Underfloor heating: the pros and cons, advantages and disadvantages are obvious

Not every one of us can really imagine what the heating system of floor heating. One name gives only the initial, surface Repose about how the space heating is carried out in this case. For those who already felt himself effect of residential space heating via underfloor heating, can safely talk about the benefits of a similar scheme in comparison with other types heating. Radiant Floor Heating is one of the varieties and heating options, which are now used in everyday life. An electric analogue talk another time.

Now let us consider in detail, that is warm water floor, which gives advantages home occupants use such an embodiment heating. What are the pros in this embodiment, if there are disadvantages of warm water floor.

Warm water floor - the main difference from other types of heating

Existing today "warm floor" heating system are divided into two subspecies: electric and water. According to a method of using such a system can act as a primary source of heating rooms or be ancillary heating equipment. Often the electrical heating elements are used for local heating of technological facilities, balconies, loggias, bathroom and toilet. In contrast, water heating circuit can be laid around the home, or used in a room, for example, in the nursery.

Such an embodiment of heating is usually chosen in the angular rooms where a high probability of occurrence of cold spots. Due to their principle of operation of such embodiment is capable of providing the maximum heating comfortable temperature. Despite the fact that in comparison with other means of heating the water warm floor has its own pros and cons, in the overall context of this type of heating deserves more attention. In any case, there is always at home and environment aspects of the situation, to assess the advantages of the system, or vice versa, indicating the technical imperfection of the selected option.

For reference: floor, equipped with a water circuit, allows the use of unlike electrical mats variety of floor coverings.

For example: what to retain normal circulation in the home heating system, using technology heated floors, will require not only the installation of the pipeline, but also the installation of additional equipment. The circulation pump, the collector - mixer, a set of three-way valves (the number of water circuits), all This is a mandatory attribute and accessories in this case, regardless of the heated area. The presence of special devices to avoid the coolant pressure loss in the central heating circuit, prevent interruptions in domestic hot water circulation purposes.

It should be remembered also that such a system is not allowed to be installed in an apartment building, which was originally calculated on district heating. For the private sector residents and owners of country houses, on the contrary, such an option is preferable to traditional heating options.

You need to know what to implement in their home or apartment in this kind of heat, it required a lot of costs associated with a large volume of work and supplies. Figures - schemes show the temperature regime within the premises, achieved by the use of the air curtain and the heated flooring system.

It is clearly seen on the basis of the principle is carried out heating the interior space. In the case of floors with water, a heat source located in the lower part of the room. As a result, thermal energy is distributed evenly over the entire floor area, passing air masses circulating inside the premises the necessary heat. When using a heating radiator, in which process by convection occurs internal breathability gender is the coolest place in the dwelling.

Insufficient heating, particularly at the corner rooms and large glazed surface offset installation of additional heating devices. Water floor fully able to solve this problem, evenly otaplivaya entire internal volume of the room. Also important is the aesthetic side of the issue. The absence of radiators has a positive effect on the quality of interior living spaces. Underfloor heating distributes the heat evenly over the entire space, thereby heating all of the items in the room.

For reference: most acceptable indoor temperature for a comfortable stay + 180FROM. By heating the coolant in the water heating circuit to a temperature of + 35-450C, the optimum temperature is reached the heating flooring 250FROM. Accordingly, the lowest outdoor air layer is heated more while the upper layers have a comfortable temperature.

The design of the floor heating. Scope

The main advantage, to which you should pay attention to the study of radiant floor heating systems, it is economical and high efficiency. The interiors of a large area, especially in private houses, designed for self-heating can be successfully heat a similar way. Even the installation and equipping of underfloor heating in all living areas large area multiroom apartment house will be quite profitable company. For the category of citizens who are water-gas heating or expect to use solid units, water floor almost ideal solution to the question of organization heating.

Comparing this circuit with electrical heating floors in this case irrelevant. The last option, even taking into account the relative ease of installation and ease of use, water is clearly losing the floor on economic indicators. Electric floor can be installed in places where there is a need for heating small areas.

