Warm floor under laminate: the installation of the device and floor heating

Heated floor setting under the laminate as the sole or supplementary method for space heating can significantly increase the level of comfort as compared with other embodiments. To make the layout elements and perform the installation of the entire system should be familiar with the specifics of the operations. Do you agree?

We'll show you how to choose flooring that can work in tandem with the heating layer system. You will learn how to properly position the components of the floor heating and how to connect them properly. Given our tips you will be able to perform all the steps of a difficult, but it is work available.

The main provisions of the materials

Quality of work and underfloor service life, laid under laminated panels, depending on the parameters of the purchased equipment and materials, coupled with an understanding of the characteristics of their combination.

For self-development of infrared bands layout should take into account the physical characteristics of such heating.

Parameters infrared film floor

The film heater is a flexible narrow web to be placed under a floor covering and comprising a heating element. It converts electric energy into thermal infrared wavelength range.

Heating the laminate or other material from below due to expose it to radiation. After warming the floor surface by the thickness of the heat output takes place in the heated room air environment.

As heating element IR systems used karbonovoe solid or striped coating, closed on both sides with polyurethane film or Mylar. Along the edges of the conductive bimetallic blades mounted tires, power transmission heating element.

The thickness of such design varies in the range of 0.2 to 2 mm, most often present in commercially cloth thickness of 0.3 to 0.5 mm. Standard sizes of one strip widths of 50, 60, 80 and 100 cm.

Any film can be cut to length and coded specifically designed for this field. Increments cut approximately 20 cm, therefore it is possible to obtain a panel of desired length without difficulty.

maximum capacity infrared film under the laminate is from 120 to 230 watts / sq. Devices with high heat is not applied due to restrictions of the laminate heating temperature. Sometimes, the manufacturer indicates power depending on the meter. In this case, by dividing it by the width of the strip can compute the desired value.

Requirements for the laminate as a coating

Average laminate may have three properties that prevent its use as a topcoat in complete underfloor:

• curvature geometry of the plates under the action of heat;
• punching plates under the action of heavy objects;
• high insulation properties of the material.

Therefore, for the sharing of the laminate and of the underlying film underfloor developed advanced models. They are marked by special symbols that are placed on the packaging material or in the user guide.

Uniform labeling standard does not exist, so the purchase is necessary to clarify the matter with the seller, as there are only solutions for water or electric underfloor heating cable.

The total value of the thermal resistance coefficient of the laminate and the substrate on which it is laid, shall not exceed 0.15 m * K / W. Therefore, when choosing the material necessary to ensure compliance of the technical characteristics of the regulatory requirements, otherwise there is a risk of overheating and breakage of floor heating systems.

Compound sipes may be formed using glue or locks located on the ends of the plates. Together with underfloor allowed only floating laminate floor of an apparatus of the type locking panels.

Those. collected from the panels covering should not be rigid adhesion to the substrate, and on the perimeter of the room, around architectural parts and pipe penetrations must leave a gap as a backup to the linear expansion material.

The laminate is produced by pressing sawdust with inclusion of resins containing formaldehyde. The manufacturer indicates the maximum heating temperature above which evaporation begins toxicant. This usually happens when reaching 28-30 degrees Celsius. When calculating the heat necessary to consider this factor.

Arguments in favor of a heating device the infrared system under comparison laminate and advantages IR film with water detailed embodiments the following articleWith which we encourage you to read.

Terms of placement of floor heating strips

The area of ​​a single room, which should be fitted with underfloor heating is calculated based on the needs of the space for heating.

In the absence of other heating systems, it is enough to average 70% coverage of the total area. In the presence of radiators, fireplaces need for heat from the floor decreases, which reduces the number of the stacking strips or lower energy consumption in heating.

No need to be placed under the laminate infrared radiant floor throughout the floor space allows, as a rule, the design is easy to get around these limitations:

• It is impossible to place a warm floor under heavy objects, such as cabinets and sofas with legs. They forced laminate, which leads to non-uniform fit and excessive pressure on the film.
• You can not close the top of a heated laminated insulating material, such as carpets or furniture without feet. This leads to disruption of heat recovery in the air and overheating system.
• It is necessary to avoid heating the laminate at the same time by the infrared film and another heat source. The magnitude of floor area, under which it is impossible to enclose the film for each type is disposed near the heating device is determined individually.
• It is necessary to step back from the walls and stationary objects at least 3 - 10 cm, depending on the manufacturer's recommendations, as the heating zone in terms of a little beyond the boundaries of the film. The elevated temperature may be difficult to act on a plinth and wallpaper.

