Warm floor in the apartment. Selection and design of the heating system

The answer to this question depends on many factors, and above all, on the type flooring. You need to decide whether it is possible to lay a warm floor under tiles, laminate, porcelain stoneware or even under parquet board.

The second important point is the budget you are counting on. Moreover, not only are important, but also subsequent energy costs. Will it be a good purchase and how much will it cost you to use it?

And lastly, durability. After all, laying cables is not an easy task, so it makes sense to do the repairs efficiently - so that they last at least 10-15 years.


To answer all these questions, it is necessary to carefully study the product range, reviews of heated floors on construction forums; Find out from your friends whether they have heated floors in their apartment and whether they are satisfied with their choice.

We will give you some answers to the most important questions about underfloor heating.

First of all, we note that for a city apartment this is the most acceptable option if you want to make your home warmer and more comfortable. You can buy heated floors anywhere and everywhere. affordable price, its installation is offered by selling companies. You can also install it yourself according to the instructions - a long-term guarantee is maintained.

What types of flooring should it be installed under? this type heating?

Warm floor under laminate

The feasibility of laying heated floors under laminate and parquet remains in great doubt. The reasons for this are the large number of restrictions for this use case imposed by manufacturers and its limited effect.

The maximum permissible heating power for parquet and laminate, which is allowed by manufacturers, is 100 W/sq. m. Otherwise they will cancel the warranty. At the same time, the maximum allowed temperature on their surface without the risk of drying out is 26°C, which, you see, is not at all impressive, and can even harm the floor covering.

On the other hand, buyers note that even at this temperature, drafts disappear from the floor surface. But if you don’t already have them in your room, then laying a heated floor under a laminate is not entirely advisable.

Warm floor under tiles

Laying heated floors under tiles (most often in a bathroom or toilet) is the most acceptable and effective option. Its advantages are undeniable:

  • Full effect 100%. The temperature on the surface of the tile can reach from 28°C to 30°C, and some say it can be even higher. It all depends on the heat loss of the room. If you have a cold bathroom, electric heating will help make it warmer.
  • Reducing the level of humidity in the room, “drying it out”, which is very important, given the general dampness in our homes in autumn and spring period. Installing a cable or mat in the bathroom will also be useful if you use it to dry clothes.

Warm floor under tiles

Warm floor under porcelain stoneware

In this case, everything is very similar to tiles:

  • The temperature on the surface of porcelain stoneware is from 28°C to 30°C.
  • Dry the room, that is, there will be no mold on the tiles and under the bathtub due to high humidity.
  • The floor surface itself will dry quickly, which guarantees safety, since the floors will not be slippery from water.
  • Additional heating of the room.

The cable can be placed under the tiles not only in the toilet and bathroom, but also in any other room of the house. For example, in the corridor.

Warm floor under porcelain stoneware

Here are the advantages of installing this system in the corridor:

  • The surface temperature is from 28°C to 30°C.
  • No drafts on the floor surface, especially from front door towards the rooms and the balcony.
  • The floors will not be slippery from water.
  • There will be no dirt from shoes throughout the apartment, since they dry immediately and are then easy to remove.
  • Possibility of drying shoes directly on the floor at the front door without special equipment.
  • The entrance mat will dry instantly.

Thus, the benefits that heated floors provide in cold and damp rooms under tiles, porcelain stoneware and granite are quite obvious. The wisdom of using the system for laminate and parquet remains a big question.

Energy heated floors - a wide choice heating mats and cables for heating rooms of any type.

In the first part, we introduced you to the advantages of underfloor heating systems, the so-called “warm floors”. Today we bring to your attention a continuation of this topic.

If you decide to use such a system in your home, please check out some practical recommendations according to her choice and arrangement.

It must be said right away that you will not be able to install a “warm floors” system throughout the entire house without combining it with a traditional radiator circuit. There is simply not enough thermal power to cover all the heat losses of the premises through the building envelope.

