Warm floors are becoming more and more popular every year. This is no accident: such a heating system is convenient, allows you to abandon bulky radiators, modern and safe. Briefly consider the benefits of several varieties of underfloor heating.
Warm floor under the laminate
Previously, technology made it possible to arrange a heating system only under a tiled flooring. But modern developments in the field of repair give much greater scope. Laminate is easy to clean, easy to install, costs much cheaper than parquet.
Important! Remember that the laminate due to its composition is subject to a constant change in volume: depending on the humidity in the room, it either swells or contracts. If a heating element is still located in the immediate vicinity of the lamellas, then these physical properties will be even more pronounced. Parquet floors also have this feature, but it is not so pronounced at all. Therefore, the selection of a method for heating the lamellas must be approached very carefully so as not to suffer and venture expensive alterations later.
One of the main rules when installing a warm floor is that a rigid substrate with low thermal resistance should be located under the slats. If the thermal conductivity of the substrate is good, and if dense carpets are later laid on the floor or furniture without legs is installed (that is, it does not allow warm and cold air to circulate normally), then negative consequences are possible, up to swelling and severe distortion of the floor covering. In order to prevent these unpleasant phenomena, they also indent from the wall when laying lamellas (about 1 cm). This measure will help to protect the skirting boards and wallpaper below on the wall from peeling due to the constant flow of dry hot air.
And now you can consider the main features of several methods of arranging a warm floor with a laminate.
Water
This is a multi-layer warm floor. Its basis is a high-quality and reliable waterproofing element, necessary for the safety of continuous operation. Simultaneously with the laying of the waterproofing layer, a damper tape is laid around the perimeter of the room. At the next stage, a heat-insulating layer is laid, and thin tubes, which are heating elements, are placed on it: hot water constantly circulates in them. Their small cross-section and frequent arrangement provide uniform floor heating in the future. A concrete screed is installed on top of the pipes, and finally a laminate is laid on it.
What are the benefits of a water floor heating system?
- High reliability.
- The heating system does not work from the electric network, but from the water heating system of the house; in case of problems with the wiring you do not have to freeze.
- Water heating is environmentally friendly and safe for the residents of the apartment.
Among the disadvantages of water heating can include a long complex installation (about a month) with a mandatory concrete layer on top of the heating pipes. This is not only expensive and long, but also leads to a rise in the floor level - it is very inconvenient for apartments with low ceilings. And in the case of an accident and a water leak, repair work will be expensive and complicated. Therefore, if you have chosen a water floor, immediately do the work conscientiously and reliably.
Electric
This method is the most popular today. Heating is carried out through the use of an electric cable. It is laid under the laminate, trying to give the shape of a wriggling snake. This is done to uniformly warm up. Such installation is easy to do (except for the concreting stage), it is durable and reliable. But he also has disadvantages. These include dependence on the operation of a common electrical network, the need for grounding, increased energy costs, the need for concrete screed.
Infrared film
This is a fundamentally new way of floor insulation with laminate flooring. First, a heat-insulating substrate is mounted, on which an infrared film is laid. Polyethylene is laid on top and, finally, the final decorative layer of laminate. Quick and easy. There is no need, unlike the previous methods, to equip a bulky concrete screed, to expend a lot of electricity, as in the version with the heating system of the same name. There is no need to fear that hot water will leak. The main disadvantage of this method is the high cost of procurement and the ban on installation in a room with a high level of humidity.
Which underfloor heating is better
As mentioned above, a lot depends on which room it is planned to lay laminate boards in, what humidity is in the room, and, most importantly, which option of floor heating will ultimately be chosen. Relate what is more important for you - quick installation, price, future floor level, further expenses? Based on this, and give preference to any option.
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