How to get permission for heated floors in an apartment

The concept of warm floor

Laying warm floor coverings and warm water floors in apartments in European countries has been done since the 80s of the last century. In Austria, Switzerland and Germany, water heated floors in apartments are installed in 60% of houses. Various energy sources are connected to heating for underfloor heating:

• infrared emitters;
• heating electrical cables;
• PLEN device, films with a built-in electric spiral and others.

The heated floor and the technology for its implementation in the case under consideration involve heating through a laid pipeline with hot liquid, most often it is water, sometimes antifreeze or antifreeze is used. Laying a water heated floor requires laying the pipes evenly over the floor surface.

When circulating, the liquid in the heating system passes through a centralized heating source, transfers heat to the concrete, and then heats up the air. The technology for laying water heated floors involves heating water with an autonomous boiler, or heated floors in the apartment are connected from central heating. In both cases, you can turn on and install the water heated floor yourself.

Modern technologies simplify the installation of water heated floors. Pipes are used whose configuration is based on the molecular memory of cross-linked polyethylene. This has reduced the cost of materials, the connection diagram for a water heated floor and the installation technology have become simpler, and reliability has increased.

Installing and pouring a heated floor is not a complicated process; making a water heated floor with your own hands is quite possible. For this purpose, several techniques and special materials have been developed. People show interest in how to connect the warm floor of a room to the heating system, and how to implement this project on their own.

Collector installation

The manifold, which must be connected when installing a heated floor, ensures the distribution of the coolant throughout the entire system from the boiler outlet to the return of cooled water. The collector is also responsible for adjusting the operation and setting up all the circuits that are connected to it. The design of the manifold includes drain outlets in the required quantity and air vent valves.

To ensure automation of floor control, it is best to ensure the presence of a servo drive.

Diagram of the thickness of water heated floor layers.

In this case, the heated floor will work independently, guaranteeing excellent quality.

A warm floor, the connection diagram of which necessarily includes a collector, provides excellent heating, but for this, all elements must be positioned in such a way that they perform their functions as accurately as possible. The collector is mounted in a special cabinet 12 cm thick; it is equipped with all the necessary sensors, drains, etc. The collector box itself is placed in such a way that the pipes leading to it are correctly bent and do not form creases. Often boxes are built into the wall for greater aesthetics.

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Pipe length calculation

How to calculate the length and lay pipes on a heated water floor will be discussed below. There are several options for how heating pipes should be installed in a water-heated floor: in a snail shape or in straight parallel lines, or in other ways. But the main requirement is met everywhere.

The pipes are distributed evenly, the total length covering a certain area depends on the pitch between them. To meet the conditions for heating with underfloor heating, you need to correctly calculate the length of the pipe. To simplify the process, the pipe flow calculated for different options is summarized in a table.

Consumption of underfloor heating pipe depending on the loop pitch

Using the table, it is easy to understand how to do the calculations yourself. With a room area of ​​20 m and a laying step of 20 cm, the length (L) will be equal to 20 m2, multiplied by 5 linear meters/m, which will be 100 m. The length of the warm coating circuit should not exceed 70 m, this is due to the effective circulation of the coolant through the pipeline and pump capacities. If the pipe in the circuit exceeds 70 m, warm floors are not effective, then how to make the right choice?

The pitch is set to 300 mm. Length (L) = 20 m2 * 3.4 linear/m = 68 m. This fully meets all requirements. In a large room, several lines are installed, but individual heating circuits should not exceed 70 m. Using powerful pumps, it is possible to connect a warm water floor circuit up to 120 m.

How pipes are laid

The laying technology for heated floors clearly determines what to fill the warm water floor with. There are ready-made mixtures that just need to be diluted with water in the concentration specified in the instructions. In some cases, a water-heated floor is made without a screed when the floor is made of plywood. If chipboard is laid with laminate, parquet, linoleum, it is not necessary to fill the heated floor with screed mortar. Dry screed is successfully used for warm water floors.