When you approach an ordinary designer with a request to design a “warm floors” system in your home, he will probably dissuade you from doing so. It’s just that this is additional work for him for the same money, because he needs to design not one, but two heating systems. Well, if you make the same request to an installer, then everything will be the other way around: he will offer to install “warm floors” in every room of the house (since for him this is an additional payment for expensive work). Where is the “golden mean”?

So, in which rooms of the house should we install a “warm floors” system?

  • Bathrooms, showers, toilets, pool room (bypass paths) and sauna rooms.- In these rooms, “warm floors” are primarily recommended. In all these rooms, people walk barefoot and water accumulates on the floor. In addition, this is where the ventilation system works, and when combined with “ warm floors» the premises are maintained in a dry and hygienic condition. It is here that the floor covering is most often made of ceramic tiles or stone, and as mentioned earlier, it is more comfortable for a person to walk on warm tiles.
  • Premises with long-term occupancy. This is a kitchen where the housewife spends a lot of time and she, of course, will be more comfortable on a “warm floor”. Here you can add a dining room, a relaxation room near the sauna or pool, Gym, office and other similar premises. However, this is not necessary and the set of premises is selected by the Customer at his own discretion, based on material resources and ideas about comfort.
  • Living room.- In general, this room can be classified as the previous category, however, if you have a large living room with stained glass windows and “second light” (that is, a second floor balcony), then “warm floors” here are not only desirable, but even necessary. With radiator heating, all the heat will go to the upper part of the room, and in the so-called “ work area“that is, the area where the person is located will simply be cold. But in order to choose the right zone for the heated floor (it will be free from furniture), it is advisable to decide on the interior of the room. In this case, the priority zone will be the floor area 1-1.5 meters wide along outer wall or stained glass.
  • Games and children's rooms.- Here the installation of “warm floors” is obvious - small children love to play on the floor!
  • Hallway.- If you choose this room, then, in addition to the fact that it will be easier to remove all the dirt brought from the street, you will have a peculiar thermal curtain from the penetration of cold outside air from the street into the room. And what is especially important is that your shoes will dry faster and will always be warm.
  • Bedrooms.- The installation of “warm floors” in bedrooms is not necessary, since most often they are located on warm upper floors.

Warm floors must be designed in rooms with frequent occupancy, the floors of which are located on the ground or above unheated basements. Tile and stone - cold material, but if it is heated, it becomes comfortable and hygienic.

When choosing premises, do not be afraid different coatings floors, they have no restrictions, and a carpet on a “warm floor” will only provide additional comfort.

Of course, the “warm floors” system is not a cheap pleasure, but we must remember that we invest money once, and then live in comfort. Moreover, as mentioned in the first part of our article, the system will pay for itself in operating costs.

One thing must be taken into account! The system must be installed before completion finishing works in room. Adding or changing something on the installed “clean” floor coverings is an additional hassle.

In the next part we will give technical recommendations by choice of “warm floors”.

One of the controversial issues in renovation is the dilemma of whether a heated floor is needed. ordinary apartment? After all, it would seem central heating should be more than enough. Why waste money and fence something unnecessary.

As it turns out, this type of heating is really needed. You just need to clearly know where exactly and in what specific areas to lay it.

By by and large, a warm floor is not at all what it is used to think of. In professional construction, a warm floor is a rough covering separated from a cold base using one or more layers of insulation.

For example, a real heated floor in any of your rooms can be divided into three main components:

  • bars
  • mineral wool
  • chipboard layer

Moreover, if you lay a heating cable or infrared film between the chipboard and the finished floor, in this case they will only serve as heating.

But for most of us, it is precisely this association that has already taken root in our minds - pipes with hot water or heating cable + screed or tile.

We are accustomed to calling this design a warm floor. Therefore, we will not deviate from the names that are familiar to everyone.

There are three main rules when you simply need heated floors in an ordinary apartment. Let's take a closer look at each of them.

Radiators and heated floors

Rule #1

If it is possible to replace conventional radiators with heated floors of the same type, make the most of this opportunity.

