Warm water floors in a private house on a concrete floor: with your own hands

Few things compare to the comfort of heated floors when it comes to keeping your house warm and comfortable. Furthermore, if you enjoy do-it-yourself projects, putting in warm water floors on a concrete surface in your home can be quite satisfying. This system, sometimes referred to as hydronic radiant floor heating, warms the floors using water that has been heated by a heat pump or boiler, offering a cost-effective and cozy heating option.

The ability of warm water floors to evenly distribute heat over the whole floor surface is one of their main benefits. Radiant floor heating, as opposed to conventional forced-air heating systems, guarantees constant warmth from floor to ceiling and can prevent cold spots and uneven temperatures. By allowing for the maintenance of a comfortable environment even at lower thermostat settings, this not only improves comfort but also enables more economical use of energy.

For many homeowners, installing warm water floors on a concrete slab foundation is a popular choice. Because of their superior thermal mass, concrete floors can hold and release heat slowly, assisting in the stabilization of interior temperatures. Furthermore, radiant heating panels or tubing can be installed on a firm and stable surface made of concrete.

Although it is always possible to hire an expert to install warm water floors, many do-it-yourself homeowners opt to take on the task themselves. Installing radiant floor heating on a concrete floor can be a rewarding and manageable project if you have the correct equipment, supplies, and advice. Additionally, you can save a tonne of money on installation fees by doing it yourself.

We’ll guide you through the process of installing warm water floors on a concrete floor in a private home in this article. We’ll give you helpful pointers and advice to help you finish your DIY radiant floor heating project successfully, from setup and planning to tubing layout and system connection to your heating source.

Materials Needed

Steps to Install

PEX tubing, manifold, insulation boards, pipe staples, pipe cutter, heat spreader plates, fasteners, thermostat

1. Prepare the concrete floor by cleaning and leveling it. 2. Lay down insulation boards to minimize heat loss. 3. Install the manifold and connect it to the boiler or water heater. 4. Layout PEX tubing evenly across the floor, securing it with pipe staples. 5. Attach heat spreader plates over the tubing to distribute heat evenly. 6. Connect the tubing to the manifold, making sure there are no leaks. 7. Fill the system with water and check for any leaks. 8. Cover the tubing with a thin layer of self-leveling compound. 9. Install the thermostat and connect it to the manifold. 10. Test the system to ensure it"s working properly.

This post will walk you through the process of doing it yourself: installing warm water floors on a concrete floor in your own home. Warm water floors provide effective and comfortable heating that warms your house evenly. You will learn how to install the piping system, connect it to your current heating system, and adjust the temperature for maximum comfort by following our easy-to-follow instructions. Warm water floors can be luxurious without breaking the bank, all you need is a little do-it-yourself spirit and the appropriate equipment. Together, let’s transform your house into a cozy haven.

We determine whether the room is suitable or not for laying water warm floor

Water structures can serve as an extra heating system in addition to the primary one. They are more frequently advised for custom construction. Such floors are rarely found in multi-story buildings because of the possibility of below-ground flooding that could affect nearby properties. Furthermore, the construction is weighty, placing a significant load on the ceiling.

Installing a water structure while the building is still being constructed is the best course of action. It is feasible to install a floor heating system in a completed house under repair, provided that the space satisfies certain prerequisites.

• sufficient height of the ceilings – after all, the thickness of the “pie” of the water floor reaches from 8 to 20 cm;
• the corresponding size of the doorways is not less than 210 cm in height;
• strong concrete base-so that it withstand the severity of the cement-sand screed, wooden floors may not withstand such a load;
• even and pure concrete black floor – changes more than 5 mm are contraindicated, they can worsen the thermal return of the structure;
• The room should be plastered and windows are inserted;
• The level of heat loss is not more than 100 W/m2 – otherwise it will be necessary to make insulation.

The device of water warm floor on a concrete base in a private house

A warm, watery floor covered in concrete is created by a pipeline that is filled with a concrete solution and coolant. Its "pie" is a multilayer structure, each layer carrying out a specific function and contributing significantly to the device’s overall functionality. Their priority is therefore crucial, and you should keep this in mind when building a design by hand.

The warm water system’s "pie" is as follows:

• black floor – from a concrete screed or floor slabs;
• The waterproofing layer is an ordinary plastic thin film, although when installing the floor is not on the ground, but on the concrete base – you can do without waterproofing;
• thermal insulation – it is recommended to use the polystyrene of an extruded type, since it has low thermal conductivity, is durable and is not expensive;

Just so you know! A minimum thickness of 300 mm and a density of 40 kg/m³ are required for thermal insulation material.

