Home heating xl pipe. Liquid electric heated floor. Video: Installation of the XL PIPE HD system

Electric-water heated floors - design and installation features

5 (100%) votes: 3

Until recently, the most popular and frequently used types of underfloor heating were water and electric. A new variation of floor heating is liquid electric floor heating. Despite the fact that such systems have appeared on the market recently, they have already won the love and trust of many users.

About. What is this heating system? we will tell you in this article.

Find out the price and buy heating equipment and related products you can find here. Write, call and come to one of the stores in your city. Delivery throughout the Russian Federation and CIS countries.

Water electric floor XL PIPE

Design and features of liquid electric floor

The floor looks like a two-centimeter pipe made of structured polyethylene with . A cable is laid along the entire length of the pipe. The XL PIPE liquid electric underfloor heating system has a seven-core nickel-chromium cable, which is coated with Teflon. Laying the pipe together with the cable is carried out according to any of the existing schemes in a screed 4-5 cm thick.

Liquid electric floor installation

When electrical energy begins to flow, the cable heats up, as a result, the pressure increases and bubbles begin to boil. Similar heating system heats up to maximum short time and retains heat for a long time.

Heating costs are significantly lower than when using a conventional cable floor: consumption electrical energy is 14.4 watts per 1 m²; cooling of such a floor takes approximately twice as long as a cable floor.

Advantages and disadvantages

Electric-water heated floors have many advantages over other types:

1. They are as safe as possible for human body, since the high reliability of the heating element reduces to zero the possibility of accidental fires. The heating element filaments transmit thermal energy liquid and then to the floor covering. Thanks to this, the chromium-nickel composition does not overheat, thus the electrical cable is protected from burnout. These properties of the liquid floor ensure its long service life.
2. Liquid electric heated floors can be installed under any floor covering; its heating is suitable even for laminate flooring. You can adjust if necessary temperature regime, thereby ensuring the most comfortable atmosphere in the room.
3. Such heating systems do not generate electromagnetic radiation.
4. The system is absolutely not subject to overheating. You can move furniture from one place to another without worrying about it, which is not the case with classic electric floors. They are allowed to be installed exclusively in open areas.
5. The heating element is covered with several layers of insulation, which ensures its long-term operation. Thanks to Teflon, the coating can withstand heat of more than 200°C. The material is characterized by high resistance to chemical processes and also has excellent dielectric characteristics.
6. Such heating systems are quite economical.
7. Good maintainability. In the case of a regular cable, it is quite difficult to determine the damaged area, so you have to lift the entire tie. In liquid systems, the screed can be opened locally; at the site of the leak, if the pipe is damaged, antifreeze will come to the surface.

The disadvantage is the high cost. As already noted, electric water floors are always installed in a screed. Considering the fact that the risk of fire is reduced to zero, such systems can be installed in a wooden house.

Scope of application

When such heating systems appeared on the market, the scope of application of heated floors expanded greatly. This is due to the fact that if previously they acted exclusively as a source of additional heating, today they are increasingly used as the main method of heating homes, replacing typical radiators.

Considering the fact that such systems are laid in a screed, you can choose almost any materials used for flooring as their location: tiles, laminate, natural stone. The exceptions are: parquet, carpet, cork panel. Their unsuitability is due to the fact that they do not allow maximum transfer of thermal energy into the room. Besides, wooden parquet with prolonged heating, it can dry out, and synthetic carpet fibers can poison the air with harmful substances.

Installation of electric-water heated floors

The specific set of tools required for installing an electric liquid floor will depend on what operations need to be carried out and what installation method you will use. Based on the installation method, you need to prepare for work:

• electric water floor tubes;
• expanded polystyrene sheets;
• mortar of cement and sand;
• drill;
• gypsum fiber sheets;
• insulation;
• self-tapping screws/umbrella dowels;

Installation of heated electric water floor

The sequence of work for laying a liquid-electric heated floor will be as follows:

1. The first thing to do is to make preparations. You need to measure the area of ​​the base and prepare everything necessary materials. To make the work process more convenient, it is better to draw a plan for the future pipe layout. This is necessary so that you do not have to lay the cable under large immovable objects, because this is impractical. It is also necessary to calculate the cable laying pitch. Most often, the step of laying an electric-water heated floor is approximately 20 cm. This distance can be adjusted, since in such a heating system a shorter step will not give absolutely any result, but making it longer (more than 30 cm) is also not worth it.
2. The next stage is the installation of floor thermal insulation. This can be done in two ways: by laying polystyrene foam sheets and then securing them to the base using umbrella dowels, or you can place a lavsan metallized material on the surface. You decide for yourself which method you prefer.
3. Then you need to reinforce the base. To do this, the surface must be strengthened with reinforced mesh. If reinforcement was used during rough screeding, the mesh must be laid on top of the cable.
4. Let's move on to cable installation. You need to put it down. During installation, it must be immediately fixed and secured using plastic clamps on the reinforcing mesh. This is necessary so that during the process of pouring the solution it remains in its original position. In areas where the cable bends, it is necessary to make more frequent fastenings.
5. Installation of a distribution box that will be needed for repairs. The body of the box must be raised so that its lid is located at the level of the surface of the future screed. Then the box must be firmly fixed in one place and covered with waterproofing material, which is necessary to protect against water ingress when pouring the solution. After this, you need to insert the two ends of the laid tube into it.
6. The next step is to connect the power supply. A wire is connected to the anode and cathode, which will stretch to the power source and regulator.
7. Next you need to check whether the system is working. It is necessary to measure the insulation resistance of the heating cable and check whether its values ​​correspond to those written in the instructions.
8. Next we move on to pouring the screed. After the pipes have been laid and the system has been tested, beacons must be installed and a solution of cement and sand must be poured. A damper tape should be laid around the perimeter of the pouring area, which will reduce the load on the interior partitions if the screed expands.
9. Installation of finishing flooring. After completely dry screeds can be used to lay floor coverings. To do this, you can use materials such as porcelain stoneware, tiles, natural stone, linoleum.
10. If you cannot complete the screed, then you can resort to other methods of installing heated floors, for example, a polystyrene system.

The installation of a heating system of this type can become an additional load for the beams. That is why, before starting work, it is necessary to calculate the possible increase in loads on supporting structures.

In this case, it is better to use for thermal insulation mineral wool. It must be laid in layers on laid crosswise wooden beams, playing the role of a frame. Then polystyrene slabs are laid over the entire area, into which heat-distributing plates are mounted directly.

