessary to achieve the following parameters of the heating system.

1. The coolant temperature should not exceed + 55 ° С, in otherwise warping of floor coverings is possible, and natural wood materials are cracking. In practice, it is recommended to limit heating to + 35–45 ° С.

   

2. Even when connected to a communal heating system wiring diagrams must have a separate circulation pump. Only with its help it is possible to accurately maintain the specified parameters of the functioning of heating systems.

   

3. The dimensions of the circuit should provide for a temperature difference at the inlet and outlet of the coolant of no more than 10 ° C. Otherwise, uneven heating of individual sections of the room will be noticeable. The surface temperature, taking into account the purpose of the room and the type of heating, should fluctuate within the range of + 26–31 ° С.

   

4. The speed of movement of the liquid cannot exceed 0.6 m / s. This is due to the fact that high speeds of movement of the coolant increase the risks of leakage due to additional loads on all connections.

   

System connection directly from the heat generator

It can be either a gas or electric boiler, or a solid fuel boiler, the main condition is that the equipment power must be at least 25–30% higher than the floor heating power at maximum loads. Hot coolant from the boiler enters the distribution manifold of the system and then to each individual circuit. The boiler has its own pump and a manual or automatic control unit.

Important! For such a connection scheme, it is strongly recommended to install a special condensing boiler for return cooling. The fact is that for all types of boilers, a low-temperature mode of operation is considered optimal - the container heats up less, more heat energy is given off by the products of fuel combustion.

One more nuance. If you are using solid fuel boiler, then it is imperative to install buffer storage tanks. They function as thermal accumulators and equalize the outlet water temperature. In solid fuel boilers, it is structurally impossible to constantly keep the water temperature in the optimal parameters for the heating system. The fuel burns with different intensity, respectively, the water in the boiler either increases or decreases the temperature.

Connection to the common building heating system

Quite a controversial option, in many cases special permission from the management company is required, and they are very reluctant to give them, and not only for subjective reasons. The fact is that during the design of the structure, the connection additional consumers heat energy is not provided, all elements of the system, from the diameters of the central main pipes to the distribution of apartments, cannot provide optimal water movement. As a result, there are high risks of a complete imbalance in the heating of an apartment building.

If you were able to obtain such permission, then individual system underfloor heating can be connected using a three-way valve. The water in the central heating batteries is heated up to + 70–80 ° С, such a hot heat carrier cannot be supplied to the system. How to lower the temperature? By means of a three-way valve, the cold return is mixed into hot water... Temperature and quantity are automatically controlled. After mixing, the heat carrier is, according to its parameters, suitable for filling the underfloor heating system and everything works in the recommended mode.

The disadvantage of this method is the presence of temperature fluctuations in heating, which has a negative effect on the comfort of staying in the premises.

From mixing unit

Such units are necessarily equipped with self-contained pumps, without them it is very difficult to regulate the temperature of the coolant. There are no fundamental differences in functioning with the above-described method, only the set of control valves differs. The device has special valves that regulate the amount of mixed chilled water. The adjustment is carried out taking into account the temperature, due to such a device, the parameters of the coolant at the outlet can be stabilized.

Depending on the model of the unit, it may include a bypass with a bypass valve, Ball Valves or balancing valve at the entrance.

Connection for each individual hinge

The so-called thermal assembly kits. Small boxes, inside which there are limits for the temperature of the water of the carrier and the air in the room. Connected to central heating batteries, can provide heat small systems with an area of ​​no more than 15 m2. Advantages - low cost, ease of connection and maintenance, the ability to operate from any battery. There is one drawback, but a very significant one - the temperature of the coolant in the floor heating system is exactly the same as in the battery. It is recommended to install in loggias, corridors, bathrooms and technical rooms, in which it is not required to maintain stable microclimate parameters.

On which option to stop, the owner of the house decides. If you do not have sufficient knowledge, then it is recommended to consult with professionals.

Errors when connecting wiring diagrams of a warm floor

No correct calculation of the wiring diagram will give a positive effect if technical errors are made during the installation work.

Incorrect calculations of heat losses

These are important initial data, without fail taken into account when installing any type of heating, not just floors. The calculation is complicated from an engineering point of view; not every ordinary installer can perform them. You need to know not only the formulas, but also be able to use SNiP, special tables and scientific literature. It is very difficult to guess the values ​​by eye, as a result, it turns out that the underfloor heating system works ineffectively: it is very cold in the room, or vice versa, the coefficient useful action decreases markedly. In addition, if the loads on the elements of the system are critical, then it quickly fails, and this entails significant financial losses. The pipe step must take into account the amount of heat loss, it affects the amount of additional heat supplied to the premises. Beginners cannot do such work; you need to contact a certified specialist.

Poor thermal insulation of the subfloor

Inexperienced installers believe that the heat is already rising up into the room, there is no need to waste time and effort on work on thermal insulation of the base. This is a very serious misconception and significantly reduces the efficiency of water-heated floors. Why? Approximately 85% of the heat energy from a hot body to a cold one is transferred during direct contact. This is the so-called thermal conductivity, and the higher the density of the bodies, the higher the values. And only ≈ 10% of thermal energy is transferred by air (convection). This means that while the air in the room heats up, a significant part of the heat will go to heating the floor slabs.

Lack of dampers

A cement-sand screed must be made on a water-heated floor, it protects thin plastic pipes from deformation. Concrete has high coefficients of thermal expansion, if no dampers are provided around the perimeter of the room, then the screed will abut against the walls with great effort.

Accidental leaks of the water floor heating system are an extremely undesirable consequence of assembly defects.

Long contours, incorrectly selected schemes

The longer and more convoluted the pipeline, the greater the hydraulic resistance. The entire system is serviced by one pump; water is supplied to each circuit under the same pressure. With a large difference in the resistance of the circuits, the floor temperature in each room is also very different. And if the room is large in area and a combined scheme is chosen for it, then the difference in heating of individual sections will be felt in it.