Just pay attention to the phrase - " I have an opportunity”.

If you live in standard apartment on some floor, then neither the neighbors nor the rules will allow you to replace the usual batteries with a water floor. This is prohibited by SNiP.

You will have to make either infrared or lay a heating cable or mats.

There are only two main reasons for the ban:

  • and it should not be placed above any living quarters that are below you

But if you live on the ground floor, and no one lives below you and there are no electrical rooms, then go ahead. The same applies if you have a private home.

In all these cases, water floors will outperform radiators in all respects.

  • Firstly, such heating has much better energy efficiency

This means that it can be used to heat large area, using less energy.

  • Secondly, a warm floor evenly warms the air throughout the entire volume of the room. But the batteries heat the air only in their vicinity.

  • Thirdly, when it is not visible heating devices, because they simply aren’t there, all the rooms look much more aesthetically pleasing and beautiful

  • Fourthly, it makes cleaning easier and there are no interfering batteries, pipes, outlets, etc.

Well, the most important thing is comfort. All radiators heat the air from the sides and above them. At the same time, the floor itself, including under the radiators, remains cold.

With radiators, you will move on a cold floor with temperatures up to 19 degrees, and your head will be located in a zone where it is more than 25 degrees. Call it comfortable conditions, well, it’s impossible.

Of course, you can, as they say, fry the batteries to the maximum, but still you and your children will be forced to walk around the rooms in slippers.

At the same time, you can forget about comfortable sleep in such a room. Moreover, even during the day it will not be entirely comfortable to be in it.

  • first of all, it's too hot
  • secondly, the air will be dry




But when the heating rises from below, from the floor itself, then much less temperature is required to warm up the entire room. This proves its effectiveness over other heat sources of the same type.

Thus, we can summarize the main conclusion of all of the above:

  • water heated floor - better than standard radiators

  • infrared floor - better than infrared heaters

Warm floor as main heating

However, let us again remember the main phrase from the rule - “if possible.” The fact is that if you live in a very cold climate, where the temperature in winter often drops to minus 20-30 degrees, you should not completely abandon batteries.

In such frosts, it will not be possible to simply increase the temperature on the water floor coolant or raise it with the heating cable regulator.

Our sanitary standards limit the surface temperature of heated floors.

  • for rooms with constant occupancy - 26 degrees
  • with temporary stay – 31 degrees

The fact is that when this temperature rises above normal, convective heat flows begin to actively rise.

And they pull all the dust from below with them. Accordingly, a person who constantly lives under such conditions will eventually develop various respiratory diseases.




Of course, no one in your apartment or house can forbid you to set the temperature higher. Be it at least +40C, at least +70C.

But if your temperature only drops below minus 25C for a few days throughout the entire winter, then it’s not worth building radiators because of this. You can also increase the temperature of the floors during this time.

However, in addition to comfort, always remember about your health and the health of your loved ones.

And remember once and for all - the use of heated floors as the only and main source of heating is recommended only in energy-efficient houses and apartments, or in houses located in regions with a relatively temperate and warm climate.

Ceramic tile

Second rule

All areas with ceramic tiles must be heated.

This is due to the high thermal conductivity of the tile itself. If you put your hand on any board in your apartment, it will seem a little warm to you.

And if you place your palm against the metal door of a refrigerator or an unheated oven, you will feel a certain coolness.

However, their temperature will be absolutely the same - room temperature. Iron things always seem much cooler because they have higher thermal conductivity. That is, they transfer their temperature to your hand faster.

Thus, we exchange temperature with any object we come into contact with. However, you can warm up small objects and things - watches, clothes, a chain with your body, but you will never be able to warm up a layer of concrete with tiles.

On the one hand, the coolness from ceramic tiles seems slightly pleasant, but it all ends in illness.

And also important point is as follows. Tiles are mainly laid not because they will last a long time, but because of their moisture resistance.

For example, it is placed in the hallway. Come in from the street with wet shoes and immediately put them on the tiles.

