Choose the right underfloor heating under the tile. Electric heated floors under the tiles: the pros and cons. Advantages of an electric tile floor

Warm electric floors are suitable for any type floor covering. Device and principle of operation heating cable and mats allows you to use this type of heating system under laminate, parquet and linoleum.

It is also possible to lay warm electric floors under tiles, equip an anti-icing system for paving stones and apply under other types of flooring.

Is it possible to lay a heating cable under the tile

For cold rooms finished with tiles, electric floors are better. Heating cable or mats provide fast and uniform heating of the surface, have good performance heat dissipation, as well as completely safe during operation.

The device of an electric cable underfloor heating under a tile is the best option for heating: bathroom, hallway, baths and saunas, balconies and loggias, pavement paths etc.

The heating system has several main advantages over water and:

Electric floor thickness. The heating cable must be installed in a screed. According to the manufacturer's manual, the minimum floor thickness can be in the range of 3-5 cm. The mats are laid directly under the tiles, so they reduce the height of the ceilings by only 0.5 cm.
Ease of installation. The technology of laying warm electric floors under ceramic tiles is much simpler than that of water or infrared heating. Easy to complete self-assembly heating systems, you will need minimum set building tools.
The easiest way is to put a self-regulating cable under the tile, when connecting it there is not even a need to use a thermostat. The heating mats are also easy to install.
Possibility of installation in rooms with complex layout. The use of a two-core cable allows you to make a heating system, taking into account the future placement of furniture, walls, insulating even small areas uneven rooms.

Ceramic and any other tile has good heat dissipation characteristics. As a result, it is easy to achieve optimum temperature indoors, overheating of the cable is excluded, which leads to a significant increase in the service life.

Varieties of cable floor systems

The technology for laying an electric underfloor heating under a tile depends on the type of cable chosen. All types of wire are usually classified as follows:

Resistor - the cable can have one or two conductive cores. It has a simple device, it works exclusively for heating. The intensity of heating is controlled by a thermostat.
Self-adjusting- the cable has two cores, between which there is a matrix that releases heat. The heating intensity depends on the room temperature. It does not require a thermostat to operate.
The cable independently regulates the heating temperature, providing the most comfortable conditions for each part of the room. The only drawback of self-adjusting floors is their high cost and somewhat increased power consumption when used in large rooms.
Electrical cable mats - optimal solution for rooms with low flows and the impossibility of carrying out wet work on the arrangement of the screed. After installing the heating mats, the height of the ceilings is reduced exactly by the layer of tile adhesive and the thickness of the floor covering, which is no more than 2 cm.
The main advantage of heating mats is the ease of installation. Do-it-yourself styling is allowed. Installation requires the mats to be laid correctly and connected to the nearest power source.

When choosing a floor heating system, it is important to consider who will install the electrical cable. If you are planning to invite professional builders, it is better to purchase a single-core or two-core heating cable. In other cases, mats should be preferred.

How to install a cable floor system

You can start laying the cable floor only after drawing up detailed diagram laying, as well as a consistent work plan.

Laying tiles on an electric underfloor heating is carried out only after the screed has completely dried. The exception is heating mats. You can immediately install tiles on top of the mats.

How to lay tiles on a cable

There are several basic rules for laying tiles, following which significantly affects the performance and operation of underfloor heating:

The choice of cable depends on the conditions in which you plan to use it. Under paving slabs it is best to choose a solid wire with a reliable degree of internal and external insulation.

Why under the tile is better cable underfloor heating

The principle of operation of electric cable floors optimally meets the requirements for the efficient operation of ceramic and any other tiles:

Ceramic tile is one of the few types of flooring that does not emit harmful toxic substances when heated. Therefore, the combination of electric floors and tiles is advisable, and fully justified.

The arrangement of underfloor heating is especially important for rooms with high humidity such as a kitchen, bathroom or hallway where ceramic tiles are used as flooring. Tiled floors can also be installed in the sauna, on balconies and verandas, where the installation of a warm floor under the tiles would be no less appropriate. Moreover, underfloor heating under tiles can be an effective addition to the main radiator heating. Advantages ceramic tiles obvious: it is characterized by moisture resistance, practicality and durability, as well as an original appearance. She is unpretentious in care, but, at the same time, remains cold to the touch even in summer time which creates discomfort when walking barefoot on tiled floor. However, due to the high thermal conductivity of ceramic tiles, a solution to this problem was found - it involves installing a warm floor under the tiles. It should be noted that ceramic tiles are an ideal floor covering in the case of arranging a “warm floor” system, since the heating elements that are located under the floor covering contribute to warming up the room, due to which, valuable in summer period the coolness of the tiled floor is replaced by the comfortable warmth needed in autumn. There are several ways to arrange the "warm floor" system, and the choice of the most suitable one depends on many factors, each of which must be considered in more detail.