• waterproofing – polyethylene with a thickness of 110 – 155 microns is considered an ideal material for styling in a private house, it creeps into two layers;
• Reinforcement – rods with a thickness of at least 4 mm, cells 50 by 50, or 100 by 100, the mesh is attached to the floor, and not to the sheet of thermal insulation material;
• Heating element – it is mounted to the grid using clamps, the standard pipes size 16 mm (with a room area 50 m2);
• screed-a cement-concrete solution with an added plasticizer is used, the minimum layer thickness is 50 mm;
• substrate – for arrangement, cork material, thick cardboard or polyethylene of a foamed type is suitable;
• flooring – tiles, laminate, linoleum.

Thus, the "pie" of a floor devoid of water has a minimum thickness of 140 mm. Additionally, damper tape must be installed where the concrete solution meets the walls in order to provide compensation when heated.

• “Snail” is a positive side of this method in the ability to evenly distribute heat, but laying a heating element independently according to such a scheme is more difficult. The warm floor circuit is located in a spiral from walls to center, and back.

The best way for cottage owners to maximize sexual efficiency and conserve materials is to create a combined warm floor design. The idea is to put a highway around the perimeter of the room, labeled "snake," and in the center, called "snail." A precise computation of the incremental step will ensure that the temperature is at its most comfortable level.

Just so you know! When selecting a mounting diagram for warm water floors in a private home, you should consider the length of the pipeline, the intended temperature regime, and the layout of the room.

Design

When there is a gas boiler in a private home, setting up a water floor is a win-win situation, though solid fuel can also be used. When compared to electric type floors, this option is thought to be less expensive in terms of energy resources due to its efficiency and low cost.

The device can function flawlessly if the project and installation are handled competently and professionally. As a result, a project to build floor heating in a private home gets underway.

It is first necessary to determine the warm floor’s temperature:

• for housing premises – it is recommended 21 – 27 degrees;
• in passing rooms and corridors – 30;
• In the bath and pool – from 31 to 33 degrees.

The length of the contours should be considered when designing; they should all be roughly the same size. The ideal loop size is between 70 and 90 meters, with the standard pipe product diameter of 16 mm and the room’s area of 50 m2. If the area is larger, it should be divided into multiple sections. The maximum size of a pipeline with a 17 mm diameter is 90–105 mm, or 20–120 mm.

The process of installing heating elements—whose recommended size ranges from 10 to 30 cm—also has a significant impact on how well heat is transferred across the floor. Simultaneously, in the bathrooms and along the outer walls, 100–150 mm, and in the middle of the room, 200–300 mm.

Just so you know! Warm Paul heating system: coolant should not reach a temperature of more than 60 degrees; this is a low-temperature device supplied to the highway.

It is preferable to assign this task to experts if you are unsure that you can complete the computation and drawing on your own.

Calculation and choice of materials

The regulations state that a private home’s water warm floor must function for several decades, so the selection of parts must be made carefully.

Avoid making unnecessary savings on the material by purchasing inexpensive, low-quality items. Products with a long service life should be prioritized because concrete-filled designs are hard to fix.

Choose pipes

Use PE-X and PERT (steamed polyethylene) pipes more frequently when installing water systems by hand. Additionally, the high stitch density of PE-XA products creates a memory effect.

In other words, the circuit that has been stretched or deformed by a heated coolant can return to its original shape. Furthermore, this model has axial fittings, which allow it to be walled securely beneath a concrete screed.

However, PERT products feature cangy fittings, indicating that installation may only be done "dry." As a result, these pipes are only advised for solid product pouring in situations where the fittings are situated where the circuit is fastened to the collector.

Although polypropylene pipes are inexpensive and therefore appealing to many, experts do not advise using them because of their frequent poor quality.

Although they are expensive, copper is a good choice because of their high heat transfer and durability. But the quality and price ratio of metal-plastic pipes is superb. Because they are easily bent, they are lightweight, do not develop corrosion, and are simple to install.

Just so you know! Experts advise against using aluminum foil in a composite circuit since it can explode on a metallized surface.

It is preferable to use a product with an internal polyvinyl e coating if greater isolation is required.

The diameter of pipes for water heating devices on concrete floors should be 16, 17, or 20 mm, with a wall thickness of 2 mm. The products themselves contain these details.

Rehau and Valtec, Tece, Kan, and Uponor are reputable and well-known manufacturers that you should prioritize when selecting a circuit. Additionally, a certificate of conformance for the goods must be present when making a purchase.

Moreover, clamps that are used to secure the heating element to the concrete base must be purchased. The use of bobe-containing mats as insulation eliminates the need for them.

Insulation

One layer of a warm floor that is crucial is the thermal insulation material. Its purpose is to divert and direct the heat released by the pipes from the concrete base upward. The materials sourced from:

• foil polyethylene – especially for floors with a minimum thickness;
• profile polystyrene mat – it is better to take a product with protrusions for laying pipes and the presence of locks for fixing sheets with each other – this will facilitate the installation process;
• polystyrene extruded stoves – they have increased strength and good level of thermal insulation.

