How to make an electric underfloor heating under a tile: film and cable option

Types and device

There are the following main types of floor heating:

1. Water.
2. Electric.

When using electricity to heat a surface, devices are used that differ in the way heat is transferred. They are convection and infrared. The carriers of such heat transfer are cable and film devices.

Therefore, the electric type of heating is divided into:

1. Cable.
2. Convection roll.
3. Infrared film and in the form of mats.

Water heating is based on the laying of metal-plastic pipes under the facing coating, through which hot water is passed. Pipes, depending on the nature of the dwelling, are connected either to the autonomous heating of a private house, or to a common system if it is an apartment building.

It is advisable to use water floor heating, which has a large area, since hot water circulates evenly through all laid pipes and can heat the entire surface.

For this, an additional water pump is often used during installation. The advantage of such a heating device is the low cost of operation, which pays for the cost of installation.

Water floor heating device

The water heating scheme consists of the following layers:

1. Heat insulating material.
2. Reinforcing mesh.
3. Metal pipes.
4. Cement strainer.
5. Ceramic tile.

With this scheme, the load on the floors increases significantly, and especially in old houses they are not designed for such additional pressure, so the use of the water heating method is limited.

How to choose an electric cable for underfloor heating?

There are many methods to make underfloor heating in an apartment or private house, but the introduction of a heating cable. The most common and cheap option, because it is in great demand.

Underfloor heating with electronic cable

Heating cable. It is a copper wire that produces an electronic current. To increase productivity, it is placed in a special fiber winding and heat-resistant polyvinylene. This design also ensures the safety of its use.An electronic current passing through a wire releases thermal energy, due to which the surface is heated.

Heating cable device

Electronic cables for concrete screeds have different power: from fifteen to 40 W / m, they can heat up to ninety ° C. Zinc-coated steel or copper plays the role of a core conductor. Any wire is designed for a classic electronic network with a voltage of two hundred and 20 V.

Characteristics of infrared floor heating

1. Efficiency 98%.
2. The device of warm infrared floors provides for connecting the equipment to a 220 V network, which greatly facilitates the introduction of the heating system into operation in a private house or apartment.
3. The thickness of the film can vary within 0.3-0.47 mm with a standard web width of up to 0.5/0.8/1.0 m.
4. According to the characteristics, the infrared warm floor can be made in the range of 130-240 watts.
5. Two material formats are available: rolled and pre-made strips with wire leads that are completely ready for connection.

6. Maximum heating - 45˚С (sometimes up to 60 ˚С).

What underfloor heating to choose for a private house and apartment?

The choice of underfloor heating system is carried out taking into account such factors as:

the size of the room, in particular floor area and height;

type of heating. Whether the underfloor heating system will be the main source of heating or additional, will have a significant impact on its capacity.

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What to look for when choosing underfloor heating

indoor environment. All underfloor heating systems, except for infrared rod, are very sensitive to overheating, which means that they cannot be mounted under furniture and heavy household appliances.The minimum height is 350 mm. Often this leads to the fact that one part of the floor is significantly warmer than the other. Uneven heating (temperature fluctuations) negatively affects the wooden flooring (floor board, solid board, parquet);

wall height. It should be borne in mind that some underfloor heating systems are mounted exclusively in the screed. This statement is true for a water heated floor, rod and electric with a heating cable or mats. The higher the height of the heating element (pipe diameter or cable section), the thicker the screed will be. If the height of the walls does not allow raising the floor by 70-100 mm, then film warm floors should be considered;

maintainability of the system. The coupler thoroughly closes access to the elements of the system, which creates additional problems in the event of a malfunction, i.e. cannot be quickly repaired. Even to identify the place of failure without dismantling the floor is problematic;

work speed. The speed of work is understood as the performance of all types of work: from design to fine surface finishing. Despite the fact that the core floor is mounted within a few hours, it is not recommended to turn it on until the screed is completely dry, and some manufacturers (for example, Kaleo) set a limit of 28 days. The water floor is also mounted for a long time, which is associated with the specifics of the pipe layout and also requires complete solidification of the screed. The best option from the point of view of "operation immediately after installation" would be a film infrared heat-insulated floor.

type of finished flooring. In many ways, the final choice is determined by the answer to the question, which warm floor is better for tiles, or which warm floor is better for laminate.Indeed, in one case, the use of glue is required, and not all systems are suitable for this, and in the other, it is necessary to take into account the tendency of wood to deform and the presence of harmful substances in the composition of materials (it is possible to release, for example, formaldehyde when heated).