Advantages and main types of underfloor heating systems

Compared with a traditional radiator heating system, a heated floor under a tile, the arrangement technology of which will be discussed below, is characterized by a number of advantages:
During the operation of the "warm floor" system, natural humidity indoor air;
Creates an even distribution warm air in the room;
Underfloor heating is ideal option in the event that ceramic tiles are chosen as the floor covering, which is characterized by high thermal conductivity and is a kind of "accumulator" of heat.

The main types of the "warm floor" system:

Electric underfloor heating, the design of which involves the use of:

heating mats;
electric cable.

Infrared (film) underfloor heating, which, according to some classifications, is a type of electric underfloor heating;
Water heated floor.

What should be considered in the process of installing an electric underfloor heating?

Heating floors made of ceramic tiles can be done in several ways, and therefore, choosing the best warm floor for tiles, you need to answer a few questions, which will most accurately determine the choice. First of all, it is important to find out the following:

The system you are setting up is the primary or additional source heating?
What is maximum thickness underfloor heating systems, taking into account the height of the ceilings in the room?
What is the type heating system in a residential facility where the installation of a warm floor will be carried out (central or autonomous)?
Are you planning to install a concrete screed?

Warm floor under the tile photo

Electric underfloor heating: arrangement options

Laying a warm floor under a tile based on an electric cable or heating mats is carried out mainly in apartments where it is not possible to install water floors that are more efficient. In addition, electric underfloor heating is characterized by ease of installation and is one of the most economical options underfloor heating under tiles.

During the installation of electric underfloor heating, there may be variations, depending on the conditions in which the laying will be carried out.

Installation of a warm floor can be carried out in a layer of screed, after the arrangement of which the floor covering will be laid. This option will be most successful in the case of installing underfloor heating in residential areas, for example, a kitchen and a loggia. It involves the installation of a system based on an electric cable, under which a layer of insulation and waterproofing material is placed. After laying the cable, a small layer of concrete screed is mounted on top of it;
Underfloor heating can be laid over a layer of concrete screed without additional heat-insulating material. Installation of a warm floor directly into the screed is possible only if there is an insulated living space on the floor below. This is due to the fact that ceramic tiles and a layer of tile adhesive will be able to provide proper protection to the heating elements without the use of additional materials;
Laying a warm floor can be carried out directly under the floor covering, however, this method is considered the most suitable in the case of arranging one of the types of electric floor heating - film floors. If you are faced with the need to install underfloor heating under the tiles, and the desire to produce capital works associated with the replacement of a concrete screed, you do not have - this method will be the most preferable. However, it is important to remember that it involves the installation of a heat-insulating layer, which is used as polyethylene foam with a foil surface, which is laid on top of an existing concrete screed. The next stage is the installation of electric heating elements and, if necessary, laying hydro insulating materials.

Important! A film floor is a type of underfloor heating that cannot be laid under tiles and mounted in a layer of concrete screed.

Varieties of electric underfloor heating: advantages and disadvantages

Laying an electric floor under a tile can be carried out using an electric cable or heating mats (thermomats). Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, which will be discussed below.

Underfloor heating based on an electric cable is a variety that appeared before anyone else, but still remains relevant and competes with installation methods based on more modern heating elements.

Benefits of underfloor heating based on heating cable:

Low cost of materials used;
After a power outage, it retains heat for a certain period of time, which saves electricity.

However, it also has disadvantages:

If repair of the system is required, difficulties may arise associated with the need to dismantle the concrete screed;
Difficulties associated with correct calculation conductor length;
If the cable does not fit tightly to the concrete screed or if furniture is placed above its location, there is an increased risk of overheating of the system and its failure;
Low electrical safety of the system.

An improved option for arranging the "warm floor" system is the use of thermomats, which can be both convection and infrared. Convection mats are more modern version heating cable fixed on a mesh base.

Advantages of underfloor heating based on thermomats:

Facilitated calculation of the required amount of material;
Smaller thickness of the required concrete screed;
Less time-consuming installation combined with a more affordable price.
Disadvantages of the "warm floor" system of this type:
Difficulties arising in the process of repairing the damaged area;
Fire hazard, which is characteristic of any type of electrical wiring.

Installation of a warm floor based on a film coating is another option for arranging a warm floor, during which laying a concrete screed is not allowed.

Advantages of the method:

Low electricity costs;
In the process of laying the film coating, specialized professional skills are not required;
No need for complex preparatory work;
Can be used for arranging underfloor heating.

Disadvantages of the method:

The high cost of the materials used;
The need to equip a waterproofing layer, due to the low moisture resistance of the film coating;
Higher fire hazard associated with the lack of a fire-resistant concrete screed;
High risk of damage when exposed to mechanical loads;
Instant cooling after disconnection from the network.

Installation of a warm floor under a tile: step by step instructions

The initial stage of work involves the creation of a warm floor scheme on paper, during which it must be taken into account that the heating elements should not be laid in places where massive furniture and household appliances are placed. In places where pipes and other heating appliances it is necessary to organize a buffer system, implying the absence of floor heating elements. This is due to the peculiarities of electric heating systems, the heating elements of which, unlike hydraulic systems, are heated in the same way and, if there are obstacles to the release of heat in the form of furniture without legs, the elements of the system will overheat from the outside with its subsequent failure. Furniture can also overheat and fail.