Output

Warm floors with water heating are now deservedly considered an outdated design with big amount disadvantages. If possible, mount more modern systems, they do not have the above problems and disadvantages.

Prices for warm floors Caleo

warm floors Caleo

Video - Water heated floors: wiring diagrams in a private house

You have learned which wiring diagrams are recommended for underfloor heating in a private house. The comfort of staying in the premises largely depends on the correctness of the selected options; they change the actual efficiency. How do the finishing materials affect this indicator, are there any restrictions on their use? These and other questions are fully disclosed in the article on the pages.

Do-it-yourself water heating in a private house

There is no need to talk about the comfort of using warm floors, this type of heating is very popular in private houses, as it is efficient and has a high efficiency. Despite the fact that this type of work is not much more difficult than others related to the arrangement of the maximum convenience and comfort of their own home, few know how to make a warm floor from heating with their own hands.

Consider the theoretical and practical issues related to the independent calculation and arrangement of water floor heating in small residential or office-type rooms.

Preparatory work and calculation of materials

Such responsible work as installing a warm floor with your own hands should begin with the preparation of materials and planning. Strictly speaking, an accurate calculation can only be made by specialists who have information about the level of heat leakage in a given room. But for individual needs, approximate calculations are often used that satisfy the requirements.

First you need to draw a pipe layout plan. The most understandable and visual of all will be a diagram drawn on paper in a cage, the warm floor on which can be calculated based on the quadrature of the room. Each cell will correspond to a step - the distance between the pipes.

For a temperate zone:

• With good insulation of the house and windows, the distance between adjacent pipe turns can be 15-20 cm;
• If the walls are not insulated, 10-15 cm.
• In spacious rooms, where some of the walls are cold, and some are warm, they take a variable step: near cold walls, the distance between adjacent pipe turns is small, and as we approach warm walls- it is increased.

What kind of flooring is suitable for a warm floor

A big mistake is made by those who plan to lay parquet or thick wooden flooring on a warm floor. Wood conducts heat poorly and will prevent the room from heating up. The efficiency of such heating may turn out to be even lower than that of radiator heating, and heating costs may be too high.

The ideal covering for a warm floor is stone, ceramic or porcelain stoneware tiles. When heated, it will perfectly keep warm, and this is the best option for a kitchen or bathroom. Children are very fond of playing in rooms where the floor is warm, and walking barefoot there is more pleasant than on wooden parquet.

A slightly worse option for flooring, but more suitable for a guest room or bedroom, is linoleum and laminate. These materials transmit heat well, and will not reduce the efficiency of water heating. In this case, the laminate should be chosen with a minimum thickness, and linoleum - without an insulating substrate.

When heated, many synthetic materials may give off harmful vapors. Therefore, floor coverings with chemical components must necessarily have a manufacturer's mark about the possibility of their use in residential premises on a warm floor.

Underfloor heating base

If we are talking about a house with concrete floors, then the most affordable generally accepted option is concrete screed with water heating. The same method is used for the first (basement) floors of private cottages, if the base of the floor is on a sand cushion, which is located directly on the ground.

In houses with wooden floors, this option is not applicable. Wooden beams the floors simply cannot withstand the enormous weight of the concrete screed, no matter how thin it may be. In this case, a lightweight version of the warm floor is used, which will be discussed in a separate section.

Do-it-yourself installation of a warm floor begins with the preparation of the base. The basis for creating a warm floor must be flat, without protrusions and depressions. The maximum allowable drop is 5 mm. If the depth of surface defects reaches 1-2 cm, then you will have to fill in and level a thin layer of granite screening (fine crushed stone) with a grain size of up to 5 mm. On top of the leveling layer, you will have to lay the film and walk along the wooden shields... Otherwise, the leveling layer will itself become a source of unevenness.

Laying schemes for a water-heated floor

The most common layouts for water flooring are snail and spiral. The snail evenly warms up the entire floor area. But with a spiral scheme, you can provide a greater level of heating in the coldest area of ​​the room. For this, the first branches of the pipe, through which hot water is supplied, are laid there. According to the finished drawing, it is determined exact length pipes.

For underfloor heating, only a single piece of pipe is used! If the area of ​​the room is very large, several heating circuits are planned. The length of the pipe of each circuit should not exceed 100 m. Otherwise, too much pressure will be required for the normal flow rate of the coolant. In terms of area, this corresponds to 15 sq. M.

It is best to make a do-it-yourself water floor from a 16 mm diameter metal-plastic pipe. It bends easily with a fairly small radius, and it is much more convenient to work with it than with a cross-linked polyethylene pipe. It is undesirable to use a pipe with a diameter of 20 mm. A large diameter will require an increase in the thickness of the concrete, and this has a negative effect on the efficiency of the heating system.

Usually pipe consumption per 1 sq. M. area is:

• 10 m at a step of 10 cm;
• 6.75 m at 15 cm steps.

The choice of thermal insulation and fasteners for a water-heated floor

In order for the heat not to go down, a layer of dense foam is laid on the base. The density of the insulation is chosen at least 25, and better - 35 kg / cubic meter. Lighter polystyrene foam will simply crumple under the weight of the concrete layer.

Insulation and heat reflector

The optimal thickness of the insulation is 5 cm. When laying on the ground or if you need increased protection from the cold, when there is an unheated room below the level, the thickness of the thermal insulation can be increased to 10 cm. heat losses- it is recommended to lay a heat-reflecting screen made of metallized film over the insulation. This could be:

• Penofol (metallized expanded polyethylene);
• Reflective foam screen, glued behind the heatsinks;
• Plain aluminum food foil.

The metallized layer is quickly destroyed by the aggressive action of concrete, so the screen itself also needs protection. This protection is provided by plastic sheeting, which is used for greenhouses and greenhouses. The film thickness should be 75-100 microns.

In addition, it provides the necessary moisture for the maturing concrete screed throughout the entire period of its curing. Pieces of film must be overlapped, and the junction must be sealed with adhesive tape.