When choosing the type of heated floor heating, you have to decide: to install a water or electric heated floor. Electric is easier to install, but expensive to operate. You have to pay a little for water heating every month, but its installation is complicated and very expensive (if you also install a boiler, mixing unit, collector). But today there is a symbiosis of both systems, combining the advantages of both systems: water (liquid) electric heated floor. By the way, this is the only option for a water heated floor without a pump; in any other version the system will not work. There are two offers on the market today:

• From the Korean campaign Daewoo Enertec. Her product is called XL Pipe (X-L Pipe).
• The UNIMAT AQUA capillary floor is from another fairly famous Korean campaign, Caleo, but you need to take into account that the products of the Russian branch of this campaign are sold in our country.

The systems are the same only in that there are pipes filled with liquid hidden in them, and that the coolant is heated by electricity. But the heating elements themselves and the method of heating the liquid are different. Read more about each of the systems below.

Liquid Electric Floor XL Pipe

The novelty of this system is in the structure of the heating element: pipes made of structured polyethylene (thick-walled with a diameter of 20 mm), filled with coolant. A heating cable is inserted inside the entire length. This is not an ordinary cable, but seven strands of chrome-nickel alloy with a Teflon sheath. Pipes with cable and coolant are sealed hermetically. The coolant is static and does not move, therefore, in a system of water electric heated floors, a pump is not needed, like a boiler and a collector.

Warm floor XL Pipe (X-L Pipe) from the Korean campaign Daewoo Enertec - electric-water heating

Antifreeze is used as a coolant, so it would be more correct to call this system “liquid electric underfloor heating,” but that’s not the point. Everything should be installed in a screed: this way the heat spreads more evenly. It turns out that this design eliminates the main drawback of water heating: uneven heating, because the temperature of the liquid, and therefore the floor, is the same throughout. This option does not have a common “disease” electric heating— the electric-water heated floor is not afraid of locking, that is, you can place and move furniture and large equipment wherever you want.

Warm floors "Daewoo" can be used as the main heating or as simply heated floors to increase comfort: the heating power depends on the step of laying the heating pipes, which you choose yourself.

System composition and operating principle

As with any heating system, to operate and maintain a stable temperature, you need a thermostat (thermostat) with a floor temperature sensor. They are installed in the same way as for conventional electric floors; a special thermostat is needed specifically for this type of equipment.

The operating principle of XL Pipe is as follows: when the power is turned on, the heating cable heats the coolant (this is antifreeze special staff). Heating occurs very quickly: the volume of liquid is very small, and thermal power decent. When a liquid is heated in a closed volume, high blood pressure, which promotes faster heating and uniform heat distribution (nucleate boiling). Therefore, such a warm floor reaches operating temperatures much faster than usual.

The manufacturer of water-electric heated floors Daewoo Enertec guarantees the reliability, environmental friendliness and safety of its system. To absorb excess pressure that occurs when the coolant is heated, an extinguishing system has been developed and patented, stabilizing the state of the heating element. You can probably trust them - the warranty period is 10 years, and the service life is stated to be 50 years. The difficulty is that the system is still new and reviews from the owners of this miracle could not be found.

But the best part is this: they say that electric-water heated floors can be repaired. True, only service technicians can carry out the work - special equipment is used. But what is good is that for repairs you do not need to break the entire screed, and it will take several hours to repair the damage. If the integrity of the cable is damaged, the leakage zone is easily determined: liquid seeps out and a stain appears on the screed. At this point you will need to break the tie. Then, having opened the installation box, carry out some manipulations using special equipment. About ourselves repair work oh it's told in the video.

Why is XL Pipe economical?

Manufacturers of the system claim that the system is more economical to operate than electric floors (20-30% lower electricity bills) and less expensive to install than water floors (no boiler, mixing and manifold units and circulation pump required).

Thus, the savings consist of two parts:

• Less financial costs at the installation stage (compared to the installation of water heated floors).
• Lower monthly heating costs (compared to electric heating).

Due to which installation costs are lower, it’s clear: you don’t need a boiler, a mixing and collecting unit, or a circulation pump. Requires an electric water pipe and a thermostat with temperature sensor. But about savings on heating, it is necessary to explain: since the coolant does not move, it heats up very quickly. And no losses for heating the air at the mixing, collector unit. All the heat is coming for floor heating. Therefore the costs are lower. At least that's what the manufacturers say.

Installation of XL Pipe (X-L Pipe)

The entire installation sequence repeats the process of installing water systems down to the smallest detail:

As you can see, water electric heated floors in the installation are practically no different from a water heating device (except for connecting the thermostat and the electrical assembly of the system). After the screed has dried (28 days or no less), you can lay flooring. You can see the installation sequence in the video.

Capillary heated floor UNIMAT AQUA

These water-based electric heated floors have a different operating principle. The main difference here is the diameter of the pipes: it is very small, hence the name - capillary. These tubes are connected to a small device, which simultaneously heats the coolant, controls its temperature and creates pressure in the system (closed system).

Since the diameter of the pipes is small, the system contains a small amount of water - up to 6 liters (necessarily distilled) and its heating is handled by a small heater (no more than 2.4 kW). Therefore, to install this version of a liquid-electric floor, a separate input is not required, although it is better to connect it through an RCD and an automatic circuit breaker.

The maximum heating area is 20m2. Therefore, the system is not very suitable for large rooms, although several devices can be installed that operate independently of each other. Guarantee period- 5 years.

Composition of the capillary floor system and its capabilities

In order to assemble this type of heating, you will need at least two kits: basic and additional. The basic UNIMAT AQUA kit includes an assembled control unit, two pieces of connecting pipe and an installation kit (bushings, tees and clamps), with which the pipeline is assembled and connected. An additional kit is one or two coils of capillary tubes for different area(from 10m2 to 20m2). In addition, for installation you will need insulation, damping tape, a heat-reflecting layer and fasteners for tubes, as well as cement-sand mortar with a plasticizer for pouring the screed (or a special composition).

Basic set of capillary floor UNIMAT AQUA

The main advantage of this system is the fairly large functionality of the control unit. Here's what the capillary system control unit can do:

• Maintain antifreeze mode (temperature +15 o C).
• Control either the condition of the coolant or the room temperature of your choice.
• Maintain the power that you set yourself when starting the system (factory setting is 2.4 kW, but you can set it from 0.1 kW to 2.4 kW).
• Using the timer, you can set the system shutdown time.

Installation of UNIMAT AQUA

As with electric heating systems, everything needs to start with choosing the installation location for the control unit. It is located on the wall, at a height of 1-1.2 meters from the floor level. The installation method is hinged, so there is no need to make holes. You need to securely attach the mounting plate, that's all. Please note that the device is plugged into an outlet, so choose a place close to it.

Connecting pipes from the capillary floor will be supplied to the control unit and to lay them you will need grooves in the wall (or you can lay them in a plastic mounting box mounted on the wall).