Before pouring and installing the floor covering, the pipes are checked for leaks. A special compressor is used, water is pumped into the pipes under a pressure of 6 bar, a process called pressure testing. If the pressure has not dropped by more than 1.5 bar during the day, the heating circuit is sealed. An incorrectly made heated floor or poor-quality installation can lead to the need to dismantle the floor covering.

Installation of pipes and pouring screed

Diagram of a water heated floor for wooden floors.

For laying water floors, different pipe installation schemes are used. It depends on the shape and features of the room, its purpose, and the presence of walls facing the street. For the fastening itself, special profiles and brackets are used, which are fixed to the surface of the base base with dowels. This is necessary so that the pipes cannot move after installation.

When performing such work, it is enough to use special plastic ties; they fix the pipe to the wall, but under no circumstances should you squeeze it. During installation, the pipe does not unwind immediately from the coil; it is carefully pulled out to the required length, after which it is attached turn by turn. The minimum radius during installation can be from five diameters of the pipe itself. This condition must be strictly observed. Experts recommend that you first make markings on the floor surface, according to which the installation will be carried out.

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When laying a water-heated floor, it is necessary to ensure that whitish creases do not form on the surface of the plastic pipes; they indicate improper installation. Such a piece can no longer be used for heating, since it is in this place that breakthroughs will quickly occur. If there is a need to lay a pipeline through a wall, then it should be enclosed in a special winding made of foamed polyethylene. The material is laid tightly, gaps and tears are unacceptable. After installation, all ends of the heating pipes are led to the collector, where they are connected. For this purpose, special crimp fittings or a Eurocone system are used.

Main advantages

Compared to the old technology with radiator batteries, the new technique has a number of advantages:

• A heated layer at the level of the feet of human feet. Feet are warm, head is moderately cool - this stimulates the human body to active life.
• The labor-intensive procedure of removing dust from hard-to-reach areas of radiators is eliminated.
• Uneven heating stimulated colds. In the case of heated floors, all these disadvantages are absent, the surface is easy to sweep and wash;
• Space is freed up, there is no need to think through options for how to fit radiator batteries and pipes into the interior of the room;
• Installation work has become much easier;
• Carrying out the work and the main elements of the system are cheaper. To heat the room, a temperature in the pipes of 55 ̊C and no more than 60-70 ̊C is sufficient. Installation and further operation of heated floors turns out to be 30% cheaper. Therefore, many people wanted to know how to make a water-heated floor.

Warm floor from central heating

Organizational matters

Many apartment residents want to dismantle the radiators or additionally connect them to underfloor heating from central heating. Before starting such a reconstruction, it is necessary to resolve organizational issues, namely, coordinate the project with the management company that services the house.

Unauthorized connection to the central heating system is punishable by very high fines, in addition, they will subsequently be forced to dismantle all installed equipment.

The difficulty in the question of how to make a heated floor is the process of obtaining permission. The difficulty is that most boiler houses operate at the limit of their calculated power or have a small reserve. Several apartments can be connected; with a mass connection, the central system will not be able to function normally.

Connecting a water heated floor to a heating system has some technical difficulties. This depends on the design of the central system. So, in schemes with direct supply through one pipe, there are no options for connection. Where the coolant circulates along the circuit of forward and reverse pipes, connection is possible.

The location of the heat exchanger largely influences the decision of the management company. When the heat exchanger is located in the lower part, residents of the upper floors are more likely to receive a permit, and vice versa. After obtaining permission, you can purchase equipment and begin installation work on the central heating floor.

Connection diagram

Diagram for connecting a heated floor to a central heating system
Before pouring the pipes laid on the floor, the entire installation diagram is checked for the tightness of the heated water floor. Depending on the length of the circuit and the diameter of the pipes, the pump power is selected. The installation scheme for heated floors includes the following main elements:

• Valves at the entrance to the heated floor circuit;
• Check valve;
• Three-way control valve (thermal head);
• Circulation pump;
• Coolant temperature control sensor;
• Manifold for underfloor heating;
• Plastic pipes.

