Warm floors Water mounting circuits in the apartment

Heating systems designed using the contemporary idea of warming the floor surface are becoming more and more popular. Such technology is already widely used in many nations, where "warm floors," which take the place of standard radiator schemes, are installed as soon as multi-story building projects are completed. This can be explained by the benefits of this type of heating, which include uniform heating from the bottom up, ideal temperature distribution, and minimal horizontal air mass movement—all of which contribute to the creation of the most comfortable living and working environments.

Heated floors Circuits for mounting water in the apartment

Such obvious advantages of such a heating system make many owners of houses and city apartments think – is it worth it to switch to it ? When considering possible options, very often the electrical heating of the floors is treated with some kind of prejudice, which is explained by the high cost of electricity, and the Water “Warm Paul” will clearly win in terms of efficiency of operation. This is also supplemented by the fact that water heating pipes have already been laid in the apartment, and it is very great the temptation to simply connect the contours of the floor heating to them. Probably, this is explained by the fact that in the top of search queries on the network on the topics of heating, there must be such as “Warm floors of water mounting schemes in the apartment” .

Details regarding the installation of a three-way valve for a heated floor might be of interest to you.

But, you must notify the apartment’s owner right away if they wish to convert to water heating for the floors because things are not always that easy. The system itself needs a lot of work and is highly complex. Furthermore, the conditions of multi-story buildings present a multiplicity of challenges to the effective execution of such a project. These issues are also very adaptable, encompassing both technological and administrative aspects.

Nonetheless, such an opportunity is contingent upon certain conditions. To begin with, though, you should probably familiarize yourself with the challenges that you will unavoidably face. After considering all the factors and evaluating the extent of the necessary actions, some apartment owners might choose to focus on a safer and easier installation process for the electric "warm floor" system.

Is it necessary to coordinate the project with public utilities?

There will almost definitely be a lot of administrative issues if the apartment owner connects his water "warm floor" system to the current central heating system.

The possibilities of a multi-story building’s complex, multibranched heating system are limited, even for experts in the field. Numerous factors were considered during the design process, including the boiler room’s power or local heat allocation, the pipelines’ diameters and lengths, the level of insulation, the coolant’s temperature and pressure requirements, the radiator connections and wiring scheme, and many more. Any modifications that are self-introduced to this system’s operation run the risk of creating an imbalance and reducing its overall efficacy.

It is clear that the design is always carried out with the necessary technological reserve, and the connection of one – two contours of the warm floor, of course, is unlikely to be noticeable on the system of the system. But, firstly, sorry to cut this type of heating, most likely, a lot of. And secondly, that which is inconspicuous in the volume of the entire local system may well be felt on the scale of the entrance or a specific riser. Connecting additional circuits, which usually have a very considerable length, can affect the drop in the temperature of the coolant within the radiators of the neighbors. Surely, this will end with complaints about the work of the heat power industry, and those, in search of the reasons, will certainly find it, and an unauthorized connection will lead to serious administrative measures.

There is only one solution: either work with thermal energy suppliers or the management company to coordinate the process. But it remains to be seen if they will grant such permission.

The owners of the apartments at the very end of the heating riser are in a dominant position in this instance. For instance, if the supply is lower, this will become the upper floor; conversely, if the riser’s coolant is supplied from above (which occurs more frequently), then resolutions with a higher degree of probability will be able to recruit the first-floor apartment residents. The neighbors’ riser radiators won’t be impacted by the thermal energy choice used to heat the floor.

However, this does not imply in the slightest that public utilities will not propose additional technical requirements. It will therefore most likely undergo renovations from them in order to install the required individual heat metering device.

It will be required to install a separate thermal energy metering device when approving the connection.

It might be a suggestion from public utilities to set up their heating system in accordance with the Loavtonal principle. In this version, the circuit is entirely closed, so the coolant from the central system won’t be utilized for circulation through the "warm floor" pipes. additionally the thermal energy transfer that comes from the boiler room. transpires via a unique apparatus, the heat exchanger that is mounted on the feed pipe.

The heat exchanger can be used to select heat.

Naturally, in order to control coolant circulation and avoid emergencies, more equipment will need to be installed at the same time. Furthermore, the owners of such a scheme are still required to purchase and install the thermal energy-consuming metering device.