Fasteners for hot water pipes

Pipe fasteners are installed on the thermal insulation. Its purpose is to fix the adjacent branches of the pipe and place it on the floor in strict accordance with the preliminary plan. Fasteners hold the pipe until the concrete screed is hard enough. The use of fasteners facilitates the installation of the floor and ensures the correct placement of the pipe in the thickness of the concrete pad.

Fasteners can be special metal strips, metal welded mesh, plastic brackets that pin the pipe to the foam base.

1. Metal strips are used when the concrete pad is thicker. They raise the pipe slightly relative to the heat insulator, so that it is closer to the upper surface of the concrete pad. The pipe simply snaps into the curly grooves of the strips.
2. The metal mesh not only anchors the pipe, but also reinforces the concrete pad layer. The pipe is tied to the mesh with pieces of wire or plastic ties. Consumption of fasteners is 2 pcs. on running meter... In places of curvature, you can use additional fasteners.
3. Plastic brackets are installed manually. They pin the pipe to the expanded polystyrene as it is laid. DIY semi-industrial warm floors are made using a special stapler. But its acquisition is justified only with intensive professional use.

In recent years, manufacturers of underfloor heating systems have begun to offer another very convenient solution. We are talking about special sheets of dense polystyrene foam with a profiled surface. Usually, the surface of such sheets is represented by intersections of grooves or rows of protruding elements, between which heating pipes can be easily laid.

The surface of the sheets is smooth, extruded, all pores are closed and an additional waterproofing film is not required for it. Having a special thermal cutter, grooves in polystyrene foam can be cut independently. But to carry out this work, you need at least minimal experience.

Reinforced plastic pipe supplied in bays. When laying, the coil is rolled along the path of the pipe placement. Do not pull the pipe out of a lying coil, as this will cause it to twist and may lead to delamination of the inner layers.

Selection of recipes, preparation and pouring of concrete

The pipes can only be poured with concrete after they have been completely laid, connected to the collectors and filled with water at a pressure of 4 bar. Before pouring, it is required to withstand the pipe under this pressure for a couple of days. If a leak is found, it is immediately eliminated. If the heating system itself has not yet been installed, instead of water, air is pumped into the pipes using a compressor and the pressure is fixed with ball valves.

Immediately after pumping, the pressure may decrease slightly due to the straightening of the pipes. During the pouring and hardening of the concrete, the pressure is monitored using a connected pressure gauge.

To compensate for thermal expansion along all walls, we attach a damper tape. The thermal expansion of the concrete pad is 0.5 mm per linear meter, with a temperature increase of 40 degrees. If the heating is only 20 degrees, that expansion will accordingly be half as much. We multiply the expansion by the length of the longest section of the concrete floor and compare this value with the thickness of the damper tape.

For ordinary apartments as a rule, it is sufficient to lay the tape only along the walls and at the door sill. In addition, the damper tape also plays the role of thermal insulation of the walls from the warm floor. This method removes cold bridges that cause unnecessary heat leakage.

Additionally, in some cases, expansion joints are made:

• with the length of either side of the room more than 8 meters;
• the width and length of the room differ by more than two times;
• the floor area exceeds 30 sq. m .;
• the shape of the room has several bends.

For extended warm floors, an expansion joint with a damper tape is installed every 10 m.To the movement of concrete cushions in these places does not burst the pipe, a rigid plastic corrugation (preferable) or a pipe is put on it larger diameter... The entry of the protective pipe into the concrete cushions is at least 0.5 m on each side.

If, according to the layout, there is a congestion warm pipes in one place (for example, near the collector), then a heat insulator sleeve must be put on some of the pipes. This will help avoid localized overheating and retain heat for the desired areas of the floor.

How to make a water-heated floor: concreting

If the concrete for pouring is not brought in, but is prepared on site, then the following components will be required:

• cement grade 300 or 400 - 1 part by weight;
• washed river sand - 1.9 parts by weight;
• crushed stone 5-20 mm in size - 3.7 wt.

This is the composition heavy concrete... Its weight reaches 2.5 tons per 1 cubic meter. finished material.

Many people prefer to give up sand in concrete for a warm floor. This is due to its poor thermal conductivity. Therefore, in practice, cement-gravel mixtures are also used. Its composition:

• granite crushed stone 5-20 mm - 2 buckets;
• cement - 1 bucket;
• fine granite screening up to 5 mm - 4 buckets;
• water - 7 liters (you can add another 1 liter if the solution is very thick).

Granite conducts heat well, and such concrete has a much lower thermal resistance. It is also recommended to introduce a reinforcing fiber, which is a small plastic fiber, into the composition.

As part of any self-leveling floor, there must be a plasticizer. The exact amount depends on the specific brand and purpose of this drug. The plasticizer should not be any, namely for a warm floor!

If the pipe was attached to strips or staples, a reinforcing mesh is laid on top of it. The height of the concrete screed is chosen from 5 to 10 cm. In this case, it is necessary to provide at least 3 cm of concrete above the pipe. A smaller layer is fraught with cracking. A too thick concrete pad increases heat transfer losses.

With the right choice of concrete and normal temperature it begins to set after 4 hours. For supporting normal humidity it should be covered with a waterproof film, and when the surface dries, sprinkle it with water. After 12 hours, the hardened concrete can support the weight of a person. But its full maturation occurs only after 28 days. All this time, you need to take care of humidity and maintain high pressure in the laid pipes. Only after the specified period has expired can the first thermal test of this floor be carried out.

Both during the first test and afterwards, it is impossible to quickly heat a water-heated floor up to high temperature!

Flooring

Ready concrete base tiles and other floor coverings can be glued. In this case, use is made of glue intended for warm floors. If the tile falls on the expansion joint, then one part of it must be glued, and the other must be placed on silicone. Silicone glue absorbs thermal movements of the substrate, and the tiles will not crack from overvoltage.

Lightweight underfloor heating for wooden floors

As mentioned earlier, for wooden floors a light warm floor is being set up without a concrete cushion. In this case, the sequence of work may differ slightly depending on the condition of the old floor and the structure of the floor.

