The owners of country houses do not always know how to make a warm floor from heating. It is very easy to install the system yourself and connect it if you know a few nuances.
Principles of technology for connecting a warm floor to the heating system
Installation of underfloor heating from an existing heating system is carried out on the basis of the following principles:
- it is necessary to connect the manifold assembly to the existing radiators;
- the coolant temperature must be reduced to at least + 55 ° С;
- the structure to be installed must differ in the standard pressure, which does not exceed 8-9 atm.
Also, the list of preparatory work includes the calculation of all operating parameters of a warm water floor, which depend on the characteristics of the existing heating system. It can be one-pipe or two-pipe.
The latter type is characterized by the presence of two pipelines. One is for supplying hot liquid, and the other is for removing the cooled heat carrier back to the boiler for heating.
A single-pipe heating system is distinguished by the presence of one pipeline through which water circulates. Therefore, a warm floor is connected to it according to the principle of another radiator. It is installed after the heater, which makes it possible to reduce the temperature of the coolant without additional devices.
How to connect a warm floor to the heating system
You also need to take into account that it is impossible to achieve effective functioning of a warm floor in the presence of the gravitational principle of fluid movement. When the coolant passes from a large-diameter pipeline to a smaller one, the coolant will not be able to overcome the formed hydraulic resistance.
Materials for the installation of a warm water floor
Underfloor heating from heating is installed using several important elements, the quality of which is highly demanding.
Pipes
To ensure the efficient functioning of a water-heated floor, it is recommended to use pipes with a diameter of 2 cm. The preferred material is polyethylene or metal. When using the latter option, a multilayer structure is used for pipelines, and the surface of the elements is covered with a special anti-corrosion layer.
Polyethylene is preferred as a material. It is not subject to electrochemical corrosion, which cannot be said about metal. Also polyethylene pipes are easier to install. They are sold in coils of large volume, which allows the installation of an entire water circuit with one element. The main material for securing pipelines is plastic ties or special profiles that are installed using dowels.
The circuit is installed according to the selected scheme. If the pipe material is polyethylene, then the radius of the coil should not be less than five of its diameters. If the contour is bent too much, creases are formed. In this place, the material is most susceptible to destruction during long-term operation.
Installation of VALTEC water underfloor heating
Collector
The collector is designed to regulate the operation of a warm water floor. When choosing a specific model, you need to pay attention to the presence of the required number of outputs to connect all elements of the system.
The cheapest manifold is equipped with isolation valves only. In such a model, the possibility of adjusting the operating parameters is not provided, which makes the warm floor not always effective.
More expensive options are equipped with additional valves. They allow you to adjust the operation of the underfloor heating when necessary.
There are also models that are equipped with servo drives and pre-mixers. The first additional element provides full automation, and the second allows you to adjust the temperature of the coolant supplied to the warm floor.
The collector is mounted in a special box (material - galvanized steel), which corresponds to its size. Its installation is carried out at a certain height so that it is possible to bring all the necessary pipelines to it.
DIY floor heating collector
Thermal insulation underlay
The pipelines are laid on a prepared base, which is formed using special heat-insulating substrates. Use the following options:
- with foil coating. Such insulating material as penofol is used. This substrate can be used when there is no need for high-quality insulation of the floor;
- expanded polystyrene plates. To increase durability, a polymer material is used as a coating. They can be equipped with markings or special bosses. In this case, the laying of water heating pipelines will be carried out very easily and quickly;
- mineral wool insulation. It is used in cases when an unheated room or ground is placed under the structure. This insulation material must be installed in accordance with regulatory requirements for thickness and resistance to heat transfer.
Wiring diagram for water underfloor heating, depending on the configuration of the existing heating
The underfloor heating is connected to heating devices in several ways, depending on the configuration of the existing system:
- one-pipe scheme. The connection of the supply of the circuit with the circulating heat carrier occurs after the circulation pump, and the return - after. The system is adjusted using an installed manifold or ball valve;
- two-pipe scheme. When the water underfloor heating has been laid, it is connected to the supply and return pipelines of the existing heating. The work is controlled by two ball valves;
- connection diagram without circulation pump. Installation of this system is possible, but there is no guarantee of its normal operation and efficiency. Considering the complexity of installation, it is much easier to use the first or second option. For the functioning of the warm floor, the supply is connected at the beginning of the room, and the return is at the end. It is also important to ensure the required level of slope when installing pipelines.