As a result of the development of a scheme for laying underfloor heating under tiles, reviews of which can be read on specialized construction forums, an incorrect figure is obtained, inscribed in a rectangle depicting a room. The contour of this figure is a guideline for laying electric underfloor heating. This feature of the system can subsequently become one of its biggest drawbacks, since rearranging furniture can cause breakdowns in the "warm floor" system.

Important! If you plan to lay underfloor heating in several rooms, you need to take care of organizing several heating circuits with separate regulators and a power source (even if the delimitation of rooms is symbolic). In the process of pouring a concrete screed, if any, a damper tape is laid between the heating circuits on the floor surface.

Before proceeding with the calculation work, drawing up a diagram of a warm floor, consider the step of laying an electric cable or heating mats. In doing so, try to focus on the following recommendations:

It is necessary to retreat at least 10 cm from the walls;
If the configuration of your room does not allow you to lay the heating elements in a straight line, you can cut the mesh, which will allow it to bend in the correct direction. Using this installation option, you can reduce energy consumption and create accents on the necessary heating areas.

Calculation of materials for the installation of the "warm floor" system

If you decide to install a heated floor under a tile, the price of which can be roughly calculated already at this stage of installation, and use it as the main source of heating, calculate the materials, taking into account that 1 sq. m of surface needs a heater with a power of at least 140-180 watts. If a heated floor under a tile is used as an auxiliary source of heating, the power of the heating devices should be no more than 140 W and, on average, does not exceed 80 W, provided that the building is well-insulated.

To calculate the required amount of materials, it is enough to calculate the area of \u200b\u200bthe room (length x width) and subtract the area of \u200b\u200bthe room occupied by furniture without legs from the resulting value and household appliances. As a result of these calculations, the area to be heated should be obtained. Next, determine the total power heating element and its length. Remember that the linear power of one meter of heating cable can vary from 16 to 21 W/m.

For example! The area of the room is 10 square meters. m., and the power of the heating cable you use is 100 W / kV m. As a result, the calculated power is 1 kW. If the power of the selected cable is 20 W/m, its length must be 50 m (1000/20).

The choice of a heating mat is carried out according to the same principle, taking into account usable area and required power. In addition, you need to purchase a mounting tape that will be used to attach the heating elements to the concrete screed.

Surface preparation: features of the choice of insulation

First of all, the old layer of concrete screed is dismantled to the base, followed by surface cleaning. Next, laying waterproofing materials, which should go onto the wall by at least 10 cm. A damper tape is fixed along the perimeter of the floor on the wall, the use of which will compensate for the thermal expansion of the floor during the heating process. At the end of these activities, cut off excess waterproofing and damper tape.

So that during the operation of a warm floor thermal energy did not go down, insulate the base of the floor. The choice of thermal insulation material depends on the location of the room in which the installation is carried out, the type of flooring and the target orientation of the heating system.

If the "warm floor" system is used as a secondary source of heating, polyethylene foam, characterized by a reflective foil coating, will successfully cope with the function of a heat-insulating material;
If a heated room is located on the floor below, expanded polystyrene or extruded polystyrene foam with a thickness of 20 to 50 mm can be used as a heat insulator;
If the installation of a warm floor is carried out in a room that has not previously been heated (veranda or loggia), care must be taken to form a more solid heat-insulating layer, the thickness of which can reach 1000 mm. The material can be expanded polystyrene or mineral wool similar thickness.

A reinforcing mesh is laid on top of the insulation layer. Theoretically, you can do without a reinforcing mesh, but in this case you will have to add microfiber or plasticizer to the solution.

Installation of the temperature sensor and control check of the heater

In order to monitor and control the system during the operation of the underfloor heating, it is necessary to install a temperature sensor and a special thermostat, which is an electronic or mechanical regulator designed to set the optimal temperature regime and enable/disable the system. It is mounted in the wall, in close proximity to the sockets, while the temperature sensor is mounted on the floor. To carry out the installation, a special strobe is created in the wall from the thermostat, which is brought to the ceiling in a vertical direction. The sensor is placed in a corrugated pipe and led under the tile to the temperature control point of the electric underfloor heating, which is the middle between two turns of the cable. The corrugated pipe will protect the sensor from damage and, at the same time, provides free access to it at any time, for example, in case of need for repair. The end of the corrugation, which is in the screed, is filled with sealant to prevent the solution from entering the corrugation.

Immediately before laying the electric cable or heating mats, its resistance is measured, the final result of which should not differ from the declared passport data by more than 10%. To do this, use a multimeter, which will also allow you to determine the phase in the absence of color coding wires. If the measured resistance corresponds to the declared values, you can proceed with the installation of a warm floor under the tile.

Fixing the heating cable or thermomats

After preparing the surface, proceed to fixing the heating element. If you use as a heating element electrical cable, which must be fixed with a mounting tape, as shown in the photo.

