Step-by-step laying of underfloor heating film and connection. Technique of self-connection of film underfloor heating. What do you need to connect the floor, what tools

The film-type infrared floor heating system is one of the innovative and unique developments that allows you to solve the problems that arise when arranging home heating.

How to choose the right components for the system and lay the infrared warm floor with your own hands, let's take a closer look.

Infrared underfloor heating is quite complex system, which you can’t make yourself at home.

The system is based on a unique nanostructure that is capable of generating infrared radiation invisible to the human eye.

Depending on the type of heating elements, IR systems are divided into two main types: rod and film

Film systems are made of strips of carbon paste - high-strength carbon fiber, which are hidden under a heat-resistant polyethylene film.

All strips, the thickness of which does not exceed ten millimeters, are located at an equidistant distance of 10-15 mm and are connected in parallel by flat current-carrying bars protected by a silver coating.

Under the action of an electric current supplied to the tires, carbon elements begin to emit infrared radiation, the wavelength of which in the bioresonance range varies between 9-20 microns

basis rod systems are made up of graphite-silver rods, inside of which carbon material is laid. They are interconnected stranded wires and soldered in a protective copper sheath. The systems are available as individual cables or prefabricated coils.

Infrared rays in such systems act in a straight line, and therefore cause heating not of the surrounding air, but of objects located inside the room: flooring, furniture, walls and ceilings. Due to this property, the speed of IR heating is much higher than traditional analogues - electric and water systems.

Among the undeniable advantages of infrared film underfloor heating are:

Environmental friendliness. Infrared rays are similar in effect to sunlight and therefore have a beneficial effect on all living organisms. They don't have any side effect.
Ease of installation. The design features of the system allow, at minimal cost and effort, to produce quality installation with only basic construction skills.
Compatibility with different types coatings. Laying infrared floor heating can be done immediately "dry" under the carpet, parquet board, linoleum or laminate.

Due to the fact that the heating elements in the film system are tightly laminated with a polymer layer, they are not afraid of accidental dents and punctures, as well as exposure to moisture. But even if one of the carbon strips is damaged due to parallel circuit connection, the rest of the elements will continue to work.

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Calculation of the required amount

Film floor installation with infrared type heating is carried out only on the usable area of the room.

The percentage of the covered area depends on whether the IR system acts as the main or additional heat source:

80% area- as the main heating;
40-50% area– as a supplement to radiator heating.

Define overall length of all bands, the layout of the system zones previously drawn on the sheet will help. Having calculated the length of each fragment and adding their number, it will not be difficult to calculate the required total length of the coating.

When calculating the covered area, it should be borne in mind that, according to the norms, each wall will need to be indented by 10 - 20 centimeters

To prevent premature failure floor system, it is necessary to distance yourself from the pipes and risers of the central heating when laying out. Laid strips should not intersect and overlap each other.

When placing fragments on the plan and calculating their length, also keep in mind that the length of each strip should be a multiple of 17-18 centimeters, since it is in these places that the cutting lines are located.

Temperature controller for temperature control

The operation of the IR system is controlled by a thermostat. The temperature sensor included with it is located between heating elements, but connected to the device through contacts. The sensor reads the temperature from the surface of the film and transmits the data to the temperature controller, which, in turn, triggers and starts the system.

The main purpose of the device is to monitor the floor temperature according to the sensor readings and, in accordance with the specified parameters, adjust the heating power

There are a huge variety of options for modifications of regulators that differ in functionality on the market today.

All of them are conditionally divided into two types:

Mechanical- equipped with keys and mechanical wheels and are suitable for arranging small systems.
Electronic- equipped with push-button control and display, applicable for small unzoned rooms.

Programmable models are equipped with touch displays, with which you can set 4 time modes at once, thereby saving up to 50% of energy consumption.

Temperature sensors, depending on the type of device and the type of flooring, come in two versions. For soft coatings, they are available in compact plastic containers. For hard ones - in the form of larger elements, equipped with gel protection against impact on the strips adhesive compositions and prevent mechanical damage.

Some models of thermostats are able to read information about the heating of the floor surface, others - to additionally analyze the degree of heating of the air in the room

When choosing a device, you should focus on the power of the thermostat. It is calculated on the basis that one square meter film on average consumes 50-70 watts. To determine the required value, the indicator is multiplied by the size of the working area covered with heating elements.

Budget models operating from the network often "sin" in that in the case emergency shutdown power supplies cannot resume work on their own. Therefore, it is better to give preference to models in which a battery is provided. And read more about choosing and installing a thermostat for underfloor heating.

If the film system is supposed to be combined with a porcelain stoneware or tile coating, it will be necessary to build a cement-sand screed

Installation of infrared floor heating

Installing an IR system under a particular coating has its own characteristics. So, planning to use as a top coat soft materials such as linoleum or carpet, as a layer between the heating strips and it should be laid sheets of fiberboard or plywood.

A rigid layer will protect the film from "injury" due to the punching of the coating by the legs of heavy furniture or women's heels.

In any case, the installation of an infrared floor heating system is carried out in several stages.

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Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Thinking about installing an infrared floor system but don't know where to start? Or do you have experience in installing such systems and can give good advice to our readers? Please leave your comments, ask questions, share your experience of using the film floor system in the block below.