So that the heat does not go down - insulation is placed under the pipes. It can be placed between the floor joists, and then it is better to use mineral wool, or it can be laid on an old solid subfloor - here you will need expanded polystyrene with a density of 25-35 kg / m3. To prevent condensation from forming, a vapor barrier membrane is placed under the mineral wool. The first rough floor is stuffed on top of the logs.

Just as for a concrete floor, it is advisable to lay a heat-reflecting screen made of foil or foam foam on the insulation. All joints and seams must be sealed with adhesive tape.

Logs are laid directly on the expanded polystyrene, to which the sub-floor boards are nailed. There should be about 2 cm gaps between the boards for laying the pipe. Similar gaps must be provided at the ends of the subfloor boards. Otherwise, you will have to choose transverse grooves for the pipe, and this can lead to breakage of the boards.

In order for the heat to be evenly distributed over the floor, the pipe is laid not just in grooves, but in special metal gutters designed for this purpose. The metal transfers heat over its entire surface and evenly heats the final finish coat. Recommendations for its choice have already been given above - it can be a laminate with a permit to work with heating or rigid polymer coating... Thick parquet and parquet board are the least suitable for warm floors.

Compared to concrete floor heating, a lightweight construction is made much faster and costs significantly less. Another advantage is the ability to repair water pipes in the event of an accident. Problems with tubes in a concrete floor can only be eliminated by completely replacing it.

The main disadvantage of a wooden floor heating is much less thermal power.

Feed underfloor heating from heating apartment buildings possible only with the permission of the heat supplier. All recommendations remain valid, although, on our own, we advise you to install a heat-resistant water filter at the pipe inlet.

Outcome

Competently arranged warmth in own home- this is another step towards comfortable and convenient living conditions for the whole family. But, even if you are not able to perform these works and are forced to invite masters, the knowledge gained will allow you to take an active part in this process.

In rooms heated using underfloor heating technology, the sensations are much more comfortable than with a traditional radiator system. When the floor is heated, the temperature will be distributed in an optimal way: it is warmer for the legs, and at head level it is already cooler. There are two heating methods: water and electric. Water is more expensive to install, but cheaper to operate, so that it is more often done. You can slightly reduce installation costs if you make a water-heated floor with your own hands. The technology is not the simplest one, but it also does not require encyclopedic knowledge.

Device and principle of operation

For water heating of the warm floor, a system of pipes is used through which the coolant circulates. Most often, pipes are poured into a screed, but there are dry installation systems - wood or polystyrene. In any case, there is a large number of small cross-section pipes laid under the floor covering.

Where can you mount

Due to the large number of pipes, water heating is done mainly in private houses. The fact is that the heating system of high-rise buildings of early construction is not designed for such a heating method. It is possible to make a warm floor from heating, but there is a high probability that either it will be too cold for you, or at the neighbors above or below, depending on the type of power supply to the system. Sometimes the entire riser becomes cold: the hydraulic resistance of the water floor is several times higher than that of the radiator heating system and it can clog the movement of the coolant. For this reason, it is very difficult to obtain permission from the management company to install a warm floor (installation without permission is an administrative offense).

The good news is that in new buildings they began to make two systems: one for radiator heating, the second for a water-heated floor. In such houses and permission is not required: an appropriate system was developed taking into account the higher hydraulic resistance.

Organization principles

To understand what you need in order to make a water-heated floor with your own hands, you need to understand what the system consists of and how it works.

Heating medium temperature control

To make your feet comfortable on the floor, the temperature of the coolant should not exceed 40-45 ° C. Then the floor heats up to comfortable values ​​- about 28 ° C. Most of the heating equipment cannot produce such a temperature: at least 60-65 ° C. An exception is condensing gas boilers. They are showing maximum efficiency precisely at low temperatures. From their outlet, the heated coolant can be fed directly into the pipes of the underfloor heating.

When using any other type of boiler, a mixing unit is required. In it, the cooled coolant from the return pipe is added to the hot water from the boiler. You can see the composition of this bond on the diagram for connecting the warm floor to the boiler.

The principle of operation is as follows. The heated coolant is supplied from the boiler. It goes to the thermostatic valve, which, when the temperature threshold is exceeded, opens the water admixture from the return pipe. In the photo, there is a jumper in front of the circulation pump. A two-way or three-way valve is installed in it. Opening it and mix in the cooled coolant.

The mixed flow through the circulation pump enters the thermostat, which controls the operation of the thermostatic valve. When the set temperature is reached, the flow from the return flow stops, if it is exceeded, it opens again. This is how the temperature of the coolant of the water underfloor heating is regulated.

Contour distribution

Then the coolant enters the distribution manifold. If a water-heated floor is made in one small room (bathroom, for example), in which only one loop of pipes is laid, this unit may not exist. If there are several loops, then between them it is necessary to distribute the coolant in some way, and then somehow collect it and send it to the return pipeline. This task is performed by the distribution comb or, as it is also called, the underfloor heating collector. In fact, these are two pipes - on the supply and return, to which the inputs and outputs of all the underfloor heating circuits are connected. This is the easiest option.

If the underfloor heating is made in several rooms, then it is better to install a collector with the ability to adjust the temperature. First, in different rooms required different temperature: Someone prefers + 18 ° C in the bedroom, someone needs + 25 ° C. Secondly, most often, the contours have different lengths, and can transfer different amounts of heat. Thirdly, there are “internal” premises - in which one wall faces the street, and there are corner ones - with two or even three external walls. Naturally, the amount of heat in them should be different. Combs with thermostats provide this. The equipment is not cheap, the circuit is more complicated, but such an installation allows you to maintain a given temperature in the room.

There are different thermostats. Some control the air temperature in the room, the second - the floor temperature. You choose the type yourself. Regardless, they control the servo motors mounted on the feed comb. The servomotors, depending on the command, increase or decrease the flow area, adjusting the flow rate of the coolant.