As you can see, there are many factors that influence the final choice of a warm floor system, the most complete consideration of which will help you make the right choice.

What influences the choice of underfloor heating?

To navigate the choice of underfloor heating for tiles, you should pay attention to such nuances:

• Functions. The power and, accordingly, the type of underfloor heating depends on whether the system will be the main, additional or alternative. If the warm floor is intended for additional heating, the choice is wider.
• Screed. It is necessary to decide whether a concrete screed will be made when arranging the floor. The question of its thickness may also be fundamentally important, especially when it comes to a room with a low ceiling.
• Type of dwelling. If almost any solution is acceptable in private houses, then the owners of apartments in high-rise buildings are often limited in their choice of heating systems.
• The cost of the system itself and its operation. Cheap equipment is not always the most economical. When choosing a warm floor, everything should be taken into account: the cost of materials, the complexity of installation, the consumption and price of energy resources.

In any case, it is better to put a warm floor under the tile, because the material is very cold to the touch and it is unpleasant to stand on it.

However, the type of system should be chosen wisely. It must fully fulfill its functions, rationally spend resources.

A water floor is a profitable solution.Although the installation of the system is laborious, and the materials are expensive, these costs and efforts pay off due to the extremely rational use of resources.

When choosing a system, you must also take into account the features of its maintenance and repair. It is desirable that the equipment has free access in case of a breakdown.

Which is better?

The market offers a huge number of heating systems, and therefore it is not easy for the buyer to make a choice. To facilitate this process, the rating of electrical systems, based on customer reviews and expert opinion, will help.

So, if we talk about cable floors, then the British brand Energy has good reviews. The system has a pleasant price-quality ratio. With affordability, the material has good functionality, is characterized by ease of installation.

Domestic analogue - "Teplolux". The system is based on a two-core cable 28 m long (enough to heat an area of ​​2.8 sq m). The advantage is the high power of the floor, which, in turn, results in an increase in energy costs. A good option if there is no way to purchase a more expensive brand.

The leader among cable systems of the middle price category is the Polish manufacturer Devi. The brand's products are based on a self-heating two-core cable. The system is suitable for installation both indoors and outdoors.

If we talk about more efficient infrared systems, then floors from the Korean manufacturer Caleo deserve attention. The system is characterized by absolute self-regulation, which allows to reduce energy consumption by 5-6 times after the desired temperature is reached. Among the advantages is ease of installation, largely due to detailed instructions and the presence of a disk with a detailed description of the process in the kits.

The domestic manufacturer Teplolux also produces infrared floor in the National Comfort line. This is a budget model with a long service life. At voltage 220 W power model is 150 watts.

The leader among the rod floors is the products of the Israeli brand Electrolux. This is an ideal option for tiles - on an area of ​​​​4 square meters. m, the power of a two-core cable will be up to 600 W / sq m. The average cost (for the indicated area) is within 8,000 rubles. Thanks to the use of cables based on aramid yarn in the system, high mechanical and thermal strength of the floor is achieved.

When choosing a warm floor, you should consider 2 more factors:

• Electricity consumption;
• Heating time.

Do-it-yourself installation of an electric underfloor heating under a tile

Before proceeding with the installation of the underfloor heating system, you need to draw up a plan for its layout on paper.

The floor areas on which household appliances or furniture will be placed are excluded from the total area, and a buffer zone is also created between the electric heating system and heating pipes or other heat sources, if any.

Stages of installation of a warm floor under a tile

As a result, most likely, you will get an irregular figure inscribed in the square or rectangular shape of the room. Think over the place of installation of the thermostat. Sometimes for a warm floor it is necessary to lay a dedicated electrical wiring line with suitable power.

Advice! The layout of the room in which there will be a warm floor must be thought out very well, since further rearrangement may affect the performance of the system.

Foundation preparation

Installation of electric underfloor heating begins preparation of the base.Any system is laid on a clean, flat surface; if necessary, the old coating is completely dismantled and the floor is leveled with a screed. A layer of waterproofing material is laid on the base with an overlap on the wall.

Stages of installation of a warm floor under a laminate

A damper tape is fixed along the perimeter of the floor to the wall, it will compensate for the thermal expansion between the floor and the wall. For waterproofing, polyethylene foam with a foil coating, ordinary or extruded polystyrene foam with a thickness of 20-50 mm is used.