It's hard to imagine a bathroom without tiles on the floor. At the same time, you can safely spill water in it, without fear of subsequent swelling of this floor.

However, after you spill this water, you still have to clean it up. And in order to dry the bathroom, it is not enough to simply turn on the exhaust fan.

It also needs to be warmed up so that over time mold fungus does not grow on the walls.

Loggia heating

Someone demolishes the lintel and combines the balcony with the apartment, increasing their area. But this does not change the floor temperature much. He was as cold as he was and will remain so.

If you are relying on neighbors below who will insulate their loggia, and thereby indirectly help you with heat conservation. I dare to upset you.

It will still be cold on your balcony. At quality repairs loggias, insulation is attached to the ceiling. Therefore, your stove is insulated and will not warm up at the expense of your neighbor.

Therefore, it does not matter whether your neighbors have a warm or cold balcony, your floor will be minimally affected. You will still be cold.

And no matter how powerful the convector is, by analogy with the batteries in the apartment itself, it will again heat only the upper layers of air, without affecting the floors at all.

Therefore, to sum up the question of whether a warm floor is needed in an apartment, we can give an unequivocal answer - yes, it is definitely necessary.

But there are several types of these heated floors, so if you want to know which one to choose in certain situations, and how much money you will pay for such heating, read about it in detail in the articles linked below.

← Protection devices UZM 51MD and UZIS S1 40. Comparison, specifications, connection diagrams.

Heating of floor surfaces works on the principle of convection - warm air heats up at the bottom and rises to the top, and thanks to high level Due to the heat transfer of the coating, the room warms up in a matter of minutes.

Warm floors - pros and cons

The most significant advantage modern system heating type "warm floor" is a significant saving on heating. Besides, obvious advantages of the presented system are expressed in:

  • High level of thermal comfort;
  • Relatively low temperature heating elements;
  • The absence of bulky radiators that require additional decoration for visual “camouflage”;
  • Wide range of thermal control functions;
  • Long service life (up to 30 years);
  • Ability to quickly repair local faults.

Along with this, the underfloor heating system has its disadvantages. They are expressed in the following:

  • When staying indoors for a long time (bedroom, kitchen, living room) with high temperature flooring, warm floors can provoke an exacerbation of vascular diseases of the legs;
  • When using additional coating in rooms, the heat transfer resistance coefficient of the material should not exceed 0.15 m2*K/W;
  • A warm floor in an apartment does not heat up instantly, and in order to completely heat the room, some varieties will need about 10-12 hours;
  • There is a need to raise the floor by 6-10 cm during installation;
  • Warm floors in the kitchen, as in other rooms, can negatively affect the installed plastic furniture, which when heated can release harmful volatile compounds.

Features and design of water heated floors

A water heated floor system can be installed in the bedroom, kitchen and other rooms. The technology involves using hot water as a coolant, which circulates through pipes under the floor covering. A heated floor device of this type can be compatible with any type of boiler, regardless of fuel. If desired, you can power the presented heating system from central heating. This can be done by prior agreement with a number of licensing authorities. The warm water floor system consists of:

  • Metal-polymer or polymer pipes;
  • Waterproofing layer and heat-insulating materials;
  • Fittings with which you can connect heating pipes and a distribution cabinet in which valves and regulators are located;
  • Damper tape;
  • Fastening elements (brackets, anchors, strips);
  • Thermostat;
  • Circulation pump.

The technology for laying water heated floor pipes can be of two types:

  • Snake - double or single;
  • Spiral (shell or with a shifted center).

The presented underfloor heating system has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are expressed in:

  • Relatively low installation costs - you can equip a warm house with your own hands using such a system at relatively low costs (if you have an individual heating system);
  • Water heated floor technology can be installed together with any finishing coating;
  • Possibilities battery life– the system does not depend on power outages;
  • Saving heat costs. For example, if you install heated floors in the kitchen or bedroom, this will help save up to 30% of energy.

It is worth noting that when correct operation, the service life of a water floor can be more than 30 years.