Theoretically (and in practice it happens) situations may arise when the supply to all circuits is blocked. In this case, the circulation will stop, the boiler may boil and fail. To prevent this from happening, be sure to make a bypass through which part of the coolant passes. With this construction of the system, the boiler is safe.

You can watch one of the system options in the video.

Laying a warm water floor

One of the key components of the system is pipes and their fixing system. There are two technologies:

Both systems are imperfect, but screed pipes are cheaper. Although it has a lot of disadvantages, it is it that is more popular due to its lower cost.

Which system to choose

In terms of cost, dry systems are more expensive: their components (if you take ready-made, factory-made) cost more. But they weigh much less and are quicker to put into service. There are several reasons why you should use them.

First: the heavy weight of the screed. Not all foundations and floors of houses are capable of withstanding the load created by a water-heated floor in a concrete screed. Above the surface of the pipes there must be a layer of concrete of at least 3 cm. Considering that the outer diameter of the pipe is also about 3 cm, then the total thickness of the screed is 6 cm. The weight is more than significant. And on top there is often a tile on a layer of glue. It's good if the foundation is designed with a margin - it will withstand, and if not, problems will begin. If there is a suspicion that the floor or foundation will not bear the load, it is better to make a wooden or polystyrene system.

Second: low maintainability of the screed system. Although it is recommended to lay only one-piece coils of pipes without connections when laying the underfloor heating contours, the pipes are periodically damaged. Or, during the repair, they got hit with a drill, or they burst due to a marriage. The place of damage can be determined by a damp spot, but it is difficult to repair: you have to break the screed. In this case, adjacent hinges can be damaged, due to which the damaged zone becomes larger. Even if it was possible to do it carefully, you have to make two seams, namely, they are potential places for the next damage.

Third: the commissioning of a heated floor in a screed is possible only after the concrete has reached 100% strength resource. This takes at least 28 days. Until this time, you cannot turn on the warm floor.

Fourth, you have a wooden floor made. By itself is heavy on wooden floor- not the best idea, but also a screed with an increased temperature. The wood quickly collapses, the entire system collapses.

The reasons are serious. Therefore, in some cases, it is more expedient to use dry technologies. Moreover, a wooden water-heated floor with your own hands is not so expensive. The most expensive component is metal plates, but they can also be made from thin sheet metal and better - aluminum. It is important to be able to bend when shaping pipe grooves.

A variant of a polystyrene underfloor heating system without a screed is demonstrated in the video.

Materials for warm water floor

Most often they make a water-heated floor in a screed. About its structure and necessary materials and the speech will go. A diagram of a warm water floor is shown in the photo below.

All work begins with leveling the base: without insulation, heating costs will be too high, and insulation can only be laid on a flat surface. Therefore, the first thing to do is prepare the base - make a rough screed. Next, we describe step by step the order of work and the materials used in the process:

• A damper tape is also rolled along the perimeter of the room. This is a strip of heat-insulating material, no more than 1 cm thick. It prevents heat loss due to heating the walls. Its second task is to compensate for the thermal expansion that occurs when materials are heated. The tape can be special, and you can also lay thin foam cut into strips (no more than 1 cm thick) or other insulation of the same thickness.
• A layer of heat-insulating materials is laid on the rough screed. For underfloor heating, the best choice is polystyrene foam. Best of all - extruded. Its density should be at least 35kg / m 2. It is dense enough to withstand the weight of the screed and operational loads, has excellent performance and long service life. Its disadvantage is that it is expensive. Other, cheaper materials (polystyrene, mineral wool, expanded clay), have a lot of disadvantages. If possible, use expanded polystyrene. The thickness of the insulation depends on many parameters - on the region, the characteristics of the foundation material and insulation, the method of organizing the subfloor. Therefore, it must be calculated in relation to each case.

• Next, they often put a reinforcing mesh with a step of 5 cm. Pipes are also tied to it - with wire or plastic clamps. If polystyrene foam was used, you can do without reinforcement - you can fix it with special plastic brackets that are driven into the material. For other heaters, a reinforcing mesh is required.
• Beacons are installed on top, after which the screed is poured. Its thickness is less than 3 cm above the level of the pipes.
• Next, the finishing flooring is laid. Anything suitable for use in a heated floor system.

These are all the main layers that need to be laid when you make a water-heated floor with your own hands.

Underfloor heating pipes and laying patterns

The main element of the system is pipes. Most often they use polymeric ones - from cross-linked polyethylene or metal-plastic. They bend well and have a long service life. Their only obvious drawback is not too high thermal conductivity. The recently appeared corrugated stainless steel pipes do not have this minus. They bend better, cost no more, but due to their low popularity, they are not often used so far.

The diameter of pipes for underfloor heating depends on the material, but usually it is 16-20 mm. They fit in several ways. The most common are a spiral and a snake; there are several modifications that take into account some of the features of the premises.

Laying with a snake is the simplest, but passing through the pipes the coolant gradually cools down and it reaches the end of the circuit that is much colder than it was at the beginning. Therefore, the zone where the coolant enters will be the warmest. This feature is used - the installation starts from the coldest zone - along the outer walls or under the window.

This drawback is almost devoid of a double snake and a spiral, but they are more difficult to install - you need to draw a diagram on paper so as not to get confused when laying.

Screed

You can use a conventional cement-sand mortar based on Portland cement for pouring a water-heated floor. The Portland cement brand should be high - M-400, or better M-500. - not lower than M-350.

But ordinary "wet" screeds take a very long time to gain their design strength: at least 28 days. All this time, you cannot turn on the warm floor: cracks will go, which can even break pipes. Therefore, the so-called semi-dry screeds are increasingly used - with additives that increase the plasticity of the solution, significantly reducing the amount of water and the time for "ripening". You can add them yourself or look for dry mixes with appropriate properties. They are more expensive, but they are less troublesome: according to the instructions, add the required amount of water and mix.

It is realistic to make a water-heated floor with your own hands, but it will take a decent period of time and considerable funds.

