Do-it-yourself water heated floor. Self-arrangement of a warm floor in a private house Project of water heated floors in a private house

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, fundamentally new floor heating systems are currently appearing, but water systems still do not lose their attractiveness among developers. When choosing a specific solution, it is necessary to carefully analyze the actual features of the structure, weigh your desires and possibilities.

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

There are a few things to keep in mind when planning wiring diagrams yourself.

Quality of insulation structural elements premises. Here it is necessary to pay attention not only to heat specifications bases and floor insulation, but also on the amount of heat loss of walls, windows and ceilings. Depending on these values, a decision is made about the power of the circuit, the step between the pipes, the temperature of the coolant at the inlet and outlet. At the same time, it should be calculated whether the power of the warm floor is enough for the main heating of the room or it can only be used 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 indicators of the microclimate in them recommended by state sanitary organizations.
Geometry and dimensions of the premises. Each room has its own zones, the decision to install a heating system under them is made on site. It depends on the characteristics and layout of the furniture, types of finishing floor coverings, 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 installation can be used in the room. scheme or a combination of two options.
The level of placement of doorways. If the house is being built according to the project, then all dimensions are given in it with reference to the level of placement of the finishing floor covering, this is the zero reference point. Everything above the floor is indicated by a plus sign, and everything below it is indicated by a minus sign. There is no need to solve any problems on your own, you only need to accurately follow 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 installation, it is necessary to coordinate the height of the floor pie with the existing doorways in interior partitions and facade walls.

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

Each house has its own characteristics that directly affect the choice of scheme. But there are also general recommendations, the implementation of which increases the efficiency of use and minimizes the negative consequences of possible accidents.

In all cases, it is not recommended to install floor heating under heavy overall furniture. This is one of the major drawbacks 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 rearrangements.
It is considered impractical to do heating near the walls. People do not stay in such zones, there is no need to waste heat energy in vain. 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 customers.
The division of large rooms into several sectors. It is recommended to make at least two water heating circuits for rooms larger than 30 m2. This recommendation is explained simply - in very long pipelines, significant turbulence appears, which creates 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, during prolonged operation at maximum loads, sharply consumes its resource and quickly fails.
It is not necessary to regulate the temperature of floor heating by changing the distances between the pipes. In all wiring diagrams, it is recommended to make this parameter the same. If you do not follow this recommendation, then it will be 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 bending 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 are advised to increase it if possible. The smaller the radius, the more turbulence the fluid flow has, the higher the total resistance with all the negative consequences.

Wiring Diagram Types

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

Table. Water floor contour options

Circuit diagram type	Brief description of the features of the arrangement and operational characteristics
	Feature - pipes are laid in a double helix, 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. The advantages of the wiring diagram are that the consumption of materials is minimized and uniform heating of the room is ensured. Minus - the complexity of installation, on the basis it is necessary to make preliminary markings.
	Most often used in small rectangular rooms. Allows you to emphasize individual heating zones. Disadvantages - a significant difference in floor heating temperature at the inlet and outlet of the coolant.
	The most complex design, it is recommended to use in large rooms that have unheated areas. It makes it possible to install a warm floor with different heating temperatures of individual zones, reduces the percentage of inefficiently used pipes.

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

Ways to connect the underfloor heating system

Four schemes for connecting 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.

The temperature of the heat carrier must not exceed +55°C, otherwise floor coverings may warp, and natural wood materials may crack. In practice, heating is recommended to be limited to + 35–45 ° С.
Even when connected to a common house 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.
The dimensions of the circuit must provide for a temperature difference at the inlet and outlet of the coolant of not 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 + 26–31 ° С.
The fluid velocity cannot exceed 0.6 m/sec. This is due to the fact that high speeds of the coolant increase the risk of leakage due to additional loads on all connections.

Connecting the system directly from the heat generator

It can be either a gas or electric, 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 cooling the return. The fact is that for all types of boilers, the low-temperature mode of operation is considered optimal - the container heats up less, more thermal energy is given off by the combustion products of the fuel.

One more nuance. If you are using solid fuel boiler, then it is necessary to install buffer storage tanks. They perform the function of thermal accumulators and equalize the outlet water temperature. V solid fuel boilers it is structurally impossible to constantly keep the water temperature at 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 house heating system

A rather 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 building, the connection of additional consumers of thermal energy is not provided, all elements of the system, starting from the diameters of the central main pipes and ending with the wiring for apartments, cannot provide optimal water movement. As a result, the risks of a complete imbalance in the heating of an apartment building are high.

If you managed to get such permission, then an individual floor heating system 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 coolant cannot be supplied to the system. How to lower the temperature? With the help of a three-way valve, the cold return is mixed with hot water. The temperature and quantity is controlled automatically. After mixing, the coolant is suitable for filling the floor heating system in its parameters and everything works in the recommended mode.

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

From mixing unit

Such units are necessarily equipped with autonomous pumps, without them it is very difficult to regulate the temperature of the coolant. There are no fundamental differences in functioning with the method described above, only the set of control valves differs. The device has special valves that regulate the amount of chilled water mixed in. 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 assembly, it may include a bypass with a bypass valve, ball valves or an inlet balancing valve.

Connection for each individual loop

The so-called thermal installation kits. Small boxes, inside of which there are limiters for the temperature of the water of the carrier and the air in the room. Connected to central heating batteries, they can provide heat to small systems with an area of \u200b\u200bno more than 15 m2. Advantages - low cost, ease of connection and maintenance, the ability to operate from any battery. There is only 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 where 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, it is recommended to consult with professionals.

Errors when connecting floor heating wiring diagrams

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

Incorrect heat loss calculations

These are important inputs, without fail are taken into account when installing any type of heating, and not just floors. The calculation is complex from an engineering point of view, not every ordinary installer can perform them. You need to know not only 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 floor heating system works inefficiently: it is very cold in the room or vice versa, the efficiency decreases noticeably. 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 pitch must take into account the amount of heat loss, it affects the value additional heat supplied to the premises. Beginners cannot do such work, you need to contact a graduate.

Poor floor insulation

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

Absence of dampers

A cement-sand screed is necessarily made on a water-heated floor; it protects thin plastic pipes from deformation. Concrete has high coefficients of thermal expansion, if dampers are not provided around the perimeter of the room, then the screed will rest against the walls with great effort.

Emergency leaks in the floor heating water system are extremely undesirable consequence assembly marriage.

Long contours, incorrectly selected schemes

The longer and more tortuous the pipeline, the greater the hydraulic resistance. The entire system is served 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.

Conclusion

Underfloor heating with water heating is now deservedly considered an outdated design with a lot of drawbacks. If possible, mount more modern systems, they do not have the problems and disadvantages described above.

Caleo underfloor heating prices

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Video - Underfloor heating water: 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 chosen options, they change the actual efficiency. How do 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.

Warming the floor in a private house is not an easy task. If in multi-storey buildings the floors are insulated at the expense of the lower floor, then in a private house the situation is exactly the opposite. Cold air comes from the ground, which makes the task of owners of private houses much more difficult. Therefore, the owners of private houses pay special attention to the issue of floor insulation in their homes.

Of course, modern technologies solved this problem, and not in one way. Exists three types of floor insulation in private homes:

insulated screed;
insulated wooden flooring;
various underfloor heating systems.

The simplest and cheap way to make a floor is to fill its surface with a screed. A mixture of sand and cement is much cheaper than other building materials, but this type of floor has the biggest drawback - it radiates cold. In winter, it is absolutely impossible to walk on a concrete screed without slippers. But today modern technology has solved this problem. A heater is laid under the screed layer, which, although a little, solves this problem. Expanded clay, granulated slag and polystyrene are suitable as insulating materials. Modern masters mainly prefer foam.

The structure of our concrete screed in the section will resemble a cake that has several layers. First, foam is laid on the floor surface for insulation, and then the screed is poured. The process of pouring concrete screed takes place in about five steps:

The first stage is the waterproofing of the surface. It is best to lay out special waterproofing materials on the ground to prevent the appearance of mold and various fungi. For this task, such a material as a dense plastic film, which is laid out directly on the surface of the soil, is suitable. But it is best to use a special waterproof barrier, which is made of bituminous mastic;
The second stage is gluing along the entire perimeter along the walls at a height of up to 15 cm of porous foamed vinyl material. This material ensures the plasticity of the foam at temperature extremes and protects it from cracking;
The third stage is the laying of the foam itself. Styrofoams should be laid tightly to each other. If the concrete solution gets into the cracks formed, then cold can penetrate from there, which makes our work completely useless. Therefore, the cracks that appear are filled mounting foam;
The fourth stage is the reinforcement of the screed. A concrete screed without reinforcement on foam plastic will not last even one year. A few months are enough to concrete screed began to crack and in less than a year it would simply fall apart. Therefore, reinforcement, one might say, is a prerequisite;
The fifth stage is the screed itself. After the reinforcement stage, the concrete mortar itself is poured. The thickness of the concrete screed must exceed 50 mm. The concrete mortar must be stronger than it should be, that is, the usual ratio of 1:4 is not suitable, it is better to use a ratio of 1:3. Also, in order to avoid cracking of the screed, plasticizers are added to the concrete solution.