To facilitate the process of attaching the cable, use plastic clamps simplifying the installation process. In order for the heating to be uniform, it is necessary to ensure that the distance between the turns of the cable is the same over the entire floor area. In the case of laying heating mats, you do not need to monitor the distance between the turns, since it is already maintained along the entire length. When using heating mats, it is enough to spread the material in accordance with the diagram and connect to the thermostat.

After completing the cable installation, check the connection by measuring the resistance using a multimeter. The resulting value should match what you measured before laying.

Pouring concrete screed and laying ceramic tiles

For the preparation of concrete mortar, use materials in accordance with the proportions indicated below:

1 part cement;
4 parts of sand;
5 pieces of crushed stone;
0.6 parts of water;
1% by weight of cement - a plasticizer that gives elasticity to the concrete mortar.

Important! The amount of water should be small, which will prevent the appearance of cracks in the concrete screed. Expanded clay and perlite must not be added to concrete mortar, since the use of these materials contributes to the violation of heat transfer, which is the cause of system breakdowns.

The thickness of the concrete screed layer should not exceed 3-5 cm. After pouring the concrete screed, wait until the solution has completely solidified. Despite the fact that the initial hardening will occur after 2 days, it is recommended to turn on the electric floor heating no earlier than 4 weeks later, when the final solidification of the solution occurs.

Important! The installation of a concrete screed is only necessary if an electrical cable is used, while the heating mats themselves are the basis for tile adhesive.

After the initial setting of the screed, proceed to finish the floor with ceramic tiles.

Warm floor under the tile video

Tiles and porcelain tiles are very practical for use in the kitchen, bathroom, toilet and even in the bedroom. But their main disadvantage is that their surface is cold at any time of the year. You can fix this easily by installing a floor heating system. The simplest and fast way installation is an electric underfloor heating under the tile, which we will talk about in this lesson.

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Choice

There are several types of electric underfloor heating:

There is a separate article about him. The thinnest option, but it is made for “dry” installation under laminate and linoleum, it is better not to use it under tiles;
Cable - a separate wire that fits with your chosen step, due to which you can achieve stronger heating. In order for it to warm more or less normally, you need to buy a power of at least 15 W for running meter, and lay it in increments of no more than 10 cm. According to the technology, its installation is done in a screed 4-5 cm thick. Approximate power consumption is 150-200 W per square meter.
Mats are a ready-made cable fixed on a grid. On sale, you can most often find them with a capacity of 120 and 160 W / m2. There are very weak options (100 W / m2), and there are more powerful 180 / m2 (Thermo).
Rod - another type infrared heating, which is optimally suited for installation in tile adhesive.

For installation in tile adhesive, heating mats and underfloor heating are best suited. In this lesson, we will only talk about laying heating mats, since rod system is the subject of a separate article.

In practice, everything that is less than 150 W / m2 practically does not heat. The power of 150-165 W allows you to heat the temperature to a comfortable one, but it takes time. Mats with a power of 180 W / m2 allow you to quickly heat the floor surface and mount them not in tile adhesive, but in the top layer of the screed.

Heating the surface takes half an hour or more, and after turning it off, it cools down in a couple of minutes. If you look at those passport to some manufacturers, then you can generally see heating to a predetermined temperature up to 24 hours.

In fact, people rarely use heating. Usually it is turned on in two cases: to show off when guests come and in the off-season, when the heating is turned off.

Energy consumption

To calculate the electricity consumption, you need to find out the total power of the mat over the entire area, multiply it by the percentage of the active daily operation of the system and then calculate the monthly consumption by multiplying by 24 (hours) and 30 (days).

Do you have a 4 square foot bathroom square meters. Of these, only two meters have an electric cable with a power of 180 W / m2.
The total system power will be 360 W/m2.
In the "automatic" mode, the warm floor will work 60% of the daily time. We multiply 360 by 0.6 and get 216 W / h.
Energy consumption per day: 216 * 24 \u003d 5.184 kW.
Energy consumption per month: 5.184 * 30 \u003d 155.5 kW.
If we calculate the costs at the current cost of 1 kW at 4.68 rubles (in Moscow), then 728 rubles will be spent on heating the bathroom per month.

Consumption can be reduced if expensive programmable thermostats are used, due to effective management food.

If you want to put an electric underfloor heating on large area, you need to take into account the maximum load on the wiring. The load limit may be different, but the estimated value according to SNiP 31-02 "Power supply of residential buildings" is 8.8 kW per apartment with an electric stove.

Installation of thermomats

The standard heating mat kit consists of two elements:

Thermomat in a roll with a power cable.
Corrugation with a metal probe and a plug - for installing a temperature sensor inside it. It is needed to protect the sensor from alkali and moisture. If the layer of tile adhesive does not allow installing the corrugation, a special moisture-resistant sensor is purchased.