The scheme for installing a water heated floor begins with connecting the central heating system to the return line. Two valves are installed to drain the forward and reverse flow of the underfloor heating system. They are designed to allow you to turn off the water at any time and carry out repairs or maintenance of elements in the heated floor line.

The check valve ensures that the coolant fluid moves in one direction. The three-way valve is of great importance in the system; it distributes hot and cold flows, mixing them until the set temperature is reached. Sometimes this device is called a thermal head. The temperature of the water entering the heated floors from the central system can reach 70 °C, this is too much; for normal operation no more than 50 °C is required. The thermal head reduces the temperature to the value set on it, usually 40-45 ̊C.

The circulation pump circulates water within the circuit in a given direction. Temperature sensors indicate the temperature of the coolant. There are automatic control systems that combine the operation of sensors and three-way valves, but this topic requires a separate, more extensive description.

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A manifold for underfloor heating distributes coolant flows through pipes of different circuits. Return line underfloor heating collectors collect cooled flows, directing them to a three-way valve, where the liquid is distributed by a thermal head for further circulation in a closed circuit, maintaining the temperature set in it. Manufacturers make manifolds for heated floors from various materials:

• Brass products are durable and strong, withstand high pressure, they are universal for any type of pipe;
• Manifolds for underfloor heating made of copper can withstand the highest pressures of up to 30 bar and high temperatures in heating systems. Often used in circuits where the coolant can be oil, antifreeze or antifreeze.
• Stainless steel parts are in greatest demand due to reasonable prices and good technical characteristics that satisfy installation in apartments.

This is what the distribution manifold looks like

Three way valve design

The heating system to which heated floors are connected necessarily includes a three-way valve; its design and principle of operation require detailed consideration. Essentially, the valve works like a mixer of hot and cold water, you can make it warmer or colder.

When moving the shut-off element in the adjustment sector, the space for the flow of hot liquid increases and the space for the flow of the cold part of the coolant decreases and vice versa. In this way, the temperature in the system can be controlled. This diagram of a water circuit with a valve helps to better understand its purpose and operating principle.

Warm floor - three-way valve connection diagram

Valves with electric drives are sometimes used in conjunction with thermostats. Water flows are adjusted automatically depending on temperature changes. When it decreases, the valve shut-off device moves in the direction of increasing the hot flow, and, conversely, when the set temperature value increases, the electric drive moves the shut-off mechanism in the direction of increasing the cold flow.

Features of the circulation pump

Whether the entire system will work efficiently depends on the correct selection and installation of the pump. The circulation of the coolant depends on the length and diameter of the pipes; bends at pipe turns make it difficult to move the flow. To achieve the required rate of fluid circulation in the system, a pump is installed. Consumers have a greater preference for pumps with three pumping speeds; this makes it possible to control the temperature of the coolant, and therefore the air in the room, by changing the circulation speed.

Circular pump and its technical characteristics

When the room temperature drops, the coolant in the pipes will cool faster. By increasing the circulation rate, flows will pass through the heating element more often, increasing the temperature. The speed switch is located on the pump body and is controlled manually. There are options when the entire process is controlled by an automatic system.

Manufacturers produce two types of pumps: with a wet and dry rotor, in the first version the rotating part is in the circulating fluid, in the second version the rotor is isolated. A wet rotor is more suitable for apartments; their power is limited for rooms of 400 m2, this is quite enough. They consume less electricity and operate silently. The pump body can be made of stainless steel, cast iron or polymer; the latter option is optimal, lightweight, strong and durable.

The numbers separated by a fraction sign on the marking indicate the dimensions of the inlet and outlet holes, the last number indicates the length of the product for calculations during installation work. In order not to go into details when calculating a pipe for a heated floor, use a table to calculate the calculations when choosing a pump.

Characteristics table for pump selection

When installing the pump in a line, you cannot confuse the direction of movement of the coolant; it is indicated by an arrow on the body. The rotor must be in a horizontal position; when installed vertically, the pump power is reduced by 30%.