Along with this, the presented system, located in the bedroom, kitchen or any other room, has certain disadvantages. The disadvantages are:

  • Long and rather complex installation;
  • Inconveniences associated with painstaking installation;
  • The need for reinforcement of pipes and screeds;
  • The need for the mandatory use of a waterproofing layer (it must be made of polyethylene).

Features of rod heated floors

Carbon (rod) flooring can be made to match tiles and any other types of flooring. It is also combined with laminate, parquet, and wood. The design is presented in the form of a heating mat, which consists of carbon rods with a thickness of 0.3 cm and a length of 0.83 cm. The rods are connected to each other using power cable according to a parallel circuit. The warm carbon floor system has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are that:

  1. The technology allows heating the room using infrared waves;
  2. Carbon warm mat is versatile and can be combined with any decorative coating gender;
  3. Since the structure is connected in parallel, the heating mats can be divided into any number of sections, which is especially important in rooms with a complex layout, for example, in a bedroom;
  4. The presented heating system can be adjusted automatically. Carbon rods adapt to areas of the floor with different temperatures and provide uniform heating over the entire area. In some areas (cold) the temperature increases, and in warmer areas it decreases;
  5. The service life of the heating circuit can be 10-15 years.

Along with this, rod heated floors have their drawbacks. You can install a carbon mat only in a layer of tile adhesive, otherwise you need to make a thin cement screed. Despite its rather long service life, the system is not mobile - it can only be permanently installed.

Film heated floor in the apartment

Film electric (infrared) warm is presented in the form polymer film 5 mm thick with strips of carbon heating elements applied to it. They are connected by copper busbars coated with silver plating. This structure is fused into a polymer on both sides, which protects it from moisture penetration and transmits infrared waves through it. The film runs on 220 V household electricity and is regulated using a thermostat.

The advantages of infrared film flooring are:

  • Low cost compared to similar systems;
  • Simple and quick installation– installation requires a minimum set of tools, it can be done without concrete screed;
  • Possibility of accommodation for both major and cosmetic repairs;
  • Convenient separation of the film into pieces of the required length;
  • Uniform heating of the room;
  • No impact on the air in the bedroom, kitchen and other rooms. This floor does not dry out the air and does not burn oxygen;
  • Possibility of combination with various types coverings – you can lay wooden parquet, carpet, linoleum or ceramic tiles.

The service life of infrared floors exceeds 25 years.

Advice! Before laying the IR floor, you need to thoroughly level the surface of the base floor, otherwise the film may become deformed during installation, which will lead to problems.

Along with this, film flooring also has its disadvantages:

  • If infrared film is the main source of heating, then energy consumption will increase significantly;
  • Careful installation is essential - during the installation process you need to constantly monitor the correct connection of the contacts, and to level the floor surface you need to use chipboard or plywood;
  • If there is no grounding, there is a possibility of the coating catching fire and injuring people. electric shock. We need a device that provides protective shutdown systems;
  • The technology requires compliance with operating conditions - such a floor can be easily damaged by heavy furniture, so installation should be done in areas free from it.

Cable heated floor

Cable-type underfloor heating is one of the most common underfloor heating systems. The main element of this design is heating cable, which can be laid in the bedroom, hallway, kitchen and other rooms. The technology can use two types of cable - single-core and double-core.

The heating cable is needed to ensure optimal temperature in room. It is placed in a concrete screed 3-5 cm thick. Such a heating system can be mounted under porcelain stoneware, ceramic tiles or stone.

The advantages of single-core cable structures are expressed in the fact that they have a long service life compared to double-core ones. Along with this, installing a floor using a two-core cable is much easier and safer. The advantages also lie in the ability of the cable insulating material to withstand temperatures of more than 100 ° C and the overall degree of reliability of the system. The service life of a cable floor depends on operating conditions and is 10-15 years.