Features of installing a cable or rod underfloor heating under the tile

Installation of thermomats under the tile is different in that it is laid without thermal insulation. Laying on old tiles is also allowed. Rod floors are laid on a foil base. Further installation is carried out according to a single scheme.

Installation of a warm floor begins with the preparation of the base. After that, the installation of the thermostat is performed. The temperature sensor is placed in a corrugated pipe with a diameter of 9-16 mm, and in order for the pipe to be flush with the floor, a strobe is made for it. They work in the following sequence:

On a clean and even surface, it is recommended to apply a layer of deep-penetrating primer, which will improve the adhesion of the floor to the tile adhesive.

Cable for electric floor heating

When the primer dries, they begin to roll out a roll of thermomat, placing it according to a previously prepared scheme. This will be a trial, draft layout.
In the process, to rotate the strip, you will have to cut the grid

This must be done very carefully so as not to damage the cable.
When the thermomat covers the entire area, it is again folded.
The next layout will be finishing, finishing.As it spreads, the protective strip is removed from the underside of the mesh, exposing the adhesive layer so that the re-rolled roll sticks over the entire surface of the floor

There is no adhesive base provided. Thermomats are glued to the floor with pieces of masking tape.

Thermomat cutting

• Connect the electric floor to the network through a thermostat.
• After that, the thermomats are covered with tile adhesive, the layer of which should not exceed 7 cm.
• When the screed is dry, you can start laying the floor covering on the minimum layer.

Important! You can turn on the warm floor not before the tile adhesive has completely dried.

Option # 1 - water floor heating

Features of the technology of arrangement

The pipes themselves can be connected to a separate boiler or centralized heating. This type of heating is applicable both as the main source of heat and additional.

System diagram, where: 1 - thermal insulation layer, 2 - reinforcing layer, 3 - pipe contours, 4 - devices for input and temperature control, 5 - concrete screed, 6 - self-leveling screed (performed if necessary), 7 - finishing coating

The water floor installation technology includes a number of steps:

• Laying foil insulation on the prepared base base;
• Laying reinforcing mesh for fixing water pipes;
• Installation of a system of metal-plastic pipes;
• Pouring sand-cement screed;
• Laying tiles with adhesive.

The thermal insulation layer is designed to minimize the consumption of thermal energy for heating the base base. Foil insulation, reflecting heat, will redirect the flow upward to heat the room.

Compliance with this condition is especially important when designing a warm floor in rooms located on the first floors, under which unheated basements are located.

Advantages and disadvantages of this system

A properly executed concrete screed, hiding the contours of water pipes underneath, performs two functions:

• It acts as a reliable basis for laying a hard coating such as porcelain stoneware or slab.
• Acts as a powerful accumulator of thermal energy.

Heating up from the metal-plastic pipes laid in it, the concrete screed evenly distributes heat, transferring it to ceramic tiles.

Underfloor heating, functioning at the expense of water circulating through pipes, can rightfully be considered an economically viable option.

A significant disadvantage of this type of floor is its thickness. Only a cement screed "eats" 30-60 mm of height. In the conditions of standard apartments, which are not characterized by high ceilings, the “stolen” centimeters will be immediately noticeable.

In addition, the screed is poured for more than a dozen years. And it is not possible to provide access for visual inspection and prevention of the heating system. In the event of a leak and repair, it will be necessary to dismantle not only the tile coating, but also the concrete screed.

The total thickness of the “layer cake” when arranging a water-type warm floor is significant and is at least 70-100 mm

Experts do not recommend installing it in high-rise buildings of Soviet buildings, since the interfloor ceilings used at that time were not provided for increased loads, which would be created by a massive heat-storing screed.

When planning to connect a water floor to a centralized heating system, be prepared that not many companies give permission to take heat from heating risers, as this may upset its balance. And when connecting the system, in addition to the main costs, it will be necessary to install expensive adjustment equipment.

This is because the temperature of the water in the heating radiators and underfloor heating circuits is significantly different.

But for owners of private houses, a water heated floor is an ideal solution. After all, they are not bound by spatial restrictions and no approval procedures are required to install the system. It is enough, adhering to the manufacturer's recommendations, to install the equipment. And in the future, maintain the pressure in the system and circulation in the circuit, as well as control the temperature and quality of the coolant.

