Hello readers of my blog! Today we will talk about how to properly install an infrared heated floor with your own hands. It would seem that the matter is not tricky, but when you are faced with this problem, you have to think about how to do it correctly, what preparation to do, what materials to choose. Thus, I decided that this article would be useful to someone, and I am devoting my efforts to this subject. In it I will answer a number of questions that will arise immediately before How to properly install an infrared heated floor with your own hands, and some even after that. This topic is quite broad, because before work, thorough preparation is necessary, but how to do this? And this is a separate topic. You can learn about all this in great detail in the article below. Installation of film heated floors
1 Installation of a heated floor system
The rules for selecting and installing an electric heated floor differ significantly from the selection and installation of a water heated floor.
1. Selecting a heated floor kit
The recommended temperature is 20-21oC for the room and 24-26oC for the floor. The desired temperature for the room is set by the thermostat.
For comfortable heating, the installed power for the entire area should be at least 80 W/sq. m, with the main one - 140 W/m2.
2. Determine the area and configuration of the surface on which you will lay the heated floor.
When installing a heated floor with your own hands, lay the thermal film only on the free area, i.e. on the area that is not occupied by furniture and appliances (refrigerator, stove, kitchen wall, washing machine, wardrobe, etc.). When installing heating, heated floors should be laid on 75-80% of the total area. Can only be installed in areas that need to be heated.
3. Lay down heat-reflecting material.
4. Place sheets of thermal film on heat-reflective material
Cut the thermal film into strips of the size you need.
The cutting line is marked on the thermal film (cut space) and is located every 17.4 cm. It is prohibited to cut the film along other lines. Install the contact clamps onto the strip.
The contact clip is installed on the copper strip (the smooth side of the clip should be inside the thermal film, the other side should be outside on the copper strip).
Clamp the contact clamp with pliers or a special tool. Make sure the clamp is tight and there is no sparking. Insulate the cut lines of the copper strip located at the end of the strip of thermal film, for which use short bitumen insulation from the bag.
For example, on the thermal film, contact clamps are already installed at the beginning of the strip and insulation is installed at the end of the strip. Lay out the pieces of thermal film over the area of your room so that the copper conductor is at the bottom (turned towards the heat-reflecting material). The front side of the thermal film will be the side where the carbon semiconductor strip is longer, that is, the copper conductor will be at the bottom.
The thermal film is unwound on a clean, dry and flat place. It is advisable to lay the thermal film along the length of the room, avoiding damage to it; in this case, there will be more solid strips and fewer connection points for installation wires. Thermal film strips must be secured with tape to the reflective material to prevent it from shifting during further installation of the floor covering.
5. Install the thermostat
The regulator can be installed permanently, as an electrical outlet for hidden or external wiring, or connected to an existing outlet using a cord.
6. Lay out the installation wires and determine where to strip the insulation.
7. Connect the thermal film to the wire
8. Isolate connections
Each strip of thermal film includes 5 pieces of insulation. Use 2 pieces for each connection.
One piece is attached to the outside, the other covers the inside of the thermal film and the tip with the wire. The fifth section is used to insulate the copper busbar. Thus, we obtain electrical insulation and waterproofing of the connection.
9. Connect the connecting wires to the thermostat.
10. Install and connect the floor sensor to the thermostat. The floor sensor is installed under the thermal film closer to the thermostat and is attached to the black strip of the film using tape.
To level the floor under the finishing coating, make grooves (recesses) in the heat-reflective coating under the floor sensor and the wire connections.