Warm infrared floors are considered the most innovative option for heating residential buildings, which is characterized by high efficiency and practicality. The installation of such a heating system is easy to carry out without the involvement of specialists. We will deal with the rules of its arrangement.

Film heating - will make any home warm

Warm floors (TP) in themselves are not something new and unknown. They came to our country a long time ago. In many houses and apartments of Russians, electric and water transformer substations are installed. The last of these assume the use of heated water as a coolant. It circulates through a system of pipes laid under the floor covering. Electrical structures function due to a special heating cable. It is also laid under the floor. Such floors perfectly heat the room. But their main drawback lies in the certain complexity of carrying out assembly activities. A similar minus does not have a film (infrared) warm floor. Its installation is simple and straightforward. Any self-taught master can cope with it.

Film TP uses IR (infrared) radiation for heating. It warms up various objects standing in the room. And already from them heat diverges throughout the room. IR radiation is provided by special carbon paste. It is placed in a polyester film and the resulting structure is hermetically sealed. It works according to this principle. Voltage is applied to the emitters through conductors (tires) made of copper. It activates the heating elements, which immediately begin to give off heat. Busbars film system must be treated with silver dust. It eliminates the possibility of burning their joints.

The power of the described transformer substations can reach 220 W / square of the heated area. Their width is 50–100 cm. The film is heated to a temperature not exceeding 60 °C. IR floors are connected through a special thermal regulator to the household power supply.

Infrared heating - expensive, but flawless in operation

We can talk about the advantages of film TP for a long time. Such heating does not need advertising. We highlight only the main advantages of film systems:

1. Possibility of do-it-yourself installation under all existing floor coverings. IR film structures can be installed on horizontal, inclined and vertical surfaces. If desired, they are allowed to equip even under a stretch ceiling.
2. Low electricity consumption. The reduction in energy consumption is due to the fact that carbon is characterized by a high thermal conductivity.
3. Unique reliability and durability of structures. The individual elements of film floors are interconnected in parallel. Due to this, if any part of them burns out, the system remains fully operational. Serviceable elements continue to heat the room.
4. The installation of the described TS is carried out without the obligatory arrangement of a screed on the floor. This significantly reduces the cost and time spent on system installation.
5. If necessary infrared heating easily dismantled. And later it can be mounted on the same place or installed in another room.
6. Complete safety of system operation.

The disadvantage of film structures is only one - high cost. But this can be put up with, given that such systems have been operated without breakdowns and failures for decades.

Where does the installation begin - the right start

High-quality installation of the heating film is possible only on a well-cleaned and leveled surface. Height differences on the floor base cannot be more than 3 mm. If necessary, carefully level the floor using suitable technology(for example, pouring a concrete screed). Then we vacuum the base and proceed to laying a layer of waterproofing on it - polyethylene film. It will not allow moisture to get to the elements of the system and disable them.

Next, we cover the waterproofing with a layer of insulation. Its use is mandatory! The thermal insulation layer reduces heat loss from downward radiation. This reduces the power consumption of the system and increases the efficiency of its operation. As thermal insulation it is allowed to use any warming materials. Most often, products with a metallized coating are used. And, if the TP is laid under the tile, the technical plug usually performs the function of a heat insulator. We install strips (plates, sheets) of insulation close to each other, and then we glue the places of their contact with adhesive tape.

The next step is to choose a place for mounting the thermostat. It is advisable to place it at a height of 0.15 m from the level of the floor surface. After that, we draw a scheme for laying the infrared system.

The film floor is not installed under large household appliances, massive structures and stationary furniture.

Pay attention to the following. If the film heating structure is used as an additional one (the dwelling is heated centrally), it should occupy about 40% of the room area. And in cases where TP is the only source of heat, at least 70%. We also take into account that the infrared structure must be laid indented from the walls at a distance of 0.1–0.4 m.

Basic work - a couple of hours and you're done!

We cut the heating system, focusing on the laid-out scheme. Cutting can be performed strictly only along the lines that are available on the IR film. If cuts are made otherwise, the carbon layer will be destroyed.

We lay the cut material on the heat insulator. We mount the copper sides of the contacts towards the wall where we planned to put the thermostat. The next steps are:

1. We connect to the copper strip (to its edge) clips-contacts (they are included in the kit of film TP), and wires to them. Nuance. Contacts will be needed the less, the longer the strip we use. In this case, the maximum length of the heating panel is 8 m. It is forbidden to lay longer strips. Advice. To connect the tires, you need to use a copper wire with several cores. We take a cable with a cross section of 1.5–2.5 cm.
2. We isolate the areas of connecting cables and clamps, as well as cutting the film. We use bituminous mastic for this purpose.
3. We connect to the bottom side of the infrared film the sensor of the thermoregulatory device included in the kit. Carefully isolate it.

After laying the entire film and connecting the cables, we mount the thermostat. In principle, it can be connected to a household outlet like a conventional electrical appliance. But it would be better to install it permanently.

In this case, before installing the film, we cut an opening in the wall for junction box and a channel for electrical wiring. Cables that connect the thermal controller to heating system, it is recommended to pass under the plinth. Then the wires will not be able to spoil the interior. After all these actions, we connect to the mains and test the TP for operability. The described procedure for installing a heating film is carried out by an inexperienced craftsman in a maximum of 2-3 hours (if we are talking about residential premises with standard sizes).