The process of warming a concrete screed goes something like this. Although concrete screed is the cheapest and most affordable type of floor, it is not enough to make your home cozy and comfortable. For this, they also resort to the help of a variety of heating systems.

Concrete floor heating system in a private house

There are many options for underfloor heating in a private house. Basically, there are three types of heating:

electric;
infrared;
water.

Best for heating concrete screed water heated floor. This system is quite easy to use, so you can do it yourself. But the calculation and design of such a system is best left to professionals. If you think over such a system to the smallest detail and do not save on building materials, then it can serve for more than a dozen years.

The advantages of this system are more than enough, the first of which is the absolute saving of electricity, due to the connection of the system to the central heating. Not only do you have underfloor heating that you can walk on barefoot, but you also have a safe-to-use underfloor heating system. Secondly, the installation and installation of a water-heated floor does not require much labor and expense, so it is also possible to install such a system on your own.

How does the underfloor heating system work?

The main elements of a water-heated floor are polymer pipes in which hot water circulates. The system is connected to central heating or individual boiler rooms, which are heated by liquid or solid fuels.

The temperature in the pipes is controlled by a thermostat that is connected to the pipes. Temperature controllers are installed on the walls, and it is enough to set the desired temperature in them for the system to work. Automatic thermostats are the most convenient to use. Reaching the set temperature, the system is automatically cooled down.

Installation of a water heated floor takes place in three stages.

Firstly, the soil itself is being prepared in which the pipes will be folded. The entire perimeter is cleared of construction debris, all drops and slopes are trimmed.

Secondly , substrates are placed under the pipes. This will help direct the heat up and distribute it evenly throughout the room. Thermal insulation boards, which also play the role of pipe clamps, are excellent for this task.

Thirdly, the concrete screed itself is poured. The thickness of the poured screed must be at least 3 cm.

One of the disadvantages of a water heated floor is that it is categorically incompatible with wood. This system is effective only if your room is filled with concrete screed.

Wooden floor heating system in a private house

Heating a wooden floor does not require much effort, since wood is a warm material that does not need additional heating. The only thing that can be done is enhance its effectiveness through additional heating systems. But by laying insulation, we can deprive our floor of normal ventilation, which is why wooden material deformed. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate the waterproofing system and the more carefully everything is thought out, the better.

To insulate a wooden floor, it is enough to lay mineral heaters under the flooring. Styrofoam is not recommended, as it does not allow air to pass through. And as a result, it breaks natural ventilation premises. All that can be done in this case is leave space between wood flooring and insulation. A space of 50 mm will be enough so that natural ventilation is not disturbed.

Conclusion

Finally, we can say that making warm floors in a private house is not such a difficult task. With a responsible approach to business and careful design of the system, all the work can be done independently. But in modern houses the floor heating system has already been calculated and its happy owners do not think about such a problem.

The arrangement of a warm floor allows you to save a lot on heating. In addition, it perfectly replaces all heating devices, while freeing up the usable area of the room. We will consider the technology of installing a water-heated floor and how to make a water-heated floor below.

Warm water floor in a private house - the principle of operation

The water floor is a new independent system heating, which in some way replaces radiators and convectors. This system consists of built-in pipelines, inside which there is hot water. They are laid on a base made of concrete or wood, and covered on top with a floor finishing material.

The pipes that make up the systems are polymeric, it is through them that the circulation of hot liquid, most often water, is carried out. Its supply is carried out using central heating or a boiler system. Warm air begins to warm up in the underground space and gradually rises up the room. Thus, the heat is distributed throughout the room. The lower part of the room is warmer than the upper one, so it is very comfortable to be in the room.

The scope of use of a warm water floor extends to private houses, since in multi-storey buildings there is a risk of flooding neighbors hot water due to system failure.

The warm water floor system consists of a pipeline and a heat carrier mixing unit. For pipelines, pipes with a high level of thermal conductivity should be preferred, in addition, they should be flexible and have little resistance. A cement screed is used to fill the pipeline - the heat carrier mixing unit system includes a pump, a thermostatic mixer and a manifold.

Water heated floor: advantages and disadvantages

If we compare the arrangement of a warm floor using a different kind of heaters, then the first option has the following advantages:

1. Reduced heating costs.

When arranging a warm water floor, the cash costs for the use of electricity are reduced by 25-30%. If the area of the room is large enough, and the ceilings are too high, then a warm water floor is the most best option. Since in this case, it helps to save 50%.

2. Comfortable living conditions.

The room, with a warm water floor, warms up evenly, thus creating optimal and comfortable conditions for people's lives. When using radiators, the warm air that comes from them immediately rises to the top, so the lower part of the room remains unheated. On the floor with a water floor, you do not have to walk with shoes on, and children can safely play on it without hypothermia.

3. High level of security.

The coolant is under the floor finish, so there is no risk of getting burned or injured on it.

4. Attractiveness appearance rooms.

A warm water floor is hidden in the underground space, so all pipes and other elements of the system remain invisible.

5. Successful compatibility.

Water heated floor is well combined with most finishing materials, in the form of tiles, linoleum, laminate.

6. Affordable cost.

Installing the entire system requires a small financial investment compared to the result.

7. Various connection options.

It is possible to connect a warm water floor to an autonomous or centralized heating system.

8. Independence from power supply.

This advantage allows the warm floor to heat the house, even at a time when, for some reason, the lights were turned off.

Among the disadvantages of using a water heated floor at home, we highlight:

time and labor costs for the installation of equipment and the entire system are quite high, since there are several various materials stacked in layers;
in the event of malfunctions in the form of leaks, all flooring to eliminate them;
the need for additional sources of heating, since an exclusively warm floor is not able to cope with the heating of the room.

Underfloor heating water wiring diagrams and varieties

Depending on the main material, there are three main types of underfloor heating installation:

concrete;
polystyrene;
tree.

The first option is the most popular, as it has the highest reliability. In order to equip the distribution layer in the concrete version of the floor heating construction, a cement-sand mortar is used.

On a pre-leveled surface, a layer of waterproofing is laid, and then thermal insulation, then the pipes are laid and fixed. To equip large rooms with underfloor heating, you should take care of laying a reinforcing mesh.

When arranging a small room, plastic brackets, fastening scarves or dowel hooks are used to fix the pipes.

The previously installed system is poured with a cement mortar, sand and special plasticizers to help strengthen the screed and protect it from high temperatures.

In this case, best options finishing is the use of tiles, decorative stone or laminated parquet board.

The second option is the arrangement of a system made of polystyrene. This option represents a simplified installation of the underfloor heating system, during which polystyrene plates are used. The plates are pressed in a special form, they look like a convex circle, inside which pipes are installed. To create a monolithic base, there are key sections that are combined with each other. When installing this heating system, it is not required to use additional fasteners to fix the pipes. After the installation of the pipeline, the installation of metal heat-distributing plates is carried out, then a fine finishing material is laid on the floor.

The third option is a floor heating system built on a wooden base. This system involves the use edged board, plywood or other wood-based materials, as a covering for the installation of the system.

Small strips are constructed from wooden slabs, each no more than 18 cm long. They are laid on a floor made of wood. A pipeline is mounted between the strips, and then heat distributors are fixed with screws. After the installation of the pipes, the floor surface is covered with a polyethylene film, then a floor of gypsum-fiber sheets is installed, which distributes the temperature in the underground space. It is on them that the main trim is attached.

To ensure high-quality distribution of the coolant throughout the system, it is recommended to use a collector. It is to it that the outgoing and outgoing pipes are connected.

Considering the question of how to make a water-heated floor in a house, you should familiarize yourself with the schemes for laying the pipeline system, there are several of them:

pipes are laid in the form of a snake;
snails;
combinations of different methods.

Laying a pipe in the form of a snake involves installing pipes parallel to each other.

According to the snail scheme, the pipes are located first along the perimeter of the room, with a gradual narrowing towards the center. The last option involves a combination of these two methods.

Calculation of a warm water floor: process features

On the calculation procedure for arranging a water-based underfloor heating, some points should be taken into account, namely:

the use of the floor as the main or additional heating option;
building type;
further type of finish;
total area and purpose of the premises;
heat losses and their significance.

To determine the last factor, namely heat loss, the following nuances should be taken into account:

type of materials from which the house was built;
type of windows: standard, single or double glazing;
number of windows and doors;
climatic features of the region;
the presence of additional heating devices.

Each type of room has a certain temperature to which the floor must be heated, namely:

in the residential area it is 29 degrees;
in a zone with high heating - 35 degrees;
With high humidity 32 degrees;
when finishing with parquet - 26.