The disadvantages of the presented system lie in the complexity of connecting cables to the thermostat. The so-called “cold ends” may not be of sufficient length; they will have to be extended before installation. In addition, the cable creates quite strong electromagnetic radiation, which, however, does not exceed established sanitary standards.

Which heated floor is better to choose?

Most experts recommend choosing heating systems with electric cable. This is worth doing due to their practicality and general safety. Cable floors are convenient and easy to install; such heating coating can be installed in any room - bedroom, kitchen, bathroom.

Cable electric floors have reduced power consumption, and the room is heated evenly and continuously. This is due to the fact that the heated air from the cable heater rises from the bottom up and spreads throughout the room, regardless of the location of the furniture. A cable-heated floor can operate in two modes - “comfort floor” and “full heating”. The user can organize the heating of not the entire surface, but only the desired part of it. Cable underfloor heating consumes 90-150 W per 1 m².

If you need an electric floor under laminate or linoleum, and you do not plan to fill the screed, then you should choose an infrared heating floor system. With a film thickness of 0.3 mm, this system will be perfectly combined with polymer finishing.

In which rooms is it better to have heated floors?

Warm floors are needed to organize continuous and uniform heating of rooms. Before choosing one, a logical question arises: in which rooms should underfloor heating be installed? If the system will be the only source of heating, then it must be installed in all rooms. In the case of an addition to the main heating source, you will need to decide in advance where to install the heated floor.

In the bathroom and toilet, underfloor heating is installed to prevent bare feet from standing on cold tiles and to reduce the overall level of humidity. In addition, when drying clothes, a warm floor in the bathroom will significantly speed up the drying process.

Another most functional place for underfloor heating systems is a loggia or balcony. Thanks to heating, this room can be converted into a small additional room.

Before installing heated floors in the kitchen, you should weigh all the pros and cons. So, for example, if there are tiles on the floor, and small children will spend a lot of time on it, then heating of this kind will be quite appropriate. If there is laminate flooring in the kitchen, and ventilation system copes well with excess moisture, then a warm floor will only dry out the air.

The heated floor system in the bedroom is made under soft covering– carpet, cork, solid parquet boards. There is an opinion that installing heated floors in the bedroom is not recommended, since according to medical recommendations, sleep should take place in a room with a temperature lower by several degrees (compared to other rooms).

In the living room, heating elements are needed if they are combined on the floor different types coverings. It is recommended to install warm floors under a porcelain stoneware walkway, which will divide the room into several zones.

about me and my team

Stroganov Kirill

I have been renovating for over 15 years. The most pleasant thing for me is a solid list of satisfied clients.

My main task is to organize the repair process in such a way that it would be easy and pleasant when interacting with me and my team. I am as open as possible for you.

I'll help you choose modern material, both expensive and not expensive.
I optimize the estimate. Many years of experience allow me to offer you an optimal reduction in the cost of repairs without loss of quality, even in the premium class.

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We approach our work with pleasure, starting from creating a design project and ending with advice on arranging furniture and decorating the room.

Warm floors in an apartment: how to make the right choice

No matter how powerful the heating systems are, if you have cold floors you will never achieve a comfortable temperature for a person, since according to the laws of physics, the movement of warm air flows occurs from bottom to top.

Advantages of heated floors

Installing a heated floor in an apartment, despite the obvious advantages, is associated with some difficulties. I want to dwell in more detail on all the pros and cons associated with installing heated floors. First, let's list the main advantages:

  1. Helps create a comfortable microclimate in the room due to its uniform heating;
  2. Heating the air from bottom to top meets hygienic standards to maintain health;
  3. Ideal for families with small children, so that they can play on the floor without danger to their health;
  4. Does not dry out the air;
  5. When choosing a heated floor as the main source of heating, you can improve the design of the room and increase its usable area;
  6. Available to all citizens with an average level of income;
  7. You can do your own installation.

IT IS IMPORTANT: The use of heated floors instead of conventional radiators helps reduce dust formation due to the absence of static voltage, which is very important for respiratory tracts prone to diseases.