Floor heating connection diagrams depending on design features
The system of pipelines with a circulating heat carrier is connected to existing heating devices using the following schemes:
Advantages and disadvantages of underfloor heating from existing heating
The device of a water-heated floor according to this scheme has several advantages:
The disadvantage of this constructive scheme is the impossibility of its use in multi-storey buildings with centralized heating. Also, some difficulties may arise during the installation of all elements. But if you take into account all the recommendations, it is not so difficult to do this.
Video: Installation of a one-pipe heating system with warm floors
The floor temperature, or rather, its rise, has been and remains an urgent task both for the owners of country estates and for the owners of apartments in high-rise buildings. This problem is especially acute with regard to bathrooms and children's rooms. However, there is hardly a person who refuses to have underfloor heating in the bedroom, for example.
The very idea of insulating the floor, as well as the walls, by laying pipelines with hot water inside them is by no means new. Even in Soviet times, experimental projects of panel houses were created and implemented, with hot water circulating inside the floor slabs and walls, thereby providing heating of the apartment without radiators. It was believed that the absence of batteries saves usable room space and does not spoil their aesthetic appeal.
Connecting underfloor heating to the heating system
It is quite natural that such buildings have not passed the test of time, due to the practically zero maintainability of heating systems and extremely low economic feasibility. Indeed, most of the heat was spent not on heating the interior, but on heating elements of building structures and the surrounding atmosphere.
The channels, made of iron, corroded very quickly, due to constant contact with water under pressure and having a high temperature.
This publication is devoted to a description of underfloor heating systems combined with heating communications, as well as a consideration of the nuances of underfloor heating.
Why floor heating?
They returned to the installation of underfloor heating, combined with a heating system, due to the appearance of new materials, for example. The low maintainability of such floors does not play a decisive role due to the lack of the need for repairs (frequent, in any case).
They are practically non-corrosive and last for long periods of time. Therefore, water heated floors are now very relevant and popular.
As noted earlier, underfloor heating is essential in children's rooms and bathrooms where people walk on them with bare feet. Indeed, an unreasonable child, poorly aware of the effect of temperature on his health, can crawl, lie and play on a cold surface.
An adult who is hot in the bathroom also does not notice the cold coming from the floor and can get sick. Some, on the contrary, have very sensitive feet and for them the usual discomfort turns into a test of will.
In fact, a warm floor with its natural convection, when heated air circulates over the entire area of the room, according to doctors, is the best option for heating any room.
In addition, such a healthy microclimate is easier and more economically feasible to create and maintain with the help of warm floors. The uniform movement of heat flows over the entire area contributes to this. Due to these reasons, the question of how to connect a water heat-insulated floor is very relevant.
Diagram of different heating systems Some experts argue that the underfloor heating structure can be successfully used as a self-sufficient and only heating system. Here, probably, given the Russian climate and heating costs, one can argue. It is recommended to combine both types of heating.
General problem statement
When considering the problem of how to connect a warm floor to the heating system, it is immediately worthwhile to clearly understand the difference between the device for heating it in a private and an apartment building. In the first case, the owner is free to carry out the improvement without any restrictions, based only on the characteristics of the boiler and the layout of the premises. In high-rise buildings, connecting a water-heated floor to the heating system causes much more problems.
The main ones are the following:
- the difference in hydraulic resistance in heating radiators and floor heating pipes;
- the quality of water in the central heating system is poor and can have a tangible effect on the operation of underfloor heating;
- water hammer and pressure drops can lead to premature failure of the underfloor heating system.
These are just the main issues that can be solved through the use of various tricks so that the warm floor and radiators can function at the same time. But simply bypassing administrative barriers will not work. It is extremely difficult to obtain permission to lay additional circuits connected to the building heating system.
Usually, only apartment owners who have the very end of the heating circuit manage to agree on this issue. In addition, do not forget that when connecting underfloor heating, the heating circuit will have to be opened, and thereby the pressure and temperature of the water in other apartments will change.
