Pipes for hot water floor

number of supporters of heating the house on the principle of "warm floor" is constantly increasing - it proved its high efficiency and convenience.Indeed, properly planned, well-mounted and well-organized system of water underfloor heating is different high efficiency , and hence - profitability, most optimal microclimate created by it - the riser warm air and comfortable distribution of air temperatureheight.If we add another and the fact that with such a heating coil acts as a floor surface, and does not fit well into the interior is simply no radiator, the growing popularity of this type of heating the room gets the full logical explanation.

Accordingly, increasing and the number of homeowners who seriously reflect on the full transition to the water floor heating.However, it should be noted that this - rather complex and very large-scale event.In addition to the difficulties in carrying out the construction work, it is necessary to calculate and choose the heating equipment, distribution valves, special instruments and control devices, control software and

security.And, Finally, a very important point themselves are actually pipes warm water floor.These component parts such heating system should be manifested special attention, due to the fact that the main burden - and thermal, and mechanical, falls on them.

What should be pipes for warm water floor ?

Anyone who thinks that « warm floor" can be buy any pipe , based efficiency considerations will probably be very disappointed.water floor heating system - it is the case, for when it installation required is strictly certain materials, and the use of more cheap «unique» or not welcome, either strictly prohibited.

First of all, you must thoroughly understand the specifics of the requirements that apply to the pipes in the systems « warm floor".They are predetermined by very special conditions of their operation.

• Most of the existing schemes of water « warm floor" suggests a fill pipe mounted circuits monolithic concrete screed.This means that there is no possibility of periodic inspection or maintenance work is not in principle.It is clear that the screed is poured always expectation of so many years ahead - pipe and must not lose its functionality and reliability over the estimated useful life considerable.In short, the durability of the pipe should be commensurate with the durability of building structures !

This applies to many operational parameters, but first of all - security from corrosion processes, the internal overgrowing its cavity, the stability of the production of the material - it should not be subject to degradation under the influence of time, high temperatures and the chemical composition of the coolant.Modern pipes equipped with special sample « protivokislorodnym barrier" as diffusion processes with penetration through the thickness of the walls of the active material gas lead to rapid aging of the heating circuits.

• Existing rules and regulations completely rule out use as closed circuits « warm floor" pipes made by a welding technology (no matter whether a longitudinal or spiral seam).Thus, immediately cut off all steel, galvanized and even stainless steel tubes, which are widely used in vodogazosnabzhenii or conventional heating systems.The best that they can be useful - transporting the coolant from the boiler to the switchgear cabinets (collectors).

And, on the other hand, such pipes HCV - it will be very expensive, and in addition, will absolutely unnecessary load on the floor - because the metal itself weighs quite a lot.

• should be remembered that any connection of pipes to be filled screed, almost always becomes a weak spot (with rare exceptions).Any failure on the pipeline unpleasant in itself, but in an open area it is quite easy to eliminate.But even a small leak, which arise in the circuit « warm floor" can literally cause catastrophic consequences.Spotting it immediately - it is very difficult, and there is a good chance to fill in the lower floors, ceilings spoil or even destroy the electrical equipment at home.

In addition, any connection to the long stretch - is potential education clogging or encrustation.Fix this problem in the circuit « warm floor" will be extremely difficult!

So, in an ideal circuit must not be spliced ​​ areas - it must be made from a single length of pipe.This shows, among other things, that the material must be flexible, resistant to breaks and, moreover, keep well imparted a curved shape.

What the Internet there are photos mounted warm floors by welding or soldering, using elbows or tees - this is not an example to follow.By and large account , the network laid out a lot of things, what is not necessarily equal to ...

• Immediately it is appropriate to note that purchased the pipe , based above, should be long enough.In principle, the release form the majority of pipes used for such heating purposes allows you to perform the contours of one segment.Typically, the pipe diameter of 16 m m m Maximum flash length of one circuit selected 50 ÷ 80 meters.The increase in diameter allows to lengthen the loop - so when using pipes Ø 25 m m m Maximum flash length can reach even the 100 ÷ 110 m .But to get involved in any case can not be - an increase in the hydraulic resistance in the excessive elongation lead to the fact that no power of pumping equipment is not enough to make the heat transfer fluid to move through the pipes.This effect is called "locked loop" and to avoid this, if necessary, heating large floor space paving two (or more) circuit.
• Immediately we can mention about the external Dia tr tr K.three types normally used - by 16, 20 and, rarely, of 25 mm.

It is important to remember that excessive narrowed - this lower heat and excessive load on the equipment.Too much Dia tr Sun when thou involves substantial lifting height and floor screeds weighting.