Installation diagram of capillary floors from Caleo (click on the picture to enlarge)

The installation of capillary tubes is standard: in the screed. There are no differences from the water heating device or from the method described above. The same requirements apply to the base (must be level) and an excellent degree of thermal insulation is desirable. The “pie” and the editing sequence are similar. The laying pattern in the screed is a double snake (see the figure), the laying step is 10-12cm, the distance from the walls is 10-15cm or more. After laying the heating tubes, they are connected using the components from the installation kit with connecting ones (included in the basic kit). Connecting tubes easy to distinguish - they have a square cross-section. For greater maintainability of the system, it is advisable to place the connection point in a mounting box fixed to the floor. And from it, run solid pipes to the control unit (in a groove or mounting box on the wall). The control unit has special small pipes onto which the connecting tubes are pulled.

Control unit - the heart and brain of the capillary system of the electric water floor

The next stage of installation is filling the system. Poured into intake hole distilled water. Then the system is tested: the heating temperature is set on the control unit and the system begins to operate. After checking, the heating is turned off and the water is not drained. When the coolant has cooled (but not cold), begin pouring the screed. Its thickness is from 3cm to 5cm. The capillary underfloor heating system can only be put into operation after the screed has completely dried (at least 28 days).

Advantages and disadvantages of a capillary heated floor system

This version of the water-electric floor can only be used to increase comfort. It does not have enough power for main heating. The advantage is the safety of the system (no electricity in the floor), which allows it to be installed in wet areas (for example, in the washing compartment of a bathhouse) without any restrictions. On the other hand, the disadvantages of water heated floors remain to some extent: from the block the water is flowing hotter, and therefore the floor warms up unevenly. The disadvantage is not so pronounced due to the recommended double snake when laying pipes, as well as due to the small volume of the system, which allows maintaining a small temperature difference between the supply and return pipelines.

There is no data on the maintainability of the system, although the main problem area is the connection of heating and connecting pipes— it is recommended to place it in a separate accessible box, which provides for the possibility of repair. All other parts that may fail are located in the control unit, so repairs are possible.

Results

Water-based electric heated floors are an interesting floor heating option in all aspects. XL Pipe (X-L Pipe) seems more advantageous, but it also costs more, but it provides the possibility of using it as the main heating (power at good insulation enough). If you just need a comfortable floor temperature in relatively small rooms, including high humidity, then the UNIMAT AQUA capillary heated floor looks more acceptable, although this is also your choice.

When choosing one of the most widely used types of underfloor heating today, many have a desire to increase efficiency due to the high reliability of electrical systems and the cost-effectiveness of heating water equipment. The advantages of each of them were combined using liquid electric heating XL PIPE for large rooms or capillary heating for rooms up to 20 m2.

The operating principle of such a heating system is that an electric current is passed through the heating element, as a result of which the coolant is heated at a relatively high speed. Due to the fact that the space is sealed and heat loss is minimized, the process occurs with maximum energy efficiency. In this case, the screed and floor covering are heated. As a result, the floor surface acts as a radiator that heats the room.

Installation of electric water heated floor

The electric water floor consists of the following elements:

• coolant (antifreeze is used);
• cross-linked polyethylene pipe with a diameter of 20 mm (;
• pressure absorption device;
• heating element, which consists of two wires resistant to high temperatures cable with Teflon insulation (in most cases its power is 40 W per linear meter;
• end couplings at both ends of the tube;
• thermostat (connected by two wires coming out of the end coupling).

Advantages of using a water electric floor

High efficiency compared to other underfloor heating systems

• Liquid underfloor heating allows for longer heat accumulation during operation compared to cable systems (4 versus 2 hours).
• No heat losses due to the absence of coolant circulation, unlike classical types of equipment.
• Ease of repair and minimal maintenance costs due to the ability to provide easy access to the site electrical connections– distribution box.
• There is no need to install a circulation pump.

Possibility of repair without opening the screed

Water-electric heated floors in most cases allow repair work to be carried out through junction box. This allows you to perform such work as replacing the heating cable, end coupling, and adding antifreeze. At mechanical damage pipes, it is possible to install a clamping two-end fitting, which will allow the system to continue full operation.

High reliability of the water heated floor circuit from electricity

• The service life of the systems is approximately 50 years. Most manufacturers (Unimat Aqua, Caleo, Arnold Rak) provide a 10-year warranty.
• There is minimal risk of heating cable burnout, as it is located in such a way that it is in constant contact with the coolant.
• It is possible to automate the operation of the capillary heating system.
• High level of operational safety.
• There is no danger of the system freezing in the absence of heating during the cold season. This allows the installation of XL PIPE or capillary systems to be considered the optimal step for country houses, which is used seasonally.

Despite the similar installation method, the operating principle of an electric water heated floor ensures stability of the heating temperature both at the inlet and outlet of the circuit. This ensures uniform heating of the surface. In addition, it is worth noting that this particular type of heating can be used in combination with any type of coating. In order to find out more detailed information about the benefits of installing capillary or XL PIPE heating systems, it is enough to consult with a specialist. Call us and make an informed decision.

There is often a debate about the efficiency of water and electric floor heating systems. And recently a combination of them appeared. It is not water, but antifreeze that is used as a coolant, therefore it is more correct to call the system not water-electric, but liquid.

Features of electric-water heated floors

There are two types of liquid heated floors:

Let's dwell on the features of each.

Liquid underfloor heating XL PIPE

This type of liquid heated floor consists of a pipe with a diameter of 2 cm through which antifreeze flows. To heat the antifreeze, there is a heating cable inside the pipe along the entire length.

Attention! When electric current flows through the cable, it causes a temperature effect on the antifreeze, which causes nucleate boiling. The system is characterized by the fact that it boils quickly and retains heat for a long time.

For example: to heat one square meter of floor you need to use 14-15 W, and the floor takes twice as long to cool down. Therefore, heating costs are low.

Distinctive features of XL PIPE liquid floor heating from cable ones:

• No electromagnetic radiation.
• Doesn't overheat. You can make a contour throughout the room without being afraid to position and move furniture.
• Maintainability. A local malfunction can be detected by antifreeze leakage that comes to the surface. WITH electric cable remove the entire screed.

It is not necessary to install a heating system in the entire room. Electric water The heated floor is installed for a small area of ​​the room, equipped with an operating intensity regulator.

Capillary liquid heated floor

A distinctive feature of capillary heated floors is the diameter of the pipe: miniature. That's why they called it capillary. The principle of operation is as follows: the tubes are connected into a closed circuit, into which a device is mounted for heating the coolant and controlling the temperature.

Since the diameter of the pipe is minimal, a small volume of water is used: 6 liters is enough, and distilled water. To heat the liquid, 2.4 kW of power is required.

The system is designed for small rooms. Maximum area – 20 square meters, but multiple systems can be installed when large areas need to be heated. Warranty period - 5 years.