You can save a lot of trouble if you decide to switch your apartment over to autonomous heating entirely. An increasingly common practice is for the owners to install their own gas or electric boiler in place of the heating and hot water supply.

An increasing number of city apartment owners are attempting to transition to complete autonomy when it comes to hot water and heating.

Coordination with housing and operating companies is also necessary, but this kind of coordination is already a little different. However, the autonomous system owner is then free to select the number and kind of radiators, convectors, "warm floor" shapes, and other details. P. In this version, just the costs of the energy carrier—gas or electricity—will need to be paid; heat metering devices won’t be needed.

This is not to suggest that the apartment owners’ troubles will end there; rather, they will face numerous challenges related to technology. However, they are still resolved in one way or another.

The key question is the laying of “warm floor” pipes in a city apartment

If the administrative stage has been successfully passed, the permission to connect is received or the complete autonomy of the heating and hot water supply system is ensured, then it is time to proceed to the phased solution to the problems of laying the contours of the “warm floor”. Here it is necessary to decide on the possible height of lifting the floor level, with the method of closing the circuits, with such a calculation not to exceed the permissible load on the inter -story floors. A very important point is the high -quality thermal insulation of the created design, the reliability and durability of the pipes and their compounds. Well, of course, at this stage it is necessary to deal with the optimal laying scheme, the length of the circuits, steps of laying them.

Possible obstacles – lifting the floor level and weighting of the structure

The first step is to determine how much the apartment’s floor level will rise following the installation of the "warm floor" and whether this can be permitted under particular circumstances. And there will inevitably be a rise in thickness due to three reasons.

The approximate water scheme beneath the screed for the "warm floor"

• Nobody wants to pay money for anything, and therefore you have to provide a thermal insulation barrier (pos. 1), which is not deducted to be spent almost wasted, to warm up the reinforced concrete slabs.

In most cases, there is an adequate layer of 25 × 30 mm polystyrene foam thermal insulation if the property is above another heated apartment. In the best of situations, they may even be restricted to roughly 5 mm-thick rolled foil insulation made of foamed polyethylene. But you will need to use a 50 mm thermal insulation layer, or even more, if there is a cold basement or an unleashed base below.

• The efficiency of the "warm floor" is ensured by filling the screed with a thickness of at least 50 mm (pos. 2). The concrete layer not only closes the lambs of the circuits (pos. 3), but also becomes accumulating and evenly distributing the heat element of the entire system.

Furthermore, the screed will add an additional 50 mm to the floor’s elevation. Because of the considerable increase in load on the floor slab, it is imperative to confirm if it is acceptable in the home of a given series.

• And finally, you can not discount the thickness of the finished flooring of the floor (pos. 4). It, of course, is not comparable with the thickness of the screed, but also 10 ÷ 15 millimeters, or even more can add, especially if a thick ceramic tile is laid on a layer of glue.

By laying the "warm floor" without the use of a concrete screed, some issues can be avoided. In order to improve heat transfer in this instance, unique metal plates with pipe-laying channels are employed.

Heat exchanger plate featuring a pipe-laying channel

As seen in the figure, these plates can be installed in unique modules made of wood or wood composite, in insulating mats of a particular structure, or as a wooden floor on the lags.

On a wooden base without a screed, a water "warm floor"

Thermo-insulating material was laid (pos. 2) in between the lags that were placed on the floor’s fundamental base and aligned horizontally (pos. 1). A step that guarantees the placement of heat exchanger metal plates (poses. 4) is taken before packing boards atop (pos. 3). The "warm floor" contour’s pipes are installed in the plate channels (pos. 5), and the entire structure is then covered from above with sheets of plywood, OSP, drywall, etc. (pos. 6), which will serve as the foundation for applying the finish coating.

A comparable styling technique loses a little bit of heat transfer efficiency. But this is the only way to gain those valuable millimeters of height and avoid placing too much weight on the overlap.

In any case, there is no way around raising the floor level. Therefore, you should weigh your options in advance and choose wisely.

Let’s now discuss the two main elements needed to lay the "warm floor" contour: the pipes and the insulation mats.

The choice of insulation mats

• As already mentioned, in almost ideal conditions (the building itself and the ceiling itself, in particular, already has highly effective insulation, and a well -heated room is located from below) can be used rolled materials, for example, “Penophols” .

