Warm floor in the kitchen: is it necessary, which type to choose and how to do it with your own hands

Particularly on those chilly mornings, are you sick of walking on chilly kitchen floors? You’re not alone, though. This discomfort affects many homeowners, but thankfully there’s an easy fix: a heated floor. You heard correctly! Your kitchen can become a comfortable retreat with a heated floor, greatly improving the quality of your morning routines. Let’s examine whether they are necessary, the various kinds that are available, and how to install one yourself before you dive in.

First things first: is a warm kitchen floor really necessary? Of course! Families congregate in the kitchen to prepare meals, making it the hub of the house. Therefore, it’s crucial to make sure it’s both comfortable and functional. A heated floor improves the atmosphere of your kitchen overall and adds a luxurious touch. Furthermore, because it only provides warmth where it’s most needed, it can help reduce heating costs.

Let’s now discuss the various kinds of warm floors that you have to pick from. Electric radiant heat and hydronic (water-based) radiant heat are the two most common types. Hydronic systems use hot water tubes; electric radiant heat uses electric cables or mats installed beneath the floor. Both solutions have advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to compare them taking into account aspects like cost, effectiveness, and installation ease.

Are you prepared to put on some work and start a do-it-yourself warm floor project? This is how you can accomplish it with your hands. Make sure you have all the tools and materials you’ll need before you start. If you choose electric radiant heat, you’ll need electric heating mats or cables, insulation boards, flooring materials, and a thermostat. Make sure the subfloor is clean, dry, and level before starting. Installing the insulation boards will then decrease heat loss and increase energy efficiency.

Do you need a warm floor in the kitchen?

It’s not always necessary to install a heated kitchen floor. To decide whether more heating is required in your situation, weigh all the benefits and drawbacks.

A warming device becomes necessary if:

• You like to walk barefoot – to maintain health;
• You live on the ground floor or in a private house – the floor does not heat up with ordinary heating, and remains cold;
• After the repair, the kitchen is combined with a balcony – without an additional heat source, it is difficult to create the desired temperature level;
• You plan to use tiles or laminate as a flooring – this is a cold material.

There’s no need to set up additional heating if your system warms up nicely. Furthermore, it is not necessary when applying warm materials as finishes, such as wood, traffic jams, or linoleum.

Furthermore, the tree will dry out from continuous heating, which will cause cracks to show. Additionally, harmful compounds will be released when linoleum is laid over a conflicting surface. Another instance in which the floor is not required for heating—if the room has windows facing south, the sun’s rays will heat it.

That is to say, a decision regarding the necessity of installing a heating structure must be made, considering their preferred temperature as well as the design and placement of the kitchen.

Advantages and disadvantages

After deciding to install a heated kitchen floor, you should be aware of all the benefits and drawbacks of this type of heating system.

Benefits of this heating

• uniformity of heating the room;
• the surface quickly dries after washing;
• There are no complex settings and it is possible to adjust the temperature level;
• Long service life – up to 40 years.

• Difficulties in installing a heating system – the dismantling of the flooring is required;
• the elevated temperature in the room can lead to a faster damage to products;
• high cost of equipment;
• When using electrical structures, energy consumption increases.

What are the views

Warm floors come in a variety of forms, including water and electric, which are further separated into cable and infrared varieties.

The installed autonomous boiler in a private home has the capacity to supply hot coolant and has a fluid-transporting pump.

The kitchen’s water flooring arrangement will be reasonably priced, and it is cost-effective while in use. It is important to note the challenges, though, as they include waiting a long time for the system to install and getting permission to connect. Additionally, there’s a chance that a fit of pipeline will flood nearby properties from below.

Electric

Electricity is transformed into thermal energy to power electric heated floors. The thermostat controls the amount of heating.

It is also important to consider how furniture will be arranged in the future when installing a heating element because heavy objects cannot be placed on it; this could lead to the system overheating and failing.

Warming floors that run on electricity are:

• Cable – a heating element is a cable, which is laid on the surface according to a certain scheme. The service life of such a system is greater than water. Minus – expensive installation, but there is no resolution for installation. And also, electricity costs, but they are not significant, since the area of the room is small.

You must replace the complete device if even one wire is broken.

Excellent dignity of cable: any finish coating may be used.

• Film – carbon heating film. Carbon paste is applied to the product with parallel stripes. In such systems, heating is carried out due to infrared waves.

Since the film has no effect, it cannot be placed beneath the tile.

• Rod – also belong to the infrared system. Are mats with parallel by carbon rods parallel. They are highly effective, durable, reliable and economical.

The primary benefit, though, is self-control. The only electric warm floor model that can be installed beneath large furniture without running the risk of overheating is this one. Furthermore, core mats can be installed in a wet room and beneath any type of coating.

The primary disadvantage is the cost.

A warm floor in the kitchen can bring comfort and efficiency to your home, but is it really necessary? Absolutely! Not only does it keep your toes cozy during chilly mornings, but it also helps distribute heat evenly throughout the room, eliminating cold spots. When it comes to choosing the right type of warm floor, you have options like electric and water-based systems. Electric systems are easier to install and control, while water-based ones may offer lower operating costs in the long run. If you"re up for a DIY project, installing a warm floor in your kitchen can be done with the right tools and guidance. Just make sure to follow safety instructions and proper installation techniques to enjoy a toasty kitchen all year round!