To make such a system, you need to use two kits, which are divided into basic and additional. For example: the basic kit of the Unimat Aqua model contains:

• Control block;
• connecting pipes – 2 pieces;
• mounting kit (fasteners).

An additional kit is a coil of capillary tubes (for heating an area of ​​10-20 m2). You will need damper tape, thermal insulation material, fasteners for tubes and sand-cement mortar.

• Maintains a temperature of +15 degrees to prevent freezing.
• Monitors the condition of the coolant or temperature condition premises. Selected at your discretion and desire.
• Maintains the specified power consumption.
• Programmable on/off time.

Both innovative systems have a lot of advantages and have gained popularity among consumers.

Advantages over water system

Advantages of electro-liquid heated floors over water heated floors. If you use an electro-fluid floor instead of a water heated floor, you will definitely benefit. That's why:

• Refusal to use the boiler. The boiler is the most expensive element. If you buy electric boilers, then they are cheaper, but consume a lot of electricity. Gas ones are more expensive, but the costs will not be recouped quickly because they consume a lot of gas.
• Refusal of the boiler allows you to refuse other elements. For example: the need for expansion tank disappears. This is savings Money, and there is no need to rack your brains about organic use in the interior of the house.
• The coolant is heated stationary, so there is no need to move it. This gives advantages and allows the floor coverings to be heated evenly. Therefore, a circulation pump is not needed.
• Uniform heating facilitates the installation process and does not require complex calculations for choosing a contour.
• Possibility of installation in apartment buildings. You do not need permission from the housing office, as in the case of combining water heated floors with main heating.
• When disconnected and not used in winter time You don’t have to worry that the system will freeze and the pipes will burst.

But for the sake of objectivity, it should be noted what the disadvantages of the water innovative electric heated floor are:

Can't do without a screed

• Used with concrete screed. Because on wooden coverings not recommended, as the screed will become an unbearable burden for wooden floors. And if you abandon the concrete screed, then there is a risk of fire, although it is minimized.
• The boiler can be used as a double-circuit boiler. Therefore, using a boiler is not always an unnecessary waste: it heats water for domestic needs. If you use liquid systems, then you will not be able to completely abandon the boiler in a private house, especially if there is no central heating.

The advantages of liquid heated floors over water ones are limited.

Installation technology for liquid heated floors

There are no differences in the installation technology of liquid heated floors. A concrete screed is required.

Distributor

Stock up for installation standard set materials:

• Thermal insulation.
• Damper tape.
• Foil sheet to reflect radiation.

Installation consists of performing the following tasks:

• Reduce heat loss into the underground space. To do this, lay thermal insulation material.
• Select a layout for the heating elements so that there are no areas with cold floors.
• Install temperature sensors and a thermostat to monitor and allow the heated floor to work autonomously.

There is no need to draw the outline out. IN in this case there is no collector, and the heating circuits are connected to the distributor, which is mounted in two ways:

• Under the concrete screed next to the heating circuits.
• On the wall, retreating from the surface of the screed to a height of 10-15 cm.

Regardless of the location of the distributor, route the wires to the thermostat. After connection and testing, cover with concrete screed. Experts recommend a layer of 3-5 cm. Using a thick layer is impractical, because the heating circuit operates at low power. But in order to increase efficiency, there is no need to use a thin layer, because the tubes may be damaged.

Attention! You can use several autonomous circuits that are controlled by thermostats.

When laying, it is more profitable to use a double snake, while the optimal step between the branches is 10-15 cm. Do not forget about the need to retreat from the walls by 10-15 cm.

Snake outline

Combined underfloor heating runs on either distilled water or antifreeze. At the same time, power consumption is lower and energy costs are lower.

Electric water heated floor

Electric water heated floors: what is the distinctive feature of pipes for XL PIPE and capillary systems, what are the advantages over conventional water floors, pros and cons.

Electric water heated floor

Having decided to create a heated floor system in an apartment or house, owners are faced with another choice problem - which heating technology for the lower part of the premises to choose. Now there are different types of systems on the market. Some of them run on water, others run on electricity. However, not everyone knows that there is also an electric-water heated floor - one of the newest technologies, which has already gained good authority among many craftsmen and those who have tried this floor heating system.

Electric water heated floor

Water or electric floor: which is better?

Why do people still argue about which floor is better - water-powered or electric-powered? The thing is that these heating technologies differ from each other in installation features and have certain advantages and disadvantages. And the choice is not always easy to make.

Warm floor - which is better?

Features of water floors

This is a rather complex system to install, which operates on a coolant such as hot water. The advantage of water heating is that this type is quite economical during operation.

Connection diagram for a water heated floor to a boiler

The main disadvantage is the complexity and some installation features. For example, it is not in all cases allowed to connect a water heated floor to a central heating system - for this you must obtain permission from management company. In a private house, you will need to install a boiler to heat water, which is also related to the operating features of this type of heating system. The boiler itself can, depending on its type, take up quite a lot of space in the house; this also needs to be taken into account when choosing this heating system.

Water heated floor

Also, to install a water heating system for underfloor heating, a lot of preparatory work will have to be done. It is worth remembering that before putting such a floor into operation cement strainer should dry well.

Features of electric floors

This heating system operates, as you might guess, on the basis of electricity. The heat generated by special cables or mats is transferred directly to the finishing floor covering, due to which the floor becomes tactilely pleasant, cozy and warm.

Electric heating floor connection diagram

The main difference from a water floor is that in this case the surface is always heated equally, while the water runs through the pipes constantly and has time to cool down before the next heating. This is both an advantage and a disadvantage of this type heating

Electric heated floor

On a note! Because of this feature, electric floors cannot always be used. Everything will depend on what kind of flooring is being installed, as well as on the location of the furniture in the apartment. However, the places where wardrobes and sofas are located can simply be bypassed when laying electric floors.

Electric floors are divided into film and cable. The first is laid on the surface of the screed directly under the finishing coating, the second, similar to a water floor, is filled with a cement screed.

Installing infrared film heated floors under the laminate

With the help of both types of underfloor heating, you can easily install heating in any home. However, choosing between them is always difficult. But technology does not stand still, and now there is an electric water floor on sale that combines the advantages of both types.

Liquid electric floor

Electric water floor is combined view heating systems that combine the advantages of both water and electric heating.

On a note! Calling such a floor water is not entirely correct. Some models do not use water as a coolant - antifreeze is pumped into the tubes. Thus, correct name for this underfloor heating system there will be a “liquid floor”.

Autonomous heating system AS-22

The design and principle of operation of a liquid electric floor

This type of underfloor heating is a system of tubes or one long, thick-walled tube. When the liquid heating system is turned on, the coolant is heated, due to which a certain pressure is created and antifreeze or distilled water begins to boil (different coolants are used in different systems). This is how thermal energy is generated.