Additionally, you will need to purchase:

Temperature controller. Selected based on maximum power energy consumption.
Mounting boxes, if the thermostat is to be installed in the wall.
Remote temperature sensor (usually comes with a thermostat). Better take contact sensor, not the one that will measure the air temperature.
Wires for connecting the thermostat to the network. The cross section is selected depending on the power of the system and the material of the wire (see table below)

Fundamental rules

Connection must be made through a thermostat to maintain the set temperature.

According to the Electrical Installation Rules (PUE), it is mandatory to install an RCD (device protective shutdown) with tripping current 30 mA, 100 ms and auto switch max 10 A (type C). Systems more powerful than 2 kW are recommended to be connected through a separate wiring with a machine.

If you are installing in a bathroom or other damp room, the thermostat must be located in an adjacent dry room.

The cable must not be shortened or cut! If necessary, only the power wire can be cut off.

System installation sequence

Determine the location of the thermostat on the wall and the area where the thermostat will lie. Above the warm floor there should not be furniture without high legs, plumbing or household appliances. If the screed has damper seams, the mat must not pass through them. A separate thermostat and mats are used for each room. If it is planned to do several finishes in the room with different properties, you need to put a separate thermostat under each of them.

A standard temperature sensor is installed inside the corrugated tube. So that it does not create additional unevenness, a strobe is made for it in the floor and wall. The end of the corrugation is closed with a plug so that the solution does not get inside. The end of the sensor should be installed with a distance of 50-100 cm from the wall, slightly below the mat, in the center between two turns of the cable. Do not bend the corrugation with a radius of less than 5 cm to allow the sensor to be replaced.

The moisture-resistant sensor is simply fixed on the grid in the center between the two cable cores. The disadvantage of installing without corrugations is that if it breaks, you cannot easily replace it.

Before laying the heating mat, it is necessary to cover the concrete floor with a primer to remove dust from the surface and increase the adhesion of the tile adhesive.

Lay heating mats on the chosen heating zone. To obtain the desired shape, you can cut the mesh and wrap the cable, but you cannot cut it. The mesh is attached to the floor with adhesive tape or staples, cable up.

Keep at least 5 cm away from walls and adjacent mats, and 10 cm away from other heating devices.

After laying the cable, you need to measure the ohmic resistance with a multimeter. It should be within the limits (plus or minus 10%) that are written in the instructions or the manufacturer's warranty card.

Connecting and installing a thermostat

The connection of the underfloor heating and the thermostat to the network should only be carried out by a professional electrician with the power turned off.

Strip the insulation at the output of the mounting wires from the mat and the power wire from 220V by 5-7 mm.

Connect the wires to the terminals of the thermostat, according to its connection diagram, which is indicated in the instructions.

The shielding of the cable must be connected directly to ground.

Laying tiles

Laying can be done immediately on tile adhesive, or pre-fill the mats with a screed (at least 2 cm thick). It is forbidden to lay tiles on a substrate made of chipboard, plywood or other material.

Apply tile adhesive directly to the mat. In damp rooms (e.g. bathroom), first apply to the mats thin layer glue. After it hardens, waterproofing and a second layer of glue are applied.
It is advisable to use special adhesive mixtures for warm floors, they are more elastic.
Spread the adhesive evenly with a notched trowel. For this case, it is recommended to use only plastic combs so as not to damage the cable.
Press the tile or porcelain stoneware onto the glue, leveling it. The thickness of the tile adhesive together with the tiles must be at least 2 cm. Some manufacturers (for example, DEVI) recommend making a covering layer of at least 5 cm. This is due to the fact that with such a layer, heat will be distributed evenly.

Conclusion

You can turn on the warm floor only after the glue or screed has completely dried, which is at least 28 days after installation. It is forbidden to set the thermostat to a temperature above 30 degrees. To prevent damage to the cable when repair work, draw and save the scheme of its laying.

It is advisable to use electric underfloor heating in rooms with a small area (up to 10 m2), in other cases, in terms of the total cost of installation and payment for energy, it will be more profitable to install water heating. But it cannot be installed in tile adhesive; an additional screed will be required.

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Tiles and porcelain tiles are the most practical finishing materials for rooms special purpose: kitchen, balcony, bathroom and toilet, loggia. They belong to the category of cold flooring, to walk on which barefoot (especially in winter cold) is unpleasant. To heat such a surface and create optimally comfortable conditions in a room with a tiled or porcelain stoneware flooring, heating systems are used. air masses from below. The least time-consuming installation will be electric heating.

A heated floor connected to the electrical network under a tile happens:

cable (use 1 and 2-core wires);
pivotal;
infrared film;
in the form of heating mats (made from very thin electrical wires).

How to choose the most effective type of email for your home. underfloor heating under tiles, how to do it yourself installation, and what is important to consider when carrying out work - these and others important points worth considering.

Why electric and not water?