Please note that before arranging a warm floor, you should foresee the type of coating that will act as a finish.

Installation of a water heated floor: a collector and its features

The collector cabinet is the location of such a device as a collector. To install this cabinet, you will need a space of approximately 500x500 or 400x600 mm.

In addition, some owners of underfloor heating suggest mounting the cabinet directly into the wall, while others leave it in a hinged position.

After installing the cabinet in which the collector is located, the supply and return pipes are installed, through which hot and cold water flows. Collector responsible for distribution hot water is connected to the supply pipe, and the return pipe is connected to the collector, which joins the end sections of the pipes.

At the connection point water pipes with a collector, a stopcock is installed, which will allow the repair of the entire system, if necessary. A drain cock is required on the other side of the manifold.

In order to efficiently and quickly adjust the temperature in the room, you should take care of the presence of a mixer and control screws. There are special types of collectors, which contain all the parts necessary for adjustment and operation, but their cost is much higher than that of conventional collectors.

Laying a warm water floor on a concrete base

Styling procedure warm hearth on a concrete base involves the following processes:

1. Cleaning and leveling the base.

To begin with, dirt, dust and any debris is removed from the surface. Next, it is checked for the absence of drops and for evenness. If the difference is not more than 10 mm, then proceed to the next stage of the work. In the presence of more serious differences, the surface is first leveled. For this purpose, it is necessary to provide for the arrangement of a self-leveling subfloor.

2. Providing waterproofing.

This step prevents the ingress and contact of moisture with the warm floor.

3. Installation of edge insulation.

The use of damper tape installed around the perimeter of the room will help to carry out this process.

4. Installation of vapor barrier materials.

In order to save on materials, instead of separate waterproofing and vapor barrier, waterproofing membrane, one side of which is characterized by a waterproof film, and the other side easily passes steam.

5. Strengthening.

For these purposes, a reinforcing mesh is suitable, the cross section of which is about 150-200 mm. It is this material that will ensure the ease of laying the pipeline system. It is possible to install reinforcement before pipe laying or after this process. It is better to give preference to the second option, since with the help of reinforcement it will be possible to evenly distribute the entire load on the floor.

6. Installation of water floor heating.

First, the pipe is connected to the collector. If a warm floor is used as the only heating element, then its installation is carried out with an interval of 150-200 mm. Otherwise, it is allowed to lay pipes with a maximum spacing of 300 mm. The pipe is connected to the grid using special clips. Do not fix the clips too tightly, as there is a risk of damage when the system heats up.

7. System performance and verification.

Warm floors are water mounting, after their installation they require a mandatory check for serviceability. To do this, the system turns on for a certain time, for example, for three hours. During this process, the system should warm up, and the water should be evenly distributed over the surface.

8. Filling procedure.

The screed must exceed the piping system by 20-30 mm, the type of screed must be wet.

After the screed has dried, about a month later, install soundproofing materials and carry out a fine finish. It is forbidden to turn on the warm floor until the screed is completely dry, as there is a risk of cracking. On this, a do-it-yourself warm water floor is considered ready for use.

Water heated floor video:

Warm floors are considered in our understanding more than modern system heating than radiator heating. However, this is far from the case - they appeared much earlier. Stubborn historical facts indicate that underfloor heating was successfully used in the days of Ancient Rome, in Korea, and in Russia too. True, it was then used only stove heating, since the system for transporting hydrocarbons through pipes did not yet exist. In the modern world, the most economically successful countries widely use underfloor heating, and this is done not only for reasons of obvious comfort, but also takes into account the fact that such heating saves energy resources, the demand for which is growing every year.

This type of heating is not cheap. Parts and labor are very expensive. That is why any zealous owner may have the idea of making a warm water floor with his own hands. Why not? Moreover, the experience of both successful and unsuccessful implementations has already been accumulated enough to give specific recommendations. The purpose of our article is to give specific advice to those owners who are going to make a warm water floor, but at the same time so that they save their money and in the end get what they wanted - comfortable and economical heating.

Why underfloor heating?

Of course, they are easier to implement, they are easier to manage, but the cost of energy carriers makes its own adjustments - this type of heating is much more expensive to operate than a water heated floor. It will take only 4-5 years and a warm water floor will pay off with interest, but only on condition that it is done correctly and correctly. This is what the authors of the article want to tell our readers. Sweeping aside colorful catalogs with expensive equipment, but based only on the experience of people who were able to implement a warm water floor in their home.

Most heating systems now use natural gas as a heat source - and this is completely logical, since this type of fuel is cheaper than others. And this trend will continue for at least a few more decades. Therefore, warm floors are best implemented with water, the coolant in which is heated by combustion energy. natural gas. But for this, a number of conditions must be met.

Water floor heating device

A warm water floor is a complex multicomponent system, each part of which performs its own function. Consider its device in the following figure.

Typical design of the "pie" of a warm water floor

This type of underfloor heating is called “wet” because “wet” construction processes are used in its arrangement, namely, pouring a cement-sand screed. There are also so-called dry warm floors, but they are made mainly. Within the framework of this article, we will consider exactly “wet” warm water floors, since they are much better, although their installation is more difficult.

A warm water floor is mounted on a stable and solid base, which can be a concrete slab or soil. A vapor barrier made of a polyethylene film with a thickness of at least 0.1 mm is laid on the base. The next layer of the "pie" is a heater, as it is best to use extruded, which has a very low thermal conductivity, high mechanical strength and reasonable cost. A cement-sand screed is equipped on top of the insulation, to which a plasticizer is necessarily added - for the mobility of the mixture, ease of installation and reduction of the water-cement ratio. It is desirable to reinforce the screed with a metal wire mesh with a cell pitch of 50 * 50 mm or 100 * 100 mm. In the same place, inside the screed, pipes of a warm floor pass with a coolant circulating in them. It is recommended to make the screed height above the pipes at least 3 cm, however, practice suggests that 5 cm is better, so the strength will be higher and the heat distribution across the floor will be more uniform.

At the junction of the walls to the screed, as well as at the boundaries of the warm water heating circuits, a damper tape is laid, which compensates for the thermal expansion of the screed when it is heated. The floor covering must be specifically designed to work with underfloor heating. The best way out is ceramic or porcelain stoneware, but some other types of coating - laminate, carpet or can also be used with underfloor heating, but there should be a special icon in their marking.

Such coatings, however, require strict adherence to the thermal regime of the floor, which is achieved by using automation - special mixing units.

Requirements for premises where heating with warm water floors will be implemented

The smartest move in construction is when the underfloor heating pipeline is laid even at the stage of construction of floors. This is very successfully used in Germany, Sweden, Norway, Canada, yes, and in other economically successful countries where energy resources are very expensive and therefore they use floor heating, which is 30-40% more economical than radiator heating. It is quite possible already in the finished room, but it must meet certain requirements. Let's list them.

The most correct underfloor heating pipeline is the one that was laid at the stage of building a house

Given the significant thickness of the warm water floor - from 8 to 20 cm, the height of the ceilings in the room should allow the installation of such a heating system. It is also necessary to take into account the size of doorways, which must be at least 210 cm high.
The subfloor must be strong enough to support a heavy cement-sand screed.
The base for the underfloor heating must be clean and level. Irregularities should not exceed 5 mm, since drops strongly affect the flow of the coolant in the pipes, they can lead to airing of the circuits and an increase in hydraulic resistance.
In the room where a warm water floor is planned, all plastering work, windows are inserted.
Heat loss in the premises should not be more than 100 W / m 2. If they are larger, then it is worth thinking about warming, and not heating the environment.

How to choose a good pipe for underfloor heating

About the pipes of a warm water floor it is written in sufficient detail on our portal. Obviously, for underfloor heating it is better to choose pipes made of cross-linked polyethylene - PEX or PERT. Among PEX pipes, preference should be given to PE-Xa pipes, as they have a maximum crosslink density of about 85% and therefore have a better “memory effect”, that is, pipes after stretching always tend to return to their original position. This allows the use of axial fittings with a sliding ring, which can be embedded in building structures without fear. In addition, when a pipe is broken, its shape can be restored by heating the problem area with a building hair dryer.

PERT pipes do not have a memory effect, so only push-in fittings are used with them, which must not be walled up. But if all the contours of the warm floor are made with solid pipe sections, then all connections will be only on the collector and it is quite possible to use PERT pipes.

In addition, manufacturers produce pipes of a composite structure, when aluminum foil is placed between two layers of cross-linked polyethylene, which is a reliable oxygen barrier. But the heterogeneity of the material, the difference in the coefficients of thermal expansion of aluminum and polyethylene can provoke pipe delamination. Therefore, it is better to choose PE-Xa or PERT pipes with a polyvinylethylene (EVOH) barrier, which significantly reduces the diffusion of oxygen into the coolant through the pipe wall. This barrier can be located in the outer layer of the pipe, or inside, surrounded by layers of PE-Xa or PERT. Of course, that pipe is better, in which the EVOH layer is located inside.

