Choosing a heated floor for the balcony. How to make an infrared heated floor on a loggia or balcony Installing heated floors on a balcony
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To cover the floor of insulated balconies or loggias, various materials are used - laminate, linoleum, carpets, tiles. All finishing materials, except ceramics, are mounted on wooden logs and chipboard sheets, which can be damaged if water gets on them or prolonged exposure to high humidity (this can be attributed to carpet and laminate).
Rice. 1 Moisture condensation on balcony glazing
Moisture and water can appear on any balcony, even if it is fully waterproofed, due to condensation of water vapor on the glazing and finishing in winter, with a large temperature difference between the outside and inside the room.
Therefore, laying tiled flooring on the floor of balconies and loggias, which is not exposed to water and high humidity, is the most popular option when renovating residential premises.
A ceramic floor, even in a warm room, is quite cold, so when laying tiles in an apartment, it is heated from below, and in a glazed balcony, heated floors perform the additional function of heating the room.
Currently, several methods of floor heating are widely used in everyday life:
Mermen
Under the floor there is a system of pipes from the central heating through which hot water flows. The water heating method is widely used in country houses and cottages; in apartments, a warm water floor on the balcony if installed without permission is ineffective, expensive and prohibited by law.
Rice. 2 Water heated floor on the loggia
Infrared
Heating floors with electric films emitting infrared radiation is a fairly popular method of heating rooms recently; it is easy to install a film heated floor on a balcony with your own hands under linoleum, laminate, or carpet.
When installing infrared film emitters under tiles, technical difficulties arise due to poor adhesion of the film surface to adhesive cement mixtures.
If not immediately, then during operation with frequent temperature changes during on-off cycles, the cement mortar will peel off from the film and voids will appear under the tiles, leading to damage to the floor - this limits the use of infrared film for installation in a tiled floor. It is also recommended that the infrared floor be laid together with a foil backing that reflects infrared radiation - this creates even greater problems when placed under ceramic tiles.
Electrical
Floor heating system with electric wire of standard thickness 5 mm. It is characterized by low cost and ease of installation; due to the placement of the wire on the mesh and its small area, the mats adhere perfectly to cement mortars. This makes them most suitable for heating tiled floors mounted on a cement-sand screed.
Installation of heated floor tiles on the balcony
Installing a heated floor on a balcony is irrational without its thermal insulation from the concrete slab, so the use of insulation under the screed is the most important condition for its effective operation with minimal energy consumption. In addition, screed, electric mat and tiles will further raise the balcony floor. Before making a warm floor, its height can be calculated in advance.
Rice. 3 Structure of the heated floor on the balcony
Calculation of the height of the balcony floor
The standard height of the balcony threshold is 150 mm. – it is rational to raise the height of the floor on the balcony to this level and higher in order to avoid an unaesthetic step that interferes with the exit. The floor on the balcony can be raised almost to the door leaf, which is another 50 mm. As a result, the floor on the balcony can be raised to a distance in the range of 150 - 200 mm. Knowledge of installation technology and dimensions of building materials will help you more accurately calculate its height:
The thickness of the screed layer is directly related to the material of manufacture (density) and the thickness of the insulation - the denser and thinner it is, the smaller the thickness of the screed can be made on the balcony.
The procedure for installing heated floors on a tiled balcony
It is almost impossible for a non-specialist to do this work efficiently with his own hands; laying tiles on an electric heated floor is quite a difficult task even for experienced tilers. The work performed can be divided into several stages.
Rice. 5 Installation of insulation and mesh
Installation of insulation
For use as insulation on a balcony, it is better to use the material with the highest density - Penoplex 45 (density 35 - 47 kg/m3) with a maximum thickness of 100 mm; it is attached to the floor using a dowel - umbrellas.
When using hydrophobic extruded polystyrene foam Penoplex, no primer is required (if mounted on umbrella dowels) and waterproofing of the concrete slab. Installation of Penoplex slabs is carried out joint-to-joint by connecting L-shaped edges, without the formation of cold bridges. Polyurethane foam is used to seal the insulation along the edges.