The way out of this situation is to connect a warm water floor to a self-installed boiler, which does not at all cancel the requirements of housing and communal services for the installation of water flow meters. This event is undoubtedly very expensive, but for people who want to feel comfortable - this is the only possible option. A gas boiler is much more economical, but electrical installations are often used.
In addition, regardless of the type of heating system, the underfloor heating device must solve the main problem, which is to interface the high and low temperature heating circuit. A hot floor connected directly to the heating system will burn your feet. Indeed, whether it is a supply from a boiler in a private apartment or a riser in a high-rise building, the temperature in the pipes reaches 85 ° C.
In the pipes of the underfloor heating, water should not be heated above 35 ° C and at the same time taken from the heating system. At the same time, the heating circuit with underfloor heating, of course, is somewhat complicated and cannot be connected directly. There are several options for its execution, using a heating boiler or connection to a one-pipe heating system, which will be discussed in detail below.
Underfloor heating design
First of all, you need to decide on a floor insulation project and transfer it to paper. At this stage, you need to take into account the layout of the premises, their location (possibly on different floors) and even the arrangement of furniture and structures that form the interior.
There is no need for a bathroom, for example, laying pipes under the container itself, which can take up a significant area. The same applies to mezzanines and other stationary objects.
Here, you need to choose a pipe laying scheme. Usually they use the "snail" scheme or various derivatives of the "snake".
Different scheme for laying underfloor heating Double snake and snail patterns provide good uniformity of surface heating, and therefore are popular, despite the more complex installation process.
It must be remembered that the length of one circuit should not exceed 30 m. This means that more than one snail or snake may be needed to heat the floors in a large room. Moreover, each of them must enter and exit the underfloor heating collector. The double-circuit version is usually sufficient for most rooms.
Materials required for underfloor heating
The pipe material should also be decided during the design process. The quality, durability and cost of comfortable living largely depend on this. The most common options are:
- pipes made of polypropylene or steel, although suitable for floor heating, are not considered further due to obvious disadvantages;
- copper pipes;
- metal-plastic pipes;
- XLPE pipes;
- corrugated stainless steel pipes.
Copper, which has excellent performance in terms of both thermal conductivity and durability, has long been abandoned due to its high cost (although there are well-to-do individuals).
Underfloor heating made of copper pipes Metal-reinforced plastic gives excellent results, however, over time, the aluminum layer becomes brittle due to the pressure and oxygen of the water. This, in turn, can significantly reduce the durability of the warm floor, the repair of which is very laborious and expensive.
Pipes for underfloor heating made of metal-plastic The use of cross-linked polyethylene pipes is considered optimal today. Their manufacturing technology allows, along with flexibility, to achieve excellent strength and durability of the pipe. If an additional layer of "EVON" is included in the structure of the pipe, reducing oxygen diffusion to the limit, then it becomes practically eternal.
Polyethylene pipes for underfloor heating Stainless steel is a worthy competitor to XLPE. Corrugated pipes made of it are flexible, durable and inexpensive. Their distinctive feature is such a reliable fitting system that they can be connected (built up) inside the concrete screed.
Stainless steel pipe Under no circumstances should seam pipes be used. This is especially important when it comes to a central heating system. A water hammer, even if not very strong, will destroy the pipe and lead to serious trouble.
The term "insulation" in relation to warm floors will not be entirely correct. It is more fair to talk about shielding heat, which should warm the upper surface, and not be spent on heating the ceiling of a neighbor or basement.
Insulation materials are selected taking into account the possibility of raising the floor. In standard high-rise buildings, this circumstance is especially critical. The total thickness of the floor consists of, in fact, the thickness of the insulation and the thickness of the screed.
If a heated room is located under the apartment, then a 30 mm layer of insulation will be sufficient. In the case of a basement, basement and even more ground under the floor, this value can reach 50-100 mm. The thickness of the screed, based on the requirements for its strength, cannot be less than 50 mm. These simple calculations, estimates must be taken into account when starting the installation of a warm floor.
The thickness of the floor must be calculated already at the stage of its hydro- and sound insulation, creating a margin for the heating layer.