Now many residents of private houses install for the main or additional heating water heat-insulated floor. It has a lot of advantages: it increases comfort, heats up the room evenly, does not require additional energy consumption (since it operates from the same boiler with radiators). The instructions in our article will allow you to install water underfloor heating without even having experience. However, before that, it is worth studying all the nuances.

Best of all, a warm water floor system is combined with laying under and tiles.

• First, both materials are strong and durable.
• Secondly, they do not emit harmful substances when heated.
• And thirdly, the heating perfectly complements the tile (the material itself is cold), and you can walk on it even with bare feet due to its high heat capacity.

Of course, a warm floor can be made under linoleum, PVC tiles and even carpet, if there is a special mark.

But, for example, it makes no sense to heat the carpet, and the surface temperature cannot be exceeded above 31 ° C, according to SNiP 41-01-2003. Otherwise, it will provoke the release of harmful substances.

Installation in an apartment

Probably, many tenants had an idea to independently connect "for free" water heated floors to the central heating system or hot water supply. And some even do so, but in most cases it is prohibited by local law.

For example, in Moscow, the government decree No. 73-PP of February 8, 2005 is in force, in Appendix No. 2 it is clearly written about the prohibition of the re-equipment of public water supply systems for floor heating.

Breaking the rules, in best case, you can get a fine the first time you visit the plumbers. And at worst - the risk of leaving neighbors without heating.

In some regions, the prohibition does not apply, but connection requires an examination so as not to disrupt the system.

In general, from a technical point of view, such options are possible, but only when connecting a separate pumping mixing unit and maintaining the system outlet pressure.

Note! If there is a jet pump (elevator) in an apartment building, then reinforced-plastic and polypropylene pipes cannot be used.

Floor installation methods

There are several ways to arrange a warm water floor.

• The most popular and reliable of them is the concrete screed. Unlike electrical types, pipes of 16 mm cannot be hidden in tile glue, and it will not work. Therefore, a screed is poured at least 3 cm above the pipes.
• The second method is to lay pipes in cut-out polystyrene foam grooves. The grooves are made by hand, pipes are laid inside, then the screed is poured.
• The next option is often used in houses with wooden floors, although it requires a lot of labor - it is laying in wooden grooves. To do this, boards are stuffed onto the floor, which create a gutter of the desired shape for laying.

Types of pipes used

Three types of pipes are suitable for a warm water floor.

• Cross-linked polyethylene pipes (PEX-EVOH-PEX) - inconvenient to work, because it is difficult to give them the desired shape(when heated, they straighten). But they are not afraid of liquid freezing and are maintainable.
• Reinforced-plastic pipes - the best option: low price, ease of installation, keep their shape stably.
• Copper pipes are expensive; when used in a screed, they must be covered with a protective layer to prevent alkaline attack.

Calculation of a warm water floor

Before installing and purchasing materials, it is imperative to calculate the warm floor. To do this, draw a diagram with contours, which will then come in handy during repair work in order to know the position of the pipes.

• If you are sure that there will always be furniture or plumbing in a certain place, pipes are not laid in this place.
• The length of the loop with a diameter of 16 mm should not exceed 100 m (maximum for 20 mm will be 120 m), otherwise the pressure in the system will be bad. Thus, each circuit occupies approximately no more than 15 square meters. m.
• The difference between the length of several contours should be small (less than 15 m), that is, they should all be of equal length. Large rooms, respectively, are divided into several circuits.
• The optimal pipe spacing is 15 cm when using good thermal insulation. If in winter there are often frosts below -20, then the step is reduced to 10 cm (only possible at the outer walls). And in the north you cannot do without additional radiators.
• With a laying step of 15 cm, the consumption of pipes is approximately 6.7 m for each square of the room, when laying every 10 cm - 10 m.

The graph shows the dependence of the flux density on average temperature coolant. Dotted lines indicate pipes with a diameter of 20 mm, and solid lines - 16 mm.

The graph shows data that is valid only when using a 7 cm thick cement-sand screed, covered with tiles. If the thickness of the screed is increased, for example, by 1 cm, then the heat flow density decreases by 5-8%.

• To find the flux density, the total heat loss of the room in watts is divided by the pipe laying area (subtract the indents from the walls).
• The average temperature is calculated as the average value at the inlet to the circuit and at the outlet of the return.

The optimum temperature at the inlet and outlet should not differ by more than 5-10 degrees. The maximum temperature of the coolant should not exceed 55 ° C.

According to the above diagram, only a rough calculation can be performed and the final adjustment can be made using the mixing unit and thermostats. For accurate design, be sure to contact a professional heating engineer.

Floor heating cake

The technology of laying a warm water floor consists of several layers, which are laid in a certain sequence. The total thickness of the cake is 8-14 cm, the load on the floors is up to 300 kg / sq. m.

In case the base is concrete slab:

• waterproofing;
• insulation;
• reinforcing mesh;
• water pipe underfloor heating;
• screed.

For waterproofing, it is permissible to use ordinary plastic wrap or special materials. Damper tape is made from cut strips of thermal insulation 1-2 cm thick, or buy ready-made version with a self-adhesive base.
The choice of insulation depends on several factors: region, base material. For example, for floors on the ground, extruded polystyrene foam with a thickness of at least 5 cm (optimally 10) is also used, and if there is a warm basement under the floor of the first floor, then thinner options from 3 cm can be used.

The main purpose of the insulation is to direct the heat from the heating upwards and prevent large heat losses.

If the base is floors on the ground:

• bulk soil 15 cm;
• crushed stone 10 cm;
• sand 5 cm;
• rough screed;
• waterproofing;
• damper tape around the perimeter;
• extruded polystyrene foam not less than 5 cm;
• reinforced screed with heat carriers.

It is important to tamp the preparatory layers for the rough screed carefully in layers. When compacting the base tightly and using extruded polystyrene foam, it will not be necessary to make a rough screed.

Underfloor heating installation

Let's say a good foundation has already been prepared: a flat concrete slab or a backfill layer without strong drops. The differences should not exceed 7 mm when checking with a two-meter rail. If there are irregularities, they can be covered with sand.