• pipe must have a high strength.Her wall must successfully confront and external load as heavy concrete screed will provide exposure to laughing, and directed from within - the peak coolant pressure surges in some heating systems can even reach 7 ÷ 10 bar.
• pipe must be rasschita on to work at high temperatures.Although the systems « warm floor" is not used ultra-high heat, however, to provide a guarantee of the safety circuit in the event of unforeseen circumstances, the pipe must withstand temperatures up to free 90 ÷ 95 With ° .
• have pipes used for contours « warm floor" should be a quality, almost perfectly smooth inner surface of the walls.This will ensure an acceptable value of the hydraulic resistance and reduce the maximum possible noise flowing through the pipes of liquid - such sounds is not all encouraging.

Now that understood the basic requirements to pipes for « warm floor", you can see what materials meet these conditions.

What better use for « warm floor »

Polypropylene

Partly , on this subject already was talking above.Besides cheap material, nothing else positive this version is no different.Available such pipe lines and shorter (by the standards of warm floor) segments, bend them with a small radius - is simply impossible.Installation with welding - it is very troublesome and unreliable.Oh, and do not differ in such a good level of heat pipes - even if they manage to collect a floor heating system, the effective it will not be called.

In short, a serious consideration of such an approach does not deserve.

Metal pipes

When metal , and more precisely , about steel pipes DHW mentioned - they are simply not allowed.However, metal-metal discord, and existing reflux Pipes are ideal for heating on the principle of « warm floor".

Copper pipe

This material - full "bouquet" of all sorts of positive qualities.Copper pipes perfectly carried out, and transfer heat.This material - excellent ductility together with high mechanical strength. Copper - the metal very durable, thanks to its chemical characteristics capable excellent resist corrosion.Moreover, in today's copper pipes wall even further and close the high-polymer film - operating time of such products shall be calculated for many decades.

disadvantage - quite a complicated installation, which requires no special tools and sustainable skills to work with him.This greatly limits the possibility of independent creation of such a heating system. But perhaps , not even that important - the cost of such pipelines, especially in comparison with the polymer, is extremely high, and is accessible, unfortunately, very little.

corrugated steel pipe

And it's probably the only types of pipes, which are not prohibited spliced ​​along the length of the heating circuit - so reliable considered their fitting connections.

Made such pipes made of stainless steel, they are easy to bend and retain good position given to them.Problems of corrosion resistance, high heat and mechanical strength is not even raised here - such pipes meet these requirements in full.Special extra security it gives special coating of high-density polyethylene.

Such pipelines, incidentally, is actively used on production lines in the chemical industry in many developed countries - and that says a lot.And yet they are not yet widely used in residential private construction.The main reasons - high prices and, possible, even lack of information from the owners homes of such materials.

Product form corrugated stainless steel pipes - finished segments of varying length or Bay up to 30 or 50 meters.

pipes, polyethylene-based

It is necessary to immediately make one important remark.If you become familiar with the variety of articles by water pipes used for heating circuits, you will notice one common errors.The authors divide the variety of flexible pipes on metal and plastic and made from cross-linked polyethylene.The reader of such a presentation is often a misconception that in plastic products used by some conventional polyethylene, but other than that there is still and crosslinked.Nothing like this!All are used in modern production technologies polyethylene types have some degree of cross-linking. A pipe would be better to distinguish between other criteria - for polymer processing technology and in the structure of the pipe itself.

What is cross-linked polyethylene PEX?

If this just do not understand, in the future will be easy to get lost in concepts.

All known and so popular in the production of polyethylene sets of household items, for all its virtues, it is still not stable.He expressed a linear molecular structure, these "chains" are not connected to each other, and even with a slight temperature influence conventional polyethylene begins simply "float".Use it in products that are subject to thermal stress, nothing is impossible.

different matter if said molecular chains "sew» - that is to create stable multiple cross-linking, translate into a three-dimensional linear structure. polymer thus does not lose its positive characteristics, plus the gains stability.The more of these intermolecular "jumpers", so-called the higher degree of crosslinking (as measured in percent), and the better and stronger than the material obtained.

Not only have XLPE there is a very peculiar property of "memory".Products made of it, in particular extent deformed by mechanical, pressure and thermal loads, are always eager to go back to the original once to give them shape after external action stops completely or weakened. This is - an extremely important feature specifically for the production of pipes.

crosslinked polyethylene PEX has received the designation.Crosslinking, i.e. creation of cross-linking is carried out technologically in different ways.

• PEX-a - when this technology is called the formation of new connections peroxide chemical processing of raw materials. Of all the ways - he provides the maximum degree of cross-linking (about 85%), polyethylene does not lose elasticity and high strength is obtained with significant "memory".The lack of technology - high enough its complexity and high cost.However, the process is fully controlled, which allows to obtain a material with a strictly specified quality.
• PEX-b - this technology came later and was initially viewed as a simple and cheap alternative PEX-a.It seems to be a win-win and cheap, with the use of water vapor, a similar method of crosslinking is still not fully justified conferred upon it hopes.The material obtained is not so flexible, it will have a certain limit its bending radius.And wherein the crosslinking degree of only about 65%.In during the production process control - extremely hard, so often such pipes did not fully comply with the published specifications.In several European countries pipe PEX-b not allowed to use in the heat distribution networks.