Usually, when laying it, they use specially designed for this. The bosses located on them allow simple, fast and reliable pipe laying through them. The latter can also be attached to the reinforcing mesh during the casting of the screed.
Thermal insulation mats To reduce the overall thickness of the floor, the screed is sometimes abandoned, laying the pipe in metal heat exchange plates, which, in turn, are mounted in slatted or finished wooden structures, as well as in thermal insulation mats.
Heat exchange plate Types of connection of a warm floor to the heating system
Combined heating with radiators plus underfloor heating may be the only possible way to achieve a comfortable indoor environment. But for a number of reasons, it is impossible to connect a warm water floor with a simple "tie-in" into the riser or heating pipes, thus ensuring the supply of hot water and its return to the system (return).
The main ones are:
- independent circulation of water in thin and long pipes is impossible, which means that a pump is needed to connect to heating;
- to harmonize the pressure in the system, it is necessary to have a smoothing device to prevent the effect of water hammer;
- it is necessary to remove air from the system;
- water filtration, especially relevant in central heating systems, implies the presence of dirt traps;
- the presence of a mixer is due to the need to mix water from the supply and return in certain proportions to achieve the required temperature in the underfloor heating circuit (lowering the water temperature relative to the heating system);
- devices for regulation and accounting (for housing and communal services) are objectively necessary.
Due to these factors, the connection diagram of the warm floor to the heating system becomes much more complicated.
Sometimes the simple cut-in method is still used, but this applies exclusively to rooms of a small area, less than 10 square meters, a bathroom, for example. This in no way cancels the agreement with the housing and communal services and the installation of related meters.
The types (diagrams) of connecting water underfloor heating in the case of autonomous home heating or when obtaining permission from housing and communal services, involving a tie-in directly into the pipes of the system, are shown in the figure.
Wiring diagram for connecting a water-heated floor to the heating system The simplest, and, accordingly, inexpensive scheme for connecting a warm floor to the boiler "a" works using a two-way tap connected to a thermostat. The heat is regulated by decreasing or increasing the flow with control valves (3 and 4). The overflow valve 8 serves to equalize the pressure.
Scheme "b" is, in principle, similar to the first, with the only exception that the collectors are directly connected by a jumper 8 together with a valve that cuts off the flow when the pressure exceeds the permissible value.
High reliability and simplicity are combined with the "b" scheme. Here, a three-way valve (11) is installed on the return line, which redirects the chilled water to the supply section.
More perfect than the previous one, the "d" scheme is distinguished by more sensitive temperature control. This is due to the presence of a three-way mixer (9) on the supply pipe, which mixes the water before it enters the circulation pump (1).
There is no limit to perfection. The validity of the statement is confirmed by the scheme "d". It uses a four-way valve mixer, which can be manually controlled and by means of a servo motor that responds to signals from the thermostat unit.
Diagram "e" describes the optimal connection of the warm floor in the apartment to the central heating system through the heat exchanger (14). This implies that you have the appropriate approval to carry out this procedure, as well as the air vent, pressure gauge, overpressure valve and expansion vessel (13). These elements make up a safety group (12) when connecting a warm floor from a battery.
Trying to improve the aesthetics of the interior, the pump and mixing unit can be “hidden” as far as you like. However, access to shut-off and control valves, as well as meters, pressure gauges and other monitoring and control elements must be quick and easy.
Assembled, providing the inclusion and control of a warm water floor, should look something like the one shown in the figure:
Pump-mixing unit Instead of a conclusion
From what has been said, we can conclude with a high degree of confidence that not everyone can take on such a complex occupation that requires knowledge and experience. At the very least, trying to save money, you should carry out the installation of a warm floor, with unlimited access to specialist advice.
Connecting a warm floor to a boiler is a very difficult task, not everyone will be able to complete it. Fortunately, almost everyone has a brother, matchmaker, neighbor, or just an acquaintance who will help with advice free of charge. We stand on that.
Providing floor heating during the construction of a private house is not an easy task, but it can be solved. It is much more difficult to make a water-heated floor from the existing heating of a country cottage or apartment. How to properly lay and connect heating circuits with your own hands in a similar situation, read in this article.