The pump can be placed on any section of the main line, but most often this is done at the entrance to the system after the switchgear or thermostat. It is very important that the pump is equipped with an air release valve. An air lock can block the circulation of the coolant and the operation of the pump; opening the valve will help get rid of accumulated air in the interval in the network where the pump is installed.

Connection to an individual heating boiler

The presence of an individual heating boiler in an apartment or private house eliminates all organizational problems in permitting the installation of water heated floors. In this case, connecting a warm water floor does not require any permits. Depending on the location and operation conditions of the facility, boilers can be of various types:

• on gas fuel;
• on liquid fuel (diesel, fuel oil);
• solid fuel: firewood, pellets, coal;
• electrical;
• combined.

In apartments in multi-storey buildings, gas or electric heating boilers are most often used; connecting a heated floor circuit to the central heating system is not required. In this case, the diagram differs slightly, but the functional purpose of the main elements remains the same.

Diagram of a water heated floor system in a private house with an autonomous boiler

Essential elements:

• boiler;
• expansion tank;
• pressure gauge;
• circulation pump;
• manifold for underfloor heating;

Unlike the case with central heating, connecting a heated floor to a boiler does not require installing a three-way valve to regulate the temperature of the coolant. Its installation is not necessary; the temperature can be changed from the boiler control panel. Temperature control sensors are also located on the external control panel.

The expansion tank serves to maintain stable pressure in the system; when heated, the volume of liquid increases. To prevent the underfloor heating collector, pump and other expensive elements in the pipeline system from collapsing, the tank compensates for the expansion of the coolant volume. The pressure gauge shows the pressure in the pipes. The main thing is that before pouring the solution into a warm floor, you need to check the functionality of all components.

Control panel on the boiler body

Regardless of the modification of the device and its manufacturer, all panels have basic options, and some additional programming functions:

• buttons or regulators for increasing and decreasing the supply coolant temperature;
• button for automatically setting a comfortable, economical temperature mode, room temperature – 20-22 ̊C;
• It is possible to program control, set the modes “winter”, “summer”, “vacation”, “function of protecting the system from freezing of liquid”.

How to make specific settings for boilers with different control panels is described in the operating instructions. Filling a water heated floor with a solution for a separate boiler is done in the same way as for central heating.

Remote control panel

What laying schemes should I use?

There are several schemes for laying water heated floors. Their selection depends on the following factors:

• size and shape of the room;
• arrangement of furniture, massive household appliances;
• the presence of external walls facing the street.

Today, spiral laying schemes are used, when the pipe is laid out in the form of a single spiral, with the supply and collection sides running parallel. There is a double spiral option, which is used if one of the walls of the room faces the street. In this case, a small section of a separate spiral is mounted near the wall, after which the pipe from it is laid out in the form of a large spiral. The option of laying water heated floors in the form of loops or snakes is used for large rooms.

After the installation work is completed, it is necessary to test the floor by filling it with water. Water begins to flow into the cavity of the pipes under a pressure of 5-6 bar. This procedure is carried out within approximately 24 hours. If no leaks are found and the system itself is working properly, then you can begin pouring the cement screed.

Filling work is carried out when the entire underfloor heating system is filled with water; it must not be drained under any circumstances. After pouring, the floor is left for at least 28 days, during which it will dry. When the surface is ready, the selected type of flooring can be laid.

Video: water heated floor in an apartment

All this shows that it is preferable to make heated floors with the installation of an autonomous heating boiler; the main part of the installation can be done with your own hands. A water floor made without a screed, or a dry floor with a screed, will simplify the work and make it cheaper.

If the connection diagram for a heated floor is not entirely clear, you can and should consult with professionals about individual elements in the floor. Having studied the purpose, the correct connection of the main elements into the overall scheme, technically literate people understand that laying a heated floor is not difficult, making a heated floor with your own hands is a very real task.