Based on foamed polyethylene, foil was placed over the heater.

Pentor costs

Penophol

In this instance, the circuit can be laid using either specialized mounting rails with pipe grooves or by tying the loops of the pipes to a pre-laid metal stack for reinforcement.

• If better insulation is required, then matches of polystyrene foam are used (best – extrusion).

Polystyrene foam folding mate with applied marking lines

Although these heaters can be purchased as individual plates, it is preferable to buy specialized mats that are arranged in accordance with the type of "accordion" or "tractor caterpillar." These products frequently have a mesh applied to them, which will make the marking and circuit layout process much easier. The foil surface will guarantee that heat is reflected back into the room, boosting thermal insulation’s overall efficacy.

Pipe fixing with a plastic clamp on the mounting rail

In addition to pipe fixation to a reinforcing grid or mounting racks, specialized clamps with harpoons are also useful for pipe fixation to such mats. These clamps consistently hold the TO RUUL in place.

• However, the best, although expensive decision will be the acquisition of special specialized mats from polystyrene foam for a water gender. The ledges placed on their surface – bosses allow you to quickly and reliably fix the loops of the circuit without the use of any additional accessories.

Profile mat with polymer coating and bosses

Profile mats with polymer coating and castle protrusions are the best option; they are depicted in the figure. When laying, a complete surface is created, providing superior waterproofing. As a result, three issues are resolved simultaneously: pipe laying process simplification, waterproofing barrier creation, and insulation. Furthermore, the protruding bosses themselves serve as additional reinforcement for the screed, eliminating the need for it.

Heat exchange plates in the profile mat are neatly arranged.

By the way, in the event that screed is not needed, such mats can be utilized. The circuit pipes are already being struck in the heat exchange plates that are positioned in between the bosses.

The choice of pipes for the "warm floor"

It is imperative to ensure the safety and tightness of the pipes and their compounds, as the contours are hidden by screed and external coating and have been installed for a considerable amount of time. Therefore, simplifying this matter would be unwise. Even a small leak can have disastrous results and require extensive repairs that require opening the floor.

What specifications apply to pipe contours?

• Unacceptable pipes made using suture technology.
• It is impossible to place pipes in the thickness of the floor – the circuit should be executed from one whole bay. True, exceptions – this will be discussed below.
• Resistance to corrosion, to the possible aggressive chemical effects of the coolant, to the formation of scale or lime deposits on the internal walls. Ideally, pipes should also resist oxygen diffusion – many modern models provide for such a function.
• The supply of thermal and mechanical strength. The pipe material should not be afraid of the fever of the coolant and withstand the pressure of at least 8 ÷ 10 atmospheres.
• Pipes should have a smooth inner surface – to reduce the hydraulic resistance of the circuit and so that the current current of the coolant is not accompanied by noise.

These standards lead to the instant exclusion of the VGP’s steel pipes since they are sutured and cannot be used without causing joints.

Surely, there is a great temptation to use polypropylene pipes, since they are inexpensive, easy to install. However, in our case, they cannot be applied. Warm floor of polypropylene pipes is not the most suitable option. Firstly, they have expressed a large coefficient of linear expansion when heated. And secondly, the assembly of the circuit will require a very large number of welded joints. Although high -quality joints of polypropylene are highly reliable, in these places there may be proceeding of conditional passage, accumulations of solid precipitation, and the numerous rectangular turns themselves lead to a sharp increase in hydraulic resistance, which in the contours of the warm floor is unacceptable.

Therefore, among the following pipe varieties, a choice can be made:

• Pipes made of steamed polyethylene of re-x

Due to its linear molecular structure, polyethylene can be specially processed to produce a lot of transverse connections, or "stitching," which gives the material entirely new properties. Such stitched polyethylene pipes stand out for their strength and cancellation, can tolerate temperature fluctuations with ease, and don’t freeze.

Sewn polyethylene re-ha pipe bay

The material labeled "re-ha" has the best operational indicators because the degree of stitching is the highest, reaching up to 90%. It’s even better if they’re enhanced with an additional layer that prevents oxygen diffusion.

Costs of Reh’s pipes

Pipes Reh

Furthermore, pipes made of the newest polymer, re-RT, are available; with this material, stitched polyethylene offers even greater benefits, particularly with regard to heat resistance.