Before summarize evaluating advantages and disadvantages of water underfloor heating, will try to deal with its design and technological characteristics.

The basic principle of operation in this case is as follows:

  • heat source - heat transfer fluid, boiler water, which may enter the pipeline laid in the floor;
  • heated water may come from both central heating riser pipe and from the auxiliary heating device.

With a special design and new technologies to date, there are several ways to equip a warm floor. As an ideal floor covering is best to use ceramic, concrete, or composite materials (tiles, decorative stone, concrete screed). Advantages and disadvantages in this situation subjective. Ceramic tiles or concrete screed have high thermal conductivity, respectively, being heated by the heated heating medium, give better heat into the room. And vice versa, laminate flooring, linoleum is convenient and comfortable floor coverings act as additional insulation, reducing the intensity of heat exchange in the internal spaces.


The effectiveness of the warm floor water depends on the layer cake quality, i.e. the composition underfloor heating the substrate. The composition of the substrate typically includes:

  • Waterproofing;
  • Metal grid assembly;
  • Thermal insulation;
  • Damper tape;
  • Dry or wet screed.

On a note: generally, traditional layered cake thickness varies in the range of 50-150 mm. The final cake parameters are determined depending on the diameter of the pipes to the water circuit, overlap thickness, quality and capacity of floor covering Heated floor heating system.

The basic operating tool in this case acts as a conduit made of metal pipes. United into separate fragments or segments (paths) pipes stacked on the cushion, after which are connected to the headers through which the coolant supply to the heating circuit, and Returns the return.

The design of the heating system is working and the principle. The distance between the screed and the floor covering is a place gasket warm water circuit by which heats the entire surface of the floor to the required temperature. Due to low heat (heat medium heating optimum temperature is 35-450C) heating the system "warm floors" is the low temperature.

Obvious advantages possessed Heated floor

If you do not take into account the difficulties with the installation, floor heating is considered to be one of the most efficient heating systems. Low temperature operation of underfloor heating is able to give a real and substantial savings on heating costs. On average, 20-40% in comparison with a radiator heating this. No overheating of the air mass within the space provides a good saturation of the internal space of positive ions.

Other obvious advantages can be safely attributed the following qualities:

  • excellent environmental friendliness of the system, full compliance with health and safety standards of residential space heating;
  • main part of the thermal energy is transferred by thermal radiation, which has a positive effect on the human body;
  • real heat savings in buildings with high ceilings (up to 50% at ceiling height of more than 3 meters);
  • absence of open wiring and radiators greatly simplifies the interior finishing of premises;
  • Follow real savings on heating costs compared with electric heating (on average 5-7 times);
  • Unlike electrical warm floors, floor water does not give a strong electromagnetic field, adversely affects the state of health of the inhabitants of the housing.

Obvious disadvantages of the heating systems

The main disadvantage, which could overshadow you, if you have decided to equip in their home warm floors, it is likely to have administrative ban on the use of such a system heating. To circumvent the prohibitions may be, if you are targeting a small heating area and you have the first floor. Otherwise, the situation is fraught with further administrative penalties and recovery of dismantled equipment.

The second argument, which can be attributed to the shortcomings of the heating system is a long and painstaking assembly of equipment. Less water floor during installation is involuntary weighting design features of the building. Due to the layer cake that is used for the substrate, overlapping mass can increase by 10-15%, which is extremely dangerous for residential high-rise buildings of the old buildings.

Observing the laying and installation technology, property owners will be faced with a fairly large financial costs. In contrast to the electric floor, water heated floors in the labor-intensive process of maintenance and repair. In terms of security the water floor inferior to other home heating options.

conclusion

There are many advantages in the heating system, there are also some disadvantages when it comes to underfloor heating. However, the situation is as follows. In any case, if you decide to install in your house or apartment warm water floor, the benefits that you will receive in the future will be clearly greater than the disadvantages. High efficiency, economy and practicality are major trump of the heating system.