As can be seen in the diagram, when using heated floors, a comfortable microclimate is created

I would like to note that the advantages are almost the same for all types of heated floors. The existing disadvantages are characteristic of each individual species.

Types of heated floors

According to the heating principle, heated floors are divided into two main groups:

  • Water heating;
  • Electric heating.

Both of these methods can be used as the main source of heating in the apartment, or as additional view local heating - for example, the floor in an insulated loggia, bathroom or nursery.

We install electric heated floors in an apartment or private house using the following heating elements:

  1. Special cable;
  2. Electrical mats;
  3. Film floors with infrared heating.

Heating cable for heated floors

Method of laying an electric mat in the desired configuration

IT IS IMPORTANT: If necessary, you can cut the mat mesh and bend the cable in the desired direction, but do not cut it!

Diagram of an electric floor with infrared film

IT IS IMPORTANT: Regardless of the heating element chosen, electric underfloor heating warms up the room much faster than any other heating system.

Advantages and disadvantages of electric heated floors

For achievement maximum temperature no heating element required large quantity time - therefore, even a cold room will warm up much faster than, for example, when starting individual water or steam heating.

Contrary to popular rumors, the use of an electric floor is absolutely safe for humans, provided that the installation technology is followed.

All heating elements are reliably shielded with a special braid, so they do not produce any harmful radiation for humans.

Cable diagram

In fact, an electric heated floor is as harmless to residents as an electric iron, refrigerator or electric stove. Using a relay, you can easily regulate the heating temperature to create a comfortable microclimate in the room.

The main disadvantage of electric heated floors is their high energy consumption. This significantly affects, first of all, the cost of heating during the cold period. In addition, to install an electric floor it is necessary that electrical wiring in the house could withstand additional loads.

IT IS IMPORTANT: Having decided to install an electric heated floor, it is necessary to take into account the existing restrictions on the consumed load. You may have to completely replace all the wiring in the apartment, right down to the supply substation.

ADVICE: It is necessary to place electric heating elements in the room in such a way that furniture and equipment are not located above them. This will prevent damage to the cable and will also save on heating costs, since bulky objects interfere with heat transfer.

Heated floor scheme in the apartment: kitchen

Which heated floor is better for a city apartment?

A water-heated floor in an apartment is a system of pipes located under the surface through which it circulates. hot water. The source of heat in this case can be either a central heating riser or an individual water heating device.

Water heated floors are highly environmentally friendly, since heat is mainly transferred by radiation, there is no excessive formation of positive ions in the air, and no electromagnetic field is formed.

In a city apartment, installing a warm water floor is associated with a number of difficulties:

  • It is necessary to obtain administrative permission to install such heating in an apartment multi-storey building– this is due to the additional load on bearing structures and the threat of flooding to neighbors on the floor below;
  • Painstaking installation requires a lot of time;
  • It is necessary to reinforce pipes or screeds, as well as lay waterproofing;
  • High cost of work, taking into account compliance with technology and the use of all necessary materials;
  • To be able to regulate the heating temperature, it is necessary mixing unit and water pump;
  • The heating of the rooms will not be uniform: passing sequentially through the pipe circuits throughout the apartment, the water gradually cools, and the rooms farthest from the heating source will not receive full heating.

IT IS IMPORTANT: If you install a heated floor in your apartment using heating, this threatens to reduce the overall pressure in the central heating pipes of the entire house.

In addition, despite compliance with all technologies, water heating of large areas in a city apartment is not highly reliable. It makes more sense to use it in a private house from an autonomous boiler, or for local floor heating in the bathroom of a city apartment.

The presence of electric heated floors in the apartment excludes possible consequences in the form of circuit leaks, which will save you from problems with flooded neighbors. In addition, the installation of such a floor requires less labor in coordination and legal registration, unlike a water floor.

The cost of the electric floor heating system itself will be lower than that of a water floor heating system if the apartment does not have boiler equipment. In addition, this floor takes up less space.