They seem to have been designed specifically for the "warm floor" because they are simple to use, transfer heat well, and, depending on technology, let you lay intricate contours with bends. But, care should be taken when selecting them because many inferior products already exist on the market that cannot tolerate high temperatures or pressure spikes.

Furthermore, an aluminum layer may be highly susceptible to oxygen corrosion, which causes the pipe to stratify and lose its properties. As a result, if you decide to use metal-plastic pipes, you should be mindful of the materials used to create the inner and outer layers as well as, ideally, the personal barrier.

Always be mindful of the metal-plastic pipe’s quality.

The ideal option is a pipe with an outer layer of re-polyethylene and an aluminum layer that has been welded using specialized technology.

Costs of plastic-metal pipes

Metal -plastic pipes

In terms of heat transfer capacity and operational longevity, these pipes most likely have no competitors.

Detached from a copper pipe

With metal plasticity, you can create contours with any degree of intricacy. Hydrous temperatures, corrosion, and other extreme conditions do not frighten copper. Its extremely high cost is the only thing preventing its widespread use.

• Stainless flexible corrugated pipes

Using stainless steel pipes that are corrugated is another contemporary method. Their internal polymer coating enhances their resistance to corrosion, which further ensures long-term operation. Their high flexibility makes them ideal for contour laying.

Contemporary stainless steel corrugated pipes exhibit flawlessness.

Additionally, the highest level of dependability of standard fittings guarantees the one exception to the rules, which permits you to create butt joints beneath the floor. Even though the bay’s maximum length is 50 meters, they can still be utilized safely for longer circuits and styling.

The cost of such material is the only disadvantage.

We determine the contour laying scheme

For the water "warm floor" in the apartment to work as intended, there are a few guidelines that must be followed when creating its contours.

• There are two main styling schemes – this is a “snake” or “snail”. But they can be combined and combined in various variations. Basic schemes are presented in the figure:

Rudimentary contour-laying techniques

A: "Snail." It is thought to be the most suitable for distributing heat evenly. varies in having a more intricate laying procedure.

"Snake" is represented by b. Heat is zonal, which is a clear disadvantage despite the installation being simpler.

B: The "Snakes" variation featuring a double climb. There are noticeable stripes, but the distribution of heat is more uniform throughout the area.

• In order to prevent unnecessary heat consumption for warming the wall structures, the contours are laid at a distance of no closer than 300 mm to them.
• One of the defining parameters of the contour is the step of its laying, that is, the distance between neighboring pipes in the loop. Usually this value lies in the range from 80 mm (it is impossible to make less, since the radius of the bending of pipes will not allow) and up to 300 mm (they are no longer done, since the “zebra effect” appears – pronounced stripes of warm and cold coating).

The "warm floor"’sintendeduse—that is, whether it will serve as the sole source of heat or whether it should be used in conjunction with radiators—will determine the styling step in large part. Additionally, surface heating in the living rooms can reach up to 29 °C (or 27 °C in the bathroom if natural wood or parquet is used as the finish coating). It’s already 33 °C in the kitchen, the ceramic tile-finished bathroom, and the hallway.

• Heating radiators are not in vain installed near window openings – they create a peculiar curtain, minimizing heat losses. It must also be taken into account when drawing up a “warm floor” scheme – to provide a more dense styling in areas with maximum heat losses – at the windows and along the external walls. And here there can be a very large number of variations of the “drawings” of the circuit.

Laying pattern	Short description
	Ordinary “snake” – it itself creates a zone of high heating, even if you do not use the variation of a step of styling.
	Also a classic “snake”, but with a noticeable seal of styling along the outer wall, of course, to the detriment of heating the rest of the room.
	Laying a "double snake" with a compacted contour in an area requiring increased heating.
	Two sequential sequences of the "double snake" with the release of the increased heating area.
	"Snail" with asymmetric laying of a spiral – compaction of the circuit towards the outer wall.
	Two consistent "snails" with the allocation of an area requiring increased heating.

The drawing-scheme best conveys the styling scheme right away. This will come in handy when installing the circuit and let you figure out how many pipes you’ll need ahead of time.

The following formula can be used to determine the circuit’s length:

L = K ×SY/Hy

L: The circuit’s length at a specific location.

SY stands for surface area.

Hy – Pipe installation at the location.