For underfloor heating circuits, there are three main pipe sizes: 16 * 2 mm, 17 * 2 mm and 20 * 2 mm. Most often, 16 * 2 and 20 * 2 mm are used. How to choose exactly the “right” pipe.

Firstly, the brand in this matter matters and you need to pay attention to it. The most famous manufacturers: Rehau, Tece, KAN, Uponor, Valtec.
Secondly, pipe marking can “tell” a lot, it should be carefully studied and you should not be shy to ask more questions to the sales assistant.
Thirdly, the qualification of the sales assistant is very helpful when choosing a pipe. Do not forget to require certificates of conformity, inquire about the availability and price of fittings, mixing units, manifolds and other equipment. It is necessary to find out in which bays the pipe is sold, by how many meters, in order to take this into account in future calculations.
And finally, if a PE-Xa pipe is selected, then you can small test. To do this, a small section of the pipe must be broken, and then warm this place with a building hair dryer. High-quality PE-Xa, and PE-Xb pipes should also restore their original shape. If this does not happen, then whatever is written on the label is simply not a PEX pipe.

Underfloor heating design principles

One of the most important stages in the arrangement of warm water floors is their competent calculation. Of course, it is best to entrust this to specialists, but already enough accumulated experience suggests that this can be done on your own. On the Internet you can find a lot free programs and online calculators. Most well-known manufacturers provide their software for free.

water heated floor

First you need to decide on what temperature the warm floor should be.

In residential areas where people spend most of their time standing, the floor temperature should be between 21 and 27°C. This temperature is the most comfortable for the feet.
For working premises - offices, as well as living rooms the temperature must be maintained around 29°C.
In hallways, lobbies and corridors, the optimum temperature is 30°C.
For bathrooms and pools, the floor temperature should be higher - about 31-33°C.

Heating with warm water floors is low-temperature, therefore, the coolant must also be supplied at lower temperatures than in radiators. If water can be supplied to the radiators at a temperature of 80-90 ° C, then no more than 60 ° C can be supplied to the warm floor. In thermal engineering, there is such an important concept as temperature drop in the heating circuit . This is nothing but the difference in temperature between the supply pipe and the return pipe. In underfloor heating systems, 55/45°C, 50/40°C, 45/35°C and 40/30°C are considered optimal.

A very important indicator is (loops) of a warm water floor. Ideally, they should all be the same length, then there will be no problem with balancing, but in practice this is unlikely to be achieved, therefore it is accepted:

For a pipe with a diameter of 16 mm, the maximum length is 70-90 m.
For a pipe with a diameter of 17 mm - 90-100 m.
For a pipe with a diameter of 20 mm - 120 m.

Moreover, it is desirable to focus not on the upper boundary, but on the lower one. It is better to divide the room into more loops than to try to achieve circulation with a more powerful pump. Naturally, all loops must be made with pipes of the same diameter.

Laying step (laying) of underfloor heating pipes - another important indicator, which is made from 100 mm to 600 mm, depending on the heat load on the warm floor, the purpose of the room, the length of the circuit and other indicators. It is almost impossible to make a pitch of less than 100 mm with PEX pipes, there is a high probability of simply breaking the pipe. If the warm floor is equipped only for comfort or additional heating, then a minimum step of 150 mm can be made. So, what layout step should be applied?

In rooms where there are external walls, in floor heating do the so-called edge zones where the pipes are laid in increments of 100-150 mm. In this case, the number of rows of pipes in these zones should be 5-6.
In the centers of the premises, as well as in those where there are no external walls, the laying step is 200-300 mm.
Bathrooms, baths, paths near the pools are laid with a pipe with a pitch of 150 mm over the entire area.

Ways of laying the contours of the warm floor

The contours of a water-heated floor can be laid in different ways. And each method has its advantages and disadvantages. Let's consider them.

Laying a pipe for underfloor heating "snake" easier to install, but its significant drawback is that there will be a noticeable temperature difference on the floor at the beginning of the circuit and at the end - up to 5-10 ° C. The coolant, passing from the supply manifold to the return one in the underfloor heating structure, cools down. Therefore, there is such a temperature gradient, well felt by the feet. It is justified to use this laying method in boundary zones, where the floor temperature should decrease from the outer wall to the center of the room.

Laying a pipe for underfloor heating "snail" more difficult to implement, but with this method, the temperature of the entire floor will be approximately equal, since the supply and return pass inside each other, and the difference is leveled by a massive floor screed when the design requirements of the laying step are met. In 90% of cases, this method is used.

Combined methods of laying underfloor heating pipes are also used very frequently. For example, the edge zones are laid with a snake, and the main area with a snail. This can help to correctly divide the room into contours, distribute the pipe bay with a minimum of residues and provide the desired mode.

Each method can be used variable paving pitch when in the edge zones it is 100-150 mm, and in the room itself 200-300 mm. Then it is possible to meet the requirements for more intense heating of the edge zones in one room without using other laying methods. Experienced installers often do just that.

Layout of the heating circuit with a "snail" with a constant step (left) and with a variable bare (right)

To calculate contours, it is best to use a special and very easy-to-learn software. For example, the well-known manufacturer Valtec, which distributes its program for free. There are also simpler programs for calculating the layout of the contours, which calculate the length of the loops, which is very convenient. For example, the program "Snail", which is also distributed free of charge. For those who are not very friendly with a computer, you can do the calculation of the contours on your own, using millimeter paper, on which you can draw a floor plan on a scale and “lay out” the contours on this sheet with a pencil and calculate their length.

When dividing the premises into contours of a water-heated floor, the following requirements must be met:

The contours should not move from room to room - all rooms should be regulated separately. An exception may be bathrooms if they are located nearby. For example, a bathroom next to a toilet.
One heating circuit must not heat a room larger than 40 m2. If necessary, the room is divided into several circuits. The maximum length of any side of the loop must not exceed 8 meters.
Along the perimeter of the room, between rooms, as well as between individual circuits, a special damper tape should be laid, which, after pouring the screed, will compensate for its thermal expansion.

Choosing the type of insulation for underfloor heating and its thickness

Insulation for a warm water floor is mandatory, because no one would like to spend their money on heating the earth, the atmosphere or unnecessary building structures, but the floor is exactly the right one, which should take the lion's share of the heat from the heating circuit. For this, a heater is used. What types should be used? Among all their diversity, the authors of the article recommend that you should pay attention to only two of them.

Extruded polystyrene foam (EPS). This material has low thermal conductivity and high mechanical strength. EPPS is not afraid of moisture, it practically does not absorb it. Its price is quite affordable. This insulation is produced in the form of plates standard sizes 500*1000 mm or 600*1250 mm and thickness 20, 30, 50. 80 or 100 mm. For good joining of the plates on the side surfaces there are special grooves.

Profile heat-insulating from expanded polystyrene of high density. On their surface there are special round or rectangular bosses, between which it is very convenient to lay the pipe without additional fixation. The pipe fastening pitch is usually 50 mm. This is very convenient during installation, but at a price they are much higher than XPS boards, especially from famous brands. They are produced with a thickness of 1 to 3 cm and dimensions of 500 * 1000 mm or 60 * 1200 mm - it depends on the manufacturer.

XPS boards can have an additional foil layer with additional markings. Marking the plates is, of course, useful, but the presence of foil only increases the cost of the insulation, and there will be no sense in it for two reasons.

The reflectivity declared by the manufacturers will not work in an opaque medium, such as a screed.
Cement slurry is a strong alkaline environment, which perfectly “eats” an insignificant (several tens of microns) aluminum layer even before it hardens. We must realize that foil plates are a marketing ploy and nothing more.

The authors of the article recommend using XPS boards for insulation. Savings compared to profile mats will be obvious. The difference in cost is enough for fasteners, and there is still a lot of money left. Let's remember folk wisdom that money saved is akin to earned money.

What thickness should be the insulation in the design of the warm water floor cake? There are special and complex calculations, but you can do without them. If you learn a few simple rules.

If warm floors will be made on the ground, then the thickness of the insulation must be at least 100 mm. It is best to make two layers of 50 mm and lay them in mutually perpendicular directions.
If warm floors are planned in rooms above the basement floor, then the thickness of the insulation is at least 50 mm.
If warm floors are planned above rooms heated from below, then the thickness of the insulation is at least 30 mm.

Additionally, it is necessary to provide for the fastening of XPS boards to the base material, since when pouring the screed, they will tend to float. Dish-shaped dowels are ideal for this. They need to fasten all the plates at the joints and in the center.

To fasten the pipe to the EPS, special harpoon-brackets are used, which securely fix the pipe. They are fastened at intervals of 30-50 cm, and in the places where the PEX pipe turns, the pitch should be 10 cm. It is usually calculated that 500 pieces of harpoon-staples are required for a 200-meter pipe bay. When purchasing them, you do not have to chase the brand, as it will cost several times more. There are very high-quality and inexpensive staples of Russian manufacturers.