Penoplex can also be fixed with glue after priming the balcony floor, using cement-based materials with mineral additives - Stopter K-20, Plitonit Stf, Ceresit CT85, UNS or polyurethane - Tytan Styro, Emfikol 225, Zenit-36, Kleiberit Pur Leim.
Screed
Rice. 6 Screed on beacons
After installation, a metal mesh is laid on Penoplex, beacon strips are made along the edges using a level made from mortar for screeds or metal guides (pipes, rectangular profile, plaster beacons). The screed solution is pulled along a guide or a building level; a damper tape made of strips of foamed polystyrene (backing for laminate, Penofol) or other synthetic materials must be laid along the edges.
Laying the electric mat
After the screed has hardened, a zigzag electrical cable is placed on its surface and fixed with tile adhesive; the electrical cable and temperature sensor extending from it are placed in a corrugated tube. To place corrugations in the floor and wall, using a hammer drill, make a groove of the required depth (20 mm.)
Rice. 7 Installation of heated floors: on a tiled loggia
Laying tiles
Work on laying tiles on an electric mat should be trusted only to experienced specialists; it is carried out with tools that ensure the height of the adhesive layer is 8 - 10 mm. (step of the tile comb tooth). After installing the floor, the cracks in the corners are covered with a plastic plinth.
When carrying out work, it is important to use building materials only for heated floors that contain special additives that cost more than usual.
Installing a warm tiled floor for a balcony is the best solution in case of high humidity. Only experienced specialists can install warm floors on a loggia in a high-quality manner - if the preparatory work for installing insulation and screed can be done independently, then the work on laying tiles should be trusted only to specialists.
Warm floors on the balcony are installed only after walls, floor and ceiling. In addition, you need to install energy-saving plastic windows. Otherwise you will heat the street. Decide why you need a heated floor: to keep your feet warm or as a source of heating the room. If only the latter, then it might be easier to hang it on the wall.
Thermal insulation is a prerequisite for heated floors
EPPS – metal-plastic pipes – screed.
The warm floor on the balcony is mounted on top of a layer of thermal insulation. Insulation is needed in any case, otherwise the heat will be used irrationally, and costs will increase accordingly. The thickness of the insulation is calculated separately for each region, the minimum layer is 5 cm. What thermal insulation should be used:
- basalt wool;
- Styrofoam;
- extruded polystyrene foam.
The finishing floor on the balcony can be concrete or wood. If the floor is concrete, then the thermal insulation is laid on the subfloor and filled with screed on top. If the floor is wooden, then the insulation is placed between the joists, which serve as the basis for future finishing. At the same time, it is possible to make a warm floor on the loggia in both cases.
It is appropriate to heat floors on balconies and loggias only after high-quality comprehensive insulation, naturally with the replacement of windows.
If basalt wool is used as insulation, which is laid between the lags, then it is definitely needed. It will prevent moisture from entering the thermal insulation from the room.
Water heated floor on the loggia
The heating cable on the fiberglass mesh can be laid in a layer of tile adhesive.
You can legally make a heated water floor on your balcony with your own hands only if you have autonomous heating. It is strictly prohibited to remove the heat exchanger from the central networks outside the living area. An increase in the volume of the circuit in the apartment leads to a drop in pressure in all heating systems. As a result, your neighbors' batteries will become colder. We have already told . If the requirement is not met, you can complain to the Housing Office. The violator faces a fine and forced dismantling.
The water-heated floor on the balcony is made from metal-plastic or PEX pipes. They can be walled up in a layer of screed or placed under a wooden covering. The second option is less attractive from a functionality standpoint. The concrete screed acts as a heat accumulator, according to the principle . The effect of such heating is much more noticeable.
How to make a warm floor on a balcony correctly:
- at least 5 cm of insulation (foam or EPS);
- damper tape around the perimeter;
- reinforcing mesh not secured to the floor;
- PEX-b pipe laid with a snake or snail;
- 7 cm screeds.
The mesh does not need to be fastened so that it rises a little and the concrete flows under the pipes. The circuit must not come into contact with the insulation. Most likely, you will need to install a separate electric pump on the TP. To control the temperature, a three-way valve is installed.