Because mineral cotton wool absorbs some of the moisture from the solution, it is not advised to use it when heating the floor in the "wet" method’s "pie."

Just so you know! The features of the room determine the thermal insulation material’s thickness.

The thermal insulation layer should be thicker on the ground floor. When lying on the ground, the average size is 10 cm; above the warm room, it is 3 cm; and over the unheated basement, it is 5 cm.

Furthermore, fasteners (dowel) to attach the insulation to the floor will need to be purchased.

Components for the collector

The coolant is distributed and sent to the highway through the collector-mixing node, which is the hub of the entire construction. Furthermore, it allows for control over the device’s operation and temperature regime adjustment.

You must purchase the individual parts for collectors as they are not offered as a complete set. Although it is best to entrust the task to an expert, if you choose to take on the task yourself, keep in mind that the following components of the node are required:

• collectors with setting valves;
• Fitings for connecting the circuit – they are selected individually;
• automatic air vents;
• brackets for attaching the device to the wall;
• drainage drain cranes;
• metal cabinet;
• mixing capacity and pump to ensure the circulation of the coolant;
• Thermometer to determine the temperature level.

Appropriately chosen collector node details support the device’s efficient operation.

In order to set up the warm floor, you will also need to prepare a large supply of cement, sand, plasticizers for the concrete solution, a 100–150 mm wide dumper tape, and reinforcing mesh.

How to make a water floor correctly – step -by -step installation instructions

In actuality, anyone can self-build a warm water structure on a concrete floor in a private home.

The most important things are to buy high-quality materials, prepare the water system mounting diagram, and install the technology precisely according to the instructions.

The principle of operation of the device

Prior to building heated floors, you must understand the basic principles underlying the operation of the warm floor system.

The procedure is straightforward: the pump forces the heated water from the boiler into the mixing node. Its distribution unit, to which all of the water floor’s hinges are connected, receives the coolant after the cooled, worked-out water has reached the necessary degree (40 to 50).

Water is directed into the pipeline by the feed device. The pipes transfer the heat from the screed and finish coating to the collector, where the chilled water is subsequently returned for heating in the boiler.

The arrangement of the collector cabinet

You must begin, by hand, the installation of a warm water structure in a private home by positioning a collector cabinet in the designated location. Stop pipe passages through construction slabs and conceal the niche for the cabinet if you wish to submerge it completely in the wall.

The cabinet is positioned the same distance away from each floor hinge. It is best to finish all of these grubby tasks before laying the "pie."

The collector cabinet should also have every component that is needed, including the pump, air flow, drain valve, and collector. It is necessary to position the mixing node between the heating boiler and the collector. Installing a shut-off valve between the pipeline and the collector is also advised.

Installation of the first layer – draft floor

You must pour a black concrete screed if you intend to install something yourself while building a house and the "pie" will be built on the ground.

Sand must first be layered and compacted, then covered with plastic film, and only then can the solution be added.

If the concrete flooring is already in place, it must be cleared of all imperfections and litter. Minor imperfections are acceptable.

The second stage is a damper tape

Dumping tape is used to compensate for temperature variations in the concrete solution. She must adhere the room’s edges with glue.

There’s no ignoring this procedure because it will impact the floor’s quality.

The third stage is thermal insulation

In order to indicate the level of the upcoming finish coating, stripes are beaten off the wall prior to applying the insulating layers. Installing a layer of waterproofing film is advised if a wet basement is found below. It must be laid over and climbed upon.

Polystyrene foam plates, a warming product, can then be placed on top of it. Starting from the farthest corner of the space, lay the label material firmly against the walls.

If you choose to use floor mats with locks and mount them yourself, arrange them so that the edges of adjacent components line up and the clicks create a single canvas.

Plate placement needs to be precise and horizontal; a laser level can be used to verify this. The second layer of insulation should be laid perpendicularly.

Plastered dowels are used to secure the plates to the black concrete surface at the joints and in the middle of the sheet. Construction tape is also used to seal all of the joints.

The fourth stage – marking and waterproofing

To make the process of installing a water floor heating element easier, you must mark the heat-insulating material on the plates in accordance with the developed scheme. If specialty mats are utilized, they have already been marked.

Polyethylene should be used to waterproof the entire space; this will ensure the device’s dependability and durability. It needs to be made on the 50 mm walls, and the excess material between the "pie" and the walls needs to be gently pressed down with a spatula.

The fifth stage – installation of pipes

You must begin work on the independent installation of the heating element by dividing the circuit into 15 to 20 meters and attaching the connecting fitting and heat-insulating sleeve to its end.

Crucial! To avoid pipe creases when unwinding, it is advised to use a specialized tool designed to promote bays. to take much longer and be more challenging to do yourself.