Electric-water heated floor

Advantages of electric-water heated floors

In order to fully appreciate all the benefits of liquid heated floors, it is important to know its advantages, which distinguish this system from other analogues. And electric water systems have many advantages over conventional water systems:

• they do not need to be connected to a heating boiler or heating system;
• the system does not require a pump to operate;
• when installing the floor, you will not have to install a manifold and distribution cabinet;
• the volume of liquid contained inside the system is small, and therefore the likelihood of flooding of the apartment or even severe leakage of equipment is completely excluded;
• heating of the system is as uniform as possible, the liquid inside the tube does not have time to cool;
• ease of installation compared to water systems.

Electro-water heated floor ASOT AS-07

The liquid system also has considerable advantages over the electric ones:

• since the cable is constantly inside the liquid, its overheating and burnout are excluded, unlike an electric cable simply laid in a screed;
• Repairing a liquid floor is easy. For example, adding antifreeze or replacing a heating element can simply be done through a special installation box. And the damaged area can be identified by small spots on the screed;
• thermal energy is stored not only inside the screed, but also in the pipe itself, due to which the heating effect lasts longer.

Liquid electric floor has its advantages

If we compare liquid floors with film floors (which are also, in fact, electric), then the former can be used in a room with any humidity level, which distinguishes them favorably from the latter. Also, liquid-based floors can be installed under absolutely any floor covering.

Liquid electric floor can be used at any humidity level

There are two main models of electric-water heated floors. These are XL Pipe (Korea, Daewoo Enertec) and Unimat Aqua (Korea, Caleo). They have design differences.

On a note! Unimat Aqua systems are also produced in Russia. And this is worth remembering when choosing products.

These are two absolutely different designs, which only have general principle work - the coolant is heated by electricity. But the heaters and heating mechanism are somewhat different.

Liquid Electric Floor XL Pipe

This type of underfloor heating consists of one long, thick-walled tube with a diameter of 2 cm, which is made of a special type of polyethylene. This element is a “container” for the coolant, which is a certain brand of antifreeze. A seven-core Teflon-lined cable made of chromium-nickel metal is laid inside the pipe. The pipe is sealed at both ends, due to which there is no circulation of coolant, which, in turn, eliminates the need to purchase any other equipment.

Liquid Electric Floor XL Pipe

On a note! The approximate electricity consumption of this system is 14.5 watts/m2.

Heating due to the liquid system occurs quickly and evenly, allowing for heating of the entire surface of the finishing coating. At the same time, such a floor cools down for a very long time. The advantages of a liquid floor include the fact that it is not afraid of pressure from the outside, that is, on finishing coat where such a system is located, you can safely place furniture - it will not harm the heating.

Water heated floor XL PIPE

Installation of XL Pipe is carried out inside the screed, or rather, the laid system is poured cement mortar about 4-5 cm thick. The pipes are laid according to a specific pattern. For installation you will also need a thermostat and a temperature sensor. At the same time, there are no special installation features for these elements - they are mounted in exactly the same way as when installing other types of heating. Unless you have to purchase a specific thermostat designed specifically for liquid electric floors. A mounting box 12x12x14 cm is also useful.

Installation of heated floor XL Pipe

The XL Pipe system is reliability, safety and environmental friendliness in one type of equipment. The warranty period is 10 years, but in general, use the system when correct installation maybe about 50 years.

Main stages of installation

Table. Characteristics and cost of XL Pipe floors.

Electric-water heated floor: types, characteristics, prices and installation

Find out everything about Electric-water heated floors! Features and characteristics, types, manufacturers and prices, step by step instructions on installation, photo + video.

Liquid electric heated floor

Today this is the most promising option for underfloor heating, the installation of which is carried out in a screed. Liquid electric flooring is compatible with any existing floor coverings, with the exception of natural parquet and cork.

This is explained by the fact that these materials do not allow them to be heated to more than 28 degrees. If desired, the parquet can be replaced with a special brand that is compatible with heated floors, called engineered parquet.

This allows the use of heated floors of the specified design as the main heating system of the facility.

The design and principle of operation of a liquid electric floor

The main difference in the design of this floor is its heating element. Liquid electric floor is thick-walled pipe two-centimeter diameter, made from special polyethylene.

Coolant (a special brand of antifreeze) is poured into this pipe. In it, along the entire length of the pipe, a chrome-nickel cable with seven cores is laid, lined with high-resistant Teflon. Both ends of the pipe are sealed. The filled coolant is stationary, which makes it possible to do without additional equipment(see comparison with water floors below).

The coolant, when heated, creates excess pressure, nucleate boiling occurs, leading to uniform and rapid heating of the entire system.

Advantages of liquid flooring and differences from other systems

If we compare liquid electric floors with the main analogues that are currently offered in trade, we can see that electric-water heated floors have significant advantages over each of them.

For convenience, we will carry out comparative analysis in the form of a table.

Popular models of liquid electric floor

The greatest demand in the Russian market is for heated floors produced by the South Korean company Daewoo Enertec, which, from 2003 to the present, has occupied a leading position in this market segment.

The company offers customers all currently existing types of heated floors. The liquid electric floor is presented in the models it produces as an option x-l pipe professional.

Liquid-electric floors are deservedly positioned as energy-saving. This is due to the fact that:

• the heat accumulated by the coolant allows, when the power supply is turned off, the floors of these structures to cool at half the rate of their purely electric counterparts;
• x-l pipe liquid electric floors allow you to organize zoned and spot heating. To do this, it is no longer necessary to confuse the entire system;
• correctly distributed in the system heat flows provide these floors with an advantage of almost 12 percent compared to classic radiators (other heating devices);
• the liquid electric floor does not generate EMR during operation, therefore, it is harmless to people;
• the floors of this design do not freeze to minus 20 degrees at sub-zero outside temperatures;
• savings of an additional 8 - 15 percent are ensured due to the fact that the coolant is motionless, therefore, there are no heat losses that occur when it moves in classic water floor models.

Liquid electric warm floor x-l pipe professional has a multi-layer insulated heating element, which guarantees high reliability and long-term availability.

By purchasing a daewoo enertec liquid electric heated floor, you provide your home with a high-quality heating system.

In order to calculate a water floor with your own hands, preliminary collection of initial information is required. You will need to evaluate the room and make a sketch of it

Today, all existing models of pumps for warm water floors are circulation and are divided into several types according to the principle of operation and differences in design.

The heating system, which is based on warm water floors, can be controlled in manual or automatic modes.

The installation scheme for a warm water floor requires compliance with a number of requirements aimed at increasing the reliability of the device, durability and increasing its heat transfer.