You can calculate the parameters of a water heated floor using our online calculator:

Supply temperature, oC.
Return temperature, oC.
Pipe pitch, m	0.050.10.150.20.250.30.35
Pipe	Pex-Al-Pex 16×2 (Metal-plastic) Pex-Al-Pex 16×2.25 (Metal-plastic) Pex-Al-Pex 20×2 (Metal-plastic) Pex-Al-Pex 20×2.25 (Metal-plastic) Pex 14×2 (Stitched polyethylene)Pex 16×2 (XLPE)Pex 16×2.2 (XLPE)Pex 18×2 (XLPE)Pex 18×2.5 (XLPE)Pex 20×2 (XLPE)PP-R 20×3.4 (Polypropylene) )PP-R 25×4.2 (Polypropylene)Cu 10×1 (Copper)Cu 12×1 (Copper)Cu 15×1 (Copper)Cu 18×1 (Copper)Cu 22×1 (Copper)
Flooring	TilesLaminate on a substrateParquet on plywoodCarpet
Screed thickness above the pipe, m
Specific thermal power, W/m2
Floor surface temperature (average), oC
Specific heat carrier consumption, (l/h)/m2

In this video you can see typical mistakes when installing a water-heated floor system:

The best infrared films

Electric floor heating Electrolux ETS 220-10 8 383 Produced under the Swedish brand in South Korea, the film is designed for a room with an area of ​​​​the same 10 square meters, which we take whenever possible for ease of comparison. Its energy consumption is noticeably higher than that of a heat cable of the same company, designed for the same area: 2.4 kW versus 1.2 kW. Agree, the difference is decent, while the price of infrared film is higher. Nevertheless, this film is definitely worthy of its price in terms of quality, it heats up quickly and it fits much easier than a heat cable - even right under the linoleum (read the instructions before you get to work!). Perhaps we have the best infrared floor heating, and in this section, Electrolux deserves the first place. Main advantages: Decent quality Good price/performance ratio Minuses: Stock cables are short Be careful with furniture if you put a film under a thin coating!

9.7 / 10 Rating Reviews I laid the infrared warm floor under the linoleum, it works great. Additional work is at a minimum.

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Electric floor heating Caleo PLATINUM 230-0.5 1680W 11 790 In the production line of the domestic brand Caleo (which, however, does not have a full cycle in Russia - components are purchased in Asia), the Platinum series is the most interesting: it has the longest warranty period (50 years), the allowable cutting step is only 5 cm, furniture can be installed on top of laid film. But at the same time, it is also the most expensive - since the maximum footage offered by the company is designed for six "squares", in fact, it will cost more than Electrolux. In terms of the ratio of the average price to the square footage, Electrolux gets 1840 rubles per square meter of heated area, here it is more than 2700. Agree, the difference is rather big. Therefore, it is wiser to choose a combined option, installing a stronger (but also more expensive) film only where it is really justified. Main advantages: Convenience of cutting High strength Full temperature self-regulation Minuses: High price

9.6 / 10 Rating Reviews The film is interesting, I liked it - I took it under the carpet, it warms up well.

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Electric floor heating Caleo GOLD 170-0.5 1700W 21 685 Here the comparison is simpler - the company has a set of 10 "squares" in the catalog of the Gold series. At the same time, compare the cost per meter of heated space: it is still higher than that of Electrolux, although lower than that of Caleo's "platinum" film. Heating, however, is also weaker here: the power is practically the same (1700 W versus 1680 for "platinum"), but this kit is designed for an additional 4 square meters. In addition, in comparison with the "platinum" Caleo film, the cutting step is higher here (20 cm), the "self-regulation of temperature" is removed, and the guarantee is less - only 15 years. As a result, perhaps, if you choose infrared film not “for furniture”, then you should choose Electrolux warm floor, and not Caleo Gold. Main advantages: Good quality Minuses: Not the best combination of price and performance

9.5 / 10 Rating Reviews Not a bad film, a complete set - Korean, it warms up quite well (it's enough for the comfort of the legs).

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Underfloor heating manufacturer rating

We do quality repairs of apartments and houses in a timely manner

Real photos of works

When choosing a manufacturer of products such as underfloor heating, it is not enough to rely on even the most common opinions and it is better to study the issue more carefully. Below are a few well-known companies specializing in the provision of services in this area. Only a few leading enterprises will be affected here, since the variety of all manufacturers that can withstand a high level of competition is too large.

Concern CEILHIT

This Spanish company develops and demonstrates the amazing quality of all its products. Having rapidly conquered the domestic market, she successfully got to the European, and then to the world level.