The main requirement for laying water floor systems is to fill a thick layer of screed - from 15 cm. To this figure, you need to add, albeit a small, layer of finishing material. When organizing floor heating in an apartment building, it is important to accurately calculate and take into account these centimeters, because they can significantly raise the level of the floor. But laying an electric underfloor heating under the tiles does not require pouring a thick concrete layer - up to 5 cm. Variants of film systems and heating strips are mounted in an adhesive composition when installing the flooring. But saving usable space and a minimum of operations - these are just some of the advantages of installing warm electric floors under tile in the bathroom and / or dining room. There are others:

leaks are excluded, and hence the flooding of neighbors, the basement;
putting the assembled structure into operation immediately after installation (floors with a liquid heat carrier can be operated after 17-29 days - the concrete hardening time);
installation of electric underfloor heating under tiles all year round, the process will take 3-5 days (the duration of the work depends on the skills of the master and the volume);
precise and easier adjustment, connection;
electric underfloor heating under the tile is connected to a common electrical network (water heating is not recommended to be connected to centralized heating);
uniform heating of the entire serviced area;
high maintainability and the fastest, simple repair;
a heated floor under a tile, connected to the mains, actually does not require maintenance and compliance with special standards during operation (for water systems, it is extremely important to competently carry out the first start-up (every next season) - filling the circuits, etc.).

After making sure that electrical auxiliary heating systems are preferable, you should not rush to find out the question of how to make a warm floor under the tiles in the house. Now you need to select the type electric heating, since it is he who will determine the installation technology and its complexity, nuances. And also buy the right heating elements. Experts advise buying ready-made products, since they always have instructions for laying a warm floor under a tile or other coating.

Which warm electric floor for tiles is better to choose?

Under tiles or porcelain tiles can be laid:

Do-it-yourself laying of cable underfloor heating under tiles without inviting professionals to the house is quite realistic. The main thing is to properly purchase materials and prepare essential tool. From many manufacturers, you can buy a ready-made cable underfloor heating for tiles of a specific capacity with a full or partial installation kit.

In view of the fact that 73% of contemporaries install a warm floor under a tile with their own hands, IR film and mats are very popular. To cable systems resort extremely rarely, since their installation requires specific knowledge. Buy certified and tested operating conditions thin underfloor heating for tiles is recommended by the companies National Comfort, Teplolux, Thermo Industri AB and other manufacturers. Having chosen the type of system, we will decide how to make an electric underfloor heating under the tiles in a cottage or apartment building with our own hands.

How to start laying an electric underfloor heating under the tiles with your own hands?

From project development. It will facilitate the process of calculating the necessary building materials and heating cable for tiles with laying without a screed or in a screed, as well as preparing for work. When designing, consider:

The drafted project will help to calculate the area useful for heating required amount electric floors for tiles, as well as determine the volume of insulating materials. Everything you need to install the system must be purchased in advance. If the laying of the air mass heating system from the bottom of the room is performed for the first time, it is worth paying attention to the choice of its power. Especially if the heated floors under the tiles will be the only one in the room heating equipment. The power table below will help you decide.

How to mount a warm floor under a tile: materials and tools

To properly lay a warm floor under an electric tile with your own hands, you need to prepare:

Damper tape and wide construction tape;
Thermal insulation. The presence of a layer of insulation is mandatory if work is carried out on the first floors apartment buildings and in private houses with a foundation on the ground. In these cases, it is wiser to choose dense thermal insulation. Plates with a thickness of 50-100 mm are perfect. It must be remembered that although the thickness of the electric underfloor heating under the tiles is minimal (up to 3.2 mm-5 mm), the floor cake itself can reach 4 cm-5 cm. If it is undesirable to raise the level of the floor surface, you need to choose more modern heaters. For example, penofol. Plates with a height of 50 mm abound;
The electric underfloor heating itself under the tile in the amount calculated according to the project;
Ceramic or porcelain stoneware finishes;
Mounting adhesive and grout.

In order for the installation of a warm floor under the tile to go without a hitch, you need to take care of the tools. You will need: building level, tape measure, grinder, notched trowel, crosses, knife. When buying a ready-made set of an auxiliary air mass heating system from the bottom of the room, you do not need to purchase additional devices. But if everything was bought separately, then it is worth making sure that all elements of the system are available. To install a warm electric floor under the tile, you need a temperature sensor, connecting elements and fasteners, and a thermostat.

The technology of laying electric underfloor heating under the tile

Having found out which is better - a warm floor in a screed or under a tile, and having decided on the type of system, we will proceed to the preparatory procedures. The most responsible is the preparation of the site for installation work. The base should be as smooth and even as possible without height differences and defects. If you are wondering how to lay an electric underfloor heating under the tiles with minimal labor, then take care of chasing the wall at the place of installation of functional units. All dirty and wet work should be done before laying the cable or film underfloor heating under the tiles in the bathroom, dining room or bathroom.

Experts recommend dismantling the old screed and coating. If the foundation was poured more than 10 years ago, then a new layer of concrete must be poured. If you do not level the surface, then you should not be interested in how to properly lay a warm floor under the tile. Height differences will cause wire strands to break or damage to mats (impact of loads). The service life will be no more than 2-3 years. By the way, if laying a warm floor under a tile is timed to overhaul, then you should start pouring the screed only after leveling the walls. Once the concrete has gained its strength (usually 17-28 days), all debris and dust must be removed from the installation base. It can be vacuumed.

