Thanks to the rapid development modern technologies for the arrangement of dwellings, various devices are increasingly being used to improve the level of comfort of residents. One of these devices is a warm floor. And for its productive operation and functioning, a number of materials are required, among which thermal insulation occupies a special place.

Peculiarities

The task of underfloor heating, regardless of type and configuration, is to ensure uniform distribution warm air in room. Since everyone knows that cold air accumulates at the bottom, and heated air rises up, the difference in temperatures for a person is very noticeable. The system of warm electric or water floors minimizes these temperature fluctuations in the dwelling, creating an acceptable and comfortable heat exchange.

The main feature of the device can be considered a heat-insulating substrate, which, along with the entire heating system, is responsible for keeping warm. Among the offered assortment of similar products on modern market a number of materials are presented that are used to equip the system.

In order not to be mistaken with the choice of raw materials, one should proceed from the tasks that the products will solve in the complex of the entire device of warm floors.

Among the main functions of the insulation, it is worth highlighting the following points:

• The presence of thermal insulation reduces the natural loss of heat that goes through the coldest parts of an apartment or house to the outside or into the ground. In the absence of any materials for insulation, the level of exit of warm masses from the room through the floor surface is 20%.
• Thanks to the installation of insulation thermal energy circulates proportionally over the entire heating area, excluding unnecessary heating of floors and other components of the building structure, which are located under the floor.
• Due to thermal insulation, you can save money spent on heating your home.
• In addition to its basic functions, the material provides additional noise insulation, which is important in multi-storey residential buildings.
• The properties of thermal insulation products make it possible to create a protective barrier that prevents moisture from entering basements or soil through the floor covering in the dwelling.

In addition, there are three types of underfloor heating, differing in the principle of operation. Exists:

• electric;
• water;
• infrared system.

The type of device will directly depend on the type of raw materials for thermal insulation, which will be best used in this or that case.

An important characteristic of the material will be the level of resistance of thermal insulation to mechanical stress, which inevitably affects the floor covering.

Thermal insulation materials have the following features:

• good compression resistance;
• elasticity of raw materials;
• minimal deformation under load on the base;
• resistance to aggressive substances;
• low thermal conductivity;
• a small indicator of moisture absorption;
• high material density.

Materials (edit)

For the arrangement of the underfloor heating system, manufacturers offer consumers a wide selection of various materials that differ in cost, type of raw material (there are natural and synthetic products), as well as in quality characteristics inherent in products.

The main materials for thermal insulation can be distinguished:

Cork backing

The raw material is a natural and environmentally friendly product sold in rolls. The specific structure of the material, made in the form of miniature prisms, provides insulation high level compressive strength. The cork does not adhere to cement.

Experts recommend giving preference to such raw materials only if laying is possible, based on the height of the ceilings in the room. This limitation is explained by the fact that the installation of cork insulation is associated with raising the floor by about 4-5 cm, since the shields required for such work will have a thickness of about 30 mm. In addition, cork installation requires additional purchase of reflective material in order to use it in the kit.

The positive features of raw materials include the safety of using products in residential premises due to the naturalness of products. The disadvantages of cork insulation include the high cost of raw materials and a low level of hygroscopicity.

Polypropylene is used as insulation for warm floors. The material is used in the form of extruded boards, which have a closed cellular structure. This type of raw material is more popular than other floor insulation products. The high demand for polypropylene is due to high quality raw materials, due to which the coating lends itself well to processing, which facilitates the installation of products in rooms with a complex floor configuration. In addition, the products are not hygroscopic.

The positive properties of polypropylene include its thermal stability, which makes it possible to operate products at temperatures up to 130C.

Expanded polystyrene

The most suitable product for thermal insulation of water-type warm floors is considered to be products with a thickness of products from 50 to 100 mm. The material stands out for its good strength indicators, low cost and minimal weight. In addition, expanded polystyrene is quite hard and is characterized by resistance to significant temperature fluctuations, accompanied by drops from negative thermometer readings to positive values.

This resistance of the raw material is explained by the peculiarities of its structure, it contains air spraying of cells. Products from expanded polystyrene retain their appearance and properties in contact with aggressive media, including saline solutions and alkali, in addition, they do not absorb liquid and are easy to install.