We bring the floors to mind - a test of the system and the flooring of the finish coating

Checking the installed infrared heating cover is simple. Turn on the system and see how it works. If there is no overheating at the junctions of the contacts (the structure has the same temperature in different areas) and the floors do not spark, we did everything right. Can proceed to the final stages of the operation. First, we cover the IR film with a special substrate. She will be in touch with finishing sheathing floors, and protect both the warm floors themselves and the selected finishing material.

The special substrate is made of a polyethylene film. It fits under all types of decorative coatings. And here we take into account the following:

1. Parquet, laminated products are laid directly on the polyethylene film.
2. Wooden floors are mounted on a flooring pre-installed on the film. We make it from particle boards or sheets of plywood.
3. If the finish is tile, the amount of work is increased. At the TP, we first lay protective film, and on top we cover it with a paint grid (plastic, not metal), which we fix with dowels to floor base. We carry out this procedure as carefully as possible. We can't damage the copper tires or the carbon strips. Only after all these steps can you mount the tile. Its laying is carried out on a special adhesive recommended by the manufacturer of the film heating floor system.

As you can see, installing an infrared warm coating is a really simple operation. We do not need to purchase special tools for installing a heating floor, study mountains of literature with expert advice. All stages of the procedure are simple, understandable to beginners and easy to perform. The only problem for home craftsmen who are engaged in arranging their homes can only arise when the thermostat is connected to the mains. If you are not sure of your skills in this matter, it is better to seek the help of a professional electrician. He will connect the system in a couple of minutes and will charge a not so big fee for his services.

The comfort of heating a room with the help has been recognized for a long time. There are several electrical varieties built-in heating systems, of which only infrared (IR) film systems allow, if necessary, to completely avoid wet processes. Their installation is to a large extent similar to analogues made in the form or, but also has some important differences. Basically, because of them, self-installation of a film underfloor heating is sometimes carried out with serious errors. Violation of the selection rules, as well as the technology for assembling infrared systems, leads to a significant drop in efficiency, a reduction in their service life, and an increase in the risk of electrical injury. Therefore, in order for the operation of the electric heating of the IR type not to cause unpleasant questions in the future, you should carefully understand the choice of its models, their installation and connection.

What kind of film will we choose?

A sufficient number of infrared films for installation in pirogues of floor coverings from various manufacturers are already presented on the domestic market. The most popular products, according to the rating of the best goods "Mark of Quality" are products from brands:

Caleo;
Hi heat;
National Comfort;
heat plus.

At the same time, comparing with other methods of arranging electrical transformer substations, one can single out common strengths and weaknesses for all the products under consideration. Film underfloor heating has the following advantages:

small thickness (depending on the model - 0.2-0.6 mm), which allows you to install it under almost any flooring. The height of the room does not decrease, there is no need for thresholds;
uniform heating of the entire floor surface, which has a positive effect on the integrity of the base and cladding material, since there is no temperature deformation between its boundary sections. This is especially important for piece flooring such as parquet;
accelerated, but economical heating of the premises.

Infrared film for underfloor heating also has disadvantages, which include:

its rather high cost in comparison with other systems of electrical transformer substations. AT more this applies to multilayer, shielded and other advanced models;
the complexity of the installation process;
the need to calculate the layout of thermoelements, taking into account the placement of furniture in the room. That is, in the future, it will be quite problematic to rearrange large pieces of furniture. This requirement applies to all common built-in electric heating systems, however, it is especially relevant for infrared ones.

Calculation of power and laying features for various types of coatings

It is necessary to draw a sketch plan of the room, with the designation of areas not occupied by furniture. On average, such free space remains from 60% to 80% of the total. For effective work infrared film underfloor heating should have a specific power: from 120-140 W / m 2 for auxiliary and 150-180 W / m 2 for main heating. At the same time, it is considered that the heat losses of the enclosing structures are minimized, and the layout of the thermoelements is carried out at 70% of the square of the room or more. The plan is also drawn up taking into account the fact that:

the distance from the walls is taken at least 300 mm;
sheets of a film heater are recommended to be oriented along the long wall of the room. Thus, the number of contact connections and wires;
sheets should not overlap, it is recommended to leave an interval between adjacent elements of 50 mm.

Installation under laminate and parquet

A film for underfloor heating with laminate or parquet covering provides for the creation of a substrate with a perfectly flat surface. Sheets of moisture-resistant plywood 15-20 mm thick can be used as a subfloor, if load-bearing structure serves concrete slab or other monolithic material. If the flooring cake involves the use of lags, then for the subfloor it is recommended to use edged board thickness from 20 mm to 30 mm (depending on the distance between the lags), OSB or thick plywood.

Installation of a film underfloor heating under a laminate (parquet, parquet board)

Thorough cleaning of solids in progress construction debris, dirt, as well as dedusting the subfloor.
A special dense non-deformable substrate with a reflective layer is laid over the entire area of the room. The reflective coating should be oriented upwards.
The strips of the substrate are arranged end-to-end and are fixed to the base with double-sided, and between themselves - with foil tape.

Important! The thickness of the underlayment layer must allow the arrangement of grooves for the placement of cables, terminal connections and a temperature sensor. All items listed must be at the general film level, including the contact insulation materials used.