Manufacturers produce special heat-insulating materials with a metallized (well-reflecting heat) front surface. If the heating cable under the tile will be laid using just such thermal insulation, then the two previous stages of work can be easily combined.

At this stage, do-it-yourself installation of an electric underfloor heating under a tile can be considered complete. It remains to wait until the tile adhesive dries and put the system into operation. If, according to technology, you had to perform concrete screed, wait 28 days before switching on the auxiliary heating. Otherwise, the screed will crack and deform, which will lead to damage to the system.

How to install and test underfloor heating under tiles?

In studying the question of how to install an electric underfloor heating under a tile with your own hands, you need to pay attention control check system operation. It is carried out immediately after laying out the cable or mats before connecting them to the mains. Testing is carried out using a multimeter. Check the electrical resistance. underfloor heating until its installation under the tile has begun. The measured number must match the data in technical passport to the system.

Under what tile is the floor heating system installed?

We figured out how to properly lay a warm floor under the tiles, it remains to find out which finishing material better to buy. In principle, any porcelain stoneware or ceramic plate. Both types of finishes are compatible with electric floors - they perfectly accumulate and conduct heat, are safe and unpretentious to high temperatures. But if we come close to considering the question of how to properly lay an electric underfloor heating under the tile, then it is worthwhile to deal with the classes of flooring.

There are the following groups:

PEI I. Recommended for wet rooms. A warm floor laid with your own hands under a tile of this class will last for decades. The material is resistant to moisture and condensation, is not afraid of mechanical stress and is resistant to surface abrasion;
PE II. Expensive material, but the most resistant to abrasion. If you were interested in how to mount a warm floor under the tiles in the kitchen, then it is better to choose the material of this particular class as the flooring. He is not afraid of any cleaning of the floors;
PE III. Perfect Choice material for decorating a loggia or balcony. The surface of the finish is afraid of strong mechanical loads, and therefore it is impossible to walk on it in shoes. But laying such tiles on a warm electric floor will be as effective as possible, since the material transfers heat perfectly.

On sale are also finishing materials of class PEI IV and V with increased operational characteristics surfaces. But they are expensive, and they are designed for places with high traffic. If you are interested in the question of how to make an electric underfloor heating under tiles as durable as possible in a corridor or hall, then experts recommend choosing this particular class of coverage.

When choosing ceramic tiles, pay attention to the porosity of its structure. For those who find out the question of how to install underfloor heating under the tile maximum efficiency, we can recommend choosing a very dense finish. The fewer air bubbles will be in the thickness of the material, the better it will conduct heat.

We found out how it is more profitable to lay a warm floor - under a screed or under a tile, what is better to choose for installing the system - mats, cable or film, and also how to competent styling. But if you still have questions about how the underfloor heating is laid under the tiles, then it is better to entrust this procedure to specialists. Despite the safety of all the heating elements described above, problems can still arise.

If you want coziness and comfort in the house, then even at the stage of planning repairs, you should estimate everything possible options improving the atmosphere in the room. For example, in a cool apartment or in a house on the ground floors, in order to feel comfortable and not freeze, it is often equipped. It is especially important to make a warm floor under the tile, since it is the tile that is the material that keeps the heat quite poorly, and it is not always comfortable to move barefoot on it. Consider what are the systems of underfloor heating and how to mount them under the tile finishing coating gender.

It was and remains one of the most popular coatings used for flooring. This material is distinguished by the presence of a mass of advantages, namely:

he is throughout years retains its original appearance;

not afraid of moisture, and therefore can fit in the kitchen or bathroom without fear of loss of quality;
the service life of tiles is decades at correct styling and caring attitude;
the tile is easy to wash, disinfect, as it is inert to all chemicals used for the manufacture of household products;
the tile is durable and extremely difficult to damage, provided that during installation there are no voids under it and no heavy mechanical load is placed on it.

However, the tile has its drawbacks, because nothing is perfect. Yes, this material is quite different. high price. But its main drawback is its poor ability to retain heat. AT autumn-winter period when far from summer weather prevails on the street, the tile cools down rather quickly, and it is very uncomfortable to stand on it with bare feet - the material will tactilely feel as unpleasantly cold.

It is in connection with the last drawback that an underfloor heating system is increasingly being installed under a tile floor. It is designed to heat the base under your feet due to the coolant, which can be water or other systems that operate on electricity.

There are several types of underfloor heating, and each of them has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. These are electric floors, and, and even water ones. It is necessary to choose which option to equip in the repaired premises based on knowledge about the systems and their operating conditions. Let us consider in more detail when, how and what kind of heating is better to choose for installation under a tiled base.

Electrical heating systems

This floor option works due to electric current. The system is connected to the power supply of the premises and can operate throughout the year, regardless of the heating season. These floors are easy to adjust the temperature.

On a note! In apartment buildings, it is recommended to equip exactly electrical systems floor heating, since although they consume electricity, they do not pose a threat of flooding to rooms located below a particular apartment.