The choice of the collector-mixing node of the warm floor

The water floor collector is the most important element that receives the coolant from the main, distributes it along the circuits, regulates the flow and temperature, balances the circuit loops, and helps to remove air. Not a single warm water floor can do without it.

It is better to entrust the choice of a collector, and more correctly, a collector-mixing unit, to specialists who will select the necessary components. In principle, it can be assembled independently, but this is a topic for a separate article. Let's just list which elements should be included in order not to make a mistake in choosing.

Firstly, these are the collectors themselves, which can be equipped with various fittings. They must be equipped with adjusting (balancing) valves with or without flow meters, which are located on the supply manifold, and on the return manifold there may be thermostatic valves or simply shut-off valves.

Secondly, any collector for removing air from the system must be equipped with an automatic air vent.
Thirdly, both the supply and return manifolds must have drain valves to drain the coolant from the manifold and remove air when the system is filled.
Fourthly, fittings must be used to connect the pipe to the manifold, which are selected individually in each case.

Fifthly, special brackets are used to fasten the collectors and ensure the required center distance.

Sixthly, if the boiler room is not equipped with a separate riser for underfloor heating, then a mixing unit, including a pump, a thermostatic valve, a bypass, should be responsible for the preparation of the coolant. The design of this node has many implementations, so this issue will be discussed in a separate article.

And, finally, the entire manifold-mixing unit should be located in a manifold cabinet, which is installed either in a niche or openly.

The collector-mixing unit is located in such a place that all the lengths of the lines from it to the underfloor heating loops are approximately equal and the main pipes are in close proximity. The collector cabinet is often hidden in a niche, then it can be placed not only in change houses and boiler rooms, but in dressing rooms, corridors and even living rooms.

Video: What calculations are needed before installing a warm floor

Do-it-yourself installation of a water-heated floor

After calculations and the purchase of all the necessary components, you can gradually implement a warm water floor. First, it is necessary to outline the places where manifold cabinets will be placed, hollow out, if necessary, niches, and also make passages through building structures. All grooving and drilling work must be completed before the next step.

Insulation installation

Before this stage, it is necessary to prepare the premises for this - take out everything unnecessary, remove all construction debris, sweep and vacuum the floors. The room must be absolutely clean. When installing the plates, wear flat-soled shoes, as heels can damage the surface. We list the sequence of actions during the installation of insulation.

First of all, the level of the clean floor is beaten off on the walls with the help of laser or water. All the irregularities of the base are measured using a long rule and a level.
If the irregularities exceed 10 mm, then they can be completely leveled with clean and dry sand, which should subsequently be leveled.

If a warm floor is made on the ground or above the basement floor, then a waterproofing film is spread with an overlap of adjacent strips of at least 10 cm and with entry to the wall. The joints are sealed with adhesive tape. As a waterproofing, a polyethylene film of 150-200 microns is quite suitable.
Starting from the far corner of the room, the process of laying XPS boards begins. They are laid close to the walls with the marked surface up.
XPS boards must be tightly joined to each other using the grooves that are on their side surfaces. When laying each slab, it should fit snugly against the base and be in a horizontal plane, which is checked by the building level. If necessary, sand is poured under the slab.

If along the laying path there are obstacles in the form of protrusions, columns and other elements, then after preliminary marking, the slab is cut with a construction knife along a metal ruler. In this case, the EPS must be placed on some kind of unstable base so that the knife does not become dull, for example, a piece of plywood or OSB.
When laying the next row, it should be borne in mind that the joints of the plates should not coincide, but go apart, like brickwork. In order, if a part of at least 1/3 of its length remains with the remaining XPS slab in the row, then laying the next row should begin with it.
If it is planned to lay the second layer of XPS, then it should be carried out in a mutually perpendicular direction with the first layer.
After laying the thermal insulation, using a perforator with a long drill and a hammer, fix the dish-shaped dowels at each joint - at each joint and in the center of each XPS board. The joints between the EPPS are sealed with construction tape.

If cavities or gaps remain after the installation of the insulation, then they can be clogged with EPS scraps and blown out with mounting foam, but this can be done later, after the pipes have been installed.

After that, we can say that the installation of insulation is completed. Although XPS boards are dense enough to support the weight of an adult, you still need to take precautions when moving on them. It is best to use wide boards or pieces of plywood or OSB.

Installation of a pipe of a warm water floor

The most crucial and difficult moment has come - the installation of floor heating pipes. At this stage, you need to be especially careful and accurate, and here you can’t do without an assistant. It is also desirable to have a special device for unwinding the pipe, since it is strictly forbidden to remove the pipe from the coil with rings, since then there will be very strong stresses in it, which will complicate or make installation impossible. The main rule is that the coil must be twisted, and not removed from the fixed coil. In principle, this can be done manually, but with a device it is much easier.

If there are markings on the upper side of the XPS boards, then this is just great, then pipe laying will be greatly simplified. And if not, then you should not “be led” to purchase foil thin insulation from the made foam polyethylene with the put marking. There will be no sense from him. You can also mark up yourself. To do this, marks are made on the upper side of the plates with a marker at the distance of the required contour step, and then lines are beaten off with a paint thread - this way you can make markings in a short time. After that, you can draw the paths of the contours of the warm floor.

screed for underfloor heating

In the intended place, a collector cabinet is attached and a collector is mounted in it, while without a pumping and mixing group, it will be needed later. At the entrance to the collector, at the exit from it, as well as at the entrance to, each pipe must be protected by a special corrugation. However, corrugation from eminent manufacturers costs mind-boggling money, so it is quite acceptable to replace it with thermal insulation of the appropriate diameter. Pipes must also be protected when passing from room to room and from circuit to circuit.

The installation of the underfloor heating pipe should be started from the areas most remote from the collectors, and all transit pipes should be insulated with polyethylene foam, which will ensure maximum energy conservation to the destination point and will not “lose” heat along the way. Further, the pipe “emerges” from the EPS boards, already “naked” bypasses its entire heating circuit and “dives” back and already in thermal insulation follows to the collector. The transit pipes themselves are placed inside the XPS slabs; for this, passage routes are pre-cut into them with a knife.

If the thermal insulation consists of two layers of XPS boards, then the first layer is laid first, then all communications are laid, including the transit pipes of the underfloor heating, and then the second layer is adjusted and cut on the spot.

In addition, pipes to radiators, as well as hot and cold water supply lines, can go in the area of \u200b\u200bthe warm floor. If there are several pipes, then they can be fixed in a bundle either with dish-shaped dowels, or with a perforated metal strip and dowels. In any case, they should not protrude beyond the upper surface of the XPS boards, so that the contour of the warm floor can be easily laid from above. All cavities are blown out with mounting foam, which, after hardening, is cut flush from the surface of the insulation boards.

Along the perimeter of the room where there will be warm floors, a damper tape is glued to the walls, which is designed to compensate for the thermal expansion of the screed. Tape comes with or without adhesive. When acquiring it, you do not have to chase the brand and overpay several times more. Now a worthy damper tape is being produced in every sense Russian production. If there is no tape at all, then this is also not a problem - it can be replaced by foam plastic 1 or 2 cm thick, glued to the wall with liquid nails or mounting foam.

The damper tape must also be installed between rooms and different circuits. For this, a special tape with a T-shaped profile is produced. And in this case, it can be replaced by thin foam glued with mounting foam or glue.

Pipe installation is done as follows:

10-15 m of pipe is unwound from the coil, thermal insulation and a corresponding fitting are put on its end for connection to the collector.
The pipe is connected to the supply of the corresponding outlet of the collector.
A pipe is laid along previously marked routes and fastened with harpoon-brackets in straight sections after 30-40 cm, and at turns after 10-15 cm. The pipe should be bent carefully, without creases.

When laying, do not try to fasten the pipe immediately, but you should first lay it out approximately along the tracks for 5-10 m, and only then fasten it with brackets. The pipe should lie on the insulation without tension, there should be no effort that tries to pull the staples out of the EPS.
If for some reason the bracket flew out of its place, then it is mounted in another, at a distance of at least 5 cm.
After bypassing the entire circuit of the warm floor, the return pipe returns to its supply pipe and follows it next to the collector. If necessary, thermal insulation is put on it.
Upon arrival at the collector, the pipe is connected to it with an appropriate fitting.

Near the corresponding loop of the warm floor on the wall, as well as on paper, the length of the contour is necessarily recorded. This data is necessary for further balancing.

All contours are laid in the same way. At first it will be difficult, but then, after one laid “snail”, everything will already be clear and the work will go without problems. When moving along already laid contours, it is necessary to lay boards, plywood or OSB under the legs or knees.