There are varieties of material for insulation, which include a polypropylene film.

To the above characteristics of raw materials, you can add soundproofing properties, resistance to decay and biostability. The service life of expanded polystyrene products is tens of years.

However, it should be noted that there are some types of products that, during operation and heating, will emit toxic substances.

Metallized mylar film

Such products provide high-quality protection against negative impact alkalis on the flooring and cement screed... Aluminum products without an additional layer of polyvinyl chloride film resistant to thermal effects are not used. A positive feature of the products is a high level of reflective properties.

The disadvantages of foil-clad thermal insulation include a low level of insulating qualities. Therefore, when stacking products above the basement, standard products with minimum thickness will not be enough. This problem can be solved with solid insulation mats in several layers. During installation, it is necessary to adhere to the technology of laying sheets in such a way that the seams of the materials located below are closed with the seams of the products laid on them. This method will reduce heat loss.

Mineral wool

The material is sold in the form of a solid plate or vice versa - a flexible mat. When installing cotton wool directly into the screed, it shrinks under load, as a result of which the thermal insulation qualities of the raw material are reduced. Experienced craftsmen recommend combining mineral wool with floor-type structures, which consist of wooden logs.

To the benefits mineral wool should be attributed:

• incombustibility of raw materials and resistance to high temperatures;
• good level of sound insulation of the surface;
• good thermal insulation characteristics;
• resistance to chemical compounds.

The disadvantages of the products include the presence of penofol in the cotton wool, which is dangerous to humans, as well as poor moisture resistance. But high-quality waterproofing of the floor will help to use products for thermal insulation of warm floors.

Foamed polyethylene

Very often, the choice in favor of thermal insulation for warm floors falls on this particular material. The products are products with a thickness of 3 to 10 mm, which are sold in rolls. There are varieties of polyethylene on sale, which additionally include a foil layer located on one or both sides.

This structure makes it possible to create a reflective layer for infrared rays. In addition, the presence of foil provides additional thickness to the insulation, increasing its properties.

Among the disadvantages is the inability to reflect IR in a solid, namely, in this form, a cement screed is laid on the floor.

In terms of their operational characteristics, raw materials are not inferior to expanded polystyrene. However, foamed polyethylene is capable of absorbing moisture, which negatively affects its insulating qualities. In addition, some chemical elements, which are part of concrete, can destroy the foil layer of thermal insulation products. To exclude the possibility of insulation destruction during the operation of the floor, most of the manufacturers began to produce sheets where the foil is additionally covered with a polymer film.

Manufacturers

On construction market, the products used for the arrangement of thermal insulation of warm floors are presented wide choice types, as well as various brands.

Among the proven companies that sell their goods in the domestic and foreign markets, the following firms stand out:

• High-quality polystyrene is produced by the trade mark Knauf.
• Mineral wool is presented on the market by the brand URSA.
• Also, the consumer is offered thermal insulation for the floor. Thermo.
• In addition, a technical plug should be noted. Amorim and lavsan film from the company Daewoo enertec.

To make the choice of a material that will justify the money spent on it, you need to pay attention not only to the characteristics of the raw material and its parameters, but also to the operational life of the material.

Many types of products having high rates and the properties, unfortunately, have a short lifespan. As a result, the replacement of the thermal insulation material with a new one will need to be carried out much earlier than the prevention of any elements of the underfloor heating system is required. This is especially true for floors where the coating is made with tiles, for example, in the bathroom, as a result of which it will be necessary to dismantle the products. Therefore, the minimum period for floor insulation products should be 10-15 years.

As for the properties of the material, which are worth paying attention to in the first place, it is necessary to highlight the following:

• coefficient of thermal conductivity;
• level of resistance to mechanical stress;
• resistance to dynamic influences;
• vapor permeability;
• hygroscopicity;
• density of the material.

For rooms with high ceilings, the height of which exceeds 250 cm, you can opt for durable insulation with a rigid polymer base. For wooden floors it is best to purchase an environmentally friendly and non-flammable material. Good options thermal insulation in this case may be mineral wool. For floors where the heating system is equipped with a cable, the main property of the insulation is the presence of a heat-reflecting layer, regardless of the form in which the material will be made.