Which is better to choose?

The following features should be your first consideration when selecting a warm system for the kitchen:

1. Installation – all types of electric floors are easy to install, and the construction of a water structure is a more complex process.
2. The styling method is the most time -consuming water construction technology, as it needs to be screed at least 3 mm. The rod can be mounted both in a screed and in a layer of tile glue. Cable and film in the screed do not need, the film generally lays under the coating.
3. Flooring – almost all models can be adjacent to any finish coating. The main thing is that it has a badge that indicates compatibility with heating devices.
4. Power is the smallest at the water system – 110 watts per meter in a square, then there is a cable – 160. The most powerful are infrared floors, film – 220, rod – 260.
5. Type of heating – all models except the cable system can be the main source of heating.
6. The thickness of the “pie” without the finish coating is the thickest structure is obtained during the construction of the water floor, the electric systems are quite thin, from 1 to 3 mm, if they are not mounted in a screed.
7. Commissioning – only the film can be turned on immediately after laying, cable and core after the glue dries – it will take several hours, water – when the screed freezes.
8. The temperature range – in all sexes up to + 70 degrees, except for the rod, it has up to + 80.
9. Savings of electrical consumption – a high degree of energy savings in the film system and water, cable floors occupy a middle position, the lowest indicator in rod mat.
10. The uniformity of the premises heating is in the first place infrared systems (film and rod floor), cable and water devices provide comfortable circulation of air masses.
11. Mobility – film and rod floor easily transferred to another place, the film can be placed even under the carpet. Cable and water systems are not mobile.
12. Life of water – water 10 years, cable 20 years, rod 25, film 30 years.
13. Manufacturer"s warranty – hydraulic field 10 years, film 15, cable 20, rod floor 25 years.

The residence—a house or apartment—is also taken into consideration. In fact, permission is needed to install a water heating system in an apartment, and this permission is frequently denied for apartment buildings.

Furthermore, the apartments have relatively low ceiling heights, which are greatly diminished by the water floor. Thus, an electric heated floor would be a good style choice for the apartment’s kitchen.

Setting up a water system in the kitchen is a more cost-effective option for rural homes with independent heating.

Installation of water warm floor in the kitchen

• Preparation of the base – the dismantling of the old coating, alignment and cleaning of the concrete floor is carried out.

• Thermal insulation – the material is laid in the bake, and large cracks are sealed with mounting foam.

• Installation of the damping tape – it is glued over the kitchen around the perimeter, it prevents the screed from cracking when heated.

• Laying a reinforcing grid, when using mats with bobes as a heater, it can not be laid out.

• Proceeding the pipeline – pipes are placed according to the planned scheme. The circuit is mounted from the walls at a distance of at least 8 cm, and the step between loops is from 10 to 40 cm. Pipes are attached to the reinforcement with clamps, you can not pull it hard.

• Connection – the pipeline is connected to the collector by compensation fittings. One end to the feed, the other to the return. The corrugation is put on a section of the pipe located on the deformation seam.
• System check – water is supplied to the highway under a pressure of 5 – 6 bar. Testing is carried out for 24 hours. If the leaks did not appear during this time, then you can proceed to fill the screed.
• Filling the screed – work is carried out with a filled pipeline and under the working pressure. For screed, a cement-sand solution is used. After placing and aligning the mixture, it must be allowed to dry, it will take about 4 weeks.

• Laying the finish coating – only after a complete hardening of the screed, the selected flooring is laid – for example, tiles.

Only after the screed dries—and in the case of ceramic tiles—can the system be turned on.

A warm floor can make all the difference in creating a comfortable and cozy kitchen. It not only adds a luxurious touch to your kitchen, but it also keeps you warm on chilly mornings or evenings. Selecting the appropriate kind of warm floor is crucial, regardless of whether you view it as a luxury or a necessity.

Warm floor systems come in a variety of forms, each with advantages and disadvantages of its own. Because they are simple to install and allow for individual room control, electric radiant heating systems are widely used. They are made up of mats or electric cables that are buried under the flooring to provide the kitchen a constant temperature.

As an alternative, hot water that travels through pipes buried beneath the floor is used in hydronic (water-based) radiant heating systems. Even though they might cost more up front and need to be professionally installed, they frequently provide higher energy efficiency and longer-term cost savings.

Depending on your degree of do-it-yourself expertise and the kind of system you select, installing a warm floor in your kitchen is totally doable. Electric radiant heating systems, especially those with mat designs, are usually easier to install yourself thanks to the manufacturers’ thorough installation instructions. To maximize effectiveness and stop heat loss, it’s essential to adhere to safety regulations and make sure that insulation is installed properly.

Prior to beginning a do-it-yourself warm floor project, careful planning and study are necessary. To choose the best system for your needs, take into account elements like the design of your kitchen, the type of flooring, and the insulation that is currently in place. In addition, seek advice and direction from experts or seasoned do-it-yourselfers, particularly if you have any doubts about any part of the installation procedure.

In summary, a warm kitchen floor can greatly improve the coziness and atmosphere of your house. Whether you choose a hydronic solution or an electric radiant heating system, it is important to carefully consider your needs, installation requirements, and budget. You can experience the luxury of a warm kitchen floor while possibly lowering your energy costs and raising the value of your house with the appropriate selection and installation.