When choosing a warm floor as the main or additional source of heating, you must carefully consider the method of its installation. It will be necessary to take into account not only the option of laying the contour, the location of the collector, the finishing material. It is important to provide for high-quality thermal insulation of the base and reliable fixation of the pipes. The efficiency of the heating system as a whole depends on the quality of the heat-insulating layer. Therefore, ready-made mats for a warm floor will be the best solution to several issues - warming the base, preserving heat energy and fixing pipes with a coolant.
Appointment of mats
A water heated floor can be an addition to the main radiator heating or completely replace it. The essence of the work lies in the fact that the pipes with the coolant fit into the floor structure - they are poured with a screed, or they are mounted using the "dry" method. Hot water comes from a collector or from a central network and is carried along the circuits, from which heat energy enters the room. Thus, uniform heating is ensured.
The efficiency of the system directly depends on the minimization of heat loss. The heat should be distributed exclusively upward towards the room, and not partially go down through the base. If we neglect thermal insulation, the foundation will be heated, and the room will remain cold.
Another question that arises when laying pipes is protection from mechanical stress and stress, as well as their reliable fixation.
Pipes take on a fairly high load from the coolant, screed, clean floor construction, furniture, equipment and people. Therefore, the minimum density of the material used for the manufacture of mats is at least 35 kg / m3.
Advantages and disadvantages of using
When installed correctly, the underfloor heating, in addition to the heat-insulating one, performs a sound-insulating function. This is important as the water system can produce characteristic sounds. If you choose pipes with a perfectly smooth inner surface, the system will be practically silent. Also, the material must have waterproofing properties.
The advantages of mats for a warm water floor include:
- High performance properties and durability of use (up to 50 years).
- Heat and sound insulation properties.
- Easy installation regardless of the type of screed - wet, semi-dry or dry.
- Preservation of geometric parameters throughout the entire service life.
- The presence of a lock connection for a snug fit of the plates.
- The presence of markings to facilitate the installation of circuits.
- Resistance of the material to corrosion and microorganisms.
- Moisture resistance.
- Heat resistance - mats can be operated under the influence of too high or low temperatures.
- When heated, the material does not emit toxins and an unpleasant odor.
For the manufacture of mats, polystyrene foam is used. Unprocessed, it is a combustible and fire hazardous material that releases toxins during combustion. However, in order to make the insulation safe, in the manufacture of mats, fire retardants are introduced into the polystyrene foam, which make it self-extinguishing.
Varieties of mats
When installing the underfloor heating system, several types of mats can be used, which differ in the material of manufacture, appearance, method of installation, and functionality. They are conventionally divided into two large groups - roll and sheet.
Roll
Experts recommend purchasing roll material if the system is an addition to the main heating and is installed above a non-residential area. The material for the manufacture of such mats is penofol or foamed polyethylene with a front foil layer. Heat energy is reflected from the foil and directed upwards.
The peculiarity of such substrates is the smooth surface to which the pipes are fixed. To do this, you can use special plastic holders or fix the contours with plastic clips to the reinforcement mesh, which is laid over the substrate to strengthen the screed. This type of insulation is the cheapest. The thickness varies from 2 to 10 mm. When laying it, special attention is paid to the joints - they are glued with foil tape.
Another type is expanded polystyrene mats with an additional layer of foil and polymer film. Due to the presence of markings, laying pipes on such a heater is easier and faster. The contour is also fixed over the reinforcing mesh using plastic clamps.
Leafy
Various materials are used to make sheet substrates. Products differ in thickness. Foam substrates can be 1 - 12 mm thick. This type of insulation is not recommended due to its susceptibility to deformation. Crosslinked polyethylene foam has good performance characteristics. The thickness of such a sheet insulation varies in the range of 2 - 20 mm. The material is elastic and stiff.
With water heat-insulated floors, a polystyrene foam sheet substrate is often used, the thickness of which can be 5-200 mm. The main plus is the incombustibility of the material and moisture resistance.
PPP is of three types:
- press;
- pressless;
- extrusion.
