Electric floor heating .Design and selection

Electric floor heating can be used not only as the main heating system, but also as an additional source of heat.In this type of space heating have their advantages and disadvantages.Consider the specifics of how to choose an electric radiant floor.

Benefits

1. Warm floors allow comfortable distributed temperature at the height of the entire room.It does not matter, the main system is selected or more.Thus, the basic layout allows in any room where heating is used automatically to maintain the desired temperature with high accuracy.If additional circuitry is used, the same performance will be local areas of heating.
2. Unlike water heating, underfloor heating, electric Devi and coatings from other manufacturers have less inertia, ie,after the heating temperature in the room will reach faster set of the control elements.
3. If the additional electric underfloor heating circuit, it is possible to perform the laying of flooring over the old.For example, as may be installed in areas where the coating is performed using porcelain or ceramic tile, for example, in bathrooms, bathrooms and kitchens.In this case, generally used electric heating mats.
4. If you need to carry out repairs to the electrical heating is not required to engage in vskryvaniem entire floor.Using special equipment, it is possible without difficulty to determine exactly where there is damage to the heat cable.To restore only need to open a small section of the floor.Repair the cable can, if we use special couplings.When you touch a damaged electric cable, or portions thereof, conducting electricity, the security device almost immediately shut off power.
5. can be attributed to advantages and also the fact that these floors can last long enough.Some manufacturers refer to the life of their products up to 50 years.In this case, only environmentally friendly materials used in the manufacture of coatings.

Disadvantages

1. The main disadvantage of this type of heating is that it consumes a lot of power, especially if the floor heating is used in a room as the main heating system.Due to the same reasons imposed on the use of such coatings restrictions in homes that are more than ten years.Here it is possible to use such a system only as a supplementary heating.This is due to the fact that electricity in older homes is calculated by outdated standards.Also in this case, the possible overload power cable.Generally, before use, it is necessary to make the electric floor heating even in houses built on modern technologies that harness placed in an apartment, can carry the load that it will have a heating system.Permissible loads parameters can be found in a special table.If the existing wiring does not meet the standards, it will be necessary to connect the system using a different power lines and a separate machine.
2. Some species such heat unevenly distributes indoor temperature field.And if as a floor covering used parquet and laminate, it is because of this can deform over time.To avoid this, you must install the strict observance of technology and floor mounting.It is particularly important to respect the depth and pitch of laying cables heat.
3. Due to the fact that such heating has increased power consumption, it is very expensive to operate.For example, the cost of electric heating floor area which is from 10 to 15 square meters for two years of use can be greater than the cost of the equipment itself.
4. Some experts believe that such heating systems are harmful electromagnetic effects on the human body.However, a clear opinion on this point.Today, there are quite a few people who do not agree with this statement.They are convinced that underfloor electric Teplolux and coatings from other manufacturers, are eco-friendly and meet all the requirements.Moreover, according to some studies, the testimony of induction and tension in the rooms, equipped with underfloor heating, as a rule, do not exceed the background values.

How to choose the type of flooring

1. Before selecting everything needed for electric floor heating, it is important to determine the type of coverage.It must meet the requirements of durability, strength and aesthetics.
2. recommended to use in the design of underfloor heating materials such as linoleum, laminate, parquet or board, as well as ceramic tile or granite.For example, ceramic tiles and porcelain tiles are able to carry out good heat.And at the same time have a low specific indicator of thermal expansion.Therefore, these materials are considered to be the best.
3. When choosing linoleum as the floor coverings, take is the one that has no insulation.
4. When using parquet floor, its wood has to be properly dried.Otherwise, it may be deformed during operation.
5. When choosing flooring still need to take into account the fact that the quality of varnish and glue were quite high.This way you will avoid the occurrence of harmful vapors during heating.
6. Even before the purchase is necessary to find out what temperature range can be operated paint coatings or adhesive bonds.Such information may be indicated on the packaging.If it is not, ask in this regard from the seller, where to buy an electric floor heating.
7. main criterion by which to choose the flooring, it is the availability of special labeling, indicating the possibility of its use at a temperature that is a working heating system.
8. To cover electric floor you should not choose the cap and thick carpets.The fact that the plug is known for its low thermal conductivity and also resistant against high temperatures.As for carpets, they in this case will function to fill insulation.

How to select Cable

This thermal cable is considered the most important element in such a heating system.It should be clear from the device electrical floor heating.Indeed, thanks to the cable, the electricity is converted into heat energy.This cable looks very similar to a normal conductor.It usually has a shielding.Furthermore, as a conventional wire, the heating cable may comprise one or two wires.

What this cable is different from the conventional wire, so it is an electrical resistance heating wires.This is where the main core, usually made of nichrome, and this material is known to possess a sufficiently high resistance.Nichrome Through this cable acts as a heating element.In this conventional conductor wires made, conversely, the materials with the lowest resistance.