Underfloor heating film laying

It is carried out in accordance with a pre-calculated scheme:

The heating sheets should be placed with the shiny side of the copper busbars down. You can attach them to the surface with a simple adhesive tape, but not in a continuous strip around the entire perimeter, but at several points.
The cut points of the conductive busbars of thermocouples not used for connecting film underfloor heating are carefully insulated with bitumen tape, which should be included in the standard commercial package.
The temperature sensor, which takes temperature readings and transmits them to the thermostat, is installed in a groove pre-cut in the substrate. It is placed under the film in such a way that the temperature-sensitive sensor is located under the carbon heat-radiating strip. It is recommended to fix the sensor and its wires under the film using bituminous insulating tape.
Terminals are connected to conductive busbars. In most cases, clip-on contacts are used, for which simple pliers are enough to crimp. The film floor of some manufacturers is equipped with rivet-type terminals; in very rare cases, soldering of the contacts is used.
Cables are also laid in accordance with the developed scheme. The ends are stripped of insulation by 7-10 mm and crimped in the shanks of the terminals. Experienced installers of underfloor heating recommend that you first connect the terminals to the film, and then attach the wires to the terminals.
All contact connections are carefully isolated. Bitumen tape is placed on top and bottom of the terminal to completely cover all conductive elements with a margin of 1.5-2 cm. The insulation is strongly compressed by hand, without the use of tools, which will prevent the possibility of damage.

Laying protective coatings

In order to fully protect the infrared film underfloor heating from moisture that can seep through the floor cladding, it is recommended to apply additional waterproofing. As a protective material, you can use a film of polyethylene (at least 200 microns thick) or vinyl (at least 100 microns). The film is spread over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe room, including areas where there are no heating elements. The cuts are laid with a mutual overlap of 15-20 cm and sealed with ordinary adhesive tape.
or on film warm floors is practically no different from the usual technology for installing these coatings. Only there is a need for more careful actions when the installation is carried out directly above the heating elements.

If a laminate is used as a floor covering, then the operation of a film underfloor heating can be started immediately after the installation process is completed. Parquet and parquet board, are more sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity in the room, they should be given time to acclimatize at least 2-3 days.

However, a trial run of the IR system must be carried out before scraping and applying parquet lacquer. It is not recommended to start heating at maximum power, as this can lead to warping of natural wood dies. The initial temperature at the first start-up should not exceed 15°C. Every day it is necessary to turn on the warm floor for several hours, raising the temperature by 5 ° C. Only after all defects associated with temperature deformations have been identified and eliminated, it is possible to proceed to further surface treatment - scraping and coating it with varnish.

Laying under ceramic tiles

Ceramic tiles or porcelain stoneware can be laid on a film heated floor in two ways: dry - using gypsum-fiber (GVL) and glass-magnesite (SML) sheets or wet - on a cement-sand screed. Each of these methods has certain advantages and disadvantages.

As a substrate, thermal insulation materials with a low shrinkage rate and good heat-reflecting ability are used:

roll cork with a thickness of at least 2 mm;
isolon;
extruded polystyrene foam;
polystyrene for the floor (density not lower than 35);
folgoizol.

Important! Heat-insulating materials with a reflective coating should not contain metallized foil. The reflective layer on them is applied by amalgamation, so it is not an electrical conductor.

Dry way

The substrate is laid over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe room, including those areas where the film floor heating will not be installed. Infrared elements are located in accordance with the plan for the placement of heating zones. A hydrobarrier and sheets of GVL or LSU with a thickness of at least 6-8 mm are laid out on top. The fastening of the sheets to the base must be carried out very carefully so that the fasteners do not damage the carbon layer or the copper contact busbars of the thermal film. Sheets are treated with a primer of the Betonokontakt type. This is followed by installation ceramic tiles with heat resistant adhesive.

The main advantage of the dry method is that the infrared film for underfloor heating is completely isolated from the negative effects of moisture and aggressive tile adhesive. Even in the case of poor-quality contact insulation, the probability of failure of the underfloor heating film is very low.

wet way

Far from always the best option installation of IR films, however, is allowed. the main problem wet process thing is infrared film for a heat-insulated floor has low rates of adhesion to tile glue. However, there are several tricks to ensure a sufficient level of adhesion of materials. For example, the base is treated with a primer that increases adhesion. The substrate is installed exclusively along the width of the infrared film - this will ensure contact between the base and the cement-sand screed. The indentation of the substrate from the wall should be at least 20-25 cm. Between the strips of infrared film underfloor heating, it is necessary to form indents of 2-5 cm. As a reinforcing layer for pouring, a fiberglass mesh with a cell of 5 × 5 mm or 10 × 10 mm is used. It must be fixed with dowels in places where the carbon strips are indented. The grid is covered with a layer of mortar literally a few millimeters thick.

Important! When embedding the heater in a cement-sand mixture, it is necessary to add appropriate modifiers to prevent temperature deformations, or immediately take ready-made heat-resistant adhesive compositions.

Special varieties of infrared film for underfloor heating are also used, better adapted to the wet method of laying under tiles:

perforated - it has large holes over the entire area, which, although they reduce the overall heating effect, provide fairly reliable adhesion of the screed to the base. Example - MONOCRYSTAL 220 R;
multilayer increased strength, containing several layers of protection. It can be installed without additional waterproofing. Example, Hi-Heat and Heat Plus (6 layers of protection).