Electric heated floor on the balcony
IR films are the cheapest and most dangerous underfloor heating.
With electric heating things are a little different. There are no legal restrictions on the installation of such heating in non-residential premises. The following heating element options are available:
- cable in coils;
- cable on fiberglass mesh;
- infrared film;
- infrared rod tapes - many connection points, unreliable option, alternative is a cable on a mesh.
Cable in coils can be single-core or double-core. The latter is shielded to minimize the magnetic field. It is covered with very strong insulation, which can only be damaged with a drill or grinder. The cable thickness is approximately 5 mm; it is placed in a layer of screed, rarely under the wooden floor along the joists. This is a time-tested option, the reliability of which is beyond doubt. Installation is carried out in the same way as for the water circuit, with the exception of installing a temperature sensor between the wires at a 180-degree turn. The distance from the cable to the sensor on all sides must be the same.
A newer type of heating element is a thin 2.5 mm cable glued to fiberglass. This warm floor is available in rolls; it can be placed in a screed, or directly under the tiles. Such heating is placed where there is no furniture or equipment. The temperature sensor is mounted in the same way as a single cable.
The newest type of electric heated floor is infrared films, less than 0.5 mm thick. Their peculiarity is that they are placed directly under the finishing coating (laminate or linoleum). At the same time, there are only two advantages of heated floors under laminate on the balcony - low price and easy installation. There are significantly more disadvantages:
- there is no grounding - only RAM saves you from electric shock;
- contact with moisture should not be allowed;
- too easy to damage;
- To keep the floor warm, the heating element must always be turned on.
Installation of IR films is carried out on top of a thin layer of foamed polyethylene insulation. The effect of such thermal insulation is small; accordingly, heat goes not only up, but also down. Hence the excessive consumption of energy.
Conclusion
If you want a high-quality heated floor on the balcony, then the heating elements need to be placed in a layer of screed, or at least on top of the screed under the tiles. The screed is poured onto the insulation (foam or EPS). There is a water heated floor and an electric one. In apartments with central heating, the water circuit cannot be routed outside the living space. Metal-plastic and PEX pipes are used. Additionally, a pump is installed, and a three-way valve is installed to regulate the temperature. When it comes to electrical heating elements, you should choose between thick cable in coils and thin cable glued to fiberglass. IR films on laminate or linoleum floors are bad and dangerous. Infrared rod floor - high probability of failure due to the large number of connections.
The balcony in a modern apartment gradually turns from a storage room into an extension of the home with all the ensuing characteristics: comfort, excellent finishing materials and the use of various technological ideas. Many craftsmen come up with the idea of making a warm floor on the balcony with their own hands. If you know the basic principles of this work and have enough time, then upgrading the balcony is not such a difficult task to solve.
The very first thing that needs to be done before repair work is clearing the area of debris, old and unused things, etc. Afterwards, the master needs to decide on the type of future balcony: what will it look like after the renovation? The entire scope of work largely depends on the availability of free time, the desire to create and a certain amount of money.
Balcony floor screed
To make a screed for a heated floor, a home craftsman will need the following materials:
If necessary, level and strengthen the surface by screeding the floor.
- Dry mixture – 2 bags;
- Cement - at the rate of 3 kg per bag of mixture;
- Primer with deep penetrating properties;
- Water.
The entire base of the balcony or loggia is primed. When mixing a dry special mixture, cement and water, you must strive for the consistency of village sour cream. The prepared mass is poured out on the balcony and begins to be leveled using a trowel.
The screed takes 48 to 72 hours to dry. After hardening, the formwork is removed, all defects are corrected with a newly diluted mixture.
Tip: If you press the rule closer to the floor, the finished surface will be much smoother.
How to choose an electric heated floor
Warm electric floors have entered the life of modern people relatively recently. The generation of our parents could not even imagine such luxury. Installing such a floor reduces the cost of heating the space, and walking comfort is an additional bonus. All types of electric floor heating used today can be divided into several types:
- Use of cable system;
- Application of heating mats;
- Installation of infrared film on the floor.
For any repair work regarding the area of the balcony or loggia, increased requirements regarding insulation of walls, floors and ceilings. This is a necessary measure to maintain heat inside a confined space. It is recommended to place a material with vapor barrier properties on the floor base, which is tightly fastened to each other and to the walls using metal tape. Thus, according to the principle of heat accumulation, the balcony becomes similar to a thermos.
The article discusses in detail the specifics of insulating a balcony both inside and outside.
A definite alternative to a warm floor on a balcony can be. We talked about them in more detail on our website.
Cable heating system
A traditional electrical system on cables must be installed on a layer of thermal insulation and a surface previously leveled with a screed. The difficulty of installing such a warm floor on a loggia is due to the following reasons:
- Floors experience increased load;
- Raising the finished floor an extra 15 cm;
- Long installation work (more than 30 days).
The most important detail when installing a cable heated floor is retention of generated heat. It is for this purpose that high-quality insulation is laid and a layer of waterproofing is made that extends onto the walls. The thickness of the screed on such a floor should not be less than 4.5 centimeters, and when laying the cement-sand mixture, you should get rid of air bubbles as carefully as possible.
The heating cable is installed on 3.5 cm inside the surface of the future floor. Cables are fastened with special elements or mounting tape on a reinforcing mesh. Before pouring the screed, a damper tape is laid around the entire perimeter of the room.
The layout of the electric heated floor cable is as follows: zigzag lines run along parallel lines, the interval between these wires should always be equal. The thermostat must be installed in a visible place, and temperature control requires manual input.
Use of heating mats
Heating mats are used when the cement-sand screed cannot be 4.5 cm thick. This can happen in older homes, when there is a lack of time, and in other situations. Then the cables are replaced by electric heating mats.
The mats do not increase the thickness of the base, create a minimum of construction waste and do not take a lot of money from the craftsman. Installation of heating mats is carried out using glue, which is used to fix the tiles.. This method is called “wet”.
The substrate for heated mat floors is old tiles or a concrete surface. The glue is distributed over the entire area. The final drying of the new coating occurs during the first week.
Mats are a special mesh made of fiberglass with cells of approximately 1 by 1 centimeter. A resistive type of cable 2-3 mm in diameter is attached to it. Layed in a snake pattern with increments of 5 cm, this cable has high resistance.
Installing this type of heated floor on a balcony with your own hands is extremely simple:
Installation diagram of heating mats under tiles 1) The floor area is measured;
2) The heating mat is cut into separate rectangular fragments without affecting the cable diagram;
3) No fastenings to the base are needed;
4) When laid out on a base coated with glue, the floor can be considered already installed.
The disadvantage of heating mats is their susceptibility to mechanical loads and the lack of thermal accumulation ability. Therefore, such a floor can only be an addition to the main heating system on the loggia.
Infrared heated floor
Infrared film works on the principle of generating long-wave thermal radiation. With such heating, heat flows to the walls of the balcony and to all surrounding objects. The ability of secondary release of accumulated heat characterizes such floors as the most effective for heating a balcony or loggia space.
The heating elements of the film are carbon strips sealed between polyester or lavsan layers. The material of the strips is carbon paste obtained from crushed stylus. Conductors are made of pure copper or copper-silver alloys. The strips are connected to the conductors in parallel, and the mains voltage is 220 volts.
When installing an infrared heated floor on a balcony, all operations are performed in stages:
- Base screed;
- Placement of a substrate with heat-reflecting properties;
- Heating elements are cut along the dotted lines;
- Placing infrared material on a substrate;
- Installation of a thermostat, temperature sensor;
- Installation of electrical contacts on the film;
- All places where the connection to the network is made are insulated with a bitumen compound.
Note: when installing a heated floor with a soft finishing option (carpet), a soft underlay is used and vice versa.
Now, knowing all the nuances of the design and installation of a warm electric floor, you can make the right choice for yourself.