11. Connect the thermostat to the electrical network.
12. Test the heating system.
13. Lay the finishing floor covering.
14. Installation of the heated floor is complete, turn it on and enjoy the warmth.
The heat-reflecting material is laid on the prepared and leveled floor surface. Then the sheets of material are secured with tape. After the surface is prepared, thermal film can be laid directly on it. It is recommended to install the regulator close to existing electrical wiring, unless special wiring is required to connect the system. It is installed on the wall, in the most convenient place for the user (near the sockets), so as not to interfere with the further arrangement of furniture, kitchen installation and installation of household appliances. The thermal film is connected to the network in parallel, that is, all installation wires are connected to one side of the room. The kit includes wires of two colors. One wire color is connected to only one end of each strip. Position the wires so that the main wires run under the baseboard. If you want to make the connecting cable hidden, you need to cut a channel in the wall; if you want to make it external, use a decorative mounting box. Remove the insulation where the thermal film is connected to the tip. Bring the bare wire to the terminal and clamp it tightly using pliers. The wiring diagram is indicated on each thermostat. The connection of the thermostat and power supply from the electrical network must be carried out by a qualified electrician. Be sure to consider additional electrical devices that may be connected to the same network. For a system with a power of 2 kW or more, we recommend connecting through a separate circuit breaker with a power of at least 16 A.
Turn on the system and set the floor temperature. Check the heating of each strip of thermal film. Check with a tester the connection points of the installation wires, as well as the insulation along the cut line. When installing under a laminate or parquet board: Lay the laminate or parquet board on top of the plastic film according to the instructions. When installing under linoleum, laminate, carpet: Lay the protective material (fibreboard, SML, hardboard, plywood) on top of the polyethylene film. Apply double-sided adhesive tape specially designed for laying soft floor coverings onto the protective material. Lay flooring on it. All information provided is advisory in nature. For installation, connection and maintenance of electrical devices and/or circuits, contact only professionals who have undergone appropriate training and are authorized to work. Do-it-yourself film heated floor
In previous articles, I talked about laying electric underfloor heating cables and laying heating mats. In this article I will talk about electric film flooring and how to install it with your own hands.
What is an electric heated film floor?
The floor is called film because it is not the cable that heats the surface, but a special film. Its thickness is only about half a millimeter. It consists of copper wires and carbon semiconductors.
The film does not emit an electromagnetic field, as it heats due to infrared waves, which have a beneficial effect on your health. It heats only those materials that stand in their path, and almost does not heat the air. For this specific heating property it is called infrared film heated floor.
The temperature sensor can be placed both on the film and under it (along the groove). Which method is preferable for specific films, check with the seller or manufacturer.
Floor insulation
Choose thermal insulation material covered with foil. Infrared waves will be reflected from it into the room, and not spread down to the neighbors.
Roll out a roll of thermal film over the surface with the copper strip down. Cut it without fear, but only along the special lines specified by the manufacturer.
The lines are located on the film, so there will be no problems with choosing a cutting location. Do not allow stripes to overlap each other.
Secure the thermal film with construction tape. Install clamps or rivets under the connecting wires. Be sure to use bitumen tape and then insulating tape (insulating tape) to cover the bare copper wires that remain in the cut areas (only on one side, opposite to the place where the thermostat will be located). Now connect the strips of thermal film to each other with wires. How to do it?
Connect the right copper wire of the first strip to the right copper wire of the next strip of film. And so connect all the strips of warm floor. If the width of the film roll is 0.5 meters, then the length of one wire to connect the strips will be about 0.7 meters.
IMPORTANT!!! High-quality insulate with bitumen and then with insulating tape all the connection points of the wires. This will help avoid further troubles associated with electricity.
Consequences of possible mistakes when laying the floor
Often home craftsmen make mistakes and mistakes when installing a film floor system. Most often, during installation, craftsmen forget to correctly connect the strips of warm film to each other. This connection is performed strictly in parallel. If you use a series circuit, the heating will not be efficient enough. And with some more serious errors, it even threatens to cause a short circuit.
Cutting film elements is permissible only in those areas marked by the manufacturer. If by mistake the film is cut in another place, a break will occur in the electrical circuit, in which case the floor will no longer heat up properly.
Another mistake may be associated with insufficient cleaning of the underlying surface, which can cause mechanical rupture of the tape in places where it comes into contact with debris, nails and other unnecessary elements. Also, the film can fray in places where there were strong differences in heights, holes or bulges. If the tape is damaged, it causes the heating of a certain area of the floor or the entire system to turn off.
It is very important to connect the heated floor using a special differential machine to turn the system off and on. This solution will guarantee timely shutdown of power supply due to voltage surges, short circuits or open circuits. The absence of such a switch can cause a fire and electric shock to household members.