When planning the placement of infrared film often depart from the walls by a distance of 50-60 cm. This is due to a possible future re-planning or carrying out rearrangement of furniture.

A significant offset from the wall, leave a wider range of solutions to change the design of the room. In addition, residents of the house are much less likely to use the space near the wall than in the middle of the room.

If the heated floor area is rectangular, the location of the film fragments to better plan along the long side. In this case, the number of lanes decreases, and as a result - by operations of laying, insulation and connection.

Additional information on the structure of

The vertical section of floor heating device consists of five layers, each of which impose certain requirements. The subfloor must be firm and the more evenly as possible. For concrete base recommended to conduct alignment using leveling potting mixture and for wooden - by coanda plywood.

Isolation between the base and the heating element is intended to prevent heat losses. Given the fact that the warm floor is powered by electricity, the support should not conduct current.

Therefore, do not use a heater with a reflective surface on the basis of aluminum foil. In most cases, the roll is used, polyethylene foam or cork insulation substrate complete with a reflecting layer.

Before laying the floor heating strips with electrical wiring and temperature sensor necessary to read the instructions supplied with the kit. General principles of installation are the same, but there are some nuances of the largest distance between the spacing elements, as well as the method of connection to the mains.

As the substrate situated between the heating elements and the need to use a polyethylene laminate or vinyl film. It transmits heat well, but serves as a barrier for water and dust ingress which can not prevent the heating band.

One of the typical representatives of the film heating system is FREH brand products, Especially the installation and operation of which are described in detail in our recommended paper.

Stages of system installation

One of the major advantages of infrared bands to electric cable or water pipes is the possibility of self-installation of underfloor heating for laminate. The installation of such a system is less expensive to justify the more expensive the cost of its components.

If done correctly, all the stages of heating will be declared by the manufacturer qualitative function of time.

Alignment of base stacking and insulation

Waterproofing and alignment subfloor for subsequent stacking infrared bands laminate operate under the standard rules. The coating must be smooth, hard, with a slope of not more than 2 mm at 1 meter.

Before laying the insulation is necessary to ensure dust removal from the premises. If you work on the floor heating is carried out in the organization during the construction or major repairs, it is desirable to perform the procedure for device insulation, heating strips and the waterproofing of the upper one go. In this case, it will be minimized dust pollution heating elements.

Heat reflective material is inexpensive, so it is laying produce across the floor space close to the walls, even if the infrared bands are not located under the entire floor surface. The thickness of the insulating substrate under floor heating is 3-4 mm, and such placement exclude minor drop height undesirable during assembly of the laminate.

To avoid shearing the material during subsequent work it is attached to the floor by a stapler or double-sided adhesive tape. Izolona between a strip heater or other fixed tape.

Photo-guide assembly IR system

The laying of warm film sex performed a series of standard action, represented by the following selection of photos:

Having completed the infrared bands to the assembly floor heating, proceed to substantive work:

Placing thermofilm fragments

Strips imaging film is cut into pieces of desired size and the copper strip are laid down or up according to the manufacturer instructions. It is necessary to arrange them so as to effect electrical cable liner from one side only.

Usually laying a laminate floor heating heating bands perform back to back. However, for some models, there is a minimum distance between them, as indicated in the instructions. It must be observed in order to avoid overheating of the system. In no case is unacceptable to impose the strip busbars overlap each other.

Increasing the distance between the strips more than the minimum will not cause malfunction of the underfloor heating. In this case, the laminate is heated unevenly, leading to the creation of warm and cold zones on the floor. However, such zones substantially not noticeable due to the small temperature difference and the existence of the heat dissipation effect.

Isolation and electricity connection

Typically, in addition to imaging film package includes an insulating adhesive bitumen (butyl rubber) and feed terminals for connection to an electrical floor. Sometimes set also includes a section of wire needed to pass a predetermined current capacity.

Bituminous adhesive insulation cover those incision copper-silver tires and the opposite side of her band "open" contacts, which will not be used when connecting to the mains. It is important to prevent the formation of air bubbles between the insulation and the tire.

In each seat a copper wiring on a contact clip tire is mounted so that its one side has come into the fuser, and the second left outside over the copper strip. Then, using pliers produce dense crimp the clip.

After this procedure the strip imaging film tape fixed to each other and connected to the heat-reflective material to avoid shifting during subsequent works.

The bare ends of the wires connected to the clips crimping method. Each such place is necessary to close the bitumen coating, putting it at the top and bottom connections.

Connecting controller and system testing

The control unit is rarely included in the package, so thermostat for floor heating You need to be purchased separately. Since a high precision adjustment of heating temperature of the laminate, it is necessary to use the electronic device, instead of the mechanical type.

The floor sensor is attached below the film strip to the black heating element. This procedure can be performed with the use of bitumen insulation.

The heat-reflective material makes a special cut-out temperature sensor, as well as the place of installation clips and laying wires. It is necessary to maintain a smooth surface for performance of works on laying laminate flooring. By placing the sensor in the recess, it is necessary to glue bituminous insulating tape.

The thermostat is mounted on the wall in the location most convenient for the residents of the apartment. Wiring is carried out according to the instructions to the device.

If the maximum power floor heating more than 2 kW, the connection to the power supply via a separate machine. For wet rooms, such as bathroom bath or, in the absence of the grounding should be included in the electric circuit breaker device.

Before the installation of the waterproofing layer and the laminate is necessary to test the system. Test temperature can be small, since the main purpose is to test compounds wire elements with infrared floor the absence of arcing, and the fact that each heating fragment.

Waterproofing and flooring laminate

Top producing underfloor laying protective waterproofing coating in film form. Given its small thickness, without affecting the surface topography, only the heating elements with a small protrusion is sufficient to close the edges equal to 10-20 cm.

strips of film interconnected by means of an ordinary tape, to prevent them from shifting during subsequent assembly of the laminate.

laminated floor panels are laid directly on top of the polyethylene film, without any additional substrate. This procedure is desirable to perform in soft shoes, as well as comply with other safety measures, so as not to damage the waterproofing and heating elements.

The nuances of the infrared floor operation

It is necessary to plan sketch floor heating device under a laminate comprising strips layout and wiring. This will help to prevent future incorrect transposition of furniture and create a strong pressure on the surface in places of installation of underfloor heating.

Will also need to eliminate the possibility of damage to the film or wiring when installing interior items requiring a through fixing to the subfloor.

Electronic thermostats often equipped with two devices for measuring the temperature of the floor and air. Use when programming system can not only air sensor due to constraints on the heating laminate.

There are two ways to set the correct algorithm mode of floor heating:

• Use only the floor sensor readings. For example, the set switch-heating at a temperature below 25 degrees, and off - on reaching 29 degrees.
• Use the readings of the two instruments. For example, the set switch-heating when the room temperature is 23 degrees, and off - at or air sensor readings 26 degrees or floor sensor readings 30 degrees.

floor sensor breakage leads to the need to replace it with the analysis portion of the laminated panels, raising waterproof film and heating the damaged webs. To avoid this time-consuming work, it is possible to acquire an additional sensor set it when installing the floor as a fallback and withdraw wire from it to the thermostat.

Then, upon failure of the main device only need to unscrew the two thermostat wires from sensor and connect the idle contacts of the fallback.

With the rules and characteristics of the organization infrared heating of the wooden house Recommended articles introduce us.

Conclusions and useful videos on the topic

Step by Step Installation of infrared floor under the laminate. soldering wires to copper veins instead of using clips:

Installing infrared floor under the laminate in a room with a complex geometry. Showing all stages of work. Given the balance of the end of the autumn of 2016 prices:

Installing infrared film under the laminate allows for the most comfortable for human space heating mode "from the bottom up."

Understanding of the physical laws of the functioning of such a system and its compliance with the rules of installation contributes to correct choice of the location and power of the heating elements, as well as a long and high-quality work underfloor heating.

Want to tell about how your own hands stele and connects infrared film floor? Any question at a meeting with the information provided, there is useful information for us and visitors to the site? Please write comments in the box located below.