Firm Hemstedt

It appeared in Russia recently, but won the consumer market very quickly. First of all, this was due to an impressive representation around the world, well-established among potential buyers.

Raychem Company

The situation is similar with the previous representative: more than 100 production facilities in many countries of the world inspire respect for the undeniable quality of all manufactured products.

American firm Calorique

Underfloor heating produced under this brand is available to most consumers thanks to a rapidly developing distribution network.

Heating cables and electrical products of this manufacturer represent the standard of reliability among all modern enterprises.They are widely used from ordinary residential premises to snow melting and anti-icing complexes.

Russian concern Teplolux

Domestic specialists are also not far behind having passed successful tests in Europe and gradually mastering this market, and with the approval of entry into the WTO, this has become much easier.

All listed companies specialize in the production of electrical and infrared floor heating type, due to their large-scale distribution over a large territory of our country. As for the water laying method, everything here depends on the manufacturer of pipes and boiler equipment (if we are talking about individual heating, and not about centralized communications).

The same can be said about the prices for a water structure.

But for the cost electric and film underfloor heating it is worth paying closer attention: the installation of different systems does not have significant differences, as well as the average cost of equipment, but most of the nuances depend on the size of the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room or building being equipped. According to average statistics, the price, including installation, is 50-55 dollars per square meter of the electrical system and + -5 dollars for a water floor. Looking for good specialists to carry out this type of work on the installation of a warm floor? Turning to the company for the repair of apartments and houses "Repair Service", you will be satisfied with the quality of the work performed

Looking for good specialists to carry out this type of work on the installation of a warm floor? Turning to the company for the repair of apartments and houses "Repair Service", you will be satisfied with the quality of the work performed.

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Subgroup - infrared floor heating

Despite the fact that the infrared floor is a kind of electric floor, it is advisable to put it in a separate group, since the infrared floor has a number of characteristics that are not characteristic of electric cable floors. The key feature of the infrared floor heating is that it does not create electromagnetic waves, which is typical of the two previous options. It also has two varieties, which makes it necessary to find out which infrared floor heating is better to choose.

Infrared solid (film) warm floor

The IR heating system is a flexible heating element laid between two layers of polymer - an infrared heating film for the floor.

Pros: the ability to mount on any surface (floor, walls, ceiling); ease of installation; low cost compared to cable, uniform heating of the room, the minimum thickness of the film makes it possible to avoid differences in floor height during installation;

Cons: the need to plan the arrangement of furniture, the difficulty of using under the tile, low inertia.

Infrared rod carbon warm floor

It is the most advanced underfloor heating system on the market today. It is distinguished by the presence of a carbon heating element, made in the form of a rod. The heating rod is made of a composite material, which gives the system the ability to self-regulate, which eliminates overheating and makes it possible not to be limited in choosing the location for installing floor heating. Carbon mats can be installed over the entire floor area, and rearranging furniture or installing household appliances will not cause any inconvenience, unlike a film floor.

Pros: self-regulation.The system controls the temperature of the floor surface, which reduces energy consumption. Moreover, there is no need to use additional devices. The adjustment is due to the fact that an increase in temperature leads to an increase in the distance between the graphite particles that make up the carbon rod, as a result, resistance increases and heat decreases.

Reliability; no side effects, in the form of electromagnetic waves, etc., healing effect, cost-effectiveness. From the point of view of heating costs, it is the carbon rod floor that is more efficient in operation, due to the reduction in electricity consumption. Also, the core warm floor is distinguished by long-term performance without repair.

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Cons: high cost of the kit.

What to look for when choosing

It is very easy to go to the store and buy the first option that comes across, but this can negatively affect the repair.

There are several points that you need to pay attention to when planning and choosing, so that later the warm floor does not create problems, but only adds comfort to the house:

When buying, you need to focus on the flooring

Be sure to pay attention to whether the selected option is compatible with the flooring in the house. This information can be found on the packaging, as well as ask the consultant in the store.
Power

When choosing a warm floor, you need to look at how powerful it is and what kind of heating source it will be - main or additional. If the floor is the only source of heat, you need to choose a model with more power. Power consumption, of course, depends on power, but comfort too.
Brand.This is also an important point - it determines how expensive the floor will be, what quality the material and its characteristics will be.
It is worth laying a warm floor on your own if the buyer is completely confident in his abilities.