Waterproofing

Someone puts waterproofing under the bottom of the insulation, someone, on the contrary, up, and some use both here and there.
If extruded polystyrene foam is used, it practically does not need waterproofing, so its position is not so critical. But it will not allow the cement milk to penetrate between the seams of the insulation and go into the slab and will additionally hold back moisture from below.
If you fix it to the bottom of the insulation, then you can attach the pipes to the warm floor directly to the insulation. If the waterproofing is laid up, then for fixing the pipes it will be necessary to lay the mounting mesh.

We lay the waterproofing with an overlap of 20 cm on the walls, and on top of each other. We glue the joints with tape for sealing.

Damper tape

If you bought a ready-made tape, just glue it around the perimeter. It usually has a thickness of 5-8 mm and a height of 10-15 cm. The height should be higher than the fill level, the excess is cut off with a knife. If the tape is made by hand, then be sure to glue or screw it to the wall with self-tapping screws.

Linear expansion of concrete is 0.5 mm per meter when heated to 40 ° C.

Insulation

Insulation sheet for a warm water floor is laid with an offset of the joints so that it is tightly connected.

Reinforcement

The first layer of reinforcing mesh is usually laid on insulation and used as a base for attaching contours and even distribution of heat over the surface. The nets are tied together with wire. Pipes are attached to the mesh on nylon clamps.

The diameter of the mesh rods is 4-5 mm, and the mesh size - depending on the pipe laying pitch, for convenient fastening.

In addition, it is imperative to lay the reinforcement on top of the pipes, since even when using the mesh from below, it will have almost no effect if it lies at the very bottom. Or, during pouring, place the mesh on supports, creating a gap.

Pipe fixation methods

A water-heated floor can be installed in several ways, we will list them.

• Tensioning clamp made of polyamide. Used for quick fastening of pipes to the mounting grid. Consumption - about 2 pieces per 1 m.
• Fastening wire made of steel. Also used for installation to the grid, the flow rate is exactly the same.
• Stapler and clamps. Suitable for quick fixing of pipes to thermal insulation. The consumption of clamps is 2 pieces per 1 m.
• Fixing track. It is a U-shaped PVC strip, which serves as a base for laying pipes of 16 or 20 mm in it. Fixed to the floor.
• Mats for warm water floors made of polystyrene. A pipe is laid in the middle of the grooves between the posts.
• Distribution aluminum plate. It is used for installation in wooden floors, reflects and evenly distributes heat over the surface.

Application of various kinds pipe fasteners

Pipe laying

The pipes are laid with an indent from the walls of 15-20 cm. It is highly desirable to make each circuit from a single pipe without welding, and their length should not be more than 100 m. The step between the pipes at the walls is 10 cm, closer to the center - 15 cm.

The layout of the warm floor is different, for example, a spiral or a snake. At the outer walls, they try to take a laying step more often or draw a contour from the feed next to cold walls. An example of a scheme for enhanced heating of external walls is shown in the photo, this option is best used in cold regions:



In other cases, the contours are usually laid in a spiral (snail), this is a universal option.

In places with a large accumulation of pipes, in order to avoid overheating of the surface, some of them are covered with a heat-insulating tube.

Metal-plastic 16 mm and 20 mm can be easily bent by hand, without the use of special tools. In order to evenly bend the pipes with an angle of a small radius and at the same time prevent it from cracking, the corners are bent in several passes (hand interceptions).
At an angle of 90 °, you will need about 5-6 interceptions. This means, first, resting on the thumbs, make a small bend, then slightly shift the arms towards the bend and repeat the steps.

The presence of kinks on pipes in places of sharp turns is unacceptable.

Polypropylene pipes are much more difficult to bend because they are springy. Therefore, for bending, they are heated or made, but in the case of a warm floor, they are simply attached to the mesh, making the bends less sharp.

The installation of a water-heated floor begins by connecting the first end of the pipe to the distribution manifold, and after laying the room, the return line (the second end) is immediately connected.

Connecting circuits

In most cases, the circuits are connected via a distribution unit. It has several functions: increasing the pressure in the system, regulating the temperature, uniform supply to several circuits, combining with radiators.

There are many schemes for connecting to the boiler, which we wrote about in the article about: with manual adjustment, with weather automation and auto-adjustment using servo drives and sensors.

Eurocone fitting

The pipes are connected to the manifold using Eurocone clamping fittings.

Crimping

When you have finished installing all the circuits, be sure to pneumatically test the system for leaks. For this, a pressure test is done with the help of a compressor. A small household compressor with a pressure of more than 6 bar is suitable for testing. The pressure in the system is brought to 4 bar and left on for the entire time until the system is started.

Since air molecules are much smaller than water molecules, even a slight depressurization can be detected. In addition, the water can freeze if you do not have time to connect the heating, and nothing will happen with the air.

Underfloor heating screed

The screed is poured only after the installation of all circuits and hydraulic tests. It is recommended to use concrete not lower than M-300 (B-22.5) with crushed stone with a fraction of 5-20 mm. Minimum thickness 3 cm above the pipe is done not only to obtain the required strength, but also to evenly distribute heat over the surface. Weight 1 sq. m. screed with a thickness of 5 cm is up to 125 kg.

With a screed thickness of more than 15 cm or at high loads, an additional calculation of the thermal regime is required.

With an increase in the thickness of the screed, it takes more time for it to heat up to a certain temperature after switching on, and the inertia of the system also increases. The lower the thermal conductivity of the screed, the higher the temperature of the coolant will need to be made.

Expansion joints

Examples of dividing a large room into zones

The absence or incorrect position of the thermal gaps is the most common reason destruction of the screed.

Shrinkage seams are made in the following cases:

• the room has an area of ​​more than 30 sq. m .;
• walls are more than 8 m long;
• the length and width of the room differ by more than 2 times;
• over the expansion joints of structures;
• the room is too curved.