K is the coefficient that accounts for the pipeline’s bends.

As a result, the computation for the full contour is done all at once if the laying step is consistent throughout the room. The pipe length is computed for each designated area with compaction, followed by a summary.

You can use the calculator below to make the task easier:

Calculator calculating the length of the pipes of the "warm floor"

The "installation ends" and direct submission and return areas are added to the resultant value in order to connect to the collector.

• It should be remembered that the contour cannot be limitless. Hydraulic resistance can become higher than the pressure of the coolant, and the circuit just “closes”. So, if the pipe Du16 is used, then you should limit yourself to 70 – 80 m (optimally – up to 60m), with DU20 – not more than 100 m (80 m). If, as a result of calculations, it turns out that the contour of the larger length is required, it will have to be divided into two, with a separate connection of each to the collector. At the same time, it is desirable to achieve approximately equal to the length of both – the difference is acceptable – no more than 20%.

In addition, if a screed is to be used to pour the "warm floor," there will be a technological breakdown of the coating when dumping tape for the screed is installed in between contours. The entire perimeter of the room should have the same tape applied to the walls to account for temperature extensions.

Equipment required for the functioning of the "warm floor" in the apartment

It is naive to think that simply laying the pipe contours will solve every issue—all that needs to happen is for them to be connected to the submission and return, and then everything will function right away. Nothing of the sort; the effectiveness of a system like that will be highly scrutinized. Furthermore, a number of other technological issues need to be resolved:

• The liquid will always choose the path of the smallest hydraulic resistance, and to force it to circulate along a long tube contour, the installation of special equipment – a pump unit will be required.
• Be sure to need devices for the release of accumulating air to avoid gas plugs.
• The created pressure in the system should be aligned in order to ensure the circulation of the coolant with the most efficient heat transfer, without stagnation and with the exception of the likelihood of hydraulic strokes.
• The temperature level in heating radiators and in the contours of the "warm floor" is completely different. If in the central system heating can reach 80 degrees, then this is completely unacceptable to heat the floor. Such temperatures will create an uncomfortable atmosphere in the room, and destructively will affect the condition of the screed of the insulation, will lead to the deformation of the flooring.

The coolant temperature in the "warm floor" contours is usually kept between 35 and 40 °C, with a maximum of 50 °C. In order to achieve the necessary degree of heating of the floor surface, a special unit that mixes coolant from the supply and "return" must be installed.

A basic three-way tap’s hot and cooled coolant flow mixing scheme

• The coolant in the system should be clean, therefore, the installation of the corresponding filters will not interfere, especially if water is used from the central heating system.
• In order to visually control the parameters of the system – pressure in the circuit and temperature level, the appropriate devices, pressure gauge and thermometer will be required.
• The system should be safe in operation – without compliance with this condition for permission to install it simply will not be received. In addition, if you plan to connect to the central risers, then the “warm floors” created in any way should in no way prevent the full -time operation of the heating system of the entire building.

By the way, there are no overly independent people using this strategy. It’s likely that one of the standard diagrams for connecting to the central system will be suggested. For instance, as seen in the figure:

One of the standard schematics for connecting the "warm floor" to the heating system’s wiring

This is merely the previously discussed option; the apartment is situated in the latter due to the sudden increase in temperature at the entrance.

The inlet valve is installed at the system’s entrance (pos. 1) The diagram does not indicate this, but it is advised to place a "oblique" filter-gryazevik here to stop dirty coolant from getting into the distribution system and the "warm floor" contours themselves.

The check valve and shut-off valve are located at the system’s exit (pos. 2).

In this instance, a three-way crane controls the coolant temperature in the "warm floor" contours (pos. 3). This device can be more contemporary, with a servo drive that gets a control signal from a thermal attempt at the feeder entrance (shown by green dashed), or it can be a device that requires the necessary mixture level to be manually installed.

Three-way cranes that are servo-equipped and have manual control on the left

The pump (pos.4) is installed to guarantee circulation, and it should operate and create pressure in a way that matches the total indicators of all circuits connected to the collector.

A bypass valve is installed on the bypass between the collectors (pos. 5), aligning the pressure drops to the required value if needed.

Air vents (poses. 6) and descent cranes (poses. 7) must be installed on the collectors themselves.