Composition of the “pie”
And another very common mistake is incorrect placement of the temperature sensor. If the part of the floor under which the sensor is located has additional cooling, for example, due to its proximity to the front door, or is heated when located next to radiators, then temperature regulation will be incorrect. As a result, the sensor will increase or decrease the heating temperature for no reason.
Finish coatings for film heated floors
You can use carpet, linoleum and other soft materials as a finishing coating. The main thing to consider is that the film underneath is easy to damage.
Also keep in mind that cork flooring is a poor conductor of heat. In this regard, laying a heated film floor under this coating is impractical, but possible.
If there is a need to lay heating film under soft coverings, do it in places that will not be subject to heavy loads and damage (wardrobe, armchair, sofa, sectional, etc.).
Ceramic tiles are not very suitable for such a floor. Tile adhesive does not adhere well to film and you will have to use reinforced mesh to hold the adhesive. For tiles it is better to use an electric mat.
The ideal finishing floor covering for a warm film floor is laminate parquet boards.
Quick installation and the absence of specific construction and finishing work, ideal for those who want to install an electric heated floor with their own hands.
Laying options
KNAUF “Superfloor” is a type of heated floor, which is a moisture-resistant gypsum fiber sheet with dimensions of 1500x500x10 mm. Laying of KNAUF type sheets is carried out only on a concrete screed. Installation of flooring (ceramic tiles, porcelain stoneware, linoleum, parquet, etc.) is possible immediately after the glue has dried on KNAUF “Superfloor” sheets.
DIY Knauf flooring
Advice: try not to use other adhesives for installing Superfloor sheets. Buy only original KNAUF glue.
It is better to install infrared floor sheets on foil or other reflective materials. This way you will increase the efficiency of the heating system by 30–40%. At the second stage of installation, “Superfloor” KNAUF can be covered with sheets of CSP (cement-bonded particle boards), SML (glass-magnesite sheet) and GVL (gypsum fiber sheets). These materials are purchased from underfloor heating manufacturers or on the building materials market.
Installation of dry floor screed Knauf-superpol
Attention! The film is attached to the above sheets only with glue. Do not try to attach it to LSU, DSP or GVL sheets with screws, as you may damage not only the integrity of the heating system, but also the waterproofing of the room as a whole.
Is it possible to heat such a coating?
The first thing I would like to tell you about is whether it is possible to lay an electric heated floor under linoleum and what are the requirements for installation. The fact is that the film coating can, when heated, release toxins that are harmful to the human body.
In addition, the material may shrink over time, causing its appearance to deteriorate. Well, the last nuance - this coating option can be additionally thermally insulated, as a result of which the heating system will be completely ineffective. As you can see, there are nuances in choosing the right linoleum, and now we will tell you which type is suitable for laying an electric heated floor.
Firstly, there are natural and artificial materials.
It is advisable to give preference to the first option, since in this case no harmful substances will be released during heating.
Secondly, manufacturers indicate on the packaging the suitability/unsuitability of using products for an electric floor heating system. You understand that you need to choose products with appropriate labeling. And, thirdly, multilayer PVC linoleum has proven itself best in terms of reliability, durability and heat transfer, which we recommend buying for laying a heated film floor with your own hands!
Another important nuance is that there is a maximum allowed temperature for heating linoleum. An electric heated floor should heat the coating by no more than 30°C, which is even stipulated by SNiP rules. If you ignore this point, the material may begin to melt, darkened marks will appear, and the likelihood of the coating igniting will increase.
Wet and dry installation
Pouring concrete for an infrared floor is called wet installation. Before starting pouring, the surface must be prepared: lay a heat-reflecting element with low shrinkage (isolon, folgoizol or rolled technical cork) on the floor. The heat reflector is cut into uniform strips and laid across the width of the substrate. The reflective element is laid in increments of 15–20 cm.
Table of concrete grades for heated floors
Professionals advise using paint or plastic mesh as a reinforcing element, since conductive elements can cause a fire or cause serious harm to a person in the event of a short circuit. A mesh with 5x5 or 10x10 cells is attached to the primary screed with dowels.