The process of installing a film underfloor heating in sand-cement screed quite laborious, and if the solution layer is thick, then this will somewhat reduce the efficiency of the system. However, the wet method makes it possible to form a surface more resistant to mechanical operational loads.

The first launch of the film floor mounted in a dry way under the tiles can be carried out no earlier than 6-8 days after the tile adhesive has completely dried. For the wet method, using sand-cement mixtures, the waiting period must be at least 28 days, that is, the total curing time and gaining the design strength of concrete. Premature activation can lead to uneven thermal deformations and cracking.

Selecting and connecting a thermostat

There are two main types of thermostats that are used to control the temperature of the underfloor heating film:

Mechanical (analogue) - the temperature is regulated by a rotary roller or buttons, the shutdown is controlled by a thermal relay. These devices are affordable and easy to use. The main disadvantage is the limitation in control and the inability to program the temperature regime.

Electronic - depending on the model, they can have push-button control, a digital display with a touch panel, or even receive commands via wi-fi. Several temperature sensors can be connected to them, both wired and transmitting information via radio. They have a wide range of programming possibilities. They can automatically adjust the temperature depending on the time of day and day of the week. Their use leads to savings, on average, up to 30% of energy resources.

If it is necessary to connect several sections to one thermostat, then the scheme for connecting a film underfloor heating should provide for the use of certified terminal connectors, the use of twisting leads is strictly prohibited. As a rule, the thermostat has at least 6 pin connectors. The connection is carried out according to the diagram located on the back panel of the device, where the contacts for connecting the voltage L-phase, N-zero are indicated.

Important! If the film underfloor heating is used to heat the room large area, more than 20 m 2, then the power supply is supplied directly from the switchboard through the RCD (residual current device).

The wires of the power supply line from the household network or switchboard through the RCD are connected to the contacts marked 220V 50Hz. The other two contacts, under which the maximum load is indicated, for example, 16A, are used to connect wires coming from a warm floor in compliance with the zero and phase markings. Grounding is carried out by direct connection of the corresponding (yellow-green) cables from the film and the RCD, bypassing the thermostat.

Conclusion

Modern technologies and use quality materials from leading manufacturers, it is quite possible to carry out the installation of an infrared warm floor with your own hands. However, it should be noted that this is a rather laborious process, and the connection of the heating elements, the connection of the thermostat and the installation of the RCD should be checked by a certified electrician.

Underfloor heating designs are constantly being improved, as a result, new types and modifications of these systems appear. One of these innovations is infrared film underfloor heating, which has its own advantages and disadvantages. Many people, due to lack of information, consider such floors to be dangerous and even unhealthy. In fact, these systems are as safe as any others, provided that they are properly installed and that the rules of use are followed during operation. Some home craftsmen prefer to mount a film underfloor heating with their own hands.

General arrangement of infrared floors

The device of film floors is quite complicated, so their design is assembled exclusively in the factory. A special nanostructure based on carbon materials is used as a heating element. With the help of carbon atoms, a hexagonal lattice is formed, which generates infrared radiation invisible to the human eye.

This lattice is placed between layers of dense polymers. Its elements are interconnected through copper bars, which are coated with a silver coating. The strips are spaced 15 mm apart. Layers of polymeric materials protect the heating elements from mechanical stress, fire, moisture and other negative factors.

Polymers not only protect, but also transmit infrared radiation well. Thanks to these qualities, installation of an electric heat-insulated floor under a tile and other types of coverings is possible.

Specifications

Before deciding on the use of such systems in specific conditions, it is necessary to carefully study their main technical characteristics. The film warm floor is produced in widths from 0.5 to 1.0 m, and the length of the roll is 50 m. The thickness ranges from 0.2 to 0.4 mm.

One square meter of film consumes 25-85 Wh of power. The heating element is able to create on its surface operating temperature 30-50 0 C. It is important to know when choosing a warm floor under a tile. Thanks to these parameters, film underfloor heating often serves as the main heating of apartments or private houses.

Application

The minimum area to be covered by the heating system is 70% of the total floor area. However, in cold climates winter time, these floors are connected and used only as additional heating. In these situations, they experience an increased load, which they simply cannot cope with.

Sometimes infrared floors serve as emergency heating in case of failure. central system heating during severe frosts. Film heating, powered by electrical network, is quite capable of maintaining the temperature level in the room close to comfortable and preventing hypothermia of the people living here.

Infrared systems can be installed not only on floors, but also on other surfaces - ceilings or walls. They are ideal for bathrooms where they only turn on when needed. To do this, laying electric underfloor heating, after which the tiled floors will be constantly warm, and the air in the room will pick up the desired temperature.

Impact on the environment and the human body

The properties of film floors are not yet fully understood, since they began to be used relatively recently. In this regard, the most contradictory judgments arise regarding these systems. There is an opinion about the beneficial effect of infrared radiation on the human body. Allegedly, it is completely harmless and serves as an effective tool for the prevention of many diseases.

However, both supporters and opponents of film floors are wrong. The fact is that the emitted electromagnetic waves have an extremely low intensity and do not have any negative effect on a person. Much more radiation emits, used under tiles and with other coatings. However, it is considered completely safe and harmless to health.