Walking in shoes through pipes is not recommended. It is better to organize such "paths"

Video: Laying a floor heating pipe

Reinforcing mesh installation

Disputes about the appropriateness of reinforcing mesh are ongoing. Someone says that it is needed, others say the opposite. There are many examples of successful implementation of underfloor heating without reinforcing mesh and, at the same time, there are examples of unsuccessful implementation of underfloor heating with reinforcement. The authors of the article argue that reinforcement will never be superfluous, but only correctly performed.

The Internet is replete with examples when a metal mesh is laid and fixed on the insulation, and only then a warm floor pipe is attached to it with plastic ties. It seems to be convenient, but this is not reinforcement, but simply putting an absolutely useless mesh under the screed, on which money was spent. Reinforcement is when the mesh is inside the screed, and not under it. That is why the authors recommend placing the grid on top of the pipe.

For reinforcing the screed, a metal mesh made of wire with a diameter of 3 mm with a cell size of 100 * 100 mm is suitable - this is quite enough. It is not recommended to use reinforcement meshes due to the fact that the reinforcement has a corrugated surface and during installation can damage the smooth surface of the pipe. Yes, and you should not spend extra money on excessive strength of the screed, because it is assumed that the warm floor is already mounted on a fairly solid foundation. The mesh is laid with an overlap on one cell and is connected either with a knitting wire or plastic clamps. Sharp protruding ends must be bitten off so that they do not damage the pipe. Additionally, the mesh is attached to the pipe in several places with plastic clamps.

Instead of a metal mesh, a plastic mesh may well be used, which will perfectly reinforce the screed and save it from cracking. It is more convenient to lay a plastic mesh, as it comes in rolls. Application plastic mesh virtually eliminates damage to pipes, and its cost is significantly lower.

After laying the mesh, the question of protecting the pipes again arises, because, moving in shoes along metal mesh, you can easily damage both it and the pipe. Therefore, it is again recommended to move only on boards, plywood or OSB. But there is still a very competent solution that will avoid damage to the pipes when pouring the screed.

being prepared cement mortar- the same as it will be when laying the screed (1 part of M400 cement and 3 parts of sand) and in the process of laying “blogs” are made from the mortar, which protrude slightly beyond the surface of the grid - 2 cm is enough. These "blobs" are made at such intervals (30-50 cm), which will allow you to put boards or plywood on them in the future and move completely safely. Another plus of this approach is the fixation of the mesh, because when walking on it, it tends to bend, and this can damage the welds.

"Foots" from the solution will fix the grid and help you move safely

Filling in contours. Hydraulic tests

This operation should definitely be carried out even before the screed is poured, since with a hidden malfunction it is easier to fix it immediately than after the floors are filled. To do this, a hose is connected to the drain pipe on the collector and discharged into the sewer, since a lot of water will be spilled through the heating circuits. It is best if the hose is transparent - it will be easy to track the exit of air bubbles.

To the inlet of the supply manifold, which must be equipped with a shut-off ball valve, tap water is connected through a hose or pipe. If the quality of tap water is low, then it is worth filling the system through a mechanical filter. A pressure test pump is connected to any other output connected to the underfloor heating circuits. This may be a free outlet of the supply manifold, a return outlet from the manifold and other places - it all depends on the specific implementation of the collector unit. In the end, a tee can be screwed into the ball shut-off valve of the supply manifold and both filling the system and pressure testing can be done through it. After testing, the tee can be removed and the manifold connected to the supply line.

Filling the system is done as follows:

On the collector, all the contours of the warm floor are blocked, except for one. Automatic air vents must be open.
Water is supplied and its purity and air outlet are controlled through the drain hose. Process grease and chips may remain on the inner surface of the pipes during production, which must be washed off with running water.
After all the air has escaped and the water flows absolutely clean, the drain valve is closed, and then the already washed and filled circuit is closed.
All these operations are done with all contours.
After flushing, removing air and filling all circuits, the water supply valve is closed.

If leaks are detected even at the filling stage, they are eliminated immediately after the pressure is released. As a result, you should get a system of warm water floors filled with a clean coolant and airless.

To test the system, you will need a special tool - a pressure test pump, which can be rented or invited by an experienced craftsman who has such a device. Let us describe the sequence of actions during crimping.

All contours of a heat-insulated floor connected to a collector open completely.
Pour into the capacity of the pressure pump pure water, the pump feed valve opens.
The pump builds up pressure in the system twice as much as the working one - 6 atmospheres, it is controlled by the pump pressure gauge and on the manifold (if it has a pressure gauge).
After raising the pressure, a visual inspection of all pipes and connections is carried out, which, in principle, should only be on the collector. The pressure is also controlled by a manometer.
After 30 minutes, the pressure is again raised to 6 bar and all pipes and connections are again inspected. Then, after 30 minutes, these steps are repeated. If leaks are found, they are immediately eliminated after the pressure is released.
If no leaks are detected, then the pressure is again raised to 6 bar and the system is left for a day.
If after a day the pressure in the system dropped by no more than 1.5 bar and no leaks were detected, then the underfloor heating system can be considered properly installed and sealed.

When the pressure in the system rises, the pipe, according to all the laws of physics, will try to straighten up, therefore, it is possible to “shoot” some brackets in those places where they were “greedy” with them. Therefore, the "blobs" from the solution will greatly help to keep the pipe in place. In the future, when the screed is poured, the pipe will be securely fixed, but during pressure tests, a poorly fixed pipe can bring unpleasant surprises.

Video: Filling the system with coolant

Video: Crimping underfloor heating system

Installation of beacons

The underfloor heating screed must be poured through pipes under operating pressure. Considering that in most closed heating systems operating pressure should be in the range of 1-3 bar, you can take the average value and leave a pressure of 2 bar in the circuits.

As beacons, it is best to use guide plasterboard profiles PN 28 * 27 / UD 28 * 27. They have sufficient rigidity and a smooth top surface, which is very useful when leveling the screed.

Lighthouses should be installed at the level of the finished floor minus the thickness of the finishing floor covering. To fix them, very often they simply use mortar pads, on which a guide profile is laid, and then it is sunk in level. But this approach has a disadvantage in that if the beacon fell below the required level, it has to be taken out, put in a fresh solution and set up again.

It is best if the beacons from the guide profile will have a rigid support under them and dowels for concrete and a screw of the appropriate length can serve as it. It is preferable to use special screws for concrete - dowels, which do not require the installation of a dowel, which means that the drilling diameter will be smaller. If you need to drill a hole with a diameter of 10-12 mm for the dowel, then 6 mm is enough for the dowel. The upper surface of the screw head should be at the level of the surface of the future screed.

Screws for concrete - pins

Beacons should be located at a distance of no more than 30 cm from the walls. There should not be a large distance between the beacons, since the mortar tends to settle and a hole may form on the already finished screed. Optimal - 1.5 m, then use to level the screed building rule 2 m. When installing beacons, do the following:

From the walls to the left and right of the entrance, two lines are drawn at a distance of 30 cm - this will be the position of the extreme lighthouses.
The distance between these two lines is divided into equal parts so that it does not exceed 150 cm. It is desirable that one of the strips falls directly at the entrance to the room. If necessary, the strip attributable to the input can be smaller.
Position lines for future lighthouses are drawn on the floor. Marks are made on them for the location of the dowels in increments of 40-50 cm.
Holes are drilled to a predetermined depth with a perforator with a drill corresponding to the dowel.

To set the dowel caps in the same plane, it is best to use a laser level. If it is not in the arsenal of the home master, then it does not matter, now this very useful tool can be rented, especially since it will only be needed for one day.

The laser level is an indispensable tool for marking and installing beacons

The position of the beacons is marked on the wall. To do this, the thickness of the finishing floor covering is subtracted from the level of the clean floor previously drawn on the wall. The laser level is set at this mark, and then, screwing or unscrewing the dowels, their caps are set at the same level. If you use the usual building level for this operation, it will take much longer, and the error will be higher.

Further, guide profiles are laid on the caps of the dowels, the correct installation is checked by the building level. To fix the beacons in their places, use a cement mortar of the same formulation as for floor screed (1 part cement + 3 parts sand).

The beacons are removed from the caps of the dowels, and then slides are made from the prepared solution slightly higher than the height of the screed. It is enough to make them after 1 meter, since the lighthouse will already be securely fixed on the caps of the dowels. Further, the profile is laid and pressed into the solution, and its excess from above is immediately removed with a spatula. In conclusion, the level checks the correct installation of all beacons.

At the same time, you can check the correct installation of all damper tapes separating rooms and circuits and, if necessary, strengthen their position with mortar.

water heated floor

Video: Installation of beacons for underfloor heating screed

Underfloor heating screed

Increased requirements are imposed on the screed of a warm water floor, because in addition to the mechanical loads it carries, it also experiences temperature deformations. And usually a cement-sand mortar will not work here, the concrete mixture must be modified with a plasticizer and fiber.