Planning and selection of materials
In order to successfully integrate underfloor heating into an existing heating system, you must first solve several serious issues:
- Obtain permission to connect to the central heating network in the case of an apartment in a multi-storey building.
- Find out what height can be allocated for the "pie" of floor heating without raising the thresholds of the interior doors.
- Determine the points of connection to the existing system and rationally select the scheme.
- Prepare building materials, pipes and plumbing fixtures.
Each item of the preparatory plan is proposed to be considered separately.
Is it possible to connect to the central heating system
It is impossible to simply take and embed heating circuits into common apartment risers. Underfloor heating will take away a significant part of the heat from the neighbors, who will file a complaint with the management company, and you will get a large fine for unauthorized interference with the network.
Advice. Do not connect to risers at your own risk. Try to get the permit properly issued. If you get an unambiguous refusal, think about heating with electric underfloor heating.
When you can hope for a positive solution to the issue:
- in a new building with individual heating inputs from a common riser passing through technical rooms;
- in an apartment on the ground floor with an upper supply of coolant or a separate connection from the basement;
- in the dwelling of the last floor with the lower wiring of the supply line.
With vertical wiring, approval can be obtained by the owner of the upper apartment when the coolant is supplied from below
The idea of an apartment connection is based on the fact that the batteries in your apartment are the last ones. The additional load on the riser in the form of heating circuits will not harm the neighbors. True, the organization - the supplier of heat energy has the right to demand the installation of an individual metering unit and the development of project documentation. Residents of other apartments are problematic to obtain a permit.
Determine the thickness of the "pie"
The main problem when installing water floor heating in a residential building is the small distance from the base of the floor (floor slabs) to the bottom of the doorway. Usually this height is equal to the thickness of the screed and is 6-10 cm. The situation with wooden floors is similar - the width of the log, where the covering boards are laid, lies in the range of 50-150 mm.
An important point. Before making a warm floor in an inhabited apartment, the existing screed will have to be broken to the ground, and the wooden flooring will have to be completely disassembled. Otherwise, the "pie" will not fit, and raising the thresholds of the doors or making a step at the entrance is not a constructive decision.
There is only 1 way to fit the heating circuits into a thickness of 50 mm - to use a floor system with metal plates - heat distributors, shown in the diagram. The composition of the "pie" will be as follows:
- a layer of dense polymer insulation 30 mm;
- metal plates with grooves;
- heating pipes Ø16 mm;
- thin flooring - laminate or tile when it comes to the bathroom.
Reference. For laying the heat distribution plates, special polystyrene foam mats with lugs or ready-made modules made of wood are used.
Due to the high price of such systems, craftsmen often offer to install plates between boards 2-2.5 cm thick, laid on a layer of 8-10 mm foamed polyethylene (Penofol). We do not recommend implementing such solutions - a small thermal insulation layer will allow the lion's share of heat to pass to the neighbors below or to the basement of a private house.
With a threshold height of 10 cm, monolithic warm floors with a screed are arranged. Polystyrene plates 30-40 mm thick are laid in the base, the remaining 6-7 cm remain under the screed and finishing coating.
Scheme of the "pie" of warm floors with a screed
Heating circuit connection diagrams
One of the most important issues that must be resolved before starting work is how to connect a water-heated floor to an existing heating system. We offer the following options:
- In an apartment with an individual heating input - according to the classical scheme with a mixing unit installed in the hallway. The cabinet with the collector is neatly embedded inside the wall.
- In a private house, it is advisable to connect directly from a gas or other boiler using a distributor comb and a mixing unit.
- In apartments with two-pipe risers, connect the circuit of each room directly to the network near the heating radiators. Temperature control is performed by RTL thermal heads.
- In apartment buildings with single-pipe risers, it is impossible to do without the installation of mixing units with a circulation pump.
Connection diagram for apartment heat distribution
Note. Connecting underfloor heating to heating mains without a pump and mixing unit can be realized in almost any two-pipe system. How to do this correctly, read below.
