Heated floor appeared relatively recently and quickly became popular. Its main indicator is energy consumption, which depends primarily on the purpose. If the floor heating is the main heater, the power will be 180-200 W/m2, if the additional heater is 100-160 W/m2.
With any heating, including when a warm floor is used, the most power is spent on heating. In stationary heating mode, energy parameters are only maintained and less is required. Under favorable conditions, the underfloor heating can only be switched on for 15 minutes per hour. For a day it will be only 6 hours.
Home energy consumption
The following factors affect energy consumption:
- the higher the thermal insulation of the premises, the less energy is spent on heating;
- in cold weather electricthe floor turns on much more frequently;
- heater power is required more with increasing screed thickness;
- every person perceives temperature differently: some require more heating, others less;
- The presence of programmable thermostats reduces energy consumption when properly configured.
Heater types
For space heating are used:
- heating cable;
- thermomats;
- infrared devices (film or rods).
The cable is laid in a screed or adhesive layer of ceramic masonry. The film can be placed in the adhesive layer, under the laminate or linoleum. As a rule, it is used for thin flooring. Each heating method has its own characteristics, but the common thing for all is heating from below, which requires 15% less energy consumption. Radiators do not heat the lower part of the room. To make it warm there, a coolant with a higher heating temperature should be supplied to them.
Which gender to choose?
Heated floor can be water or electric at the discretion of the owner. The first option is allowed to be used in private homes, since its connection to a centralized heating system is prohibited. For your home, a water floor is preferable, since using electricity for heating is more expensive.
In high-rise apartments, it is preferable to use electric underfloor heating. You can choose a small power, since floor heating is additional, and radiator heating is the main one. The choice of heater type depends onwhich coating is applied.
Heating cable
Due to the low cost of the cable laid in the screed, many people prefer to use it. The thickness of concrete is about 5 cm. With its increase, heat loss increases. To make the screed thinner, reinforcement or self-leveling floors are used.
The simplest and cheapest cable is resistive. It is available in single and double strands. The latter is more convenient to use, since the return end does not need to be brought back to the thermostat. In this case, the oncoming flow of electric current in neighboring conductors mutually compensates for interference.
The power of the cable is small, but it can be increased to 200 W/m2 when tightly laid in coils per square meter.
Heat is evenly distributed over the entire surface of the wire. If furniture or carpet is placed on top in a certain place, overheating may occur due to the deterioration of heat transfer. This disadvantage is devoid of a self-regulating cable, in which the resistance depends on temperature. The current flows in the transverse direction through the electrically conductive layer from one conductor to another, passing in parallel with it.
However, laying underfloor heating under household appliances or furniture is an irrational solution. The heating of the room depends on the power of the warm floor in it. If there are obstacles in the heat transfer, it may not be enough.
Heated floor is usually laid in places wherewhere furniture and household appliances are not supposed to be installed. As the main heating, it is effective if it occupies at least 70% of the area of \u200b\u200bthe room. When the room is heavily crowded, it is advisable to use radiator heating. For additional heating, it is enough to use at least 30%. Comfort mode is also used when it is important that the floor is not cold.
Cable mats
Thin heating cable is produced attached to a flexible mesh. The advantage lies in the low thickness of the cable mat. In addition, there is no need for its laying on the floor with a snake. It is enough to spread the mat on the floor and connect the power to it. The cable mat is placed even in a layer of tile adhesive. Coated screed heats up faster due to its thin thickness.
The design of the cable mat is being improved. Now products with a heat-insulating layer and a durable coating have begun to be produced. The warm floor is spread on a flat surface and a board or laminate is laid on top without a screed.
Infrared film
Carbon based roll film heater is an innovative solution. Film thickness does not exceed 3 mm. Heating occurs by infrared radiation, which makes it possible to increase the efficiency up to 95%. Therefore, the power of the infrared heat-insulated floor is spent more economically. This heater is suitable for any surface.
In addition to the film, thermomats with carbonic heating rods are produced, working on the same principle. It is laid under the floor covering. If aa screed is used, the thermomat is protected with plastic wrap.
The power of film underfloor heating is 110-220 W/m2, rod - 70-160 W/m2.
Electric water heating
A new system has been developed that does not require boilers, pumps or a manifold system. A heating cable is inserted along the entire length into a polyethylene tube filled with antifreeze. When turned on, the coolant heats up and boils. The result is increased heating efficiency.
The electric water floor can be left unattended in the apartment, thanks to its high reliability and safety. The large inertia of the screed allows you to switch to another room when one room is heated.
Calculation of energy consumption in one room
For a medium-sized room of 14 m22 it is enough to heat 70% of the surface, which is 10 m2. The average power of a warm floor is 150 W/m2. Then the energy consumption for the entire floor will be 150∙10=1500 W. With optimal daily energy consumption for 6 hours, the monthly electricity consumption will be 6∙1, 5∙30=270 kW∙h. At a kilowatt-hour cost of 2.5 p. the costs will be 270 ∙ 2, 5=675 rubles. This amount is spent on constant round-the-clock operation of the warm floor. By setting the thermostat to a programmable economy mode with a decrease in heating intensity when there are no owners in the house, energy consumption can be reduced by 30-40%.
You can check your calculation using the online calculator.
The calculation of the power of the warm floor is done with a small margin. In addition, it depends on the type of room. The actual average annual calculation will be lower as the heating is switched off during the warm season (late spring, summer and early autumn).
You can check the actual energy consumption using the meter when the rest of the electrical appliances are turned off.
The power of water heated floors is more difficult to calculate. Here it is better to use the online calculator Audytor CO.
Heating power in different rooms
When a warm floor is installed in different rooms, the power in each of them should differ depending on the functional purpose. Maximum heating is needed for balconies and glazed loggias. Comfortable conditions are achieved with a power of 180 W/m2. At the same time, the premises must be carefully insulated and all cracks should be sealed in them. The power consumption of a warm floor on a balcony or loggia will be small, since there is no need to constantly turn it on.
Bedroom, kitchen, living room require a small level - 120 W/m2. In the nursery, bathroom and rooms where there are no heated rooms below, the power of the warm floor should be about 140 W / m 2.
Different coatings require different heating conditions. Linoleum and laminate can be heated with underfloor heating, the power of which should not exceed 100-130 W/m2. When used as an additional heater, the recommendedpower is 110-140W/m2.
Considering the requirements of all residents and the influence of weather conditions, underfloor heating should be taken with a margin. In addition, almost every room is equipped with thermostats, with which you can set the desired heating mode. Heating works efficiently and without accidents when it is loaded no more than 70% of the maximum capacity.
Conclusion
When properly designed, an underfloor heating system provides economical use of electricity, while creating comfortable conditions in the house. To obtain the effect, you need to correctly calculate the heaters and select the controls. Energy costs also depend on the proper operation of the heating system. A programmable controller should be installed on a warm floor, the power of which is determined by the turn-on time, type of room and other factors.