With such a low level of radiation, film floors do not have a positive effect on the human body. The positive influence of electromagnetic fields is possible only when the temperatures coincide human body and infrared waves. Such a state is almost impossible to achieve at home. More useful is the uniform heat of the heated room and the optimal humidity.

There is an erroneous opinion about the impossibility of using an infrared floor in conjunction with or preventing the passage of radiation. Indeed, the rays from the film do not pass through such a floor barrier, but in this case they first heat up themselves, and only then the heat from them enters the space of the room. If other types of floor coverings are used, the heat directly warms the air and spreads immediately to the entire height.

The procedure for laying and connecting the system

As a rule, the installation of infrared floors is performed. Some home craftsmen can do the installation of underfloor heating under the tiles with their own hands if they have certain work skills and follow the sequence of operations.

The standard installation scheme includes the following work steps:

At the very beginning, a plan is drawn up according to which the film will be laid out. The installation locations of the thermostat and temperature sensor are determined in advance. After that, the thermostat is installed in its place. All this is done before laying other floor elements.
The foundation is being prepared. It should be smooth, clean and dry.
If it is impossible to create flat surface chipboard or plywood, at least 10 mm thick, is installed on the floor.
Device protective waterproofing. For this, a film with a thickness of 50 microns or more is best suited.
Laying. Usually, a lavsan film or the same metallized and polypropylene coating is used with the film. It is not recommended to use materials with aluminum foil.
The roll is cut into separate strips along the marked lines. The length of each strip is determined in accordance with the scheme.
Installation of a film underfloor heating is carried out on the thermal insulation with the tires down and fixed with adhesive tape. The strips must not overlap.
To connect the elements to each other, special contacts are used.
After installing the temperature sensor, the system is connected to the thermostat, after which the film underfloor heating is connected to the electrical network.
At the final stage, the floor covering is laid.

Mounting Features

Some owners, in order to save money, mount systems in combined version. In this case, the underfloor heating system is installed by specialists, and preparatory work and laying the flooring is done on their own. Special attention you should pay attention to how to properly lay a warm floor under the tile.

On the unfolded film, you need to move very carefully, otherwise you can damage the heating elements. Also, you can not drop and put any construction tools on the film coating.

The placement plan should indicate the places where furniture and other heavy objects will be located. They are strictly forbidden to be installed on a film coating. Otherwise, overheating of the floor may occur, and the film, furniture and flooring will be damaged.

Particular attention should be paid to temperature sensor. The accuracy of the readings largely depends on its correct installation. It is recommended to follow the manufacturer's instructions in the instruction manual.

It is undesirable to turn on infrared floors immediately after installing the laminate flooring. The laminate must be warmed up in natural conditions for a certain period of time until its temperature is equal to that which is in the room. This rule is also relevant for other types of flooring.

Advantages of infrared underfloor heating

Even in the short time during which film floors have been used, the following positive qualities of these systems have already manifested themselves:

Simple and convenient laying of film underfloor heating, no concrete screed. All work can be completed within a few hours. Installation of film floors is relatively inexpensive.
These systems are used with almost any type of flooring: parquet, laminate, linoleum, carpet. In addition, installation of a warm floor under a tile is possible.
Due to the low thickness of the film, the thickness of the floor does not increase, and the height of the room does not decrease.
Rapid heating of the elements and the same rapid completion of heating due to the low heating inertia. The rooms are heated evenly, there are no temperature differences in the direction from the floor to the ceiling.
A warm electric film floor is resistant to increased loads on floor coverings typical for public buildings, offices, gyms, etc.
It is not allowed to overdry the air in the room, the humidity is kept on optimal level. There is an opinion that infrared radiation has an anti-allergic effect, eliminates unpleasant odors.
Film floors can be installed and included in the general. Their use can reduce energy consumption by up to 30%.

Cons of film systems

Despite the mass undoubted merits, infrared systems have certain disadvantages, which sometimes become decisive.

In order to avoid pitfalls, it is necessary to take into account the following features when it is necessary to solve the problem of how to lay a warm floor:

Mounting the system quite often takes longer than expected by the manufacturers. This happens even with the participation of experienced specialists in the work.
Sometimes the clamps are not tightly connected, which leads to poor contact between the individual elements of the floor. Damaged clamps are no longer suitable and you have to use new contacts.
The process of laying a warm floor should take place on a perfectly flat surface. Even slight distortions lead to its breaks after the floor covering has already been laid on top.
Despite the small thickness of the film itself, in the end, the thickness of the warm floor can be up to 35 mm, which is achieved by laying chipboard or plywood, as well as thermal and waterproofing materials together with the floor covering.
High reliability of the system is possible only if all recommendations and instructions are strictly observed, and high-quality work is performed.
The declared 20% savings on heating can only be achieved if quality insulation rooms and uninterrupted central heating.

Despite these shortcomings, film floors are becoming increasingly popular with modern homeowners. Ionized air really destroys unpleasant odors by blocking the molecules of these substances. Therefore, the effect of infrared radiation effectively cleans clothes in an industrial way, upholstered furniture and other items.

The best systems from manufacturers

The modern market for infrared floors is filled with various types of these products from well-known manufacturers. The price of products varies greatly depending on the quality of the film, the configuration of the system, the popularity of a particular manufacturer. These can be expensive European floors, fully equipped, up to self-regulating systems, or inexpensive products from Chinese companies. In order to determine which is better one should consider different options.