The main advantage of a water floor over an electric one is significant energy savings - up to 5 times. This is especially noticeable for rooms with large areas, which is why water floors with their own source of thermal energy are most popular in individual construction for heating private houses.

ADVICE: If you are planning local heating in the apartment, then for living rooms I recommend using an electric floor.

Which heated floor to choose for your apartment is your choice. From my own experience, I can say that purchasing and installing an electric heated floor is cheaper than a water one. But in operation, on the contrary, a water heated floor is more profitable than an electric one.

Installation of water heated floor

The ideal option is to install a water heated floor during the construction process. Then it will not require additional material costs and time for dismantling already finished floor coverings.

ADVICE: If you are planning to make a warm water floor in an already used room, then it is better to time its installation to coincide with the next major renovation.

So, what is a water heated floor device?

The coolant here is water heated within 50 degrees, which moves through metal-plastic pipes laid under the floor surface. The pipes are laid in the form of coils connected through a water distributor to the supply and return collectors. As a result, a circuit is formed through which hot water constantly moves from the source of thermal energy (boiler) using a pump. Under the influence of heat radiation, the floor surface heats up and heat is transferred into the heated room.

Water heated floor installation

IT IS IMPORTANT: Its effectiveness depends on how correctly the water floor connection diagram is drawn up.

For laying water heated floors are used flexible pipes metal-plastic or polymer pipes. Their main advantage is that they bend easily and have a long service life. True, they have significant drawback: not very high thermal conductivity properties.

As an alternative, you can use the recently introduced corrugated stainless steel pipes or copper pipe.

Copper pipe bends well and is highly wear-resistant. True, not everyone has access to heated floors in their apartments, the price of which will be too high.

The cost of corrugated stainless steel pipes does not exceed the cost metal-plastic pipes, but at the same time corrugated ones bend much better. They are still rarely used for water heated floors simply because they are still little known to the general consumer.

ADVICE: I would like to draw your attention to this material if you decide to install a warm water floor in your home.

Corrugated stainless steel pipes supplied in coils up to 50 m

The required pipe diameter for heated floors is 16-20 mm. Pipe laying depends on the chosen pattern - it can be the popular spiral or snake, and less common laying methods - loops, double spiral, double snake.

The difficulty of laying a water-heated floor lies in preparatory work and installation methods.

In order for the heating to function without any complaints, it is necessary to perfectly level the floor surface, lay waterproofing, a heat-insulating layer, and reinforcing mesh. Water pipes are already laid on it according to the chosen scheme, and then a concrete screed is made. The decorative coating is laid no earlier than a few days later - after the concrete screed has completely hardened.

Installation of a water heated floor using a concrete screed

As you can see, installing a floor using concrete screed is a lengthy process, but if the technology is fully followed, an excellent result will be obtained.

IT IS IMPORTANT: The concrete screed above the pipes should not be less than 3 cm - it prevents damage to the water pipes.

Concrete has good thermal conductivity properties and quickly warms up, releasing heat into the room.

In addition to laying pipes with a screed, there are several other ways to install a water floor:

Polystyrene method of laying heated floors

Laying a water floor using chipboard modules

Rack and rack method of installing a water floor

Unlike concrete screed, these methods are “clean” and do not require much time. The cost of such installation differs significantly from concrete installation, but if damage occurs, it is possible to access the pipes. Important: you can connect the heating immediately after installation is completed.

In conclusion, using my experience, I would like to say that residents of city apartments are more suitable electric heating, since it does not place unnecessary load on the load-bearing surfaces, and also does not require a long time for installation and financial investments for additional maintenance on long years. If there is central heating in a city apartment, an electric heated floor can serve as an additional source of heat in certain rooms.

ADVICE: If you live in a private house that occupies a large area, then undoubtedly it will be much more profitable to install a heated floor using the water option. Initial large financial investments and labor costs will more than pay for itself during operation.

When planning the installation of floor heating in an apartment or house, you need to consider all the pros and cons of each type of heating, as well as foresee the expected benefits - this will help you make the right choice.