Generally this cable is usually chosen in terms of power per unit length.It is a mistake to think that the more power per unit length, the more efficient the system is warming.The fact is that when stacking is carried out near the surface, may form air pockets that prevent heat away, which sometimes leads to overheating of the material of the cable, and that is it can cause failure.Furthermore, with increasing values ​​of specific power cable, the length of which accounts for a certain area is reduced.There may be a situation where an increase in the distance between the individual filaments will lead to uneven heating.The distance between adjacent threads at different cables from different manufacturers.It usually varies between 50 and 120 millimeters.If it is less, then it may cause a problem that the overrun of the cable, and the risk of thread on convergence invalid value.

heating cables with two conductors is recommended to be used for heating a child's room, living room or bedroom.Single-core cables are best used as a heating bath and toilet.

cables with one living and two cores differ in design and installation.So, when you install the first - the copper wires that connect the cable to the mains, usually connected on both sides.In that case the two-wire cable mounted, these wiring commonly connected with only one hand, and on the other hand and supporting the heating conductor should be soldered and insulated.

cable with two conductors has a number of advantages over the single-core:

1. So, no need to connect both ends to the device, which maintains the temperature.This is much easier to choose the cabling route.
2. addition, it is believed that the level of electromagnetic radiation lower than that of single-core.

cables, which have been described above, also referred to as resistive.But this is not the only existing types of cables.There are also self-regulating heating.They differ from the resistance, as the appearance and the principle of work.This cable is not heating wires.Instead, there are two strands which are conductors.This heating element is considered to be the matrix of the polymer materials.It is thanks to her, these cables are self-regulating.This is achieved by the semiconductor properties of the matrix.When the temperature rises of the heater element, its conductivity is reduced, which in turn leads to a decrease of the current flowing through it.As a result, the thermal capacity is lowered.In the case of temperature reduction, the heat capacity value conversely increases.

Self-regulation allows such cables are not afraid of local overheating, which affects resistive.Therefore, the cabling will not have to take into account where the furniture in the room is located.Their main disadvantage is the relatively high price.Therefore, they are not widely used.

addition to the two types of cables on the market of building materials for sale are more heating mats, which are based thin low-power cables lie.In the mat are usually stacked in the form of a snake and are attached to a grid of a polymeric material.Mats differ in power.Depending on this, they can have a width of 400, 500 or 800 millimeters.However, their length may be from 0.5 to 25 meters.

mats Advantages:

1. heating mats are much easier to install than cables.
2. high heating capacity.

Disadvantages:

1. If the floor has unusual geometry, in this case the heating elements are not suitable.
2. Their price is usually higher than the cost of the electric cable on the basis of sex.

As the heating cables and mats are now commercially available in two forms: as a ready-mounting kit, and as a separate product.

In such a mounting kit usually includes:

1. cable or mat.
2. thermostat with temperature sensor.
3. corrugated tube (need to install the temperature sensor in the floor).
4. installation and operating instructions.

How to choose the thermostat

thermostat is one of the most important components in Rehau underfloor heating systems.Electric floor other brands are also in mind.These devices can be either programmable or non-programmable.They overlap and are built in podrozetnik or mounted in a control cabinet on metal sheets.

for heating bathrooms, toilets, hallways decided to use a simple electrical heating systems in which non-programmable thermostats installed.In such devices the temperature is regulated by using multi-position switch or a resistor.In the first case, switching occurs stepwise and seamlessly in the second.

With regard to programmable thermostats, they provide more opportunities for the management of the heating system.Thus, they can not only set the temperature, but still allow programming of operating parameters which will act only a certain period of time.For example, it is possible to set parameters on and off the system under certain conditions, it is possible for different times of day to set different temperature ranges, ie,the device allowed to set different work programs.However, these programs can be changed manually.Obviously, such thermostats are more expensive than non-programmable.

If you need to set the thermostat in the control cabinet, there are devices that are mounted on a special profiles, also called DIN-rails.

These profiles are intended not only for fixing the thermostat, but also other appliances and electrical equipment.Metal profiles are usually made of galvanized steel with thickness of 0.9 millimeters.Its length is often 70-1000 mm.The entire length of every 15 millimeters has openings.DIN -reyki must necessarily conform to National Standards.

Sometimes thermostat power is not enough.In this case, you must purchase a magnetic switch, which will operate under the control of the thermostat.Instead, you can set the thermostat to the Hotel each section.

How to choose insulation

Any underfloor heating system must be insulated.It is necessary that the heating capacity of the system is not spent on heating floors or soil.As a heat insulator can be used a variety of materials, but it is best to still opt for extruded polystyrene, 20-30 mm thickness and a density of 30 kilograms per m3.If you plan to heat the ground floor in this way, the insulation thickness is required in 1,5-2 times more.

often used thermal insulator, which has a reflective layer of foil.The fact that it is believed that not only the foil reflects heat, but also helps to more efficiently redistribute the heat from the cable on the floor surface.But not all experts believe.There are people who are against the use of such insulation, because they believe that the foil can be completely destroyed after three, maximum five years, when will be under the influence of the alkaline environment of cement mortar.This problem is particularly important in a high humidity environment.In addition, for the correct operation of such a heat insulator between the foil and the heating element must be present airbag, and the cover electrically heated it almost impossible to do.

Underfloor heating Electric: characteristics

It is important to correctly select electrical heated floors.Prices in this case do not have a leading role as the specific features of the apartment or house.If the choice is made correctly, the system will generate heat, which is enough to heat the entire floor space.In addition, it will be easy to install and economical in power consumption.

on the market today there are several types and brands of electric underfloor heating.Caleo - one of them.Each of the species of warm floors has its own configuration and a wide power band.

There are some types of electric floor coverings:

1. Cable.
2. cable on the ground.
3. film infrared.

consider each of these options in more detail.

Cable floor

In this type of floor the main heating element is a cable, which converts electrical energy into heat.This system is the most complex and time-consuming installation.