Features of masonry underfloor heating under keramonranite

The pleasant temperature of the floor underfoot relaxes and creates a feeling of coziness. But for the floor heater to be effective, materials with high thermal conductivity are selected for flooring. Porcelain stoneware for underfloor heating is an acceptable option.

Characteristics of porcelain stoneware

Porcelain stoneware is a type of ceramic. Illite clays, kaolin, quartz, feldspar are mixed, pressed powder is obtained from raw materials, tiles are formed by pressing and dried. At this stage, the products are glazed, drawings are applied. Then the material is fired at + 1200-1300 C, grinded or polished.

The material obtained using this technology is significantly superior to conventional ceramics in strength, hardness, smoothness and other indicators:

• The flexural strength is 3 times higher than that of granite - 500–600 kg / cubic cm. The hardness on the Mohs scale reaches 7–8 - according to this indicator, the material is second only to rubies and diamonds. It is extremely difficult to damage the tiles. Due to its high strength, material thicker than 1 cm cannot be sawed with a hand tool;
• High wear resistance - class 3-5. In the bathroom or bedroom, traces of abrasion on class 3 tiles will never appear, since the material is designed for heavy loads.
• Extremely low water absorption - 0.01–0.5%. Bathrooms, toilets, Turkish baths, swimming pools are faced with porcelain stoneware.
  
• Frost resistance - associated with the low porosity of the material. If moisture does not get inside the stone, frost is not terrible. This is an important advantage for ventilated framed façades and open balconies.
• Porcelain stoneware is chemically neutral. Does not absorb dyes, does not interact with acids, alkalis, salts, does not get dirty.
• The slabs imitate natural stone, wood and even leather. The color range is unlimited. With the help of different processing, a different texture is obtained: matte, glossy, embossed, polished, laplat.

The disadvantage of porcelain stoneware is expensive repairs. In the event of a leak, sensor failure, or any other breakdown, the trim must be removed. It is almost impossible to dismantle the slabs entirely: you have to remove the cover and re-lay it.

Floor slabs are produced with a thickness of 12 to 30 mm. The thicker the porcelain stoneware, the greater the load it can withstand, but the worse it conducts heat. Only thin material is suitable for finishing the warm floor.

Nuances affecting the choice of underfloor heating

The efficiency of an underfloor heater depends on the characteristics of the heating system and the parameters of the finishing material. A feature of porcelain stoneware is good heat conductivity, but low capacity for accumulation. Plates heat up and cool down at the same rate as the heater heats up and cools down.

This feature determines the choice of underfloor heating.

• If porcelain stoneware is laid on a cable heated floor, both components of the heater work as one. If an electronic thermostat is installed, the temperature can be adjusted to the nearest degree. Using the instructions, they create a heating mode: in the daytime, when no one is at home, they lower the temperature, increase it in the evening. By reducing the temperature by only 1 degree, they reduce electricity costs by 5%.
• IR film heats objects and objects in a room faster than the floor itself. Often times, the tiles are barely warm to the touch.If an underfloor heater is used as auxiliary heating, this option is unsuccessful.
• A warm water floor heats up slowly, but also cools down at the same rate. Porcelain stoneware also maintains a pleasant temperature. This model is more cost-effective: warming up for a couple of hours provides a comfortable temperature for the next 10 hours. However, it takes time to warm up the room.

Consider technical capabilities. It is difficult to build a water floor when renovating an apartment. Installing infrared film without screed will require minimal measurements and time.

Underfloor heating power

The thermal conductivity of the material is 1.05 W / m * K. This is sufficient to transfer heat from the heating elements of the floor surface. The efficiency of a warm floor depends on the thickness of the screed and operating conditions:

• With a screed thickness of more than 50 mm, a floor heater for porcelain stoneware will not work - this is a general rule.
• For screed installations, two-core heating cables are recommended. For living rooms, there is enough power of 140 W, sq. m. When laying on loggias or balconies, the power is needed higher - up to 180 W / sq. m.
• The power of the infrared underfloor heating for porcelain stoneware is 150 W / sq. m, if it is additional heating, and 220 W / sq. m, if the main one. In fact, the power may be less. The infrared film does not heat the floor, but the objects and people in the room. But if the porcelain stoneware needs to be warm, you need to install a more powerful heater.