Liquid electric heated floor: advantages, design and principle of operation

Liquid electric flooring is compatible with any existing floor coverings. They allow you to organize zoned and spot heating. To do this, you no longer need to confuse the entire system.

Water electric heated floors XL Pipe

In most cases, for arranging heated floors, preference is given to water or electric heating. So, electric is much easier to install and operate. As for water heating, such heating is expensive in cost, however, in operation it is much superior to electric heating, especially if the system is equipped with a mixing unit, manifold, etc. However, engineers don't stop there. The symbiosis of these two systems has borne fruit - XL Pipe water-based electric heated floors. This technology combines all the advantages of two systems known to us; in this article you will learn about them in more detail.

New on the market XL Pipe

The novelty lies in the special structure of the heating element. It consists of a pipe made of structured polyethylene, its diameter is 20 mm. The inside of the pipe is filled with coolant. The entire length of the cable is inserted inside. This is not the same cable used in electric floor heating. It consists of 7 threads of chrome-nickel alloy with a Teflon sheath. This entire structure has a hermetically sealed structure. The coolant inside the pipe is static and does not move.

One of the features of the XL Pipe heating system is that there is no need to install a circulation pump, manifold and boiler to heat the floor.

Unlike a water heated floor, where the coolant can be water, in liquid-electric heating the coolant can only be antifreeze. The entire piping system is installed under the screed. Due to this, the heat will be evenly distributed over the surface. This development is devoid of the main drawback of the water system - uneven heating, because antifreeze always has a stable temperature without fluctuations. Also, electric-water heating has no other drawback electric heating. XL Pipe is lock-resistant. If you place large equipment and furniture on the floor wherever you want, this will not affect the quality of heating.

XL Pipe heating can be installed as the main heating system in the house. If you need to increase the heating power, then reduce the laying step.

How does it work

Liquid-electric heating is similar to other heating systems in that it is also equipped with a thermostat and temperature sensor for temperature control. Only in this case a special thermostat is required, which is sold complete with the XL Pipe system. On what principle does the heating system work?

When the heating cable is connected, it heats the coolant. Due to the fact that the volume of coolant is small, heating occurs very quickly. In this case, high thermal output is observed. In the process of heating the liquid, it creates high pressure. This in turn promotes uniform and rapid distribution of thermal energy (known as nucleate boiling).

As a result, the XL Pipe system very quickly reaches operating temperature. But how does the system cope with excess pressure? The manufacturer has developed and patented a repayment system, which is to stabilize the heating state. The operating life of XL Pipe underfloor heating is 50 years, and the warranty is 10 years. The only problem is that this heating method is new and doesn't have many reviews.

Specifications

The main feature of electric-water heating is that it can be repaired. And for this you do not need to break the entire screed. If a wire breaks, the location of the leak is very easy to determine. A wet spot will appear on the surface, and this is where repair work will need to be carried out.

Only service specialists can repair the XL Pipe water-electric heating. Doing this task yourself will be problematic.

Some specifications systems at the same time have advantages that are worth mentioning separately:

• Economical. There are no heat losses. 100% of thermal energy is directed into the room. Pipes retain heat for a long time, thereby reducing energy consumption. Savings are also achieved by the fact that there is no need to install a boiler, pump, manifold and other components.
• Easy to install and operate. The heating system can be installed under any floor covering. There are no restrictions here. If malfunctions occur, repairs can be made through the operational panel.
• Safety. The system does not emit electromagnetic waves dangerous to humans.
• Long service life. The pipe system has high strength and reliability against rupture, as there is technology to absorb high pressure. Pipes can withstand frosts down to -20°C.
• Autonomy. XL Pipe water-based electric heated floors can be installed both in houses and apartments as the main heating system.

The entire process of installing a heated floor is quite simple. It can be done in several successive steps:

1. The first step is to insulate the floor. The walls around the entire perimeter of the room are also insulated.
2. A heat-reflecting metallized layer is laid on the rough screed.
3. Next, a system for fixing the pipes is installed. This can be a poppy mesh or a special mounting tape.
4. At this stage the cable is laid. The ends of the pipes are inserted into a special mounting box, which is installed on the floor. The installation principle is similar to the installation/connection of a thermostat for electric floor heating.
5. Pouring heated floor screed. This The final stage, which should be taken very seriously.

So after a little review new technology we can conclude: XL Pipe water-electric floor heating is truly the best existing heating system. However, time will tell everything. Based on the research and a few user reviews, this system is gradually occupying its niche in the heated floor market. Of course, the prices for such heating may seem high, however, the quality is completely justified. If you are already using the benefits of such a heating system, then please write reviews about the work of XL Pipe at the end of this article.

Water electric heated floors XL Pipe - installation technology

Find out what XL Pipe underfloor heating is all about. The article talks about its main features.

Which heated floors are better, water or electric - 2 factors of choice.

Most often, the installation of heated floors is not carried out independently, but certain specialists are invited to do this. In order to control the quality of execution, it is necessary to have minimal critical knowledge in this area.

So what do you need to know?

First of all, decide on the type of heated floors. They can be of two types:

Where to use which and why?

Warm floors as the main and additional type of heating are most often used:

• in a country cottage or dacha

• in an apartment in a multi-storey building

In a private house, you are your own boss and are free to choose any type, option and any heating scheme. There are no restrictions here. But in the apartment, nuances and restrictions already appear.

In the apartment it can be taken from two sources:

The radiator heating system is inconvenient for two reasons:

Accordingly, your heated floors will remain idle for most of the year.

First of all, it's not cheap. And secondly, it takes up significant space in the room.

Theoretically, you can connect, but you need to provide enough low temperature for heated floors. A direct connection will be accompanied by temperatures of 70 degrees or higher, and this will simply overheat the floor covering.

You will not be able to legally register your connection in any instance. And if such a fact is revealed during an inspection, you can easily run into a fine. Plus they will force you to dismantle everything at your own expense.

Therefore, water heated floors in apartment building Most competent specialists do not recommend installing:

• heating systems are uncomfortable

• from DHW it is impossible

You can, of course, come up with an autonomous container with water, but do not forget that the rules prohibit placing “wet zones” above the living quarters of neighbors. And a water heated floor will be considered such a zone. Unless you live on the ground floor.

The only option left is with electric heated floors.

But if you have a private house, then there is already a richer choice here. You can choose either electric or water heating. But what is better to choose?

Many people in this situation still make their choice in favor of water heated floors. This is explained by the fact that people are afraid of the influence of electromagnetic radiation on the body, which electric heated floors supposedly have.

Meanwhile, all manufacturers have long been required to have certificates and papers confirming the safety of their products. And all heating cables are shielded.

If we consider how many WiFi, GSM and other networks there are around us, then electric floors are not the biggest evil. However, this does not convince the majority that they are right.

In their opinion, this may also be suitable for the bathroom, but if this is the main heating in all rooms, then any headaches or illnesses will automatically be attributed to electric heated floors.

Well, the second one important point– this is the absolute maintainability of water floors anywhere. Moreover, you can do such repairs yourself, at home.

If the heating cable of an electric mat is damaged, you will have to either rip off the entire tile and replace it entirely, or call specialists with equipment to burn through and search for the short circuit with a thermal imager, followed by installation of couplings.

Moreover, the search for some accidents, even for them, can cause certain insoluble difficulties.

Therefore, safety and maintainability are the two factors that incline many people to choose water heated floors as the main source of heating. The electric option remains only as an additional heat source.

But here are the factors that can scare away water heated floors:

You need a boiler, a mixing unit, a manifold and much more, which electric heating can easily do without.

• constant audit work

Water replacement, scale on heating elements, pump breakdowns, leaks from low-quality pipes. In short, many installers with water-based floors earn many times more, and not only during their installation, but also during further maintenance.

Naturally, it is beneficial for them to convince their customers about the dangers of electricity and warm floors based on them.

Personally, your choice should depend on two variables:

• budget for installation and necessary subsequent maintenance

If there are no problems with this, then go to the store for water floors.

• lack of prejudice and faith in modern technology

If this sounds like you, then electric heated floors are exactly what you need.

The two most popular varieties are:

Infrared film

What should you pay attention to when choosing infrared film?

It is a sheet with soldered copper conductors. Between them, with a very small gap, current carbon tracks are laid, which are the heating element.

First of all, look at your contacts. They must be soldered.

If they are made with pistons, such a connection is extremely unreliable. Excessive heating will occur here, creating a potential fire area.

The film acts as a separator between the base of the heated floor and the decorative coating. Therefore, it cannot be laid where the screed will be poured.

It will not fit under tiles. But it fits perfectly:

• under the carpet

If you lay a heating cable under the same materials, then due to the distance between the turns (laying pitch) you will clearly feel the boundary between heat and cold - a thermal zebra.

The film heats the entire surface evenly. True, some are afraid that with such heating of the laminate, harmful substances will be released from it. And therefore you need to buy a special product labeled “for heated floors.”

This is wrong. The sun heats up laminate flooring much more when it shines directly through a window. And nothing harmful is released.

There are also concerns about dry air and dust, which warm floors inevitably raise. Here everything depends not on the heating operating mode, the presence or complete absence of radiators in the rooms, but on ventilation.

Provide a regular supply fresh air, and there will be no problems. And if you block all the windows, then even with the central heating radiators you will be suffocated.

Approximate calculation of electricity consumption when heating a house with film heated floors:

Where is the best place to use a heating cable? Where you will have minimal screed, or tiles with glue – i.e. kitchen and bathroom.

As a rule, after completion of the work by the builders, there can be no talk of any full-fledged screed. The maximum you have left is 5-6cm.

If it’s even less, then the choice is clear – only a heating mat. It can be laid directly into the layer of tile adhesive.

The disadvantage of an electric heated floor is that in addition to your room, you will also warm the ceiling from below. You will also heat your neighbors at your own expense.

You have a warm floor, they have a warm ceiling.

Comparison table for the efficiency of heating cable and film infrared floors:

You can compare current prices for heated floors with heating cables or mats and infrared film, as well as their components, here.

A pie with water floors should ideally look like this:

• pipes with coolant are mounted on this surface

• then the cake comes with an adhesive layer and a tile or other covering

The approximate thickness of the entire slab is 130-140mm. Under this condition, all the heat will be spent on your room, and not go downstairs.

Don't waste your money. In addition, without reinforcement of a thin screed, as a result of the destruction of foil insulation, subsidence and cracking of the floor covering may occur.

The best solution is to use extruded polystyrene foam with a density of 35 kg/m3 or multifoil as insulation.

The basis of multifoil is air pockets in the form of tablets or pimples. They are very durable and you can’t just crush them.

You can safely walk on them for as long as you like. Moreover, the aluminum coating is applied on the reverse side, i.e. It is not possible to damage or corrode it with a screed.

2 Be sure to use edge insulation.

This is a kind of damper that is laid along the perimeter of the slab with a heated floor. It is necessary to compensate for the expansion of the screed, which inevitably occurs when it is heated.

If this is not done, the concrete screed will rest against the walls and it will have two options: either break the walls themselves, or break itself. When pouring, the edge of the damper film should be higher than the screed, then the excess is cut off.

3 If you have big square pouring (more than 20m2), it must be separated with compensation tape.

Since all the expansion during heating of such a concrete layer, flanging alone cannot compensate.

4 The warm water floor coil must be made from a single piece of pipe, without joints.

5 Never use compression fittings, i.e. those connections where there are nuts and threads.

None of this should end up in your screed.

6 If the customer and contractor are poorly versed in preparing solutions, then the recommended height of a full screed should be 85mm or 7cm from the top wall of the heating element.

This thickness of concrete will help save you from cracking even with not very high-quality cement.

In addition, 85mm helps with striping (thermal zebra). And lastly, this is the inertia of such a screed.

If your energy source is electricity, at night, at a cheaper tariff, you can “overclock” the heated floor and not turn on the boiler all day. The stored heat should be enough until the evening.

This heating mode costs approximately 3 times less than usual.

7 Don’t skimp and add a special plasticizer for heated floors to the screed.

Ultimately, you want to get concrete that can easily withstand temperature deformations.

8 Reinforcement is done as a last resort.

First of all, when you are forced to fill in only 50-60mm of screed instead of 85mm. But this should be avoided if possible.

9 There is no need to cut any holes in the substrate down to the concrete base, supposedly for high-quality adhesion.

Even if this coupling occurs, everything will come off when the plate is first heated. The heated floor slab, figuratively speaking, should “float” without connection with the base and the walls.

10 You cannot fill the solution with empty floor pipes.

The system must be filled and the pressure must be 3 bar. This is primarily due to the need to preserve the geometry and shape of the pipe. Without pressure inside, it is easy to crush.

Water or electric heated floor - 10 mistakes and installation rules

Rules for installing water and electric heated floors. Heating cable and film - comparison of effectiveness. Is electromagnetic radiation from heated floors safe? The screed thickness is 85mm, why?

Warm electric floors are positioned as a convenient, functional and economical system. The water type of such heating is very popular; the system meets any consumer needs. But its installation is an expensive and time-consuming procedure that requires overhaul. Much more attractive in terms of cost is electric water heated floors, an economical system with improved efficiency and cost-effectiveness characteristics.

About the problem of heated floors

Water-filled heated floor, which is classical system- enough a complex system. To make it work you will need:

• collector combs that distribute and control coolant circulation;
• injection pumps, of which several may be needed;
• a fairly powerful heating boiler that runs on solid, liquid fuel or gas.

The volume of coolant inside the structure of the underfloor heating tubes is quite large. This causes various technological features operation of the system. Air pockets and other problems may occur that can reduce heating efficiency.

Unlike classic ones, water-based electric heated floors are free from almost all the problems of the standard system. At the same time, they have a number of advantages.

Using electricity as a heat source

A modern floor heating system can be built using electricity as the main heat source. For this:

• a classic heating system is created, with combs and other control devices;
• A system powered by electricity is installed as a heating boiler.

Modern induction boilers consume little energy and at the same time create a fairly high water pressure at the outlet. Water-based electric heated floors built using such equipment are cost-effective compared to systems using other fuels.

Installation of an induction heating boiler can be considered as a means of modification existing system warm floor. Such a system cannot rightfully be called an electric water heated floor, since it is only a separate line of development of the classical system.

Ready-made solutions for electric floors

Water-based electric heated floors are now presented on the market in two formats: ready-made solutions based on different principles work. This:

• heating the coolant in a closed, sealed circuit;
• high-speed pumping of a very small volume of liquid along the circulation route.

Electric heated floors in the format of ready-made solutions are easy to install; there are no special installation requirements. The maintainability and temperature ranges in which electric water heated floors operate are much higher and wider than that of the classical system.

Heating of coolant in a closed circuit

An electric heated floor, built on the physically reliable principle of uniform heating of the coolant in the circuit, is presented on the market by the Daewoo Corporation. Product trademark XL Pipe – reliable and effective solution, which can be used both as an additional and as the main source of heat in a house or apartment. The system is built on the following principle:

• there is no coolant circulation;
• the circuit is laid in a hermetically sealed tube;
• there is antifreeze inside the fuel element;
• heating is carried out by several nichrome conductors.

When the system is running, the following occurs:

• Applying voltage to the XL Pipe heating circuit causes heat to be generated;
• because the total there is very little coolant, there is no significant increase in volume;
• an increase in pressure is observed in the tube, which shifts the boiling point of the liquid upward and no processes of formation of gas bubbles occur.

The electric floor system is laid in a screed according to general rules. In this case, simplified temperature control systems are used. The entire circuit is heated evenly, so it is enough to place the sensor in the main installation box, where the heating system is connected to electricity.

This heating option has a key drawback. Repairs are carried out only by service engineers, since it is necessary to fill the structure with antifreeze and carefully eliminate breaks or other damage to the water-electric circuit. TO positive traits liquid heated floor should include easy location of the leak, as well as the need to break only small area ties for access to the circuit.

XL-Pipe diagram

Advantages of a water heated floor with a conductor heater

If we compare the XL Pipe product and products with similar engineering implementation, the advantages of the heating system compared to classic heated floors are immediately noticeable.

1. There is no problem of controlling the drop in outlet temperature, the circuit is heated evenly.
2. There is no unpleasant property of heating the floor surface, so to speak, in the direction of water movement. In classic heated floors, supplying coolant to the circuit always implies first heating the areas closest to the entry point, and if the boiler power is insufficient, the room may warm up unevenly. Water electric flooring is completely free of this drawback.
3. There is no need to purchase manifold combs, flow meters, control sensors, circulation pumps. The system for monitoring and adjusting the temperature has also been simplified, so the cost of purchasing an electric water floor is noticeably lower.

In terms of installation, there is no difference between the classical system and the electric one. The same principle of leveling the surface, laying foil thermal insulation, and pouring screed is used. The requirements for the thickness of the concrete layer or self-leveling mixture are the same as for arranging a classic heated floor.

XL Pipe format water electric floor is not recommended for use in wet areas, since electric current passes inside the structure and damage can be potentially dangerous due to electric shock. But there are also differences between film and carbon floors in better side. You can place furniture on a water electric floor laid in a screed - it is not afraid of mechanical loads and there is no problem of thermal locking.

Capillary warm electric floor

Capillary water electric floors operate on a different principle. Their mechanics are based on high-speed pumping of a small amount of coolant through the heating circuit. Engineering solution as follows:

• heating cable and other devices connected to the power grid inside the floor are missing;
• the heating circuit is laid out of a tube complex section with a small coolant passage clearance;
• The system is powered from the central unit, where a miniature induction-diaphragm pump is located.

When the system is turned on, high-speed pumping of the coolant inside the circuit begins. The latter is assembled quite simply. Special tubes and sealing couplings are used. Since the speed of the coolant is high, heating equipment is not required to set records.

The specific characteristics of the main heater determine the criterion for choosing the coolant. Only distilled water with stable performance is used in the capillary floor electrical resistance and coefficient of thermal expansion. It does not contain salts or foreign particles, which is important when circulating in a small-lumen circuit.

A central control unit with a power of 2-2.4 kW can cope with the task of heating a room with an area of ​​up to 20 square meters. It does not require a separate connection line, but such equipment is still switched through its own circuit breaker and safety unit.

The capillary floor cannot be considered as a reliable main source of heat in the apartment. Although you can install a separate heating unit in each room, the overall energy output may not be sufficient. If residential premises lose a lot of heat, the volume of capillary tubes may not be enough to pump the required volume of coolant to ensure a comfortable air temperature.

Requirements for laying capillary electric flooring

Unlike other systems, there are specific requirements for laying capillary electrical system heating. The arrangement of the screed is carried out according to standard requirements. The base to be poured is leveled, the waterproofing and foil insulation are laid, then the metal grid or a substrate for the route and a circuit of tubes and couplings is mounted. Pouring the screed includes preliminary work:

• The heating system is undergoing a filling process. To do this, water is poured into a special tank, after which the heating control unit is turned on;
• after the volume of the route is filled and stable circulation begins, the heating is turned off;
• the filled system must cool down.

When the temperature of the tubes and room air is leveled, the screed is poured or laid. This procedure is required to save stable characteristics hydraulic resistance in the circuits of capillary electric floors.

Advantages and disadvantages of the capillary system

Compared to a conductor-based heating solution, capillary floors have several advantages. They do not have an electrical element inside the screed, so they can be installed in rooms with high humidity - baths, saunas, bathrooms. Also, the system connection diagram looks more attractive. But the capillary floor also has disadvantages:

• there is a problem of uneven heating of the floor, the temperature near the control unit (input hot water) higher;
• for large rooms the heat transfer level of the capillary structure may not be enough;
• Although you can repair damage to the circuit yourself, you will still have to use specific components, coolant, and break part of the screed.

Based on the overall balance of characteristics, the capillary system can be considered as a reliable and effective additional heating source. But in order to create comfort inside large rooms, it is recommended to use autonomous heat from the Korean company Daewoo Enertec or a classic underfloor heating structure powered by an induction electric boiler.