The PPS extrusion backing is suitable for all types of underfloor heating. The variety of substrates that are used as a heat insulator include PPS sheets with a smooth surface. Their thickness is at least 5 cm. The main advantages: durability, strength, resistance to mechanical stress, the ability to retain thermal energy. This is an excellent option for insulating the first floor overlap above an unheated room.
It should be noted that any polystyrene foam is afraid of exposure to chemicals that are also contained in the screed. Therefore, before pouring the solution, the PPS boards are covered with a sealed film.
What materials are heat insulators made of?
For the manufacture of thermal insulation substrates, synthetic and natural materials are used. However, in tandem with a warm floor, extruded polystyrene foam manifests itself best. It is an excellent insulation material and has many other benefits.
EPP has low vapor permeability - water vapor does not pass through the material - and it does not absorb moisture and always remains dry. Condensation does not form on its surface.
Due to the low thermal conductivity, heat remains in the room for a long time. Also, expanded polystyrene has soundproofing properties. Rodents and bacteria are indifferent to it. This is the best option for a water-heated floor.
Substrates are also made from natural raw materials - jute, felt and cork. But they are laid on top, under the finishing coating.
How to choose mats
When choosing mats, various factors are taken into account: the requirements for waterproofing, the resistance of the material to static and dynamic loads, the cross-section of the circuit, the operating conditions in the room where the heating system will be installed.
Roll substrates do not have very high waterproofing properties, so they are not recommended to be laid on the basement floor overlap. Also, roll materials in apartments are not desirable. Although it will most likely not be possible to mount a water floor in a multi-storey building due to difficulties in obtaining permission. But if this succeeded, it is better to refuse the roll material - in case of a leak, it will not help.
Excellent waterproofing properties are characteristic of sheet mats and foamed polystyrene foam boards. They also have a low coefficient of thermal conductivity and retain heat in the house as much as possible.
When choosing a substrate, its ability to withstand loads is taken into account. Polystyrene mounting mats with a relief, flat varieties and foil materials have proven themselves best of all - all of them are distinguished by high density. These insulators will ensure efficient operation of the system, which can be the main source of heat.
It is important to choose the right thickness of the mat - take into account the height of the room, the thickness of the screed and the finishing material. If an insulating layer is located under it, the product can perform mainly an assembly function.
Plates with "bosses"
Separately, it is worth noting the convenience of working with mounting mats, equipped with special plastic protrusions - bosses. Their shape can be different (circle, square, polygon), but this does not affect the functionality of the product. The bosses are located in rows at a certain distance from each other and allow you to securely fix the pipes without the use of additional fasteners. In this case, the optimal distance between the contours is observed, which can be laid according to any scheme, for example, "snail" or "snake".
During the pouring of the solution, the pipes remain in the specified position and do not move. One of the advantages of using such substrates is the speed of installation of the heating system. The installation of the mats themselves also takes place quite quickly, since each plate is equipped with a locking system that ensures a snug fit of the products to each other without the formation of gaps.
Such plates are universal - they can be used to fasten pipes of any section and from any material, as well as used in any floor structure. The thickness of the slabs varies from 1 to 3.5 cm. The protrusions rise by 2 cm.
The slab is made of expanded polystyrene and has high heat and sound insulation properties. Some boards have a film or waterproofing coating.
Laying the underlay
Regardless of the chosen insulation, the substrate is laid under the water-heated floor over the waterproofing layer. The most reliable type is coating, since the monolithic coating will reliably protect against leaks and retain moisture in any volume. Thick polyethylene can be used. It is laid with an overlap, the joints are glued with moisture-resistant tape. The edges of the film are led onto the walls. Then a damper tape is fixed around the perimeter of the room.
With the help of the locking system, the mounting mats laid on top of the waterproofing are fastened. If a roll or sheet substrate with foil is used, the joints are carefully glued with foil tape to obtain a sealed coating.
Cross-linked polyethylene pipes are laid between the lugs - this is the most convenient and type of pipeline. The coil is unwound, the pipe is pressed with a foot so that it takes the desired position. Some mats come with heat-reflecting metal plates with a pipe groove.
After laying, the pipes are connected to the collector and water is released to check the operation of the system. Then the solution is poured.The warm floor at full capacity can be started only after the screed is completely dry.