The plasticizer is designed to reduce the water-cement ratio, increase the mobility of the mixture and increase its drying strength. Mobility when laying a warm floor screed is extremely important, since the mortar must tightly “grasp” the pipes and easily release air bubbles out. Without the use of a plasticizer, the only way to increase the mobility of the mixture is to add water to it. But then only part of the water will react with the cement, and the rest will evaporate for a long time, which will increase the setting and solidification time and reduce the strength of the screed. The water/cement ratio should be just enough to allow the screed to set. Usually, 0.45-0.55 kg of water is needed for 1 kg of cement.

The plasticizer is available in liquid and dry form. It must be used exactly as the manufacturer recommends, and nothing else. Any "substitutes" in the form liquid soap, washing powder, PVA glue are unacceptable.

The fiber is designed for dispersed reinforcement concrete mix, which allows you to significantly reduce or virtually eliminate the formation of cracks, increase strength and abrasion resistance, increase bending and compressive strength. This is achieved by the fact that the microfibers of the fiber are distributed and fasten the screed throughout the volume of the concrete mixture.

Fiber is metal, polypropylene and basalt. For underfloor heating screed, it is recommended to use polypropylene or basalt fiber. It is added according to the manufacturer's recommendations, but it is recommended to use at least 500 grams of polypropylene fiber per 1 m 3 of the finished solution. To obtain a mixture with the best properties, add 800 or more grams per 1 m 3.

On sale you can find ready-made mixtures for pouring underfloor heating screeds from well-known and not very manufacturers. The composition of these mixtures already includes a plasticizer, and fiber, and other components. With the undoubted convenience of their use and high quality, the cost of the finished screed will be significantly higher than the self-prepared solution.

Before pouring the screed, it is necessary to remove all unnecessary objects from the floor, if necessary, vacuum the surfaces. It is also necessary to prepare all the tools and utensils for mixing and transporting the solution. All work on pouring the underfloor heating screed in the room should be done at a time, so it is advisable to have two assistants: one prepares the solution, the second wears it, and the main performer lays and levels the screed. All windows in the room must be closed, the screed must be limited from exposure to drafts and direct sunlight.

Self-preparation of a solution for underfloor heating screed should be carried out only mechanized way– the quality of the solution must be high. A concrete mixer or a construction mixer can be used as auxiliary mechanisms. No attachments for a drill or a hammer drill will work here, no matter what various “true” sources say.

The basis of the solution is Portland cement grade not lower than M400, which must be dry and with a storage time of no more than 6 months after the date of issue. The sand must also be dry, washed and sieved. River sand is not suitable - it has too correct form. For a screed, the ratio of cement to sand should be 1:3 by weight, but in practice, few people weigh sand and cement, but a universal measurement method is taken - a bucket. Given that the density of building sand is in the range of 1.3-1.8 t / m 3, and cement during transportation is 1.5-1.6 t / m 3, then you can not be afraid to measure cement and sand in buckets, since the quality mixture will be perfectly acceptable.

The water in the composition of the solution should be approximately one third of the mass of cement, that is, for 1 bag of 50 kg of cement, approximately 15 liters of water are needed. However, the use of a plasticizer reduces the water-cement ratio, therefore, when preparing a solution with water, you need to be very careful - it is better to underfill a little and then add than to overfill.

The technology for preparing the solution with a mixer and a concrete mixer is slightly different. With a mixer, it is necessary to stir dry cement, sand and fluffed polypropylene or basalt fiber at low speeds and then gradually add water with a plasticizer dissolved in it. In gravity-type concrete mixers, which are the vast majority, it is difficult to mix dry cement and sand (dry cement sticks to wet blades and drum), so first pour some water with a plasticizer into it, and then gradually add cement first, then sand, then another portion of cement and the rest of the water. Fiber is added gradually. One part with water, the other with sand. At the same time, the fiber cannot be thrown into the concrete mixer drum in a lump, but it must be divided into portions and fluffed before laying.

The preparation time of the mortar in a concrete mixer is usually 3-4 minutes, and with a mixer a little more - 5-7 minutes. The readiness of the solution is determined by a uniform color and consistency. If you take a lump of solution in your hands and squeeze it, then no water should be released from it, but at the same time the solution should be plastic. If you place the solution in a slide on the floor, then it should not spread much, but only settle a little under its own weight. If you make cuts in it with a spatula, they should not blur, but should keep their shape.

The laying of the screed starts from the far corners of the room and is carried out in stripes along the lighthouses. Only after the completion of one strip, the next one is laid and leveled, the process should end at the entrance to the room. In the process of leveling, it is not necessary to immediately try to perfectly level the surface of the screed along the beacons. The main thing is that there are no dips in the screed, and small influxes and traces of the rule are easily corrected later.

After 1-2 days (it all depends on external conditions), when it is already possible to walk on the screed, it is necessary to clean its surface. First, it is cut with a construction knife and the damper tape protruding from the screed is removed, and then the construction rule is taken and pressed with a sharp end to the plane of the lighthouses. In the direction away from oneself, with short but energetic movements, cleaning is carried out until the beacons are completely exposed. Then the resulting debris is removed, the screed is moistened from the sprayer and covered with plastic wrap.

The next day, the beacons are carefully removed, and the dowels can be unscrewed, and the resulting grooves are rubbed with mortar or tile adhesive. The screed is moistened and covered again, it is recommended to do this daily for the first 10 days after pouring.

Balancing the contours of the warm floor. Commissioning

After the full maturation of the screed, and this is at least 28 days, you can begin to balance the contours of the warm floor. And in this process, flow meters on the manifold will be very helpful. That is why it is necessary to purchase a manifold with balancing valves and flow meters.

The fact is that the loops of the warm floor have different lengths, respectively, they have different hydraulic resistance. Obviously, the "lion's share" of the coolant will always follow the path of least resistance - that is, along the shortest circuit, while others will get much less. At the same time, in the longest circuit, the circulation will be so sluggish that there can be no talk of any heat removal. In a well-designed underfloor heating project, the flow rate in each circuit and the position of the control valves are always indicated, but if the underfloor heating is done on its own, then a simplified but effective technique will do.

If the pumping and mixing unit is not yet connected, then it is being installed. The underfloor heating collector is connected to the supply and return lines.
All circuits of the warm floor open completely, the collectors of the ball valves for supply and return open at the inlet. Automatic air vent valves must be open.
The circulation is turned on. The maximum temperature is set on the head of the mixing unit, but the boiler does not turn on yet, the coolant must circulate at room temperature.
The pressure in the entire heating system is brought to the working one (1-3 bar).
All contours of the warm floor are closed, except for the longest one. The position of the flow meter on this circuit is noted and recorded.
The second longest circuit is fully opened. If the flow in it is greater, then the balancing valve is twisted until the flow is equal to the longest one.

Further, all circuits are sequentially opened in descending order of their length, the flow is regulated by balancing valves.
As a result, the flow rate in all circuits should be the same. If this is not the case, then you can correct the adjustment on the contours without touching the longest loop.

All of the above operations are performed correctly and the flow meters show that circulation occurs in the circuits, then you can start testing the underfloor heating with a heated coolant. It is necessary to start from low temperatures - from 25 ° C, and then gradually increase the temperature by 5 ° C every day, until the coolant is supplied to the circuits with its operating temperature. What is the sequence of actions at this stage.

A temperature of 25 ° C is set on the thermostatic valve of the mixing unit, the circulation pump is turned on at the first speed and in this mode the system is allowed to work for a day. At the same time, the circulation through the flow meters is controlled and corrected.
After a day, the temperature rises to 30°C, and the system of warm floors is left again for a day. The flow and temperature of the supply and return are controlled.
The next day, the temperature rises by another 5°C, up to 35°C. This is already much closer to the operating mode of the underfloor heating, so it is already worth adjusting the temperature difference between the supply and return collectors. If it is in the range of 5-10°C, then this is normal, and if more, then the speed of the circulation pump should be increased by one step.
The maximum temperature to which you can raise the temperature in the floor heating supply manifold is 50 ° C, but it is better not to do this, but check it in operating modes - 45 ° C or 40 ° C. Similarly, the temperature difference between the supply and return is checked. The pump must run at the lowest possible speed so that the temperature difference is up to 10°C.

The correctness of the adjustment of the warm floor cannot be assessed immediately, since such a heating system is very inertial. It takes a few hours to feel the change temperature regime. Therefore, everyone who made their own underfloor heating should arm themselves with patience and gradually bring the system to a mode that would provide the desired floor temperature, taking into account the coating. To do this, you will need to “play around” with the settings of the balancing valves, thermal heads (if the collector is equipped with them) and the speed of the circulation pump. The main thing is that the do-it-yourself water-heated floor system works.

Find out how by studying the instructions with a photo in a special article on our portal.

Conclusion

Stubborn statistics suggests that the system of warm water floors, in addition to the obvious comfort, also provides significant energy savings. The same statistics indicate that the number of successful independent implementations of such heating is growing every year. All technologies have already been worked out, the market is flooded with any components, for every taste, color and budget. The necessary information is always in open sources, you can always ask experts for advice. The team of authors hopes that this article has dispelled the initial fear and made it clear to readers that it is quite possible to make a water heated floor with your own hands.