Hello Dear blog readers! Agree that spring is long-awaited, it's good: everything is awakening, everything is striving further, into warmth, into summer. And then suddenly - bam! - winter returns, with frosts, snowfalls, strong winds... The vagaries of the weather have not been canceled yet. That is why a human dwelling should be doubly strong, so as not to tremble in the cold, and not to languish in the heat from stuffiness. But now about the first - about the cold. Let's remember again warm floors, this time about the aquatic. And all because today we are interested in insulation under a warm water floor.

What is this insulation for? A reasonable question, let's try to answer. Thermal insulation under the warm floor helps the heat in the room to be evenly distributed. Roughly speaking, the warm floor resembles a kind of layer cake, and the heat-insulating material is a very important component of this “dish”. Without insulation, the functioning of the heating system would be ineffective, and the system itself would hardly be distinguished by its durability in operation. That is why any heated floor must be fitted with insulating materials.

Let's summarize preliminary results. So, insulation (insulation) solves several problems:

• With its help, heat energy is evenly distributed throughout the room. This is especially true for a water-heated floor, since its heating system consists of pipes bent in some places, and without a layer of insulation, heat cannot evenly enter the room.

• Thanks to thermal insulation, the heat practically does not leave the premises. In other words, the insulation does not allow heat to "seep" through the ceiling and be wasted - it accumulates it.

• In many cases, thermal insulation helps to simplify the installation of underfloor heating.

WITH general concepts sort of figured out. Now let's move on to the technical details: they are just as important.

The thickness of the insulation plate under the warm water floor

I must say that the material from which the insulation is made can be different. The best known is expanded polystyrene. In some of its properties, it is similar to foam, but its operational characteristics are much more practical. For insulation, mineral wool, ecowool, cork material and others are also used.

But not only the properties of the material used for insulation affect the performance of thermal insulation and its ability to retain heat. Important role plays such a parameter as the thickness of the thermal insulation layer.

Since we are talking about underfloor heating insulation, it makes no sense to pay attention to climatic conditions when determining the thickness: the underfloor heating heating system itself neutralizes climatic contrasts. However, there are still certain rules... So, if expanded polystyrene is used, then it is recommended to use a sheet with a thickness of at least 30 mm. In addition, for the highest efficiency and maximum density, the sheets are reinforced with a polymer cloth, which contains a reinforcing mesh.

By the way, you can buy a ready-made polystyrene foam insulation for a floor with a water heating system, which has a special marking. Such sheets are completely ready for use, all that remains is to remove the excess. By the standard, they are square with a side length of 50 cm.

It must be remembered that underfloor heating is not just pipes "hiding" under the floor covering and heating rooms. In fact, this is a multi-layer system, and the full-fledged operation of the warm floor as a whole depends on the quality and correct installation of each layer. If such a floor is deprived of insulation, then during the winter it may well lose about 25% of the heat. Agree that this is a lot. That is why high-quality thermal insulation is so necessary.

Insulation under a warm water floor on a rough concrete floor

A good insulation under a water-based underfloor heating is, in particular, penoplex. His sheets are laid out on a primed concrete base, are covered with polyethylene, which acts as a waterproofing, and after that the heating elements are mounted.

I must say that the use of underfloor heating (water heating system) when installing thermal insulation will make your floor resistant to moisture and extend its service life. What does an effective water floor with maximum results ultimately consist of? These are the components:

• A rough concrete floor or screed to trap heat from lowering and exiting.

• The thermal insulation is foil so that the heat is reflected back into the room. The use of foil-clad thermal insulation significantly reduces heat loss, which leads to a corresponding increase in the temperature in the heated room.

• Insulation, which, while retaining the maximum amount of energy, reduces electrical costs. We talked in detail about the electrical costs from the warm floor once in an article - I advise you to familiarize yourself.

Thus, it turns out all the same mentioned "pie", but with the correct "filling", therefore, useful and durable.

How exactly it is necessary to install insulation under a warm water floor, how it looks and what it happens, can be seen in the photographs we offer. It is on top of the heaters presented below that the underfloor heating system is laid in the future.

If you were wondering about the procedure for installing a warm floor, then you paid attention to a kind of cake that you have to lay. One of its layers is insulation under a warm water floor. But if the floor heats up, then why is there insulation? And if you need it, which of the abundance to choose? This article will help you not to get confused in the variety of heaters and to choose the one that will best show itself in specific conditions.

Insulation as an important component

The task of a warm floor is not only to heat some a certain area... In this case, it is important to achieve minimal heat loss. One contour of a laid pipe with a diameter of 16 mm can easily warm up a screed with a thickness of 15 cm. It should be borne in mind that heat does not only spread upwards. It goes down as well. If there are neighbors below who heat their premises well, then this will not be so noticeable. But if there is a basement, then the heat loss will be noticeable. This will be noticeable not only in the air temperature, but also in the media bill.

Another very important reason why insulation is important in the overall pie is the uniformity of wave distribution. Due to the presence of insulation, the temperature is not concentrated only at the place where the pipe passes, but is transmitted to the entire surface. Some types of insulation make it possible to facilitate the process of creating a pattern along which a pipe of a warm water floor is laid. The main types of insulation are polystyrene derivatives, products from mineral components and polyethylene. Each of them deserves a separate consideration.

Mineral slab

It is known to almost everyone and has been used in production and construction for a long time. Their predecessors are glass wool, which had to be rubbed off for a long time so that your hands would not itch. But for underfloor heating, mineral wool, which is supplied in rolls, is not suitable. This is due to the fact that its rigidity is insufficient, and due to such insulation, the flooded screed subsides. Only basalt or other, which is sold as slabs, is used. This insulation has an excellent compression resistance. Among the others positive aspects you can note;

• resistance to moisture;
• good thermal insulation;
• sufficient sound insulation;
• resistance to fire;
• resistance to chemical solvents.

Mineral insulation is also called stone wool, because it is made from molten rocks. Such insulation has no harmful impurities and emissions. For a warm floor, insulation slabs with a density of 175 kg per m 3 are suitable. Of the disadvantages of such a heater, it is obvious that there are pores that allow water and steam to pass through. Therefore, during installation, additional waterproofing will be required.

Polystyrene boards

Insulation, which consists of expanded polystyrene, is also not new. Initially, such a material is known to builders and users as polystyrene foam. But pure foam has its drawbacks. Although he possesses wonderful thermal insulation properties, such insulation is very fragile in compression. This is due to the large air bubbles that form during the manufacturing process. To eliminate this lack of insulation, it was necessary to change the technology. Thanks to this, the extrusion technology appeared. Its essence lies in the fact that the formation of the canvas occurs under high pressure... Thanks to this, the balls with air in the insulation take the correct shape and become smaller. This allows the thermal conductivity to be reduced at the same thickness compared to conventional foam. The choice of many falls on insulation in the form of extruded polystyrene foam for the following reasons:

• light weight;
• ease of installation;
• compression resistance;
• lack of toxic emissions;
• excellent waterproofing properties.

Such insulation is rarely called according to its composition, more often you can find such a name as "Penoplex". In fact, this is the name of the plant that produces it. Insulation under a warm water floor is better to take one that has locking ends. They are cut in half to eliminate cold bridges. There are also options for insulation boards with bosses. These are small guide protrusions. Thanks to them, the pipe is fixed without any additional clips and it is easier to bend it. Insulation with a thickness of 5 cm and a density of 35 kg per m 3 is suitable for a water-heated floor, usually it is labeled as "comfort".

Note! Insulation made of extruded polystyrene foam is afraid of the effects of various solvents and burns well, emitting toxic smoke. When working with insulation, it is important to avoid the presence of these factors.

Roll material

There are situations when it is necessary to fill the screed, but the height of the ceilings does not allow this to be done too much. In order to reduce the overall height of the cake, a roll insulation... Most often, foamed polyethylene is its representative. By itself, this material does not have sufficient density to guarantee high thermal insulation properties, therefore, foil is applied to one or two of its sides. It allows you to reduce the thermal conductivity to 0.037 W / m × ° C. Such insulation is commercially available with a thickness of 3 to 10 mm. Many people choose this particular material, because:

• has a low weight;
• easy to install;
• has a low cost;
• it is often marked for styling.

Foil is a metal, so it can react with water or other components that go into the screed mixture. To prevent damage to the insulation, you will need a waterproofing layer or take such insulation, which is initially covered with an additional layer of polymer. The disadvantages of the material include a slight resistance to compression. Over time, polyethylene foam tends to shrink, which will affect its effectiveness.

Cork insulation

If you are an adherent of everything natural and want the insulation not to contain chemical impurities, then you should look in the direction of cork slabs. it natural material, which is better known for the corks used to cork wine. The thermal conductivity of such a heater is on a par with high-quality foam, in the region of 0.037 W / m × ° C. There are no problems with its installation either. There are insulation options that come in rolls. Sufficient rigidity of the material will not affect the strength of the future screed. The disadvantages are the rather high price and availability of the material not in all regions. The cork also absorbs moisture well, so it will require several layers of waterproofing membrane.

Insulation for various bases

Underfloor heating is installed not only in apartments, but also in private houses. Some heaters for warm water floor are universal, others are more suitable for specific situations... For example, in some homes, thermal insulation has to be laid on the ground, in others on wooden logs. For the first case, one that absorbs moisture well is not suitable. It is worth considering general cases in more detail.

Floor slabs

Concrete plates floors are most often used in apartment or private houses with basements. In new buildings, they can be without a screed, so they will require additional maintenance. Due to the presence of a metal base in the floor slabs, they conduct heat very well. And this means that if you install a warm floor on them, then its efficiency will be low. That is why, before starting work, it is applied rough screed... Some craftsmen use expanded clay as a filler for concrete. It creates additional air gap which provides heat escape blocking. If there is a basement or other room below where there may be dampness, then it is advisable to lay waterproofing under the screed.

As an insulator for a warm floor, which will be laid on top, any of the listed heaters is suitable. For moisture-sensitive ones, waterproof the rough screed and the insulator itself from above before pouring the fine screed. Concrete slabs withstand the load well, so there should be no problems with the thickness of the screed.

Warming on the ground

There are times when insulation has to be carried out directly on the ground. The reason for this may be the special design of the house. Before starting work, it is necessary to prepare the foundation well. To do this, you will need to go deep to such a level that from the lowest point to the highest point of the future floor is 50 cm. The bottom layer of soil is well rammed. If there is excess moisture in it, then it is necessary to dry it. This can be done by constant ventilation or using heat guns.

A gravel cushion is laid on top of the compacted soil. Its thickness should be at least 20 cm. It is leveled and brought out approximately under the level. Further, medium-grained sand is filled up by 20. It is compacted as much as possible and is brought out under the level. The next step is waterproofing, which will prevent the development of fungus and excessive heat transfer. Insulation is laid on the membrane. In this case, it is better to use Penoplex. It has excellent compressive strength and does not absorb moisture. It is better if its thickness is 10 cm. Another layer of waterproofing is laid on it, then a reinforcing mesh and a pipe underfloor heating is laid, followed by a concrete screed.

Note! If in your area groundwater are at a shallow depth, then it makes sense to think about building a house on a belt or pile foundation... In this case, there will be less chance of moisture rising into the living space and the insulation will last longer.

Floor in a wooden house

Insulation of the floor under the water wooden house has several options. If the house has a rough concrete floor, then you can act as in the case of floor slabs. If there is dry under the beams bulk insulation, then you can use the underfloor heating system with a dry screed. As a heater, you can use extruded polystyrene foam with bosses. But first it is necessary to level the surface of the wooden floor and lay waterproofing on it. If the ceilings allow, then it is good to use insulation with a thickness of 10 cm.

In the case when the house is on a pile foundation, then it will be necessary to insulate the subfloor well. For this, the finished floor is dismantled and the state of the lag is assessed. If a fungus has already appeared on them, then everything will need to be scraped off and treated with an antiseptic. Next, boards are packed on the lower end of the lag to form a small cavity. Waterproofing is laid into it, and insulation on top. You can use stone wool or expanded polystyrene. In the second case, with the same thickness with mineral wool, the effect will be better. The next step is to install another layer of waterproofing, and then a warm floor system with a dry screed. Some information about the process of warming can be gleaned from the video:

Conclusion

As you can see, there is a large selection of heaters for a water-heated floor. Some of them are not applicable in certain situations due to its characteristics. Others are versatile. If you are faced with the task of installing a warm floor, first of all, evaluate the existing base well and analyze what condition it is in and whether repairs are necessary before installing the insulation.

There are many ways to save money on heating your home. One of them - . The system is connected to the boiler or central heating in the apartment. Thanks to her, the heat is evenly distributed throughout the room, constantly rising from the bottom up. However, the question of how to arrange everything so as to heat the room, and not the ground under the house or neighbors below, remains open. This function is performed by insulation for a warm water floor.

A warm water floor consists of certain components:

• waterproofing;
• insulation;
• pipes with a coolant;
• carrier layer;
• flooring.

The quality of the insulation significantly affects the ability of a warm water floor to heat a room. Insulation mounted under the warm floor will significantly save on energy costs. In its absence, heat loss can be more than 20%.

Additionally, with the wrong choice or installation, the humidity in the room rises. This leads to dampness and mold. If there is no high-quality insulation for a water-heated floor, then it is better to replace it with another full-fledged heating system.

Depending on the climatic conditions, foundations (land, floor slabs, basement), material capabilities and abilities of the master choose various materials insulation for installation.

Thermal insulation, in addition to the function of retaining heat, performs its uniform distribution over the surface and directs the flow of warm air upward. More often than others, expanded polystyrene is used for this.

It's close. During its manufacture, the strength and density of the material were improved. Can also be manufactured with a laminated surface to prevent exposure to harmful chemicals.

The material is produced in the form of slabs of various thicknesses. Since it consists of cells filled with air, it has good sound insulation and low weight, which greatly simplifies its installation.

An additional plus is resistance to chemical and thermal influences. The material withstands the effects of cold and heat (up to + 180 ° C) and is not very susceptible to getting wet.

Each master can choose expanded polystyrene according to his selection criteria. For laying on the ground or a cold basement floor, choose a thickness from 80 mm to 120 mm, between floors it is enough - 30-50 mm.

Manufacturers offer many manufacturing options:

• smooth;
• with lugs;
• with grooves.

The choice of the used insulation depends on the skill of the master and his material capabilities. The more expensive the material is, the easier it is to work with it.

Smooth polystyrene foam is the cheapest and popular insulation... It can even be laid on tightly packed gravel.

Although the manufacturers assure that the material is non-hygroscopic, it is necessary to lay the waterproofing on a flat base and only then lay the slabs.

When installing this type of material, it is necessary to additionally use a foil covering over the plate. It will allow the heat to be evenly distributed over the entire surface of the floor, and not only heat directly next to the pipes. Plates are produced immediately covered with foil.

It is advisable to cover the foil with a film. Concrete or cement mortar is an aggressive environment and contributes to the destruction of the metallized coating. Metallized film with a mylar coating does not lend itself to corrosion.

It is also necessary to mark and install various pipe-laying guides. Available for sale in large selection accessories for this. Experienced master easily cope with the task.

It is worth bearing in mind! Expanded polystyrene is a fragile material. Before laying pipelines, it is necessary to place a reinforcing mesh on top of the foil. It will help to distribute the weight of the pipes evenly. This will prevent them from pushing through the plate over time.

Insulation is produced in the form of slabs. All joints and seams must be glued with metallized tape to preserve heat. The warm floor is separated from the walls with a damper tape to compensate for temperature stresses.

To simplify the work, polystyrene is produced with an aluminum coating, applied markings and ready-made connecting folds. There is polystyrene, divided into sections with a common foil covering. All this greatly simplifies installation, but increases the price.

Important! When working with expanded polystyrene, formulations containing bituminous mastic or a solvent.

The use of expanded polystyrene laminated plates with bosses or grooves will help to abandon markings, foil, reinforcement.

They have a number of significant advantages:

• higher strength;
• surface lamination to protect against moisture and harmful chemical influences;
• bosses or grooves provide easy marking and installation of pipes;
• plates are equipped with side locks for better joining;
• practically do not deform under the weight of the pipes.

When installing this system, it is only necessary to level the base and cover it with a layer of film. All other manipulations are greatly simplified.

Note! Expanded polystyrene, when burning, emits toxic toxic substances that are very dangerous for human life. From above, it should be covered with a layer of concrete or cement to prevent it from coming into contact with the flame.

The pluses of the material should also include its immunity to fungi and dislike of small rodents for it. The material is durable and environmentally friendly.

Styrofoam

Loose polystyrene foam insulation as a type of thermal insulation is effective if there is a structure with wooden logs... These materials have the property of retaining heat, but they do not withstand mechanical stress at all.

Pieces of polystyrene or polystyrene granules fill the space between the joists, which are attached to the base of boards or plywood. Then a vapor barrier is attached, and on top of it is a crate, which is sewn on top with a sheet of plywood.

The resulting structure is covered with a foil film, then a system of pipes is laid with the help of slats. The entire structure is covered with sheets of GVLV or OSB plates... Installation ends with installation flooring... Waterproofing should be carried out from ground level. Styrofoam does not get wet, but moisture, getting between its pieces, significantly impairs thermal insulation.

Important! It is advisable to protect the entire structure from mice by placing a fine-mesh metal mesh... Mice do not eat polystyrene, but they can live in it.

Benefits of mineral wool

Mineral wool is of two types:

• solid plate;
• flexible mat.

Heat transfer when using this type of insulation is maximum. The material does not burn at all. Pieces of cotton wool, tightly adjacent to each other, can fill a room of any configuration. It can be used both on large areas and laid out between the joists during installation for warm wooden floors.

Minvata is a very hygroscopic material and needs a reliable vapor barrier. Manufacturers produce basalt and fiberglass insulation that can withstand heavy loads and can be used to insulate floors on the first floor.

Cork insulation

It is made from balsa wood. The material is natural and environmentally friendly. The insulation has significant thermal insulation properties. However, cork fiber is susceptible to moisture and contributes to the growth of fungus. To eliminate these problems, the slabs are treated with wax.

The downside of this type is also its price. It is much larger than all other materials.

Important! Cork insulation for underfloor heating is used only in conjunction with non-reflective materials (foil, foil film or metallized lavsan film).

Cork is used for insulation intermediate floors... The lifting height of the floor is minimal.

Penofol

Penofol or foamed polyethylene is often used as insulation under. It comes in rolls and comes in a variety of thicknesses. On the one hand, it is covered with foil and is not inferior to cork materials in terms of thermal insulation.

With its help, insulation of interfloor ceilings is carried out. Manufacturers make penofol with markings for ease of installation.

Installation rules

Whatever the insulation under the warm floor is made of, when installing it, you must follow a number of rules, thanks to which reliable thermal insulation will be achieved:

• An even and solid base must be prepared.
• Before laying the insulation, it is necessary to reliably isolate it from moisture. If the insulation is carried out with several pieces of film, they overlap, and all seams are glued with tape.
• Heating pipes when creating a warm water floor have a rather large weight. Over time, the insulating layer may shrink. To avoid this, it is necessary to use a material with a margin of safety or apply a reinforcing mesh over it. The mesh should be welded from a rod of at least 4 mm in diameter.

• To preserve heat, all seams and joints are glued with foil tape. If a warm floor is assembled from several circuits, a damper profile is placed between them. It will help create expansion joints.
• The structure is connected to the wall using a damper tape. It promotes thermal insulation and from destruction during temperature fluctuations;
• On top of the thermal insulation there should be a foil-coated material. It serves to reflect heat rays and distribute heat evenly over the entire surface. The foil must not come into contact with concrete or cement.
• All materials and components must be purchased in specialized stores. They must have a quality certificate.

Video

Correctly mounted thermal insulation for a water-heated floor is not a luxury, but a necessity. In its absence, the quality of heating will noticeably decrease, and the service life of all its elements will decrease. The money spent on installation will more than pay off with lower energy costs.

The basic system of underfloor heating is very complex and extensive; it includes several systematizations of various parts, each of which carries out its own task. Choose the right one and the desired system hot water heating is only part of our task. In addition, you need to choose a heater for a warm water floor, which will significantly increase the level of heat retention several times, which, in turn, will significantly save energy. Also when choosing correct isolation and the use of a special foil base, there is a unique opportunity to perfectly save heat, making it difficult for it to penetrate downward.

Insulation for a warm floor, the price of which depends on the material from which it is made, can be very diverse, but expanded polystyrene, which is a material similar in properties to polystyrene, but has much more practical performance characteristics... To form an insulating layer, a sheet of expanded polystyrene at least 3 cm thick is used. In order for all the connections between the sheets not to transmit energy and to be as dense as possible, they are reinforced with a polymer sheet, which includes a reinforcing mesh.

If, during the installation of the insulation, a substrate for water heated floors is used, your floor will have excellent resistance to moisture, and, moreover, have a long service life. The following points are essential components of the most effective water floor heating:

• A screed or concrete base that will retain and trap heat on its way down;
• Foil insulation under a water-heated floor that reflects heat back to the heated room. A water-heated floor, the substrate of which with its foil side faces the room, significantly reduces heat loss and increases the temperature in the room.
• Insulation for underfloor heating, which retains a maximum of energy, reducing electricity consumption.

In specialized stores, you can purchase insulation for a warm water floor already with special markings applied. Such sheets of expanded polystyrene are already ready for work, you just need to remove the excess. Standard size such sheets are 50x50cm, but if you have access directly to manufacturers, you can order sheets of absolutely any size.

Foil polystyrene foam with markings

Highly qualified specialists understand that properly installed warm water floors are the key to saving energy indoors, since a floor installed without insulation can incur about 25% of heat loss in winter period... Therefore, in order to reduce costs and keep warm, it is necessary to use reliable insulation under a water heat-insulated floor.

For what purposes is it necessary to use insulation?

Competent installation of floor slabs consists in the need for installation thermal insulation materials, v otherwise After a while, condensation may form on your floor surface and in areas where the floor is in contact with external walls. Due to the increased interior surfaces floors with the amount of moisture, unpleasant black mold and fungal formations will appear, all this can negatively affect the structure itself, as well as the health of people living in the house.

To prevent all of the above from happening, you need to carefully design the thermal insulation of your house, qualitatively mount a heater for water-heated floors and take other necessary measures to minimize heat loss anywhere in the heated room.

Insulation for underfloor heating has an important function in operation. It consists in reducing, where there is no need for this, the radiation of thermal energy. Thus, the flow of warm air is fixed along one course, thereby reducing energy costs during the operation of the floor heating system, while the power of the water heated floor remains unchanged.

Direction heat flow in different heating systems

What materials do you need to use?

Today, the choice of the necessary materials is not small. A substrate for a warm water floor, as well as thermal insulation for a warm water floor, are sold in specialized stores, where you can buy everything at once. necessary materials... Let's just say that our slabs for a warm water floor must be made of either mineral wool or expanded polystyrene. For each such material, special schemes for installing thermal insulation have been developed, taking into account the main features of their application. For example, heat-insulating boards for a warm floor have such qualities as high heat-insulating and sound capacity, excellent water-repellent properties, fire resistance, etc.

As for mineral wool, it is worth noting that it is of two types: a solid board and a flexible mat. The heat transfer of a warm water floor when using mineral wool is maximum, but the most important thing is that it is not subject to fire. If you have used an aluminum substrate for a warm water floor, then, in principle, flexible mineral wool as insulation will be enough to obtain maximum efficiency water floor.

The rock wool slab has an exceptional feature. Front side such slabs are marked with a blue stripe, and when laid, this blue stripe should be on top. The base for a warm water floor can be either concrete, or wooden, but with wooden base necessary in to a greater extent insulate, in order to avoid high heat loss.

In addition to the main heating system, you can use Energoflex for underfloor heating. This high-quality material is a ready-made thermal insulation system that allows you to significantly reduce installation time, It is mainly used in case of unexpected but short-term heating needs.