The most famous and popular representatives in this area are the following:

Q-Term- Korean company that produces universal film floors, which are installed not only in residential, but also in public buildings. Q-Term are equipped with carbon fiber heating elements with a power of 130-230 W, so it is quite possible to install a warm floor under the tiles. Rolls are available in widths from 0.5 to 1 meter, which makes installation faster and more convenient. Although the products are quite expensive, they are best suited for installation under a tiled floor.
Caleo- also a Korean manufacturer. The products are of good quality combined with low cost. Rolls of universal film have a width of 50 cm and a power of 180-220 watts. Caleo occasionally develops spontaneous tears or deformities.
Calorique- film floors High Quality from an American manufacturer. The main advantages of the film are high strength and flexibility, resistance to mechanical influences. This is the best underfloor heating for tiles. Calorique systems are considered the most durable and reliable, very popular, despite the high cost.
heat plus is a Korean manufacturer that produces high-quality infrared film underfloor heating with carbon heaters. The width of the rolls is in the range of 50-80 cm, and the power of the system is 150-220 W, depending on the modification. High-power products are produced with an energy consumption of about 400 watts. As a rule, they are intended for loggias, open terraces etc. It is allowed to lay underfloor heating under the tiles. HeatPlus is equipped with anti-spark protection. Guarantee period operation - at least 15 years.
RexVa- Korean high quality film. Equipped with an anti-spark grid, it is completely safe to operate. It has increased resistance to breakage and tearing. Release of rolls 0.5 wide; 0.8 and 1 meter. The power consumption reaches 350 watts.
Okondol is a Korean manufacturer that produces film systems that are particularly strong and durable. The warranty period for Okondol floors is 30-50 years. Universal design with multi-layer protection suitable for all types of floor coverings.

Since its introduction, infrared underfloor heating has shown growing interest from potential consumers. They are reliable and easy to install, if desired, they are easily mounted independently, without the involvement of specialists. It is this topic that our review will be devoted to - we will tell you how to independently mount a film underfloor heating and what is needed for this. We will also give full information about the infrared film.

Features of infrared underfloor heating

Traditional warm floors are made on the basis of a thin pipe made of cross-linked polyethylene (or metal-plastic), through which a hot coolant circulates. All this economy, together with insulation and vapor barrier, is hidden under a thick layer of concrete screed. The result is a kind of "sandwich", which allows you to get a warm floor covering.. Adults and children can safely move on such a floor without fear of catching a cold. Warmth is also relevant for those whose feet are constantly cold.

Water heated floors have quite serious disadvantages:

A large load on the floors - it is created by a thick concrete screed. Therefore, in multi-storey buildings, their installation is undesirable and even dangerous;
Possibility of leakage - oozing water can penetrate concrete and flood the basement or lower floor;
Difficulty in installation - nothing prevents you from laying water-heated floors on your own, but in reality, the complexity of the work is higher than it seems after reading the step-by-step instructions.

In some cases, instead of pipes with a heat carrier, a heating cable is laid. He does not need a powerful and heavy concrete screed, so it can be laid even in an apartment. But it's best to replace it heating mat– it is easy to install and fits most floor coverings, especially tiles or porcelain stoneware.

A warm floor provides a more uniform and rational heating of the room, which has a very positive effect on human comfort.

Film underfloor heating is a modern alternative to all the above types of floors. Its basis is an infrared film laid under the floor covering. Electricity is supplied to it, as a result of which it begins to generate infrared rays. Reaching the surface of tiles, wood, linoleum and any other coating, they are converted into thermal energy.

Consider the main features and advantages of film underfloor heating:

Easy installation - in some cases it takes a maximum of two hours. Moreover, it is more difficult to remove and put back the removed coating than to mount the film;
There is no load on the interfloor ceilings - thanks to this, the film can be used for installation in apartments;
Film floor heating is safe for humans and animals - it does not adversely affect health and is not a source of electromagnetic radiation;
Compatible with almost any floor coverings;
Durability - a properly laid film can work for 10-15 years (some manufacturers guarantee up to 50 years of operation) without requiring replacement.

There are also disadvantages:

Expensive - prices for film warm floors, although falling, remain high;
Electric heating leads to high energy costs - there is no getting away from this;
Lack of resistance to loads - in the case of using linoleum, it will be necessary to protect the film with plywood sheets.

Some experts note the low reliability of film underfloor heating, but here it all depends on the chosen film - if you chase cheapness, then everything will be bad with reliability.

The main feature of film underfloor heating is that they do not reduce the height of the ceilings, as water pipes and heating cables do.

The principle of operation of infrared floors and auxiliary equipment

Temperature control is carried out by a sensor located in the thickness of the floors.

You can mount an infrared film underfloor heating on your own, without the help of specialists. To do this, you need the appropriate amount of film, a thermostat and connecting wires. The scheme for connecting a film underfloor heating is simple - individual sections are connected to each other in parallel (not in series), after which they are connected through a thermostat to the mains.

Film warm floors are very thin - their thickness in most cases does not exceed 1 mm. But the width varies from 50 to 100 cm. The film is supplied in long rolls, and it is easily cut into separate sections of a certain length. But you can’t cut at random - only along the cut lines, otherwise its performance will be impaired. In addition, on these lines there are contact pads for connecting to the electrical network.