It is better to choose drilling locations in the places where the film is cut or on the sides, so as not to touch or damage the carbon strips of the infrared floor. Note that the number of mounting holes depends on the geometry of the floor. There are always more places for fastening in square rooms than in houses with an irregular or non-standard floor shape.
For better contact with the primary screed, a perforated heating film is installed. If you cannot afford to buy perforated thermal film, then feel free to use regular film. “Striped” film is sold without technological holes, so you will have to make them yourself.
Types of installation of electric heated floors
First, the heat-reflecting element is installed, and then the heated floor system is laid on it. After this, you can proceed to the penultimate stage - pouring the screed with liquid tile adhesive, the layer of which should not exceed 5 mm.
The screed is leveled according to the rule and left in this form until completely dry. At the correct temperature and good ventilation, the drying period lasts from 5 to 10 days
Please note: porcelain stoneware is placed only on a hardened and dried screed
Laying an infrared floor on a “Dry screed” is fundamentally different from the above-described installation technology on a “Wet base”.
Step-by-step instruction:
Step-by-step process for laying Knauf floors
- Level the subfloor;
- Lay out the heating system elements according to the instructions;
- Next, gypsum fiber board sheets are laid on the assembled structure. Features of installing gypsum fiber: first of all, a special tape is glued along the walls. Please note that before gluing the tape, the floor must be leveled with self-leveling mixtures and treated with a primer. GVL panels are glued to the rough coating using glue and self-tapping screws;
- The tiles can be laid exactly one day after installing the gypsum fiber boards.
What type of heater is best to use?
We have already looked at the types of electric heated floors, which can be represented by a thermomat, infrared film or heating cable. All three options are suitable for laying a heating system, but it is best to use an infrared film coating.
This is due to the following advantages of the material:
During installation, you can do without a screed, which will save time, money and, most importantly, the height of the ceiling. The infrared system can be put into operation within 1-2 days after installation.
At the same time, the screed hardens for about 4 weeks.
A heated film floor under linoleum can be easily installed with your own hands, and this can be done even after a major overhaul, since this type of work is “clean”.
As you can see, the advantage of this version of the system speaks for itself, so we strongly recommend using it at home. The only negative is that the infrared coating is afraid of water, so installation in wet rooms is prohibited. In addition, linoleum itself begins to rot in a humid environment, which immediately prevents its use in the bathroom, bathhouse, and damp rooms.
What's included in the kit
Composition of a film heated floor kit
Before starting work, you must purchase all the components necessary for the operation of the heating system. The kit must contain:
- thermal insulation with reflective surface;
- film heated floor;
- butyl rubber insulation, which is installed on the free ends of the strips and on the connecting elements;
- connection terminals;
- thermostat (each room needs its own device);
- temperature sensor.
In addition, you need to prepare tools for cutting the film (scissors, a sharp shoe knife), as well as ordinary plumbing tools for connecting contacts and wires (pliers, a screwdriver, an insulation stripper). You will have to make a groove in the wall for a hidden connection of the thermostat. To do this you will need a wall chaser or grinder with a diamond wheel. (this is not necessary; the wires can be laid in an overhead cable channel).
Installation procedure
So, for your attention, the procedure for laying a heated film floor under linoleum with your own hands:
Calculate the heating system in order to correctly select the power of the infrared film and its size in accordance with the usable area of the room. Prepare the surface - remove the old coating and if the floor is uneven, pour a small screed to level the surface. After the solution has hardened (which may not be necessary) , lay heat-insulating material over the entire surface.
It is best to use extruded polystyrene foam. Glue a heat-reflecting layer on top of the polystyrene, which will increase the efficiency of the system. You can “kill two birds with one stone” by covering the surface with penofol, which is both a heat-insulating and heat-reflecting layer.
Cut the film into suitable pieces. This must be done in specially marked places (indicated by the manufacturer). Install an infrared heated floor under linoleum.
Please note that it is prohibited to overlap the film. Another requirement is that material cannot be laid under furniture. Also, do not forget that the film covering must be laid at a distance of at least 30 cm from other types of heaters to prevent overheating of the system.
You can find out about other requirements for laying film heated floors in the corresponding article!
According to the diagram, connect the thermostat and temperature sensor to the film and check the operation of the system by connecting it to the power supply. If everything is correct, lay a layer of plywood over the film coating, which will additionally protect the material from mechanical damage.
Lay linoleum on plywood over the entire area of the room with the heating on. After this, make a trim and leave everything as is for 2-3 days.
When this period has passed, you can trim the edges again (if necessary) and proceed to gluing the material to the plywood.
Set the thermostat to a setting of no more than 30 degrees, at which point the installation of the film heated floor under linoleum is completed!
We also recommend watching the step-by-step video instructions for installing infrared film, which discusses all stages of the work in more detail:
That's the whole procedure for laying a heated film floor under linoleum with your own hands! As you can see, there is nothing complicated and you can do everything yourself, without calling a specialist. Finally, I would like to note once again that an infrared heater is still better than an electric one (heating cable and thermomat), so use this particular installation technology in your home!
Installation of infrared floor
Non-traditional heating systems have recently been widely used in modern construction.
They can significantly reduce energy consumption, which has a significant impact on saving the family budget. Such innovative solutions include film infrared heating of the room. We will tell you how to properly install an infrared heated floor.
Selection of system components
In addition to carbon heating strips sealed in Mylar film, the film floor system requires a thermostat equipped with a temperature sensor.
Film options
There are many options for film flooring on the modern market. And they all have approximately similar characteristics: power consumption from 25 to 80 W/h, and operating temperature from 30 to 50 °C.
There are two types of film systems on sale:
- solid - in them the film is completely covered with carbon material;
- striped - in them carbon material is applied to the surface in the form of strips 15-20 mm wide.
The difference between them is that in continuous systems the material is applied by rolling it over the surface in the form of a paste, while in striped systems it is applied by fragmentary spraying.
For small rooms, it is better to choose a film whose width is 50 cm; for larger rooms it is more profitable to purchase strips 100 cm wide
The thickness of the material can vary from two microns to 0.4 millimeters. The roll length is 50 meters.
There is an opinion that it is better to choose the thinnest films. But, as reviews show, the smaller the carbon layer, the faster the system fails. Therefore, it is more advisable to purchase material no thinner than 3 mm. For example, for European countries and the USA, the optimal option is a material thickness of 0.338 mm.
Such systems are not cheap. The average price range of film IR systems from leading manufacturers varies between $20-25 per square meter. You can read more about the types of film heated floors in this material.
Calculation of the required quantity
Installation of film flooring with infrared heating is carried out only in the usable area of the room.
The percentage of area covered depends on whether the IR system acts as the main or additional heat source:
- 80% of the area - as the main heating;
- 40-50% of the area - as a supplement to radiator heating.
A pre-drawn diagram of the system zones layout on a sheet will help determine the total length of all strips. By calculating the length of each fragment and adding up their number, it is not difficult to calculate the required total length of the coating.
When calculating the area to be covered, it should be taken into account that according to the standards, each wall will need to be indented by 10 - 20 centimeters
To prevent premature failure of the floor system, it is necessary to distance yourself from the central heating pipes and risers when laying them out. The laid strips should not intersect or overlap each other.
When placing fragments on the plan and calculating their length, also keep in mind that the length of each strip should be a multiple of 17-18 centimeters, since it is in these places that the cutting lines are located.
Thermostat for temperature control
The operation of the IR system is controlled by the thermostat. The temperature sensor included with it is placed between the heating elements and connected to the device through contacts. The sensor reads the temperature from the surface of the film and transmits the data to the thermostat, which, in turn, operates and puts the system into operation.
The main purpose of the device is to monitor the floor temperature using sensor readings and adjust the heating power in accordance with the specified parameters.
There are a huge variety of options for modifications of regulators that differ in functionality on the market today.
All of them are divided into two types:
- Mechanical - equipped with keys and mechanical wheels and are suitable for arranging small systems.
- Electronic – equipped with push-button control and a display, suitable for small, unzoned rooms.
Programmable models are equipped with touch screens, with which you can set 4 time modes at once, thereby saving up to 50% of energy consumption.
Temperature sensors, depending on the type of device and type of floor covering, come in two versions. For soft surfaces they are available in the form of compact plastic containers. For hard ones - in the form of larger elements equipped with gel protection against the impact of adhesive compositions on the strips and to prevent mechanical damage.
Some models of thermostats are capable of reading information about the heating of the floor surface, others are able to additionally analyze the degree of heating of the air in the room
When choosing a device, you should focus on the power of the thermostat. It is calculated based on the fact that one square meter of film consumes on average 50-70 W. To determine the required value, the indicator is multiplied by the size of the working area covered with heating elements.
Budget models operating from the network often suffer from the fact that in the event of a power outage they cannot resume operation on their own. Therefore, it is better to give preference to models that have a battery. Read more about choosing and installing a thermostat for a heated floor.
If the film system is supposed to be combined with a porcelain stoneware or tile coating, you will need to build a cement-sand screed
What is a warm film floor
Warm infrared film floors are a heat-resistant polyethylene film in which strips of carbon paste are packed. In turn, the paste is connected by copper bars, which are also soldered into the film.
The entire structure is called IR thermal film. If a current of a certain strength and frequency is supplied through the tires, the carbon elements begin to emit infrared radiation with a wavelength of 5 to 20 microns.
It does not cause heating of the surrounding air and drying it out, as traditional radiators and heaters do. Infrared rays heat surrounding objects - flooring, walls, ceilings, furniture.
It is important to know! It should not be confused with electromagnetic radiation, which has a harmful effect on the human body, animals and plants.
This heating system has virtually no side effects and is environmentally friendly. Scientists from around the world have proven the beneficial effects of infrared rays on living organisms and humans in general.
Infrared heated floor technical characteristics have the following:
The energy consumption of an infrared heated floor directly depends on its area and mode of operation.
On the modern market, many manufacturers present their options for warm film floors. They all have approximately the same characteristics. So which infrared heated floor is best for you to decide.
The thickness of the thermal film is 0.4 mm, which allows it to be installed under any floor covering - ceramic tiles, laminate, parquet boards, linoleum and carpet. In addition, this film can be installed on walls and ceilings. In this case, heating will occur throughout the entire volume of the room.
Of course, installing infrared heated floors under one or another coating has its own characteristics. For example, to lay a film floor under carpet or linoleum, plywood should be laid on the heating strips.
Disadvantages of film systems
Despite a lot of undoubted advantages, infrared systems have certain disadvantages, which sometimes become decisive.
In order to avoid pitfalls, it is necessary to take into account the following features when you need to solve the problem of how to install a heated floor:
- Installation of the system quite often takes longer than expected by the manufacturers. This happens even with the participation of experienced specialists.
- Sometimes the clamps are not tightly connected, which leads to poor contact between individual floor elements. Damaged clamps are no longer suitable and you have to use new contacts.
- The process of laying heated floors must take place on a perfectly flat surface. Even minor distortions lead to its ruptures after the floor covering has already been laid on top.
- Despite the small thickness of the film itself, ultimately the thickness of the heated floor can be up to 35 mm, which is achieved by laying chipboard or plywood, as well as thermal and waterproofing materials along with the floor covering.
- High reliability of the system is possible only if all recommendations and instructions are strictly followed and the work is performed with high quality.
- The declared 20% savings on heating can only be achieved with high-quality insulation of the room and uninterrupted central heating.
How to lay film flooring under laminate yourself
Armed with this knowledge, it is necessary to draw a plan for the placement of heating elements. On paper it is necessary to reflect the location of the furniture and heating film.
It is important to know! Laminate flooring is laid on a pre-leveled surface.
The concrete screed should not have a difference exceeding 1 mm per 2 linear meters. To ensure that the heat from the thermal film does not escape through the floor slabs to the neighbors, a thermal insulating substrate is laid on the floor. This is foamed polypropylene 3-4 mm thick and has a foil coating on one side.
Thermal insulation strips are laid joint to joint and secured together with thermal insulating tape. The strips are carefully trimmed around the perimeter of the room. Thermal film strips are measured, cut and laid on the floor in accordance with the drawn up plan.
The heating film can only be cut in the places marked on it. They are highlighted with a dotted line and a scissors symbol.
Connection diagram for heating elements
If you cut the film diagonally, it will be damaged. The cut points are located approximately every 18 cm. The heating film should not be closer to the wall than 10 cm.
The heating film strips are laid on the substrate one next to the other with a gap of at least 5 mm, but not more than 1 cm. The heating element cannot be bent at an angle of 90 degrees or more, as it will fail.
The places where the thermal film is cut, where the conductive busbars are cut, must be insulated with strips of bitumen insulation, which is supplied with the heated floor. To install the contact, insert it exactly in the middle of the end of the conductive busbar and press firmly with pliers.
Current-carrying wires are stripped to 5-10 mm with a sharp knife and clamped with pliers in the contact terminal. After this, the entire contact is isolated with a piece of bitumen insulation.
The connection of infrared heated floors (heating strips) is carried out in parallel with copper stranded wires with a cross-section of at least 1.5 mm2. In order for the automatic floor heating thermostat to work correctly, it is necessary to install a temperature sensor.
Do you need a thermostat (thermostat)?
In theory, it is possible to connect an infrared heated floor without using a thermostat, but if you take into account the fact that in order to maintain the temperature in the house you will have to constantly turn the heating on and off yourself, there is no reason for this. If the control system does not have a thermostat, then electricity consumption will increase significantly, which will lead to unnecessary waste. It is also worth considering that if you do not use a thermostat in the heating system, there will be difficulties connecting to the main power supply.
When it comes to choosing the right thermostat, it is important to choose the right power of the device. In most cases, preference is given to devices with a power of three kilowatts; this is quite enough for high-quality and reliable operation of the heated floor.
The thermostat can be connected either to an outlet or directly from the electrical panel. When purchasing a device, it is important that it comes with detailed instructions, thanks to which you can connect the entire system without significant difficulties. The connection diagram for an infrared heated floor is, in fact, not complicated, and anyone can figure it out, but it is better to trust such work to professionals.
As for installing the thermostat, there are no special requirements for this. It can be installed in any accessible place where it is convenient; the only thing worth considering is the location of the infrared film. The connection contacts should be located on one side in close proximity to the regulator.
The correct location of the device allows not only to minimize the number of wires used, but also to ensure, if necessary, free access to the control system regulator. Today, two installation options are used: external and hidden.
The external installation option involves fixing the device directly to the wall. The main advantage of this method is the ease of operation, however, from an aesthetic point of view, the second option is more suitable. The hidden installation option requires the manufacture of a special recess in the wall in order to position the device as neatly as possible. During this installation, grooves are made in the wall for wiring, after which everything is leveled to its original form.
In most cases, the thermostat is located at a level of 1.2 or 1.5 meters, however, there are models that are installed no higher than 30 cm from the floor surface. Such devices are equipped with ultra-sensitive sensors that guarantee high-quality and reliable operation of the entire heating system.
Installing a water heated floor on a wooden floor is absolutely safe
The heat source with this device is heated water circulating through tubes located directly under the laminate.
Modern industry produces pipe products for these purposes, made from the latest materials using innovative technologies. Thanks to this, polyethylene and metal-plastic pipes ensure complete safety of system operation. Any water leaks are excluded.
The initial stage of arranging a water-heated floor is laying a cross-linked polyethylene pipe on a heat-insulating substrate
To lay a water-heated floor, it is necessary to lay a damper tape around the perimeter of the room. Then install hydro- and thermal insulation on top of the rough base and lay out the reinforcing mesh.
Then the pipes are laid in a parallel or spiral manner. In the first case, the pattern looks like a snake, and in the second, like a spiral. The ends of the pipe are closed to the heating circuit so that water circulates freely inside.
Options for laying pipes for water heated floors
The next stage is pouring the entire structure with a sand-cement mixture. The resulting screed is leveled for laying the laminate. As the coolant circulates through the pipes, the cement will warm up, uniformly transferring heat to the laminate.
This type of heated floor has a number of advantages:
Combining various options for arranging the “pie” of a water-heated floor within one living space
This system is absolutely safe for installation on a wooden floor. A warm laminate floor constructed in this way will last a long time.
Electric floor heating device
The operating principle of the system is based on the property of conductors to heat up when electric current passes through them. The heating element is a special self-regulating electrical cable.
It is capable of automatically changing resistance in those areas where overheating is detected. This is necessary to avoid burnout. The cable is available in single-core and double-core.
Most often, electric heated floor mats are laid next to and parallel to each other.
Before installation, the surface is leveled and a thin sand-cement screed up to 0.3 cm thick is made. If necessary, thermal insulation is installed underneath it.
Drying will occur in 3 days. Only after this can the mounting tape be attached. Then you need to secure the thermostat in a convenient place and lay the cable according to the instructions on the package.
Upon completion of installation, a screed from 3 to 10 cm thick is made again.
It will reach complete drying only after a month. Only then can the flooring be laid. Waterproof laminate class 33, 12 mm thick, produced in Germany, is very suitable for this.
On top of the electrical mats it is necessary to make a concrete screed with a thickness of 3 to 10 cm
Main advantages:
The disadvantages include the following:
Stages of installing an electric heated floor
Made in Germany, waterproof laminate 33 class 12 mm is perfectly combined with electric type heated floors.
Helpful advice! To install a heated floor at home, it is better to buy a two-core cable. It is much easier to install.
The peculiarity of using an electric type of heated floor is the selection of the optimal mode, which ensures sufficient heating with optimal use of electricity.
Infrared film heated floor
This is the most innovative floor heating system. It is a film that, as a result of exposure to electric current, is capable of emitting infrared electromagnetic waves.
This range of the spectrum is invisible to the human eye, but is felt by the skin as heat. Half of the sun's energy is infrared rays. The absence of glowing elements is the main feature of this material.
Infrared film heated floor - a modern system of efficient heating in the house
This system is the most convenient to install.
It is enough to lay a heat-reflecting coating on a leveled base, and then an infrared film on it. The final coating, which may be a waterproof laminate33 class 12 mm thick made in Germany, is laid directly on the film itself. There is no need to arrange a screed, which is a long and labor-intensive process.
Helpful advice! Under the laminate, it is better to place a backing not made of foamed polyethylene, as is most often done under normal conditions, but tuplex or isoplat. These materials have waterproof properties.
Scheme of arrangement of the “pie” of infrared heated floor
Advantages of infrared film:
The disadvantages are:
Laying laminate film infrared heated floor
A special feature of using such a floor is extreme caution. He is afraid of rough mechanical influence.
Therefore, you should not place heavy furniture on such a surface. This may damage the film and render it unusable. It is better to use such a system in open spaces.
Each owner independently chooses the type of heated floor to install in his home. The decision is made depending on preferences and availability of financial capabilities.
Well, now it's time to finish the article. All the material I wanted to share has been reviewed. I hope it will be useful to you, and you will use it if you need to lay an infrared heated floor with your own hands. Improve your own practical skills and gain new knowledge, as they say: “It’s never too late to learn!” That's all, thank you for your attention, successful and easy repair!
Installation features
Some owners, in order to save money, install systems in a combined version. In this case, the underfloor heating system is installed by specialists, and the preparatory work and laying of the floor covering is carried out independently.
Particular attention should be paid to how to properly lay a heated floor under the tiles
You must move very carefully along the unfolded film, otherwise you may damage the heating elements. Also, do not drop or place any construction tools on the film covering.
The placement diagram should indicate the places where furniture and other heavy objects will be located. It is strictly forbidden to install them on a film covering. Otherwise, the floor may overheat, and the film, furniture and floor covering will be damaged.
Particular attention should be paid to the temperature sensor. The accuracy of the readings largely depends on its correct installation.
It is recommended to follow the manufacturer's instructions in the operating manual.
It is not advisable to turn on infrared floors immediately after installing the laminate flooring. The laminate must be heated under natural conditions for a certain period of time until its temperature is equal to that in the room. This rule is also relevant for other types of floor coverings.