Video: How to calculate and make a do-it-yourself water-heated floor

Unlike electric floor heating on a liquid heat carrier, it requires more complex calculations for integration into the heating system. Service life and coefficient useful action systems directly depend on the correct choice of materials, fittings, installation and heating scheme.

Choosing pipes for floor heating

Contrary to popular belief, the choice of pipes for installing a heat exchanger in the floor is not so wide. In total, there are two options: cross-linked polyethylene and copper. The most obvious advantages of special materials are durability, resistance to deformation, and a low coefficient of linear expansion. But the main advantage is the oxygen barrier, which ultimately stops the formation of sediment on the inner surface of the pipes.

The meaning of the use of copper in the high thermal conductivity of the tubes and resistance to corrosion. An obvious disadvantage is the complexity of installation and the high risk of failure in the presence of solid particles (sand) in the coolant. Despite the fact that soldering only requires an inexpensive gas lamp and flux, bending the coil correctly is a difficult task. This is despite the fact that there can be several tens of turns of a copper tube, and one mistake that caused a break leads to the marriage of the entire segment or the need for additional soldering.

Polymeric (polyethylene) tubes have a higher coefficient of thermal expansion, in addition, they lose their strength properties when heated above operating temperatures, however, in warm floors in principle, the coolant does not heat up above 40 °C. Ease of installation is a definite plus. Easily bends and fits in a spiral or serpentine. The pipe is supplied in coils of 200 m, allowing you to lay underfloor heating without a single joint in the entire volume of the future screed. Most branded polyethylene pipes involve the use of a special tool for crimping and welding.

Ensuring circulation

Water heating systems with underfloor heating do not work on the gravitational principle and always remain volatile. Because of this, overheating occurs: failures in the circulation and recirculation system can even supply 70-80ºС, so the funds from savings on the use of polymer tubes should be at least partially spent on improving automation and auxiliary mechanisms.

The flow rate of the coolant in the tubes is strictly regulated by the manufacturer, assigning this task to the general circulation of the system means increasing the risk of malfunctions. A forced circulation device must be installed in front of the collector node, then each of the circuits is adjusted to adjust the required flow rate. This determines the maximum loop length of each circuit and the temperature difference at its beginning and end.

For pumping water in the system use circulation pumpsdesigned for radiator heating systems. The diameter of the nozzles is determined by the required throughput of the pipe with which the pump is connected to the manifold. The lift height (or injection pressure) is determined by the total hydrodynamic resistance of the pipes, declared by their manufacturer for different loop configurations and bending radii. Each connection requires an increase in lift height. Speed adjustment for underfloor heating pumps is not required, however, with accelerated circulation, more intensive pumping of the system is possible to quickly reach the regime.

Collector assembly

When using more than one branch for floor heating, the presence of a collector assembly (comb) is strictly necessary. Self-soldering the collector, even for two loops, will not give the desired result, it is almost impossible to balance the lines in the absence of uniform distribution and valve regulators.

The collector is selected both by the number of branches and by the total throughput. In essence, this is a multi-channel flow controller. Of the body materials, stainless steel and high-quality brass are most preferred. For underfloor heating, two types of collectors can be used. With a difference in the length of the contours of less than 20-30 meters, ordinary brass ones with ball valves are suitable. With a greater spread of hydrodynamic resistances, a specialized manifold with flow regulators on each outlet is needed.

Please note that it is not necessary to buy a dual (supply + return) manifold. You can install a high-quality mixer with flow meters on the supply line, and on the return line - a cheaper one with valve (not ball) valves. Separately, it is worth paying attention to what type of pipes the collector assembly is designed for. Most cheap products involve the connection of MP pipes, which are poorly suited for underfloor heating and therefore are used less and less. For polyethylene circuits, it is better to invest in reliable and proven REHAU manifolds, for copper tube systems - Valtec and APE. Connection of copper pipes to the manifold is recommended through flaring and/or threaded fittings; direct soldering is not recommended due to the low maintainability of such connections.

Temperature preparation unit

The comb of taps itself is not the whole collector. As an assembly, the mixing unit is completed with special fittings that provide adjustment of the water temperature before it enters the system. Both hot water and cold water can be mixed, which fundamentally determines the specifics of the two types of mixing.

A simple scheme for switching on a warm floor. 1 - three-way valve; 2 - circulation pump; 3 - ball valve with thermometer; 4 - distribution manifold with flow meters; 5 - return manifold with control valves; 6 - contour of the warm floor. The temperature control in the circuit is carried out manually and is highly dependent on the temperature of the coolant at the inlet.

The first type uses a closed circulation cycle, mixing hot water with a three-way valve as needed. The disadvantage of the system is that in the event of a malfunction in the automation or the use of solid fuel boilers, a large amount of hot water can be supplied at a time, which negatively affects the polymers, as well as the floor covering and the microclimate in the room. Therefore, pumping hot water is practiced mainly in systems with copper pipes.

Ready-made mixing unit for underfloor heating. Temperature control and the degree of mixing of the coolant is carried out fully automatically

For polyethylene circuits, more expensive manifolds are preferred, mixing cold water from the return to reduce the incoming temperature. The complexity of such mixing units is due to the presence of an additional recirculation pump. Adjustment can be made both by an adjustable two-way valve, and by an electronic thermostat that controls the speed of the pump motor. The latter is an example of a struggle for accuracy and a decrease in the inertia of the system, by the way, very successful. However, such systems are volatile.

Whether to take the collector assembly is a moot point. Of course, the presence of a guarantee is an obvious plus, but it is not always possible to find a model with the necessary strapping and the number of taps, in such cases you will have to assemble the device yourself.

Warming and storage layer

The pie of a water-heated floor is as follows: polymer foam insulation, heating tubes and a heat-storing screed in order from bottom to top. The thickness and materials used for the base layers must be selected according to the operating parameters of the system.

The insulation is selected taking into account the planned heating temperature, or more precisely, the temperature difference between the warm and subfloor. Mostly use EPS or PPU boards with butt edges. This material is practically incompressible under a distributed load, while the resistance to heat transfer is one of the highest. The approximate thickness of the polymer insulation is 35 mm for a temperature difference of 30 ºС and then 3 mm for every 5 ºС.

Ways to install underfloor heating in a private house. Three options for fastening and distributing pipes are proposed: A - Use of special mounting mats for underfloor heating. B - Installation on a reinforcing mesh with a step of 10 cm using plastic ties. C - Laying pipes in prepared gutters in insulation using reflective screens. The design of the warm floor: 1 - concrete base of the subfloor; 2 - insulation; 3 - damper tape; 4 - concrete screed; 5 - flooring; 6 - reinforcing mesh.

In addition to protecting the pipes from damage, the screed regulates the inertia of the heating system and smoothes out the temperature difference between the floor areas directly above the pipes and between them. If the boiler operates in a cyclic mode, the heated concrete will give off heat, even if there is temporarily no hot water supply. In case of accidental overheating, a heat-intensive screed will ensure the removal of temperature, excluding damage to pipes. The average screed thickness is 1/10-1/15 of the distance between adjacent tubes. By increasing the thickness, you can get rid of the thermal zebra effect with a rare laying of pipes. Naturally, the consumption of materials, as well as the inertia and time for the system to reach the regime, will increase in this case.

When installing underfloor heating on the ground, it is necessary to pour 15-20 cm of an incompressible layer of ASG. Crushed stone for additional thermal insulation can be replaced with expanded clay. On insulated frame floors, a warm floor can be laid immediately on top of a waterproofing agent, which covers the subfloor in order to prevent the release of cement milk from the screed. In the best case, a thermal cut-off layer of 20-25 mm of polyurethane foam or XPS is arranged under the tubes. Even such a thin layer is enough to eliminate the cold bridges represented by the supporting structure of the floor, as well as to distribute the load from the screed.

Installation nuances

Installation of a water-heated floor should take place according to a pre-planned scheme. The collector requires a place equipped for installation, it can be either a boiler room or a compartment hidden in the wall. The rationale for installing intermediate collectors depends on whether savings are achieved compared to laying pipes from a central distribution unit, and also whether such an increase in the length of the largest loop is acceptable. It is recommended to connect pipes to heating zones in rooms that do not require targeted floor heating: pantries, corridors and others like them.

Underfloor heating pipes should only be fixed to a special mounting system. Perforated tape or mesh provides precise adjustment of the installation step, reliable fixation during the curing of the mixture and the gaps necessary for the temperature solution.

Fixation mounting system to the floor is carried out through the insulation without significant pressure. You need to fix it in the holes formed after bending the petals to compress the tubes. Thus, the attachment points are located closest to heating elements, which excludes their ascent, displacement or lifting of the entire system when pouring the concrete mix.