The coolant coming from the boiler or from the district heating network has a temperature of 50-90 ° C, which is unacceptable for warm floors. The temperature graph of the heating circuit lies in the range of 35-45 ° С, maximum - 55 ° С (if the pipes are embedded in the screed).
Scheme of connecting underfloor heating to the boiler through a two-way valve
To prepare water of the required temperature, mixing assemblies with a two- or three-way valve and a circulation pump are used that pump the heat carrier through the circuits. In centralized heating systems, it is better to use a scheme with a two-way valve, in individual - with a three-way valve.
Reference. The quality of the coolant in the central heating networks is too low - the water is saturated with rust and other impurities. The easier and more reliable it is to pick up equipment, the longer it will last without problems.
Connection diagram for underfloor heating to the boiler through a three-way valve
A separate connection of the circuits to two-pipe lines is made through RTL-type thermal heads, which limit the return flow of the heating medium when the leaving water temperature exceeds the set value. Mixing units, manifolds and circulation pumps are not used.
Branch connection diagram without additional pump
To connect a warm floor, it is enough to buy a ready-made block with a thermostatic tap and an RTL head, placed inside a neat plastic box. Such products are offered by the well-known brand Oventrop, the name is RTL Unibox.
Connection diagram for one-pipe vertical system
An expert will tell you about the various options for connecting floor heating to an existing system in his video:
We select building materials and components
When you have chosen the correct connection scheme, it is quite simple to calculate the required amount of materials. It is necessary to find out the area of the kitchen, bedroom and other premises where it is planned to install underfloor heating. Plus, choose the layout and the distance between the pipes.
Also, when installing underfloor heating, consumables are used - a damper tape (glued around the perimeter of the room), clips for fastening pipes and a waterproofing film laid under the insulation. A ready-made construction mixture is used for the screed, the consumption of which is indicated on the packaging.
For heating circuits of the "dry" type, you will have to buy polystyrene plates with lugs and heat distribution plates (preferably made of aluminum). Modular wood kits will cost more. A budget option is to lay pipes between ordinary boards 20 mm thick, laid on the insulation with your own hands.
Advice. If the difference in height between the base and doorways is 10-20 cm (for example, on a balcony, loggia), increase the thickness of the "pie" due to the insulation. That is, take not 30, but 50 or 100 mm thermal insulation boards. The result is an increase in the energy efficiency of the premises and savings in heat.
Monolithic underfloor heating installation technology
After dismantling the floor structures - screeds or wooden logs - the base should be cleaned and leveled for laying thermal insulation boards. and fill in the corners with mortar, knock down the bumps and nodules. Take out the debris and remove dust as much as possible (ideally with a special construction vacuum cleaner).
Step by step, the technology for installing warm floors in a residential apartment looks like this:
Note. Instead of a waterproofing film, it is allowed to use "Penofol" with a thickness of 4-5 mm, laying it with foil upwards. The canvases are placed without overlap and are glued with aluminum tape.
When using regulation using RTL thermal heads, the length of the pipeline in the circuit should not exceed 60 m, otherwise the room will warm up unevenly. Carry out a tightness test with an operating pressure of 3 bar in a country house and 6-7 bar in an apartment with centralized heating. Maintain indicated pressure for 24 hours.
After making sure that the connections are tight, proceed to filling the screed without emptying the circuits. The minimum thickness of the cement-sand monolith is 5 cm, the maximum is 10 cm. In order not to be mistaken in the proportions during the preparation of the solution, it is recommended to work with a ready-made dry mix for pouring floors containing a plasticizer.
Further work on connecting underfloor heating to the existing heating network is carried out after 20-28 days (the exact hardening period is indicated on the bags of the building mixture). The contours are attached according to the selected scheme, after which the topcoat is laid. The technology for installing floor heating is clearly shown in the video.
Floor heating device without screed
Using a wooden modular system or mats equipped with bosses, it is not difficult to make underfloor heating. The difference from the previous technology is the absence of a cement screed and laying the topcoat directly on the insulation or boards.
There is an easier and cheaper way to accommodate water loops at a height difference of 5 cm:
- Place 50 mm extruded polystyrene foam boards with side joint locks on top of the waterproofing.
- Mark the pipe routes on the insulation and cut grooves for them with a thermal knife or a sharp tool.