In turn, electrical heating systems can be divided into several types:

cable;
thermal mats;
rod floors.

Cable systems

In this case, a sufficiently thick cable is used as a heating circuit, laid under the screed and tiles. Such heating can be both the main and additional source of heat.

As a rule, cable floors in apartments under tiles are used extremely rarely. The reasons are simple - in order to make cable heating, after laying the circuit, it is necessary to fill in the screed, which dries for a long time (28 days), and only then can the tile itself be laid directly as a finishing material. It is also important to remember that due to the additional screed, the height of the floors in the room will increase slightly, which sometimes will prevent the doors from functioning normally. Yes and extra weight, which will give the floors cement mixture, also not the best best condition for apartment building. But in a private house, such floors can be equipped.

On a note! It is also possible to equip cable floors in an apartment building, but it is better if the room has not yet been finished - in this case, the likelihood that the screed is already flooded is minimal. So, it can be done independently, after laying the heating wires.

The cable system can be made of a single-core or two-core cable. Heating can only be used after drying. cement screed, but before filling it, the system must be checked for operability. The disadvantages of cable heating include the fact that in the event of a failure of the heating system, it will be extremely difficult to repair it - you will have to disassemble the entire screed.

Table. The power of the heating mats.

Room type	Average power (required, W/m2)	Maximum power (required, W/m2)	Linear power of cable, W/m
Bathroom, toilet, bathroom	130-150	200	10-18
Rooms on the first floors	130-180	200	10-18
Thin floors (using IR floors)	100-120	150	8-10
Balconies or loggias	130-180	200	10-18
Floors as primary heating	150-200	200	18-20
Heating wooden floors on the lag system	60-80	80	8-10
Kitchen, hallway, bedroom, nursery	100-150	170	10-18

Heating mats

Heating mats, which were also invented for underfloor heating, are a variation on electric underfloor heating. They are much more often used for installing heating in an apartment, since they do not require pouring the screed. Heating mats are a grid on which pieces of a heating cable are fixed. Power is supplied by electricity.

Installation of such a system is carried out under tile adhesive, and tiles are laid on top. Thus, work on the arrangement of heating can be done very, very quickly - the floors can be used as soon as the tile adhesive dries. And the height of the floors will increase by a maximum of 1.5 cm.

Important! Before laying the heating mats on the base, you need to think about where and how the interior items will stand. The fact is that in those places where such a mat will lie, no objects can be placed. Otherwise, you can provoke overheating of the system and its failure.

Installation of the system is simple, the main thing is to know the basics of physics and carefully study the instructions for connecting to the mains. Everything else is extremely simple and clear.

Installation of thermal mats

Step 1. Before you start installing the underfloor heating system, it is important to prepare draft base to subsequent work. So, the floors should be cleaned of debris, leveled as much as possible and treated with waterproofing. To even out small differences and defects in the base, it is recommended to use self-leveling compounds. If the floor screed is in perfect condition, then it can simply be cleaned of debris and waterproofing work can be carried out.

Step 2 When the floors are prepared, you need to mark the places for laying the tiles. It is important to estimate that all the whole ceramic elements are in open spaces, and those that have to be cut are not conspicuous. For the convenience of marking, the tile can be laid out on the floor as it should lie after completion of work.

Step 4 Markings must be applied on the floor and walls, along which a strobe will be made for laying the temperature sensor and wires. The temperature sensor is placed in the strobe in corrugated pipe. After laying the sensor and bringing the wires out, the strobe must be sealed with a solution.

By the way! It's best to ditch the walls and make these preparatory work before applying waterproofing to the base. And mats are best checked for performance before the final installation.

Step 5 Now you can prepare and tile adhesive. It must be mixed according to the instructions on the package.

Step 7 Then the tile adhesive should be leveled with a spatula-comb, spreading evenly over the surface.

Step 8 After that, a little tile glue should be applied to the first tile from the wrong side.

Step 10 Thus, you need to lay out the first row of tiles. Don't forget to use delimiters appearance resemble crosses and are installed between the tiles. They will help maintain the same distance between ceramic elements and make neat seams.

Step 11 Now you need to apply tile adhesive to the base in those places where the heating system will be installed.

Step 12 Separate heating mats must be connected to the temperature sensor and temperature controller using wires. The connection of the cables of the individual mats is made by means of heat-shrinkable sleeves, which are sufficient to heat up. building hair dryer and they get fixed. If more mats are used, then they also need to be connected to each other.

Step 13 Now you can lay the heating mats themselves on top of the glue.

Attention! During the installation of heating mats, it must be ensured that it is between two adjacent heating strips, and not under one of them, otherwise it will show incorrect data.

Step 14 After the heating system has been laid and connected, you can continue to lay the tiles in the same way as before: apply glue to its wrong side and lay it on top of the heating mat, pressing. Thus, the installation of the tiles is completed. After the glue dries, the seams between the individual elements can be sealed with a special tile grout.

It is important to remember that heating mats cannot be cut. So when calculating their number, it is worth rounding it down.

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