The general principle of installing film floors is as follows:

We lay a layer of thermal insulation on the draft floors;
We mount the temperature sensor;
We lay out the film according to a pre-drawn scheme;
We make electrical connections.

The final stage is testing. A positive result will be uniform heating of the floor covering in all areas under which the film is laid.

Choosing the right film

If you are going to install a film underfloor heating without the involvement of specialists, start with the main thing - with the choice suitable film. It is necessary to determine what role is assigned to this heat source. Choose 180-200 W/m² foil if it will be the only source of heat in the room. In other cases, a power of 100-130 W / m² is sufficient.

As for the width of the film, here it is necessary to focus on the laying pattern. This scheme should be drawn independently, having decided on the places for installing furniture. Where furniture elements without legs will stand, warm floors are not needed - here they will become unusable due to overheating. Depending on the size of the room and the dimensions of the areas to be heated, select a film of suitable width.

The reviews of some experts indicate that it is better not to lay the film underfloor heating under the tiles. They advise giving preference to other types of heating equipment, such as heating mats.

When choosing a film for underfloor heating, you need to pay attention to the future flooring. In the case of an engineering board, laminate or linoleum, it is enough to take the simplest film material. If you plan to lay tiles or porcelain stoneware, you need to purchase a perforated film - it contains small holes, providing reliable adhesion of the mixtures used with subfloors.

Underfloor heating film installation

It's time to deal with step by step instructions for laying underfloor heating film. If it will be mounted under an engineering board or laminate, prepare the following materials and tools:

Rolled warm floor of suitable width and length;
Scissors for cutting the film base;
Thermal insulation material;
Thermostat with temperature sensor;
Connecting wires;
Scotch;
Connecting brackets;
bituminous insulation;
Soldering iron with flux and solder.

Let's go through all the operations in more detail.

As an example, let's take a situation where we have new house, which already has draft floors. First you need to level them to get a surface ready for installation. This is done using a leveling mixture for the floor (for example, a leveler from trademark Kreps - a bag weighing 25 kg costs about 280 rubles). Dilute the mixture with water in the indicated proportions, fill in the rough surface and wait two days until it completely solidifies.

The next step is the laying of a heat-insulating layer. We recommend taking inexpensive Penofol for this. One of its sides is shiny - it reflects heat in the opposite direction, preventing it from escaping into the screed. If necessary, you can use any other types thermal insulation materials, including tiles. Their fastening is carried out with mounting brackets or dowels with wide caps. Separate sheets or plates are interconnected with adhesive tape.

On the this stage we need a tape measure, a sheet of paper and a simple pencil. We measure the dimensions of the furniture (length and width), draw the layout of the room, place the furniture elements on it. Where the furniture will stand, the film is not needed - we have already written why this is done. In accordance with the data obtained, we buy a film for film underfloor heating. We cover wide areas with a wide film - it's more convenient. But in general, you should focus on the dimensions of the room.

The film is cut according to the cutting lines. We prepare sites required sizes, set them aside. We mark the places for laying wires. If you don’t want to make a lot of intersections, we act as follows - we lay out the wires with phase and zero along the side walls of the room, lay out the film perpendicular to them, connect one end to the phase and the other to zero. How to connect a film underfloor heating using this method is indicated in the figure below.

Now we know how to connect film underfloor heating in such a way as to avoid unnecessary wire crossings - this way there will be less confusion, and the crossing wires will not rub against each other. Let's see how to route the wires and how to install the thermostat. This is done very easily - with the help of a construction knife.

Before laying, you need to figure out the wiring diagram in your mind, determine the location of the thermostat. It is to the thermostat that we will pull the connecting wires for connecting film underfloor heating. For their laying, we make grooves in the thermal insulation. Here we make a cutout for the temperature sensor, we bring a signal wire to it. After that, we send all the wires along the grooves to the thermostat. In order for the conductors not to fall out of the grooves, we fix them with tape.

Let's talk a little about connecting film underfloor heating. We have already said that there are contact pads on the film - it is to them that we will connect the wires using contact groups. These contact groups are compressed by pliers, as a result of which they fit snugly to the sites. But not all experts practice this approach - many of them strongly recommend soldering all connections for greater reliability and durability of the connections.

Do not rush to lay the flooring - the film floor heating must be tested. We connect it to the mains, set the temperature to +30 degrees, after 15-20 minutes we turn off the system and check all sections. If any of them remain cold, check the electrical connections.

In fact, our film floor heating is ready, it remains to lay the floor covering. Let's consider three special cases:

With laying tiles;
With laminate flooring
With linoleum flooring.

In case of tiles thermal insulation becomes a stumbling block - it will interfere with the normal contact of the adhesive with the subfloor and tiles. Therefore, it is recommended to pour a thin screed over the thermal insulation, lay a film on it, throw a reinforcing mesh on top, and only after that start laying tiles using tile adhesive. There is a second option - instead of an intermediate thin screed, lay drywall slabs.

With laminate, everything is simple - it has sufficient strength to protect the floors from bursting. Therefore, we lay a polyethylene film or substrate on the IR film, and already put a laminate on it. At this point, our warm film floors are completely ready for use. If, instead of laminate, it is planned to use linoleum, then we lay plywood or fiberboard on top of the substrate or plastic film. Already on top of a solid surface we put linoleum.