For this, a damper tape is laid around the perimeter of the seams. At the seam site, the mesh should be split. The expansion gap should be 10 mm thick at the base. The upper part is treated with a sealant. If the room has non-standard shape, it needs to be broken down into simpler rectangular or square elements.




If pipes pass through expansion joints in a screed, in these places they are laid in a corrugated pipe, 30 cm corrugation in each direction (according to SP 41-102-98 - 50 cm on each side). It is recommended not to separate one contour with expansion joints; the supply and return pipes must pass through it.

Correct passage of contours through technological seams

When laying tiles on expansion joints, the likelihood of their peeling off due to different expansion of adjacent slabs increases. To avoid this, the first part is laid on tile adhesive, and the second part is attached to an elastic sealant.

For additional separation, expansion joints of an incomplete profile can be used. They are made with a trowel, 1/3 of the thickness. After the concrete has set, they are also sealed with a sealant. If pipes pass through them, they are also protected by a corrugation.

Screed cracks

A fairly common occurrence is the appearance of cracks on the screed after drying. This can provoke whole line reasons:

• low density of insulation;
• poor compaction of the solution;
• lack of plasticizers;
• too thick screed;
• lack of shrinkage seams;
• too fast drying of concrete;
• incorrect proportions of the solution.

It's very easy to avoid them:

• insulation must be used with a density higher than 35-40 kg / m3;
• the screed solution must be plastic when laying and with the addition of fiber and plasticizer;
• v large rooms you need to make shrinkage seams (see below);
• also, concrete should not be allowed to seize quickly, for this it is covered plastic wrap the next day (for a week).

Screed mortar

For underfloor heating, it is imperative to use a plasticizer to increase the elasticity and strength of concrete. But you need to apply special types non-air-entraining plasticizers for warm floors.

Without experience, it will not work to make a cement-sand screed for a warm floor without crushed stone / gravel, and the correct branded DSP will cost more than factory concrete. Therefore, in order to avoid cracks due to a violation of the composition of the solution, it is concrete with crushed stone that is poured.

Mortar M-300 from cement grade M-400, washed sand and crushed stone is made according to the following proportions.

• Mass composition of C: P: U (kg) = 1: 1.9: 3.7.
• Volumetric composition for 10 liters of cement P: U (l) = 17:32.
• From 10 liters of cement, 41 liters of mortar will be obtained.
• The volumetric weight of such concrete M300 will be 2300-2500 kg / m3 (heavy concrete)

There is also another option using granite screening instead of sand, the following elements were used for its preparation:

• 2 buckets of crushed stone with a fraction of 5-20 mm;
• water 7-8 liters;
• superplasticizer SP1 400 ml of solution (1.8 liters of powder is diluted in 5 liters of hot water);
• 1 bucket of cement;
• 3-4 buckets of granite screening with a fraction of 0-5 mm;
• bucket volume - 12 liters.

High-quality concrete should not release water during installation (delaminate). If everything is done correctly and the air temperature is 20 ° C, it should begin to set in 4 hours, and after 12 hours it will not leave traces of heels.

After 3 days after pouring, the screed will gain half of its strength, and will harden completely only after 28 days. It is not recommended to turn on the heating system until this moment.

Installation on a wooden floor

Wood does not conduct heat as efficiently as concrete, but installation on it is also feasible. For this, distribution plates made of aluminum are used. The pipes are laid in wooden grooves made by fixing pre-prepared boards.

For the installation of linoleum, carpet and other materials that require a flat surface, a leveling layer of chipboard, plywood or gypsum fiber board is laid above the pipes. If parquet or laminate will be used as a topcoat, the construction of a warm floor can be slightly simplified, without the use of an equalizing layer.

When choosing plywood and chipboard, make sure that they have hygienic and thermomechanical characteristics, allowing them to be used together with underfloor heating.

Prices for water heat-insulated floor

The price for a warm water floor is formed from several components:

• cost of materials (pipes, insulation, fasteners, etc.);
• the cost of the pumping and mixing unit and the collector;
• work on leveling the base and pouring the top layer of the screed;
• the cost of installing a warm floor.

On average, the price of a water heat-insulated floor for a turnkey installation together with all materials and work will cost about 1,500-3,000 rubles. Per 1 sq. M. m.

Below is an approximate estimate for a house of 100 sq. m., but the prices for water heated floors are highly dependent on the region, so it is best to drive in your data there and make an independent calculation. It does not include the costs of installing and purchasing radiators, a boiler, a topcoat and a screed.

Estimates for the installation of a water-heated floor system on the 1st floor.
№	Material name	Unit rev.	Qty	Price	Sum
1	Extruded polystyrene foam 5 cm	m2	96	227	21792
2	Mounting mesh 150 * 150 * 4	m2	106	30	3180
3	Polyethylene film 250 microns	m2	105	40	4200
4	Metal-plastic pipe 16 mm	m. p.	700	39	27300
5	Damper tape from backing	m2	30	50	1500
6	Manifold Valtec 1 ", 7 x 3/4", "Eurocone"	PCS.	2	1600	3200
7	Manifold connection fitting (Eurocone) 16x2 mm	PCS.	14	115	1610
8	Pump-mixing unit	PCS.	1	14500	14500
9	Dowels and screws	PCS.	300	1,5	450
10	Mounting tape	m. p.	50	11	550
11	Other accessories for warm water floor	poses	1	0	0
	Total by materials				78282
	Name of works	Unit rev.	Qty	Price	Sum
1	Rough screed	m2	96	60	5760
2	Damper tape installation	m. p.	160	60	9600
3	Laying waterproofing	m2	100	60	6000
4	Laying the mounting grid	m2	110	150	16500
5	Installation of pipes	m2	96	300	28800
6	System pressure testing	m2	96	20	1920
	Total by work				68580
1	Total by materials				78282
2	Total by work				68580
3	Total				146862
	Overhead transportation costs			10%	14686
	In total, according to the estimate, the installation of a water-heated floor system is 1 floor.				161548

Installation of warm water floors is shown in the video: