Heating equipment installed on walls and ceilings, including portable heating appliances, is to a certain extent part of an interior that needs decoration and occupies some volume in the room.
With the development of technologies for the production of heating equipment, units appeared on the heater market that do not reduce the useful volume of premises -, flush built into the floor.
Group sequential arrangement under a common grate of convector-type heaters installed in the floor along the perimeter of the circular arrangement of panoramic window openings
Floor convectors for heating are widely in demand in spacious administrative and residential premises with glass enclosing structures, as well as public transit facilities (corridors, passages, waiting rooms), where they, without being conspicuous, effectively fulfill their purpose - maintaining the required temperature regime.
Floor convector heater, mounted along the observation exterior glazing of the room. Understanding of floor-mounted convectors
Convectors that are simplified into the floor are a robust rectangular body, often of frame design, sheathed with front side decorative metal grill. A heat exchanger is located in the housing, which heats up, depending on the type of heating device, by a coolant circulating through it or an electric heater.
Floor convectors for heating are installed in separate point or common linear niches made in the supporting floor according to the dimensions of the heaters, as well as in the space between the raised floor and the concrete base. To reduce heat loss, the bottom and side walls of the casing of the floor convectors are equipped with external thermal insulation.
The design of such heaters is provided with adjusting screws that allow precise adjustment of the horizontal position of the front grille plane to the level of the finished floor covering so that the protruding parts of the case do not create obstacles when walking on them.
Diagram of the device in the floor of the floor-mounted convector in section For more efficient use, floor-mounted heaters are located along panoramic glass enclosures and window openings in order to use convective flows also as a thermal curtain between the room space and the cold glazing surface.
Variant of installation in the floor of the TURBO VKN5 duct convector with a fan. Types of in-floor heaters
There are many models of underfloor heaters today, and they all differ in some way from each other. If we do not consider the parameters that are of secondary importance, then all built-in into the floor heating convectors can be divided into two groups:
- water;
- electrical.
Units within each of these two groups differ in size, configuration, power, design of the outer grille, type of convection - natural or forced (with a fan) and performance class.
Water heaters for internal floor placement
Floor water convector - a heating device connected to the central or autonomous heating.
The scheme of functioning of the water floor convector is the flow of cold air from the glazing of the window opening to the heating device, its heating and exit to the room. A valve is installed at the tie-in point to the system, which can be used to regulate the amount of coolant circulating through the floor water heater.
The main element of the unit is a radiator with inlet and outlet fittings, through which, using flexible hoses or fittings, it is connected to the heating system and circulation takes place hot water through a heat exchanger.
Connecting the radiator of the underfloor heater with flexible hoses. The radiator is made of a copper tube, on which aluminum fins are made to increase the heat exchange area. Modern water heating convectors are equipped with valves for automatic discharge of air entering the system along with water, which eliminates the formation of air jams and ensures efficient operation of the unit due to a stable rate of circulation of the coolant.
Installation of a water convector in a niche and its rigid connection to heat-insulated pipes in groove-channels. The intensity of the coolant supply to the convector can be manually changed with a valve at the point of connection to the heating system, but it is more efficient to install a mechanical thermostat at the heater inlet, which regulates the flow of hot water into the heat exchanger depending on the temperature of the water in the radiator.
On the left - a schematic sectional view of a manual valve and a mechanical thermostat, on the right - a natural image of a thermostatic head. Underfloor heaters with natural convection type are designed to heat medium-sized rooms (16-25 sq. M.).
To ensure the natural movement of convective flows, the depth of the housing box must be at least 20 cm, and yet even multi-pipe devices of the natural type of convection do not always cope with the role of the main and only heating means, forcing homeowners to additionally use other heating devices.
Multi-pipe radiator for a water convector built into the floor with increased heat transfer. The main advantage of this group of underfloor heaters is safety, due to the absence of factors associated with the use of electrical appliances. Floor convectors for water heating do not need grounding, they are not afraid of direct contact with moisture (it often happens on the floor), the surface temperature of these units is safe for humans with short-term contact, and the outer grille can be made of valuable wood species.
Arrangements for floor-mounted heaters: on the left - corner placement, on the right - installation in steps. The cost of such devices, depending on power, class of technical equipment and performance, ranges from 20 to 100 thousand rubles.
Important! When connected to the system, water heating convectors built into the floor are heaters that do not require energy costs (with the exception of models with a fan).
Forced convection water heating devices
Equipping the device with a fan accelerates convective flows, but at the same time reduces their temperature - the air heats up less due to the shorter duration of contact with the heat exchanger. Therefore, the radiators of underfloor heaters with forced convection are performed more than complex design(two-three-four-pipe), up to 3 meters long, which prolongs the contact of air with the heat exchanger and increases its temperature at the outlet of the unit.
Conditional diagram of the movement of convective flows in a floor convector with a fan. A forced-type convection heater built into the floor is several times more efficient than models without a fan, therefore, they are used in large rooms, and the energy consumption of such devices is low due to the absence of electric heating elements. However, the complexity of the design of tangential fans, most often used in modern heating units (with a reduced noise level, operating from a voltage of 12 V) or the equipment of the heater with several ventilation mechanisms of the traditional, diametrical type, design significantly increases the cost of the convector, which can range from 50 to 160 thousand roubles.
Varieties of equipping floor convectors with fans: on the left - single, on the right - block, below - tangential fan. The thermal power of a water heater is determined by the dimensions of the unit, the temperature of the supplied heat carrier and the type of convection, but the required calorific value (Qt) is determined by a special formula:
The formula for calculating the required power of the convector with the decoding of the constituent elements. However, the required heat release power also depends on other factors - the region, the dimensions of the room, the glazing area, the degree of thermal protection of the enclosing structures, etc., therefore, its value is often determined using special tables that take into account certain operating conditions.
Electric underfloor heating units
These units differ from water floor convectors in the way the heat exchanger is heated and, of course, in the design.
The heat exchanger is a heating element placed in a finned casing. Thus, electric underfloor heaters are to some extent infrared heaters, the main principle of which is based on convection.
Schematic device of an electric underfloor heater of natural convection type. The presence of an electric heating element in the unit allows it to be connected to an automatic heating control system in order to minimize human participation in the operation of the heater. For this, a remote mechanical thermostat is installed in the power circuit of the unit, which turns off the device when the temperature in the room reaches the set value.
Important! Automatic temperature control is effective only when installing units with forced convection, since the fan provides a uniform air temperature in the room and allows the temperature sensor to record its real value.
Option of wiring the thermostat to a floor-mounted electric heater. All models of electric underfloor appliances are equipped with a temperature sensor inside, which protects the heater from overheating.
Important! When installing electrical heaters, the distance from the unit to the glazing plane should be no more than 300 mm - if this value is exceeded, nothing will prevent the formation of condensation on the glass, which, flowing down to the floor, can accumulate in the niche where the heater is located.
The height of the ceilings of most apartments does not allow painlessly filling the floor with a layer of concrete, which makes it possible to drown the underfloor heater. It is also unrealistic to cut the floor in the interfloor to such a depth. Therefore, an electric, and even more so a water heater, built into the floor, in conditions apartment building you will not meet. But floor convectors, similar in design, are produced, which do not require installation of mounting niches in the floor for installation.
With such heating devices, both electric and water, it is possible to effectively heat spacious rooms of apartments and utility rooms for industrial purposes.
Important! The use of electric floor convectors is associated with sensitive electricity costs, but there is a way out of this situation - the use of a 24 V DC network, which will not only reduce costs, but also increase the safety of the heating unit.
Schematic connection of the floor convector to a 24 V network and a thermostat Fan coil units
On the basis of floor-mounted convectors, another type of heaters is produced that work not only for heating, but also for cooling. At the place of installation, in addition to the interior, they are also wall, floor and ceiling. The Russian-language name for such a unit is fan coil, from the English fan-coil, which means fan-heat exchanger in translation.
This definition means a combination of two devices working in pairs:
- fan coil unit itself - a floor-mounted mechanism for influencing the air temperature, including one or more heat exchangers;
- chiller - a separately installed unit for cooling the coolant (water) supplied to the fan coil during the summer period.
Fan coil units are single-circuit (two-pipe) and double-circuit (four-pipe).
In single-circuit units, hot water from the central heating system or antifreeze from the heating boiler is driven through the heat exchanger in winter. In the summer, it passes through the same heat exchanger cold water from a chiller - a device that does not use freon or other gas with identical characteristics for cooling.
In double-circuit fan coil units, the movement of hot and cold heat carriers is carried out through separate heat exchangers.
Schematic representation of a double-circuit fan coil unit (without chiller). Thus, depending on the set mode, the fan drives the room air through a hot or cold heat exchanger.
There is no universal installation scheme for the chiller-fan coil system pair, its installation is possible in any room, but the installation project will be tied to specific conditions.
One chiller of the correct size can be connected to a system of many fan coil units (wall, ceiling, floor) serving several rooms and even buildings.
Such a system for ensuring the required temperature regime in the premises is used mainly in public and industrial buildings, since it is difficult to maintain and expensive.
Advantages and disadvantages of floor-mounted convectors
We list the positive and negative features of floor heaters without dividing by the type of energy carrier used and listing the characteristics inherent in all convectors as a whole.
Pros:
- due to the location of the unit, the lowest, coldest layers of air are heated;
- the installation of devices does not reduce the useful volume of the room;
- quick exit to operating mode;
- preventing the formation of condensation on the glazing.
Minuses:
- with high ceilings, it is not effective to build units of a natural type of convection into the floor - convective currents of heated air are concentrated high under the ceiling and cool down before filling the current volume of the room;
- convection from the level flooring initiates intensive movement of dust in the air, which is constantly present in the air during the operation of the heater;
- inconvenience of everyday care of niches in which household waste accumulates.
Conclusion
Floor-mounted convection-type heaters are perfect heating devices that not only heat the room, but also create a thermal curtain between the living space of the room and the sources of cold - glazing, doorways. But their installation should be justified by the operating conditions, and not be an end in itself. Placing floor heaters in a room without a technically reasonable justification will only lead to the presence of littered niches, into which devices that are not effective in this situation and therefore are not used are built in.
The main point of the article
- Floor placement of household heaters is the most rational option for installing heaters.
- Underfloor heating devices are divided into two main groups: hot water and electrical. When choosing the heater that is optimal for the existing conditions, knowledge of the device and technical characteristics both types of devices.
- Water floor convectors are economical, safe and efficient heaters that can be equipped with shut-off thermostats.
- Floor-mounted electric heaters are not energy-saving devices, but switching to 24V DC effectively solves this problem.
- Fan coil units - perfect control units temperature regime in the premises, but, due to the complexity of maintenance and high cost, almost never used in private housing.
- The use of underfloor heaters in rooms with a small area or in the absence of panoramic glazing is not justified.
What are the types of floor convectors? What are their advantages over other heating devices? Are there any significant disadvantages? Let's try to find out.
The photo shows an underfloor heating convector in a gym.
What it is
Before us is a conventional heating device that uses the principle of convective air heating during its operation. Air heated in contact with the radiator rises to the ceiling; its place is taken by the cooled one and begins to heat up - and so on in a circle.
Please note: to speed up heating, some models use fans blowing over the heat exchanger. Strictly speaking, this is already another heating device - a fan coil; however, more often than not, manufacturers and sellers do not categorize such devices.
The only feature of the convector we are talking about is its location in the volume of the room. It is mounted below the floor level and is closed from above with a grate through which heated air passes freely.
The typical location of such a heating device is near the entrance. It creates an efficient heat curtain while remaining a fairly economical heat source.
What are they
Electrical
Structurally, such a convector differs only in that, for an obvious reason, its bottom box has no openings for introducing cold air. The rest is the same low-temperature a heating element and a radiator-heat exchanger.
Since in this case only the grate covering the convector remains visible, the design of the heat exchanger is usually not given close attention.
The very concept of an electric floor convector is associated with confusion. In the catalogs under the same name, you can find a water fan coil, called electric only because it uses a mains-powered fan.
The power range of those devices that can often be found on sale is from 750 to 3000 kW.
The difference with a conventional floor convector is only in the shape of the body and the location of the air intake.
Aquatic
Convectors for heating water recessed into the floor can be produced both in casings and without them, being just a heat exchanger with threads.
In the first case, of course, installation is somewhat simpler - a box of a fixed shape is simply stacked when pouring the screed or into the raised floor.
In the second option, you need to think over the options for fastening the convector; in addition, you will have to attend to the thermal insulation of the recess under it - otherwise, a significant part of the heat consumed by it will go to heating the floor, and not the air.
What variants of the body can be found?
- Made of stainless steel.
- Made of regular steel, painted with durable paint.
At the same time, cases with drainage holes are often found to drain condensate.
The material of the heat exchangers depends on the class of the convector and its cost:
- The budget option is steel. It is selected when the main criterion is price.
- More efficient heat exchangers (but also much more expensive) are bimetal, a copper tube with aluminum fins.
Solution features
Dignity
What are the advantages of floor convectors over other heating devices?
These are ordinary water or. There is no reason to expect any special efficiency or economy from them.
The advantages lie in a different plane:
- Hidden placement fits into any design. You no longer have to think about how to disguise a clumsy radiator: the heat source will simply not be visible.
- Maximum living space is freed up in the room... Chairs, tables can now be placed close to the walls - nothing rests on either the heating devices or the piping to them.
Flaws
They are, although they are not weighty enough to put a cross on these heating devices.
- All other things being equal, the efficiency of a convector in a floor will be lower than that of a wall or floor convector. Some of the heat will inevitably be absorbed by the floor; in addition, convection with such an arrangement of heat transfer is difficult.
Please note: forced blowing of the heat exchanger removes the second problem completely. However, the fan will deprive the convector of one of its advantages - noiselessness.
- DIY installation will be much more difficult compared to the same type. V apartment buildings it is often simply impossible - the convector cannot be drowned in the floor slabs, and the ceiling height will not give the finishing floor above the floor level.
- In the case of a water floor convector, it will be necessary to lay the connection to it in the screed, which is ideologically wrong. It is still better to leave communications accessible. Sooner or later, everything fails. Pipes are no exception.
- How to calculate the required heat output of an underfloor convector if it is the only heat source in the room? The instruction is standard for all convectors: for efficient heating you need 1 kW per 10 m2 of area.
Useful little things
Of course, with a standard height of ceilings: the higher they are, the more air volume has to be heated. Moreover, we remember that warm air accumulates at the top.
One subtlety is associated with thermal power. Manufacturers often indicate the effective power of the convector at a heat exchanger temperature of 90C. In reality, in winter, you can count on a maximum of 70.
Conclusion
You will find more information about this type of device in the video at the end of the article. Happy choice!
We are already accustomed to the fact that in almost every room there are heating batteries - with the Russian climate there is no escape from them. But floor heating convectors are still a comparative novelty. They are designed to be installed directly into the floor, providing efficient heating premises with panoramic windows ... What are convectors, how to choose and install them? Our review will tell you about this and much more.
Device and principle of operation
Panoramic windows have become a relative novelty in the construction market. They were present before, but today the scope of their use has assumed a very solid scale. Panoramic windows are used in residential premises, in buildings of cinemas and exhibition complexes, as well as in buildings of shops and shopping centers. That is, they are found almost everywhere, delighting with excellent visibility and good appearance.
It is customary to install heating batteries directly under the windows. Here they provide reliable protection from window openings cold. For this, floor niches are created here, where the batteries are recessed. In the case of panoramic windows, everything is more complicated, since they require the use of non-standard solutions in order not to obstruct the view. Some people frankly do not care about this, so they install standard batteries under panoramic windows. But this approach cannot be called optimal.
Agree that even a beautiful heating radiator installed in front of panoramic windows spoils the impression of them.
The way out of the situation is floor heating batteries. They have a minimum height and are well suited for installation under panoramic windows.... But what about those who are not satisfied with such batteries? They are helped by floor convectors installed directly into the floors. For this, special niches are prepared here, to which the pipes of the heating system fit.
How are underfloor heating convectors arranged? Their design is made up of several main elements:
- thin metal cases - the insides are located in them;
- pipes through which the coolant flows (copper or steel);
- a diffusing grid made of plates that heats the air (steel or aluminum);
- decorative grill - cold air is taken in through it and heated air is released.
All this wealth is hidden under the flooring, so from above we see only decorative lattice.
Careful selection of the color of the decorative grille to match the color of the floor covering will completely mask the heating system and make it completely invisible. In some cases, consumers welcome more contrasting solutions.
The air, heated by the floor heater, tends upward. Its place is filled with cold air, which also heats up.
Floor heating convectors work on the convection principle. They heat the air, which becomes lighter and goes up. Cold air masses enter the place of hot air. As a result almost all the air passes through the heater and becomes warm- a completely comfortable atmosphere is created in the room.
If in conventional floor models, cold, and therefore heavier air is taken from below, then in floor convectors it is taken from above, from the side of the window. Heated air masses are also thrown out from above, but from the side of the room. Thus, the circulation of air masses is achieved, and it becomes quite warm in the rooms. For faster heating, these heaters can be supplemented with forced convection fans.
Advantages and disadvantages
Floor convectors are not the most common heating equipment. But they have a lot of advantages that make them an ideal choice for heating rooms with panoramic windows. By installing an under-floor water heater under the window, we will provide an excellent overview and not so good warming up of the room, office, cinema hall and any other room.
What are the advantages of floor convectors?
Convectors mounted in the floor perfectly warm the room and do not clutter up the space.
- Minimum dimensions - floor convectors have a low height, therefore unnecessarily deep niches are not needed for their installation (with the exception of high power models).
- Ease of installation - just put the equipment in niches and connect it to the heating system using suitable fittings.
- The possibility of creating a hidden heating system - underfloor heaters are completely recessed into the floors, and only their decorative grilles are visible from above.
- Floor water heating convectors do not clutter up the space in the premises - they are installed in the floors, and the decorative grilles are installed flush with the floor covering;
- Effective heating of rooms with panoramic windows - floor convectors warm rooms, offices and other premises well, blocking the path of drafts coming from the windows.
- Installation in doorways is another way to improve the efficiency of your heating system and get rid of drafts.
- Safety for children - if the convector is recessed into the floor, you cannot burn yourself on it. Such devices are optimal for children's camps, sanatoriums and kindergartens..
- A wide range of colors of decorative grilles - by matching the grill to the color of the floors, we will get an excellent masking of the heating system.
There are also some disadvantages:
In rooms with high ceilings, it is better to combine underfloor heaters with other heating devices.
- low efficiency in rooms with high ceilings - this is true for all convectors, and not only for floor convectors. For this reason, it is recommended to combine them with other heating devices;
- floor convectors carry dust - it must be constantly removed with a powerful vacuum cleaner;
- high cost of equipment - some models are expensive.
These disadvantages can be neglected, since there are undoubtedly more advantages.
To remove dust and dirt from underfloor heating devices, it is enough to remove the decorative grill to the side and use a powerful vacuum cleaner.
Popular models of floor convectors
We are going to buy floor heating convectors, but cannot do right choice? In this case, use the following tips:
- choose models made on the basis of non-ferrous metals, - they have a higher heat transfer;
- pay attention to the manufacturer - buy floor convectors Russian production(Itermic, JagaRus, Isoterm) and European production (Varmann, Minib, Mohlenhoff), avoiding buying products from dubious Chinese manufacturers;
- choose appliances of popular models, with a lot of user reviews.
Floor convectors "Breeze" look the same. They differ only in size.
Among the popular models we can single out the underfloor water convector "Breeze" 200x100x2200. The power of this convector is 932 W, and long length allows it to be used under large panoramic windows... Pleases and affordable price presented equipment. The convector is assembled on the basis of a copper-aluminum heat exchanger and is characterized by high heat transfer. In addition to the appliance, you can choose a decorative grille in any color.
The next popular model is the Itermic ITT.080.600.200, with a heat dissipation of 140 W. This convector is low-power, therefore additional heating devices must be used in conjunction with it. Nevertheless, it will reliably protect the premises from drafts coming from the doors and panoramic windows.
In conclusion, we will tell you about the EVA KB60 model - this is one of the smallest convectors with a depth of only 65 mm. The maximum heat dissipation of the device is 1257 W, for which a copper-aluminum heat exchanger is responsible. Roller grilles of various colors are presented to consumers' choice. A distinctive feature of this device is the presence of forced convection fans operating from electrical network voltage of 12 V.
Prices for underfloor heating convectors vary widely. The estimated cost of a simple convector with a capacity of 1000 W is from 17 to 20 thousand rubles. The highest prices are for models from German manufacturers such as Mohlenhoff.
Installation of the floor convector
An underfloor heater cannot be installed without a suitable floor recess, so prepare it responsibly.
The installation of floor convectors is carried out in specially prepared niches in the floors with a rough finish. Heating pipes and electrical cables are supplied here (for connecting models with forced ventilation). To connect the devices to the pipes, fittings of suitable dimensions are used, made of a suitable metal. Convectors should be located strictly horizontally, which is checked using a building level
Increased requirements for the interior design of residential and office premises and the presence of large stained-glass windows in the house forces us to carefully approach the heating device. This applies to heating radiators, which sometimes look out of place against the background stained glass windows... And here the so-called water heating convectors built into the floor come to the rescue, which are created precisely for such cases.
The concept of floor convectors and their design
In fact, such a convector heater is not some kind of modern revolutionary discovery. Suffice it to recall the Soviet department stores, in the vestibules of which powerful thermal curtains... Some of the devices that pump air were built into special niches in the floor, covered with ordinary metal gratings. Modern floor convectors are descendants of the described devices, but more compact, efficient and aesthetic.
They can be perceived as a kind of water floor heating, only a more simplified version using a different principle of operation. The well-known water heated floors give out a heat flow, which includes two components: radiant and convection. In the heat flow from the convectors arranged in the floor, there is only one component - convection, since the device heats only the air in the room. The diagram showing the most simple construction floor convectors heating:
1 - device body; 2 - copper or aluminum heat exchanger "water - air"; 3 - height-adjustable mounting brackets; 4 - decorative lattice.
A convection-type heat exchanger is installed in a metal case, which is connected to pipelines with a heat carrier. On top of the body by stamping, a seat was made for a decorative lattice, which is designed for a certain load exerted on it by a person's weight.
Air masses heated between the plates of the heat exchanger naturally rise to the upper part of the room, mixing with the cool air in the window area. That is, the device functions according to the same principle as a conventional water convector, only hidden in the thickness of the floor.
By their design, these heating devices are offered in the following types:
- heaters with natural circulation air masses;
- floor convectors with a fan and forced air movement;
- units with heating / cooling function and supply of inflow from the street.
Floor convectors equipped with a fan for hot water heating work much more efficiently, since the heat is more intensively removed from the fins of the copper radiator, after which the flow is forced upward, forcing the entire air environment in the room to move continuously. Heaters of this type are the most popular.
Cooling and heating with convectors of the third type is not a cheap pleasure and not everyone can afford it. The units can be connected to a two- and four-pipe system; both hot water and coolant can be supplied to the heat exchanger. In addition, the housing has branch pipes for connecting the supply air duct. The control is carried out from a remote electronic unit acting on several such heaters simultaneously.
For reference. These multifunctional floor convectors can fully function only as part of a centralized system, they do not independently cool or heat water, it must be supplied to the unit through pipes. The same applies to the supply air, which is processed in the ventilation unit, and enters the convector through the duct network.
1 - common air duct of the supply system; 2 - branches; 3 - connecting pipe; 4 - raised floor; 5 - stained-glass window; 6 - convector; 7 - incoming air flow into the unit; 8 - outgoing stream.
Advantages and disadvantages
These air heaters are still highly specialized means of heating premises, therefore, the advantages of floor convectors are quite specific:
- Heaters are the best fit into any interior and satisfy the most high requirements to aesthetic outward appearance... This is their main advantage.
- In terms of efficiency, they are not inferior to conventional radiators and convectors of wall and floor type.
- Indispensable in rooms with high ceilings and stained glass facades.
- In terms of cost, built-in heating is in the middle price category.
I must admit that convectors in the floor have many disadvantages that will have to pay for the beauty of the interior:
- to install products, a screed or raised floor will be required, this is convenient for new construction or reconstruction, but it is very difficult in a renovated apartment;
- for convectors without a fan, an insulating substrate is required;
- dust and dirt quickly accumulates inside the heat exchanger, the convector heater requires frequent maintenance and cleaning;
- it is impossible to install local thermostats, instead of them it will be necessary to organize a centralized automatic regulation of the air temperature;
- for a hidden connection, it is necessary to lay heating pipes in the floor, and for floor convectors with a fan - also wires.
When choosing a built-in heating, 2 factors are important: the available heat output and compliance with the interior of the room. Manufacturers must indicate the power value in the technical data sheet for the product, so in this respect it is not difficult to make a choice. You just need to know the need for thermal energy for each heated room.
Attention! The thermal power of the device, declared in the passport by the manufacturer, corresponds to a certain design temperature of the coolant, which in your case may be less. You should pay special attention to this when buying and select a product with a certain margin of heat transfer.
In appearance, choosing a built-in convector is also easy. The color schemes of the offered grilles are very rich, but even if you did not manage to find the necessary color, there is certainly an opportunity to order it. The size of the product in the plan and its height also play a role; the latter must correspond to the thickness of the screed or raised floor.
The installation of the trenchless device consists in attaching it to rough floor and leveling the surface of the product horizontally using a building level. Height adjustment is carried out with mounting brackets and is fixed. Then the supply pipelines are connected, laid, like underfloor heating, from central heating or an individual boiler room. After the connection and installation of the floor convectors is completed, the screed can be poured.
Advice. At the time of solidification of the laid solution, it is imperative to put the decorative grill in its place, otherwise the screed can squeeze the walls of the case and then it will be difficult to insert it. The installation process is clearly shown in the video.
Conclusion
This is not to say that heating with floor convectors is a very popular heating method. Nevertheless, in many situations it is simply irreplaceable, and in terms of their heat transfer, the devices are practically not inferior to traditional heating radiators.
When you are just deciding what kind of heating systems to make in your apartment or house, you can easily fall for the advertisements of marketers and store managers who, in colorful tones, describe all the advantages of this type of heating as floor convectors.
This article will consider in detail all their shortcomings, which are usually modestly silent about in all stores and on manufacturers' websites.
Central heating connection
Firstly, floor convectors are not compatible with central heating. And it doesn't matter what your wiring diagram is:
- one-pipe
- or two-pipe
None of them will work well. This is due to the intricate and difficult routes of the inlet and outlet pipes.
And in all these joints, turns and knees, there is an increased hydraulic resistance. 
Hot water does not want to follow a difficult path with many joints and constrictions. It is much easier for her, bypassing the convector, to directly slip into another room or through the wall to your neighbors. That is, where normal radiators are installed and normal resistance is created.
As a result, your convectors remain cold. Of course, you can go to the trick and shut off the bypass with a one-pipe system. 
This will force hot water to be dispensed. However, everything you achieve will be similar to the effect of installing a water floor.
Your apartment will be hot, and all your nearest neighbors will have a dubak. 
Accordingly, wait for complaints to all instances. Further, commission checks. Prescriptions that at your own expense, within 3 days, you need to restore the normal circuit and operation of the central heating system. 
And if you first make a calculation, choose the right material (section and diameter plastic pipes, push-in fittings) will the convector work in this case? Yes, it will. 
However, not all models will normally heat up, but only the most powerful of them, and even then, having a separate fan in their design. 
But even in this case, the installation and installation of floor convectors, from the point of view of legislation, still falls under the same rules as the installation of water heated floors.
That is, it is strictly forbidden to connect them from the central heating system.
Therefore, prepare in advance for checks, bribes, fines, prescriptions and similar headaches.
In addition, if you connect from the risers and leave the pipes under the screed, the risers will still remain. 
And you have to get out in two ways:
- erect a false wall
Therefore, the main thing that you should remember is if you have a standard heating system, then forget about floor convectors right away.
Installation depth in floor and fan
Now let's consider a situation when collector wiring and heating is done on the floor in your apartment. 
First, don't just take the salesperson's word for it. Absolutely all floor convectors heat very poorly. And the shallower the depth of their installation, the worse they do it.
In fact, in middle lane Russia, normally only the most powerful models with an installation depth of 120mm work out. And then, if they have an additional fan. 
That is, specimens with a depth of 80 and 100 mm in latitudes with cold temperatures practically do not work.
From such work, you will get misted windows, and the temperature in the room is no more than 17 degrees. 
Sometimes mold even develops on the walls and ceiling.
But still there are those that more or less work (with a fan and a depth of 12 cm). Let's take a look at them. 
Let's start with the fact that the presence of a fan is:
- additional troubles with the electrician on the floor
- additional problems with enabling / disabling it
- extra electricity bills
- and most importantly, the constant noise from his work
If you want a quiet and quiet fan, don't be surprised at the price. It starts from 50 thousand for such models. rubles and reaches 200 thousand. 
If we take for comparison the same ordinary radiator battery, then with the same heat transfer parameters, all your costs will be limited to 5 thousand.
Moreover, the fan itself is a very short-lived thing. No convector manufacturer gives a warranty for it for more than 1 year. 
It is also very difficult to find manufacturers who sell fans separately. This means that if it breaks down, you most likely have to buy the whole convector again.
Screed thickness and floor level
If you have a screed thickness of about 5 cm throughout the apartment, then to install the floor convector, you will have to pour as much as 7 cm from above. 
And this is about 3 bags of the mixture per 1m2. Or 320 bags for a 100m2 apartment. 
As a result, you will receive neither more nor less - 13 tons of screed. An ordinary Gazelle includes about 1.5 tons.
And to bring almost 10 Gazelle screeds to your apartment just in order to put yourself a floor convector is not a very smart decision.
In addition, do not forget that the floor level at the entrance to the apartment and the floor level at the entrance should be approximately at the same level. That is, upon entering your dwelling, you should not fall into a pit and should not climb a step. 
And this means that in about 70% of apartments, you simply cannot pour the required amount of screed to install the 120th box.
Convector leakage
If you have a regular radiator drip, you will notice it immediately, because you will see a puddle under it. 
And if the floor convector leaks, you will discover it only after the entire laminate is wet and the water rises above its level. 
At the same time, all neighbors from below will be guaranteed to be flooded.
When a regular radiator has leaks, what do you do? Take a regular adjustable wrench and calmly tighten them. 
And when the convector leaks, then all the connections will be covered with very hot and very opaque water. And soaking this water with a rag is very inconvenient.
The radiators have very sharp edges and when you get the water out of there, your fingers will be cut. 
Also, do not forget that only convectors with a fan heat normally. And the fan is electrical appliance, which is powered by a voltage of 220V.
And in the case of a leaking convector, the effect will be quite obvious, as if the electrical wiring was thrust into the water.
And also, dirt and dust constantly accumulate in the niche of floor convectors, and, as we found out, it is not very convenient to clean there. 
Convectors and laminate
Also, the installation of these heating devices is a gross violation of the laminate laying technology. 
Laminate, to the surprise of some, is not always of high quality. And even among the premium brands, there are defective lots. 
For example, a decorative coating peels off and bends upward. 
In the event of his marriage, you have the right to call an expert. And not from the supplier, but directly from the manufacturer.
He will check everything, and if the batch is really defective, they are obliged to replace him with a new one free of charge.
And if you have installed a trench heater, then you can immediately forget about warranty claims.
The expert will come, look at this case, turn around, and glad that they are not obliged to change anything, he will go back.
Laminate is a “free floating” covering, and by installing such a heater in the floor, you do not give it the opportunity to expand in all directions.
Also, remember that laminate flooring not only expands, but sometimes contracts as well. Very often it shrinks so much that it ceases to overlap even the plinth, which previously covered it by 1.5 cm. 
And the decorative sides of the convector are only 5mm wide.
Therefore, in every second apartment, around the installation box, there are either wide gaps, or the box is squeezed and tightly clamps the decorative lattice. 
Injury risk
And most importantly, absolutely all floor convectors are extremely traumatic.
Firstly, socks and tights are constantly tearing against the frame of these heaters. And if you walk barefoot, your legs are injured on them. 
Secondly, if you step on the grate of the convector, it very often breaks and the leg falls inside. All of this can result in serious foot injuries. 
Thirdly, pets, especially small dogs, constantly break their legs in these bars. 
And last but not least, small children can get seriously injured in the narrow slots of the grille. They break fingers, peel off skin, and get stuck in various parts of the arms and legs.
Therefore, floor convectors are a very poor solution for heating your apartment. And if you can do without them, that's exactly what you need to do.