Lay the pipe on the floor in the direction indicated by the marking. In accordance with the "snake" or "snail" scheme, the pipeline should be laid starting at the collector cabinet and ending at the collector from the second end’s output.

A harpoon-slope is used to fix the contour after it has been freely and stretch-free stirred. In addition, the so-called transit pipes that go through transition areas or walls are insulated.

Standard step-by-step: 15–20 cm on turns, 30–40 cm overall. Carefully bend the circuit to prevent it from happening.

Pipe mounting is made much easier when polystyrene stoves with bobes are used.

By positioning the heating element in the grooves that separate them, they are firmly fixed.

Sixth step – connection and crimping

Through the use of fittings, the reinforced insulation sleeve connects both ends to the appropriate outputs of the collector. One to the exit of submission, the other to the recovery. As a result, all of the floor’s contours must be connected.

The stacked highway’s quality test is implied by the introduction. This needs to be done because it won’t be simple to fix the problems after the screed is poured.

The process of stressing involves applying high pressure water to the system. There should be more verification pressure than two workers. It is permitted to lower the pressure by 10% for the first half-hour and by 15% for the next two, as long as the water temperature stays constant. Check time for at least a day.

Seventh step – reinforcement

You should keep in mind that the design of a warm water floor in a frequency house should not be movable when constructing it by hand. As a result, work must be done on the floor’s reinforcement, specifically the laying of the grid. The contour’s laying step and the mesh cell size are equal. A product with a 3 mm rod diameter is appropriate.

It is necessary to place the grid over the heating components so that it covers each cell individually. Wire or plastic clamps should be used to connect control products. Furthermore, the grid must be clamped to the pipe in multiple locations.

Just so you know! It is preferable to use a metal product that can harm the circuit’s surface and serves as a reinforcing rough.

A plastic grid would be a good choice because it is affordable, soft, and manufactured in rolls, making installation easier. It also won’t damage the warm floor’s pipes.

Eighth step – filling the screed

If the system pressure is 5 bar, a concrete screed must be poured over a warm water floor. Any completed mixture that has strong thermal conductivity is appropriate for this.

When manufacturing the solution on your own, you can use cement that is M300 brand or higher. Plasticizers and fiber must be added to the mixture because the screed will be subjected to high mechanical and temperature loads; these elements provide the mixture’s mobility and the surface’s future strength.

When pouring a heated floor, the solution’s mobility is crucial because the composition needs to grind the pipes evenly from all angles. The proportion of cement to sand in a screed filling solution is one to three. And 0.45 kg of water are needed for every kg of cement.

A concrete mixer or construction mixer is required when making the screed solution by hand because it needs to be of a high caliber. The composition takes five to seven minutes in a mixer and three to four minutes in a concrete mixer.

It is advised to use the beacons to level the floor if you intend to apply the solution yourself. A metal profile works well for this because it is smooth and fairly durable. The lighthouses’ height should match the level of the finished floor less the finish coating.

The beacons can be recalled into "straps" made of a concrete solution to correct the profile. The beacons should be spaced no more than 30 centimeters from the wall and no more than 1.5 meters apart. If not, the solution will settle and pits will start to appear.

One screed at a time must be laid, so if you are doing the work by yourself, an assistant will be needed to keep things moving along smoothly. The area where the screed will be installed shouldn’t have any drafts or strong sunlight.

Stripes, begin filling in the far corner of the room. The rule states that every site must instantly align and remove any irregularities. It is required to clean the surface and trim off any extra damping tape after 48 hours. The recesses are aligned and embedded the following day, and the beacons must be taken out.

After that, a film is applied to the wet screed. Within ten days, the floor should be sprayed on a regular basis. The solution is then left alone until it has fully set. It will take roughly 28 days total, starting from the time the screed is filled and ending when it dries.

Crucial! It is not allowed to turn on the device until the solution has solidified.

Ninth stage – finishing

Private home owners are positioned on a warm, varied-surface water floor. It is important to become familiar with the features of the product when selecting the material, as some packages may include markings that enable the product to be installed on heated floors. The water system is more frequently covered in laminate or tile. Special glue can be used to adhere the tile to the surface.

Using a heat insulator is not necessary when installing laminate on a heated floor. Given that heated materials have the potential to release hazardous materials, it is crucial that the material has a quality certificate and is used in conjunction with heating floors. Furthermore, ventilation gaps must be provided for gender when utilizing a laminate. This is accomplished by making a 10 to 15 mm indentation in the walls, which are subsequently covered with skirting boards.

The laminate cannot be laid until it has warmed up sufficiently on the warm floor.

Warm water floor installation may be a fulfilling project that improves your home’s efficiency and comfort in a private residence. Your living area can be gently and consistently heated by using a straightforward but efficient system that circulates warm water beneath your flooring.

The ability of warm water floors to distribute heat evenly across 2 / 2 is one of their major benefits.

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