- Install metal plates in the grooves and lay the piping.
- Install laminate or other thin flooring.
The rest of the work on testing and connecting the warm floor to the mains of the existing heating is carried out according to the technology described in the previous section.
Conclusion
Before making underfloor heating inside an inhabited apartment with a working heating system, make sure that it is technically possible to connect and lay pipes in the thickness of the floors. If the height difference between the base and the door opening does not reach 5 cm, 2 options remain: raise the thresholds and door frames or abandon the idea. The decision depends on the desire to arrange a warm floor and the budget that you are ready to allocate for construction.
Design engineer with over 8 years of experience in construction.
Graduated from the East Ukrainian National University. Vladimir Dahl with a degree in Electronic Industry Equipment in 2011.
Related entries:
Constructions of water heat-insulated floors differ I am in the way of adjustment and connection technology.
Some methods fit well two-story houses with an attic and a basement, others - living quarters with a small area.
Exists four main types of heating systems... Let's take a closer look at each of the options.
System without adjustment
The main difference between the heating system without regulation consists in a simplified thermal circuit collector. The cheapest collector models are equipped with only simple shut-off valves.
Valves do not allow to regulate heat flow parameters. In fact, you will only be able to turn on / off the heating. As a result, the ultimate efficiency and comfort from the use of underfloor heating will be in question.
The system is powered by a low power circulation pump. Total length of communications should not exceed 80 meters, and the diameter of the pipes is no more than 16 millimeters. The throughput of such a design will be from 5 to 10 liters / minute.
With balancing adjustment
Balancing adjustment is a technically more advanced solution. The scheme additionally includes a balancing valve. This structural element allows you to reduce or increase the flow of hot water. Using a tap, you can change the floor temperature, which is undoubtedly a plus.
With three-way valve
Three-way valve application- another design improvement. It is based on a special device that is sensitive to temperature changes. The result is an automatic heat flow adjustment.
The three-way valve is mounted to the point of temperature maximum... If you notice a decrease in the effectiveness of the automatic adjustment, you can always manually tune the system.
With mixing unit
The mixing unit is the best option for those who want to make a warm floor on their own, since this design is the easiest to install and operate. In addition, this type significantly reduces energy consumption - by 20-30%.
In general, the device consists of a pressure gauge, a circulation pump, a thermostat, a flow meter and an air valve. The mixing unit will cost you relatively expensive, about 20-25 thousand rubles.
Technology for connecting a warm floor to the heating system
The procedure and technology for connecting a warm floor to the heating communications of the house have some differences. Total allocate three main options- one-pipe and two-pipe scheme, as well as a combined method. Let's take a closer look at the features.
One pipe system
One-pipe scheme best suited for one-story houses with a small area. To install it, you will need:
- circulation pump;
- security module;
- expansion tank;
- heat exchanger;
- pipes for supply and return (warm water);
- fittings.
The radiator part of the structure consists of from two branches with shut-off valves. Separate valves are also installed on the radiators.
In the event of a malfunction it will be possible to cut off communications and carry out repairs (for example, a boiler, pipes or replace shut-off valves).
For supply and return use pipes of different diameters (20 and 25 millimeters) to provide the necessary pressure. The floor pipes are directly connected to the return.
Two-pipe scheme
Feed and return occur on separate circuits / bottling. The spouts are connected with a jumper, while the gap will contain home heating (for example, batteries). The two-pipe method is much better suited for installation in a two-story house.
Combined floor
This means the combination of several types of heating, for example, water and electric. This makes it possible to choose the most economical heating method.
Combined floor controller, as a rule, the distribution manifold of the main line protrudes. The device guarantees precise control of many heating circuits.
The design is distinguished by high technical complexity and cost, if you do not have much experience, then it is recommended to leave the installation work to a specialist. Options without adjustment it is advisable to avoid... They will prevent you from adjusting the floor temperature, resulting in significant wasted energy and controversial levels of comfort.
On a limited budget a good solution would be to use a balancing adjustment or a three-way valve. According to the connection technology, the one-pipe scheme is the least expensive.
Schemes for connecting a warm floor to the heating system, look at the video: