Imagine feeling the cozy warmth of the floor beneath your feet as you get out of bed on a chilly morning. That’s the magic of a water warm floor, a cutting-edge heating option that effectively heats your entire house in addition to keeping your toes toasty. Fear not if you’ve ever thought about installing one yourself but were put off by the expense or complexity! With the help of this guide, you will be able to install a water warm floor in 12 easy steps, giving you the confidence to take on this project.
Let’s first review the definition and operation of a water warm floor before getting into the specifics of installation. In essence, it’s a system of pipes that are positioned under your flooring and circulate warm water, gradually warming the surface above. In addition to providing constant warmth, this radiant heating technique does away with the need for large radiators or ductwork, making it a more streamlined and effective heating option.
The potential cost savings are one of the main benefits of choosing to install a water warm floor yourself. Although it may be costly to hire a professional installer, doing the installation yourself can result in much lower labor costs. Moreover, by following our detailed instructions, you’ll learn more about the operation of your heating system and be better equipped to troubleshoot and perform maintenance in the future.
Of course, taking on a project such as this can seem intimidating at first, particularly if you have no experience installing flooring or plumbing. But do not worry! We’ve broken down each step into simple, doable tasks so that DIY enthusiasts of all skill levels can easily navigate and understand this guide. You will discover all the information required to install a water warm floor in your home, regardless of your level of experience doing do-it-yourself projects or your level of familiarity with home remodeling.
- What is a warm floor?
- Comparison of the warm floor with radiators
- Features of the warm floor
- Step 1. We determine the possibilities of installation
- Step 2. Installation of a collector cabinet
- Step 3. Preparation of the draft surface
- Step 4. Paul waterproofing
- Step 5 Installation of the Dampfer tape
- Step 6 Warm laying
- Step 7 Warm pipe laying
- Technical features of styling options
- Calculation of the pipe of the warm floor
- The main principles of laying the pipes of the warm floor:
- Features of laying a warm floor with a snail
- Step 8. Installation of equipment in a collector cabinet
- Step 9. The system is crimping
- Step 10. Pour cement screed
- Step 11. Equipment setup
What is a warm floor?
One of the most widely used heating systems in use today is this one. She deserved to be well-known because of:
- Rational use of energy resources
- Uniform heating of the entire room
- A comfortable microclimate that is created during operation
- Durability and unpretentiousness
The system is relatively new, and many developers have expressed sympathy for it. A unique channel, arranged in a unique manner in the tie, allows the heated coolant to flow through. By then, the heat has already been dispersed throughout the space.
Comparison of the warm floor with radiators
When we contrast a warm floor with the well-known radiator heating system, hot air rises initially and only later descends in the former scenario. That’s why we frequently feel the floor is cold when there are radiators.
The installed warm floor operates according to an alternative theory. The screed heats the warm floor’s pipes first, then heats the floor uniformly from the bottom up. Less intense heating occurs at higher elevations.
Therefore, warm floors appear to be much more advantageous in terms of heat distribution. In terms of economy, systems that are plus or minus are the same.
They frequently like to point out that the warm floor uses less energy than other sisers. This is a very common misperception. Any heating system’s job is to make up for the heat that is lost from the house. Furthermore, heat loss never changes. Thus, the same amount of resources must be used. In actuality, the warm floor can be far more cost-effective. if you employ cutting-edge low-temperature system solutions.
Features of the warm floor
A warm floor device has several unique features that set it apart from other heating systems:
- This is a low -temperature heating system. The feed temperature usually does not exceed 45-50 degrees
- The correct warm floor is not felt by the legs, since the surface temperature is only 28 degrees.
- Warm floor requires a height of 14 cm (minimum with finishing coating). You need to consider this when designing a house
- The pipes of the warm floor do not flow. Unless of course you consciously buy cheap material or supply constantly a large temperature with high pressure in pipes
Step 1. We determine the possibilities of installation
Do It Yourself WaterWaterWater Paul ought to start by evaluating the item itself. Warm floors are not always possible to install in a house. Thus, make sure you are the appropriate height first. In the black field, door openings should ideally measure 220 cm. With a finished coating, the warm floor will occupy 15 cm, leaving 205 cm of the doorway open for any kind of door.
Determining the house’s initial heat loss is also essential. You will have enough time to accomplish this if you search online for a heat loss calculator and enter the information for your house. Heat loss from the warm floor shouldn’t be more than 100 W per square meter.
Thus, we take note of:
- The height of the openings. Should be 220 cm
- Heat loss of the house. Should not exceed 100 watts per square meter. meter
Step 2. Installation of a collector cabinet
If you are all right with the first step, then start Installation of water warm floor with your own hands It is necessary from the installation of a collector cabinet according to the project (if it is of course). If it is secretly located, it is necessary to knock out the niche in the wall in advance and install in such a way that there are no wires nearby and not lower than the floor level. Otherwise there will be problems with water supply. If the automation is installed, then it is necessary to postpone the recesses in advance to lay the wiring. After, bring the main pipeline feeding the return. All work on the installation of a warm floor must be carried out before the finish plaster and installation of doorbells. It is even easier to install a wall collector cabinet, install it on the wall, level the surface, fix it and bring the pipes.
Installing a collector cabinet closer to the floor’s center will ensure that the warm floor branches are approximately the same length even if you don’t have a project.
Step 3. Preparation of the draft surface
The surface ought to be:
- Clean. Without unnecessary garbage
- Without cracks.
- Without height drops. A difference is allowed according to 5 mm norms
If not, air pockets and traffic jams form, which can either cause the circuit to completely stop or increase its hydraulic resistance. Additionally, installing a water-warm floor yourself will result in a low-quality installation. These kinds of flaws are hard to overcome and will manifest themselves often.
Step 4. Paul waterproofing
The insulation’s ability to act as thermal insulation can be significantly weakened, and even a minimal amount of moisture could harm the pipe and electric mat system. This is a cheap and easy procedure.
It is possible to apply a waterproofing polyethylene film to the base, which will dependable shield the system against corrosion and moisture.
Simply use film to cover your whole black floor.
Okay, so this is the article’s main thesis regarding the installation of a water underfloor heating system:We’ll take you through 12 easy steps in this guide to help you install a water underfloor heating system in your house. Throughout the winter months, you can benefit from the efficiency and comfort of a warm floor with just a few basic DIY skills and tools. We’ll go through everything you need to know to complete the task safely and effectively, from planning and preparation to installing the pipes and connecting the system. Embrace toasty warmth and bid cold toes farewell with a homemade water underfloor heating system!"
Step 5 Installation of the Dampfer tape
The unique heat-shrinkable tape, which is composed of foamed polyethylene, compensates for the screed’s thermal expansion. There is a chance that the screed may swell or develop cracks if it is not mounted.
Demanding water tape is installed at floor level around the perimeter of every room, when passing through doorways, and at the seams of deformation devices in rooms larger than 40 square meters. This can be done manually while installing a water-warm floor.
It is necessary to install the tape so that it extends behind the flooring and begins on the uneven floor. The damping tape has a thickness of between 6 and 12 mm.
The damping tape is visible around the walls’ perimeter in the picture.
Step 6 Warm laying
In addition, you must cover the whole floor surface with polystyrene foam that has a density of at least 30 kg per cubic meter when installing a water-warm floor by hand. Whether or not there are bosses is not a crucial or important issue. The polystyrene foam’s thickness is a crucial component. If the thickness is too thin, you will overpay for heating and lose heat into empty space when the thickness is too thick. On the ground floor, we advise a thickness of 5–10 cm, and on higher floors, 5 cm. You will receive a heating system project with more precise data.
Step 7 Warm pipe laying
When putting in a water-warm floor, there are a few different ways you can lay the pipe by hand: on pre-laid mesh, on polystyrene, or on specialty tape. The way that you will fasten the pipe will basically determine how to proceed.
Options for laying pipe to install a heated floor are called "snake" and "snail." They were identified by drawing pipes in the shapes of a snake and a snail’s radial shell, respectively. "Snake" is suitable for long, narrow hallways and passageways. "Snail" – in square and rectangular-shaped rooms.
Technical features of styling options
Warm flooring installation techniques
In terms of installation and heat transfer, the snail laying method is superior to the second one in a number of ways. Among them are:
- The pipe has to bend only 90 ℃, and not by 180 ℃, as in the "snake" version. In the latter case, it is more technically difficult to perform.
- If the pipe is curved 180 ℃ above hydraulic losses.
- When laying a snail, the heat distribution in the room is uniformly.
- Heat losses with the “snake” version from the place of hot water to chilled drain are very noticeable. On average, the difference in the opposite angles of the room with the "snake" is approximately 10 ℃.
Calculation of the pipe of the warm floor
Based on the room’s area and laying step, the pipe consumption per square meter of warm can be computed. The outcomes are found in a unique formula; they can be organized into a table for later use.
The pipes’ calculation is straightforward:
Stack Step | Approximate pipe consumption in meters per meter square |
100 | 10 |
150 | 6.7 |
200 | 5 |
The lengths of the supply sections from the heated room to the collector cabinet must also be added to the computation results. This equates to an extra 3 to 10 meters of pipe on average.
The main principles of laying the pipes of the warm floor:
- The beginning of the "snakes" is always located from the cold (outer) walls and laid in the direction of the opposite internal;
- The pipe laying step should vary from 100 to 300 mm;
- The diameter of the pipes should be 16 or 20 mm;
- From all walls, the pipes are laid at a distance of at least 150 mm;
- The length of the loop should be no more than 100 m with a pipe diameter of 16 mm and not more than 120 m with a diameter of 20 mm;
- The joints of the pipes are undesirable.
Features of laying a warm floor with a snail
The space is conditionally split into the edge and main zones if the warm floor is the only heating option. The region with the highest overall heat loss is found near window openings and street walls. The regional zone is rectangular in shape and has a side that is one meter deep into the space when there is only one cold wall present. The edge zone in the corner room formed by the two street walls is shaped like an M.
The pipes are laid in a smaller step—roughly 10 cm—in the edge zone. In contrast, the styling step in the main zone is typically 20 cm. Two pipe loops form the main and regional zones in a large room. With one loop and a small area. It is laid out in various locations and methods. Here, a certain amount of dexterity and expertise are needed because one loop is essentially broken down into two distinct zones. Furthermore, it is important to remember the basic rule: the heat flow increases with decreasing laying step size.
Step 8. Installation of equipment in a collector cabinet
We install in the collector cabinet if this is not done at the first stage, the collector unit and the mixture node of the warm floor. Then we connect the pipe to the outputs of the collector. This is usually done using euro cones. At this stage, the main thing is not to confuse the file with the return, this unfortunately this very often happens. I recommend signing every loop, hanging a tag where the loop goes, how long it is, what is the laying step, and it is better to photograph the room – it will come in handy for further finishing work, since you can accidentally break through the pipe in the moys, which will be very disappointing.
Step 9. The system is crimping
Once you have manually mounted a warm water floor, you must back up the entire system. This stage of the hydraulic test is required and will reveal whether the previous eight steps were carried out correctly, whether there are any hidden defects, and how tight the pipes are. The procedure is as follows: we shut off the ball valves in front of the mixing node, use the pump to raise the pressure to six atmospheres, and then examine the pressure gauge to see if there are any leaks or dripping pressure. If the test is successfully completed, we move on to the following phase.
Step 10. Pour cement screed
Having made sure that the entire warm floor system is whole and assembled correctly, we make a cement screed to fill the cement screed. This stage can be done yourself or attract builders. For filling, use cement-sand solution or semi-dry mixture. They are equally good for screed, but it is undesirable to use concrete with gravel or gravel. Minimum screed thickness 4.5 cm from the upper edge of the pipe. It is important to remember that we fill the screed on the pipe under test pressure of 6 bar. After 3 days, you can shade the pressure to the working value and in no case should be heat to the pipes of the warm floor. The screed should dry in 20-28 days, otherwise you can cause its cracking in the future. You can additionally add a plasticizer or polypropylene fiber for elasticity and strength to the screed.
Step 11. Equipment setup
The next stage of installing a water-warm floor involves us installing the pump-mixing unit’s parameters and flow meters’ calculation values by hand. This is done after the screed has solidified and been properly maintained. The same temperature in all of the return pipelines serves as the primary indicator that the flow meters are set correctly. If automation was included in the project, the drives, thermostat, and controllers need to be installed now.
Step 1: Plan and Design | Decide where you want the water underfloor heating and calculate the materials you"ll need. |
Step 2: Gather Materials | Get all the necessary tools and supplies, including pipes, manifold, insulation, and thermostat. |
Step 3: Prepare the Surface | Clean and level the floor surface where you"ll install the heating system. |
Step 4: Install Insulation | Lay down insulation boards to improve the system"s efficiency. |
Step 5: Lay Out Pipes | Plan the pipe layout according to your design, ensuring proper spacing. |
Step 6: Connect Manifold | Install and connect the manifold, which distributes water evenly through the pipes. |
Step 7: Install Sensors | Place the temperature sensors and floor probes in appropriate locations. |
Step 8: Test the System | Before covering the pipes, test the system to ensure everything is working correctly. |
Step 9: Cover with Screed | Pour a layer of screed over the pipes to protect them and provide even heat distribution. |
Step 10: Wait for Drying | Allow the screed to dry completely before proceeding. |
Step 11: Install Thermostat | Mount the thermostat and connect it to the manifold for temperature control. |
Step 12: Final Checks | Double-check all connections and settings before turning the system on for regular use. |
Water-based underfloor heating system installation can be a satisfying do-it-yourself project that improves your home’s efficiency and comfort. You can take advantage of the comfortable warmth of heated floors and possibly save money on your energy costs by following these 12 easy steps. To guarantee the best outcomes, it is imperative to approach this task with meticulous planning and attention to detail.
First and foremost, it’s crucial to fully investigate and comprehend the underlying concepts of water underfloor heating before beginning the installation process. Become familiar with the various parts, including the control system, insulation, pipes, and manifold. With this knowledge, you will be able to troubleshoot any installation-related issues and make well-informed decisions.
Next, give your underfloor heating system some serious thought and planning when it comes to measurements and layout. Think about things like the size of the room, where the furniture is positioned, and where the utilities are located. Having a well-planned layout will help you place the heating pipes in the best possible locations and guarantee that the room is heated evenly.
As with any installation, accuracy is essential. Make sure you carefully follow the directions and instructions provided by the manufacturer. For the system to function properly and last a long time, accurate manifold connection, tight fastening, and proper pipe spacing are essential. This process shouldn’t be rushed; paying attention to detail now will pay off later.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it as you follow the installation instructions. Ask a friend or relative for assistance when needed with projects like concrete mixing or pipe installation. An additional pair of hands and eyes can facilitate and improve the process.
Before adding flooring materials, make sure the system has been tested thoroughly after installation. Examine the control system for functionality, appropriate water flow, and leaks. Resolve any problems as soon as possible to avoid further harm and guarantee the system works properly.
Lastly, enjoy the fact that you completed this project yourself as you enjoy the warmth of your recently installed underfloor heating system. You have improved your home’s comfort and worth in addition to gaining useful knowledge and skills that you can use for other do-it-yourself projects. For many years to come, take pleasure in the warm atmosphere and economical heating that your water warm floor offers.