It can be used here if the warm floor system is directly connected to both pipes—the high-temperature supply and the return (this is primarily due to the apartment’s fully independent heating system, or if the central one is installed with the necessary permission). Alternative installation plans:

Connection scheme	Features of the scheme
	A two -way crane is used (pos. 2). Mixing does not occur, and adjustment is only in terms of pressure level and, accordingly, the rate of heat transfer of the coolant. General setting, in addition, is done using balancing valves on Bypas (pos. 3) and on the return (pos. 4). Bypass valve (pos. 5) provides the pressure drop required for normal circulation. Scheme – far from perfect, is quite complicated in the exact balancing. Dotor here and further – a signal cable from a thermostat to a control device equipped with a servo.
	A very similar option, but a straight -bypass without aatopic valve (pos. 8) installed directly between the feed and reverse manifold.
	There are no balancing valves, but a three -way crane is installed on the return (pos. 11), which redirects the required flow of already chilled coolant to the supply line. The scheme is simple and quite effective, but the quality of mixing in it is “lame”.
	With this placement of a three -way crane (pos. 9) ensures a complete, high -quality mixture of hot and cooled flows before entering the circulation unit.
	The most accurate tuning is given. 10) with manual or electromechanical control. Subtle adjustment is amenable to both the temperature of the coolant in the “warm floor” contours and the pressure level.
	This type of connection has already been mentioned at the beginning of the article – through the heat exchanger (pos. 14). installed a two -way crane and two adjusting valves. But there is one important difference from all previously considered schemes – the mandatory presence of a separate expansion tank (pos. 13) and its own “security group, (pos. 12) in which the most important role is assigned to the safety valve.

If the heat exchanger is used in the heating transmission, an expansion tank and a "security group" are needed.

You might want to learn more about the operation of a pipe-crossbar or just skip over the description.

It is imperative to ensure mutual balancing between circuits if multiple warm floor circuits are to be connected. If one does not observe, the coolant will follow the path with the least amount of hydraulic resistance, causing the circulation to be either too small or disrupted overall in other contours. It is nearly impossible for the contours to withstand being exactly the same length, so more adjustment is needed.

Video: one of the ways to accurately adjust the temperature of the "warm floor"

In order to accomplish this, the cranes are adjusted to the collector combs for each of their inputs and outputs; this will enable mutual balancing. Furthermore, these cranes will permit the circuit to be locally turned off when not in use or for maintenance or preventive purposes, all without interfering with the remaining system’s functionality.

Thermostats on every connected circuit are located on the distribution collector node.

If every contour connected to the collector has its own thermostat, that would be even better. Accurately adjusting the temperature in various rooms will be simpler.

The figure, for instance, depicts the workflow of one type of collector-regulating node.

Schematically, the collector unit’s operation

Does building such a node from scratch make sense? All of its components should be easily found in theory, and assembling it shouldn’t be too difficult if one has the right plumbing installation experience. It is still preferable to purchase a ready-made collector cabinet, though, as each component’s placement in relation to the others is crucial to the overall design.

You can select a pre-made collector node in the cabin for any "warm floor" layout design.

The necessary model is available in specialty stores and is made to be used for both small-scale heating applications with two to three "warm floors" as well as large-scale apartment or house applications where it can handle the distribution and adjustment of multiple contours laid over large areas.

Video: an example of the device and assembly of the finished collector unit

In order to reduce long submarines, a collector cabinet with multiple circuits installed is typically recommended. In other words, the costs will be the most desirable.

Thus, the primary plans for installing a warm floor in the apartment were taken into consideration in the publication. It is advisable to seek the advice of a trained specialist when selecting a particular type and making system parameter errors, as these mistakes can have a significant negative impact on heating quality and are challenging to rectify. Visit our website to learn about pipes.

Afanasyev Evgeny, Chief Editor

26.09.2015 is the publication’s author.

In an apartment, installing water-based underfloor heating systems can greatly improve indoor efficiency and comfort. This kind of heating is perfect for creating a cozy living space because it evenly distributes warmth throughout the floor. In order to properly remove cold spots and release heat upward, heated water must be circulated through a network of pipes laid beneath the floor. For any home renovation or new construction project, the setup can be more involved and initially more expensive than with electric underfloor systems, but the long-term energy savings and the even, gentle heat output make it an investment well worth making.

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