Power is selected based on operating conditions. For living rooms, a sufficient indicator is 120 W / sq. m, for loggias - 150 W / sq. m. In rooms with high humidity, a more powerful system is needed - up to 220 W / sq. m.

Advantages and disadvantages of underfloor heating under porcelain stoneware

Considering floor heaters for porcelain stoneware, it is rational to divide them into 2 types: water and electric. Their device is different and the advantages are also different.

The advantages of a water-heated floor include:

• Efficiency - a floor heater is connected to the heating of a house or apartment, so that its operating costs do not exceed the usual heating costs.
• The pipes are placed in a concrete screed. This material protects the heating elements from mechanical deformation.
• Thermal inertia for living rooms is an advantage. Heating here works cyclically, but does not turn off completely. The smoothness of heating and cooling allows you to avoid sudden temperature fluctuations. It is not necessary to turn on the heater at full power.
• Water heating does not create an electromagnetic field and does not dry out the air.

The disadvantages are as follows:

• laborious installation and repair;
• the initial cost of installing water heating exceeds the cost of installing an electric one by 5 times;
• installation on stairs or small areas is not possible.

Pros of an electric floor:

• The heating rate is noticeably higher. The thermal inertia of the system is low.
• The temperature can be precisely controlled. A programmable electronic thermostat can reduce heating costs by 40%.
• Even distribution of heat.
• Installation takes much less time. You can install a warm floor at any time.

The disadvantages are as follows:

• high cost of heating;
• a heater based on a heating cable creates an electromagnetic field and dries the air;
• special work is required during installation - grounding, RCD connection.

Repairing any kind of underfloor heater is difficult and costly. To eliminate the breakage, they dismantle most of the coating, destroy the screed and carry out all the laying work again.

Comparison of underfloor heating under porcelain stoneware

Warm floor under porcelain stoneware can be installed of any type. The choice does not depend on the characteristics of the material and the floor heater, but on the installation conditions.

Water floor

Water floor is a complex structure. Requires significant investment.The minimum thickness of a concrete screed is 45 mm, excluding the thickness of the waterproofing and vapor barrier, reinforcing mesh, backing and others. The arrangement of the water floor is planned during construction. It is difficult to do this in an apartment.

The water floor is recommended to be installed in residential premises and in large areas. The disadvantage is the inability to accurately regulate the temperature, which does not allow saving.

Electric

There are several options: heating cable, thermomats, rod heater.

The heating cable is universal. The thickness of the screed does not exceed 50 mm - you will have to raise the floor level by no more than 1 cm. The power of the heater depends on the power of the cable and on how small the pitch is. Using the same wire, they organize the optimal heating of different rooms.

Mats are the same cables fixed in a stack. The advantage is the speed of installation. Minus - you cannot change the masonry step.

An electric heater is chosen for rooms where rapid heating is required. This is a good option for additional heating.

Infrared

If it is no longer possible to raise the floor level, the thinnest option is used - IR-film. Placed in a layer of tile adhesive 3–10 mm thick. An infrared heater is more efficient but more expensive.

The infrared film generates thermal radiation, not heating the floor, but objects and objects, so the porcelain stoneware becomes only slightly warm to the touch.

The best manufacturers of underfloor heating under tiles

In 2019, the ranking of the best manufacturers of floor heaters looks like this:

• Electrolux is a Swedish company. It guarantees the safety of its products and its performance for 50 years.
• Teplolux is a Russian company that offers floor heaters that are easy to install.
• Termo is a good combination of quality and affordable cost.
• Devi - manufactures a variety of heating systems for any task.
• Nexans - produces the only electric underfloor heating, the official service life of which is 60 years.

When choosing an underfloor heater, it is better to pay attention to the characteristics of a particular model, rather than the brand.