Water floor installation
Such a floor is mounted only on a screed. And here there is a very important point - when expanding the area of the living room by the footage of the balcony, the floor surface level in both rooms should not be different. Installing a warm water floor on a balcony involves laying radiators across the entire surface, through which the hot coolant will be transported.
The use of liquid explains the requirement for waterproofing such a floor. To retain heat for a longer time, a film with heat-reflecting characteristics is laid on the waterproofing layer. Instead of foil, polystyrene foam with increased density can be used.
Installation of a pipe floor is carried out in stages:
1) Concrete screed to remove unevenness;
2) Laying hydro- and heat-insulating materials;
3) Pipeline installation. In this case, either special brackets or mats are used;
4) The small area of the balcony is the reason for choosing a snake pattern for placing the route;
5) When installing water floors on the balcony, only seamless metal-plastic pipes are used;
Water heated floor installation diagram 6) Pipe bending is done carefully;
7) The installation of the pipeline is completed by connecting to the hot water supply system;
8) Testing a new heated floor;
9) The absence of leaks in the pipeline is the basis for concreting the route with the coolant.
If a water pipeline is laid on the balcony to heat the space, the finishing coating must be chosen correctly. Materials with high heat transfer: linoleum, ceramic or tile.
The floor covering is laid on a fully hardened concrete screed.
Whichever of the described options for insulating a balcony floor the master chooses, if he follows a certain work algorithm, he will definitely cope with the task. And then the home will expand to additional comfortable space.
Warm floor on the balcony video
We invite you to watch a video on the topic of our article “Do-it-yourself warm floor on the balcony.” In the video you will see instructions for installing infrared heated floors.
Owners of residential buildings or apartments with a balcony always want to use it as efficiently as possible. After all, this additional space at home can be adapted to suit various needs. A glazed balcony can be turned into a greenhouse, a study, or just a place to relax. If desired, you can remove the internal windows of the room leading to the balcony and increase its area.
Balcony upgrade 80 lvl: installation of heated floors on the balcony
To feel more comfortable in this room, you need to take care of several things: install soundproofing and airtight windows, and also think about a way to heat the new interior of the house during winter or cold periods. Do you need a warm floor on a loggia or balcony, or can you do without it? Let’s answer this: a warm floor on a heated balcony remains one of the best ways to insulate a balcony.
Sectional version of a heated floor on a loggia
There are several ways to make a warm balcony. Usually one of three options is used, but which is better is up to the consumer to decide:
- Water heating;
- Electric heated floor;
- Infrared floor heating.
Installing a heated water floor on the balcony: pros and cons, installation features
The water method of heating a balcony floor is the most effective, and at the same time, the most expensive type of insulation. It is characterized by the following advantages:
- Saving space on the balcony. Usually this room is quite small in size: by installing water heating, you can save space that was planned to be left for side radiators;
- One-time installation and maintenance costs. After installing a water heated floor, there is no need to spend extra money on its maintenance;
- Money savings. This type of coating does not require increased energy costs;
- Efficient heating. With proper planning, the floor will warm up evenly over the entire area.
Schematic diagram of a water heated floor with a collector system
Unfortunately, heated floors on the balcony also have several significant disadvantages:
- Difficulty with initial installation. This process is long, costly and requires the master to have truly professional knowledge in this area;
- The problem is troubleshooting. If the hydraulic system breaks down and water leaks from the radiator pipes, a complete opening of the coating will most likely be required, since it is virtually impossible to pinpoint the location of the leak;
- Slow adjustment of heating temperature;
- The need to install additional equipment. Since the pressure in the water riser is not stable everywhere, it may be necessary to install a water pump.
How to install a water floor?
The process of creating a warm balcony with your own hands with water heating is carried out in several stages. First, preparatory work is carried out, cleaning from dust, debris, and primary treatment of the floor before installation. To do this, dismantle the old screed and carry out horizontal leveling of the coating. Then an insulating material capable of absorbing water is laid on the cleaned layer - this will make it easier to solve problems when liquid leaks from the heating system.
In the photo: the main pipe for underfloor heating is being laid
After installing waterproofing, it is necessary to install coatings that provide floor insulation. The types of the second layer of insulating coating depend on what heating method is planned to be used: connection to a common water heating system or installation of a separate collector. In the first case, ordinary foamed polyethylene and expanded polystyrene are used, in the second, a combined coating of expanded clay and expanded polystyrene is used.
The choice of pipes (their size and diameter) and additional equipment (manifold, boiler and other additional devices) depends on the area of the balcony and the method of connecting the hydraulic heating system.
Electrically heated floors: its advantages and general installation information
The second type of floor heating in balcony rooms has a number of undeniable advantages:
- Quick installation of the coating;
- Convenient temperature level adjustment;
- Reasonable price for installation;
- Quick identification and troubleshooting;
- Possibility of use in normal residential conditions without the need to obtain additional installation permits.
Schematic diagram of an electric heated floor
Installing an electrically heated floor has only one drawback, which in today's reality may seem quite significant to many - it is a large amount of electricity consumption from the general network, which will lead to increased costs for paying electricity bills.
Important! In order for electrical heating of the surface to be truly effective, you need to take care of installing a reliable heat-insulating layer.
For standard apartments, polystyrene foam will be used; for balconies located on the ground or above basements, it is worth using a combined two-layer expanded clay lining with the addition of polyethylene foam and expanded polystyrene. The insulating layer must be at least 10 cm thick to obtain effective thermal insulation.
Option for installing electric heating on a balcony using wooden joists
Warm floor on the balcony, what you need to pay attention to:
- It is necessary to correctly calculate the heat transfer of the cable. If there are places in the system with less heat transfer, this will lead to cable burnout and, accordingly, to reinstallation of the system in this area;
- Choosing the right cable tie. The first condition: the screed in which the cable will be located must conduct heat well. The second is the uniformity of the selected screed material: this will help avoid premature damage to the cable;
- Also, in order not to damage the cable wiring, it should not be bent into arcs with a diameter of less than 4-5 cm;
- The cable should not come into contact with the heat-insulating layer: it should be laid on a special reinforced mesh;
- The area of the floor on which people will walk requires additional treatment: the screed with the cable installed is separated from the rest of the floor with additional seams.
An innovative way to insulate balcony coverings: infrared floor insulation
Recently, a new material has appeared on the market that provides floor heating - a special infrared film. It provides heating using infrared radiation, which completely goes inside the room, and this method of increasing the temperature is almost 100% ideal, because the heat does not dissipate in the air.
Schematic diagram of a loggia floor with infrared heating
In addition to this significant advantage, this heating system has several more advantages:
- Infrared floor insulation is more economical than the electric heating method;
- Installing an infrared coating is quite simple: even amateurs can cope with this task.
Installation of infrared panels for floor heating is carried out in several stages, which are noticeably simpler than identical processes when installing a water or electric heating system. First you need to carry out the initial preparation of the floor. This is a simple procedure, during which it is enough to slightly level the surface and remove small construction debris. Then a thermal insulation layer is installed. This layer takes up very little space - its thickness can be only a few millimeters. A special material is used as an insulating material - isolon. It is ideal for use with infrared panels, as it completely reflects the heat coming to it in the opposite direction, that is, in our case, all the heat will go up from the floor. An additional advantage of the material is that it has moisture-repellent characteristics.
This is what infrared mats look like on a loggia
The type of infrared panels used depends on what material will be used for the external surface of the floor. If the film is planned to be laid under the tiles, then it is necessary to install rod-type panels: they have holes in them that ensure screeding of the concrete covering under the panels with tile adhesive. When installing a thermal covering under a regular floor surface, for example, under a laminate, you can use a film version of the covering.
Connection diagram for infrared floor heating mats
The main advantage of installing a heated floor on a balcony using the installation of a new system is that there is no need to carry out precise construction measurements: for example, choosing the thickness and diameter of pipes, without which water heating cannot be done, or measuring the heat transfer of the floor, without which it is normal to make electric floor insulation will be ineffective. Infrared floor insulation for a balcony is a simple, economical and affordable method of insulation, ideal for apartments and individual houses.
Therefore, before you start laying a heated floor, you need to study the information on each type of heating. And only after choosing the appropriate options and taking measurements can you begin to work.
Video: step-by-step instructions for installing heated floors from expert Alexey Zemskov
One of the difficulties of insulating a balcony is the restrictions regarding the weight load on the slab after work. A small room area requires the use of finishing materials that save space.
Infrared heated floors on the balcony are the optimal solution to the issue of insulation. The heating system is easy to install. The thickness of the layer, including the thermal insulation material and the film itself, will be 1.5-2 cm. At the same time, the floors will easily maintain a comfortable temperature of 25°C on the balcony.
Can IR heated floors heat a balcony or loggia?
Film infrared heated floor is an effective heating system that can be installed on a loggia or balcony, even without glazing and additional insulation. The main difference from water or electric heating is the use of infrared rather than thermal radiation, which allows operation even in open spaces.How does infrared heating work? Despite the name, the design of an infrared heating system is quite simple. A special heat-conducting element is sealed in a high-strength film that enhances and disperses the rays. Connection to the power supply is made using a conductive plate located on the side of the film.
Due to the unique operating principle, laying heated film floors on the balcony is a good alternative to traditional heating systems. The room is heated as follows:
- Infrared radiation affects any solid objects in close proximity: furniture, opposite walls, people, etc.
- When a certain temperature is reached, objects begin to give off excess heat, which is removed from the surface by convection.
- Since to heat the balcony there is no need to preheat the air masses, a person in the room feels the warmth immediately after turning on the film. Practice shows that the maximum comfortable temperature for a person starts at 19°C, but if necessary, you can increase the temperature to 25°C.
If you have construction tools and materials, installing an infrared film heated floor on a balcony with your own hands can be done within 1-2 hours, depending on the area and the selected finishing floor covering.
How to install and connect infrared floor heating
Self-installation of an infrared floor on a loggia or balcony is quite quick. The speed of work largely depends on the selected finishing layer.Experience shows that laying tiles will take the most time, linoleum or laminate less.
The work is carried out as follows:
- Preparing the base. The floor should be put in order: remove the old covering, remove mold, treat it with antifungal agents. Before laying, the base must be leveled.
- A thermal insulation substrate is laid under the IR heated floor on the balcony. For this purpose, you can use any type of insulation, except that which has a foil-coated metal layer.
- The film unfolds. It must be taken into account that the width of the working surface is 25 cm. The gap between the rows of film should be no more than 4 cm. Laying sheets overlapping is strictly prohibited. You can cut the film in a specially marked place.
- Voltage is applied. If you do the installation yourself, there are a few important details you need to consider. You need to start work by installing the thermostat and connecting the power cable to it. The floors are connected strictly from above the film.
- Installation of the finishing coating. Laminate and linoleum are laid directly on top of the film. For tiles, you will need to first lay a reinforcing mesh. The adhesive solution used must be intended for lining heated floors.
The voltage to the thermostat must be supplied from a separate machine, powered directly from the meter. Installation of an RCD is required.
Requirements for the balcony before laying the film floor
The film that covers the heating elements of heated floors is heavy-duty and can withstand mechanical loads. The design of the infrared heating system is completely safe, so there are relatively few requirements for the room where installation is planned.
Balcony insulation with infrared heated floors can be carried out provided:
- No moisture on the floor. It is first necessary to lay the hydrobarrier; in the case of making a screed, the solution must be completely dry.
- Smooth base. Effective heating of a loggia with an infrared floor is only possible if the film is laid on a flat surface. Unevenness will need to be eliminated. The maximum permissible difference is 1-2 mm per 1 m².
Insulating the loggia floor using IR film is a cost-effective solution compared to water or electric floors.
Pros and cons of film flooring for balconies
Like any other heating system, infrared floors have their disadvantages and advantages that should be taken into account.
Advantages:
- Fast and easy installation.
- Low cost.
- Versatility, can be used for any type of coating.
- Possibility of easy repair.
- Beneficial effect on the human body.
- High power consumption.
- Careful installation required.
- Possibility of electric shock. To reduce the danger, the use of grounding and installation of an RCD is required.