Underfloor heating device

In some rooms: in the bedroom, nursery, bathroom, it will not be superfluous to install a warm floor.

It is of two types: electric and water. The primary screed is laid over the entire area of ​​the room, respectively, a special electrical cable or pipeline connected to the hot water supply system, and the final screed is made from above.

Classic heating	Warm floor

Electric floors came to us from Europe, and special cables are also supplied from there. The heating cable is the main element of the warm floor. Basically, it is a high-resistance conductor that heats up as an electric current passes through it. At first, they caused dissatisfaction among environmentalists, since the electromagnetic field they created had, although not great, but still a harmful effect on people. Now this problem has been removed: the electromagnetic radiation of modern cables is minimal and does not have a harmful effect..

For the possibility of expanding functions to ensure optimal economy and comfort, thermostats are used – devices with high accuracy .

But the electric underfloor heating also has a number of other drawbacks: it consumes electricity from 250 to 400 kW per hour. In addition, it is possible to make a test switch-on of the warm floor only after the screed has completely dried, i.e. after 45 days. If it turns out that the warm floor does not work, it is necessary to break the screed, eliminate the malfunction and fill it again. The same lengthy and expensive procedure will have to be resorted to in the event of a floor heating breakdown during operation..

The water floor, in this sense, is more economical: how much you paid for hot water supply, so much you will pay further. The only problem is that your neighbors may have a drop in the temperature of the hot water in the tap, and if they understand what the matter is, they may give you trouble. The water floor piping can be made of galvanized or copper pipes. However, it is best to use one-piece reinforced plastic piping. After all, when laying any metal pipeline, pipe joints will inevitably appear under the floor covering. Then, sooner or later, a leak will occur, and you will have to destroy the entire floor to eliminate it. With a one-piece metal-plastic pipeline underfloor heating, you will be 100 percent insured against such a disaster..

Heating cable laying instructions

General rules for laying heating cables for underfloor heating systems
1. The heating cable must be used according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
2. The heating cable must be connected by a qualified electrician..
3. It is necessary to observe the recommended power per 1 sq.m. sex.
4. The heating cable must not be subjected to mechanical stress and stretching. The heating cable must not be shortened or lengthened..
5. Care must be taken not to damage the cable during installation.
6. It is necessary to provide for the possibility of automatic shutdown of the heating cable. For this we recommend using a thermostat.
7. The heating cable must be grounded in accordance with the current rules of PES and SNiP.
8. Laying the cable at low temperatures creates some inconvenience. The PVC sheath of the heating cable becomes rigid. This problem can be solved by short-term activation of the unwound cable..
9. It is forbidden to include an unwound cable.
10. It is not recommended to lay the heating cable at temperatures below -5 oС..

The procedure for laying the heating cable for the “warm floor” system

1. Draw up a drawing of the heated area, indicating the location of the heating cable, end and connecting couplings, temperature sensor and the place of connection to the electrical network. If the heating cable is damaged during installation or during construction work, this will greatly facilitate the search for the damaged location.
When drawing up the drawing, it is necessary to determine the distance between the cable lines. It is determined by the formula:

Distance (cm) = free area (sqm) x 100 / cable length (m)

The temperature sensor is placed between the heating cable lines on the open side of the loop at a distance of 50-100 cm from the wall.

2. Cut a groove in the wall with a section of 20 x 20 mm for laying the temperature sensor and the cold connecting wire and for the wall box of the thermostat.

3. Clean the base on which the cable is laid from debris and sharp objects..

4. Attach the mounting tape to the floor.

5. Lay the heating cable evenly in loops over the entire floor, bypassing pipes and areas intended for bathrooms, cabinets, etc. Fasten the cable to the mounting tape using special fasteners located every 3 cm.
Heating cable lines must not touch or cross each other.

6. After installing the cable, measure the ohmic resistance. Ohmic resistance should correspond to that indicated on the coupling -5% – + 10%.

7. Place the floor temperature sensor in a plastic tube with a diameter of 16 mm, plugged at one end to prevent it from getting inside the concrete and place it between the heating cable lines according to the drawn drawing. The bend diameter of the tube should not exceed 6 cm.

8. Pour the cable evenly with a solution that does not contain sharp stones. Heating cable and connecting sleeve must be completely sealed. The screed should not exceed 5 cm.
Incorrect filling or poor-quality solution may form air pockets around the cable, which can lead to exceeding the permissible temperature on the cable surface and, consequently, to its damage..

9. After sealing the cable, measure the ohmic resistance again..

10. Do not turn on the heating cable until the solution has completely hardened. As a rule, the poured layer of the solution hardens completely within 30 days. Depending on the solution used, the period may be reduced.

11. Connect the heating cable through the thermostat to the mains. Not earlier than in a day, the floor will completely warm up to the set temperature.