Heating mats: advantages, benefits, rules, selection, installation method

Heating mats underfloor heating gradually become the most popular method of heating and the apartment and a country house. Sometimes they are combined with radiators, heat loss from the room sometimes allows you to restrict some "mates". The heating mat is relatively inexpensive, is mounted in the two accounts is a long and, most importantly, evenly heats the floor, so its popularity among consumers over the years only grows. In what areas set heating mats, how to properly install, how to save energy and that pay attention when buying, explains Natalia Terekhova, Head of "Electric" company "Leroy Merlin ".

Natalia Terekhova (Head of "Electric" company "Leroy Merlin"):

The main difference from the usual mat electric underfloor heating is that the cable is already laid on a grid, and thus significantly reduced assembly time underfloor ensured uniformity stacking and accordingly, heating surface.

What made mats

The heating mat includes heating a thin section fixed on the basis of a plastic, silicone or other mesh. The structure of the heating section, in turn, includes a heating cable, the power cable and couplings, to ensure a tight connection cable and the power cable.

Heating mats and a section are single and two-wire. Single-core wires are two set, so in the process of setting the other end it is necessary to return to the starting point of installation. Two-wire heated floors have one wire connected to the power at the other end of the sealing-end structure is set, so do not need to return anything, laying thereby simplified. This is a serious choice: single-core cables are cheaper, but the two-wire easier to stack. The difference, in fact, the method of connection.

Natalia Terekhova:

Durability and safety of underfloor heating directly dependent on the quality of the cable in the heating section and quality couplings. Modern cables are made from specially developed materials, so they are really strong - underfloor some manufacturers are for 25 years.

For additional protection against electric shock, the cable has a screen of alyumolavsanovoy tape.

The power of the heating cable mat is determined by laying pitch - the distance between the fragments of the heating section, fixed to the grid. In the majority of heating mats stacking step is such that the power was enough for the main, and for a comfortable room heating.

How do you know will suit your home heating mat or not? Everything depends on the shape of the room. If it is a simple square or rectangular room, the mats for you.

Natalia Terekhova:

In such cases,mat assembly go in minutes. The mat is rolled out, it is fixed on the surface in several places with a solution or paste, and can produce fill.

In areas of complex shape, with bay windows and rooms etc. better not to use the mats, and only the heating section.

In addition, experts recommend to install a heating mat where it is impossible to raise the floor level. The fact that, unlike the heating sections, which require screed 3-5 centimeters thick mats are set in a thin layer of tile adhesive.

How to choose mats: Floor area and capacity

Armed with this theoretical knowledge, you can proceed to the practical part: how to buy a warm floor and did not regret about it? What to look for in the first place?

Natalia Terekhova:

When choosing a floor heating in the form of a heating mat in the first step is to pay attention to the heating area, since it is impossible to shorten the heating cable. Mat with one power cord is more convenient to connect than with two.

mat power - not less important parameter than the heating area, and it is appropriate to speak about another advantage of mats before Conventional electric underfloor heating: power does not need to count, because it laid stacking step and the linear power cable. The only thing: it is necessary to consider where we are going to install the mats, as recommended in different capacities for different rooms.

So, the power per 1 m2 of the mat:

• 120 W / m2 - for room heating;
• 140-150 W / m2 - for cold rooms and rooms on the ground floor;
• not less than 150 W / m2 - for main heating.

These terms of power per square meter is characterized, as a rule, for all producers of floor heating.

Thermostats: simple or programmable?

To control the heating systems "warm floor" used thermostats. This equipment, which control the surface temperature. That is, the signal sensor installed in the heating surface, the thermostat activates and deactivates the heating mat.

Natalia Terekhova:

Simple thermostats simply maintain the set temperature. Programmable heating only turns on at the time (days and hours), when it is really necessary, when the tenants. It is programmable thermostats, driving comfort in the house, can significantly save energy.

According to experts, the use of programmable thermostats gives up to 70% energy savings. And, in addition, to save electricity, you can simply decline supported the floor temperature.

All models underfloor heating thermostats are installed in the wall, such as a switch or button. So we have to make a choice is not only between the standard and programmable thermostats, but also pay attention to the design and color to the thermostat harmoniously blended into the interior.

Installation of the floor mat

Before proceeding to the installation of the heating mat, for that matter, any of the heating system "warm floor", we must mark the location for the thermostatDo Stroebe wall beneath it, a floor sensor, and a power cord. Insulation mat is not placed.

Self heating mat be installed simply and quickly.

Natalia Terekhova:

For fixing the mat does not require additional fasteners - he just rolled out and in a few places is fixed on the surface of the mortar or glue.

Because heating mat is installed in a thin layer of tile adhesive, the corrugated tube with floor sensor must be put in a pre-prepared under Stroebe heating mat. Then you can make grout and tile laying.

Before laying the mat, before and after filling it is necessary to check the resistance of the section to be inspected for damage.

Before proceeding to fill or tiling, our expert recommends "Sketch heating area indicating the layout." It is necessary to make sure. It is unknown what construction and repair works you have to spend in this room in the future, but if you need, for example, drill floor, you'll know exactly where to do it, so as not to damage the heating cable.

After pouring will connect a power wire, the power wire mat and a temperature sensor. Here, in fact, the entire installation of "warm floor" on the basis of the heating mats. As a rule, it is done this way - if the technology there are some differences, of which you will learn from the instructions supplied to the mat. Instruction writes the manufacturer on the basis of specifications and SNIP.

It remains to say that the warm floor imposes some restrictions on the room in which it is mounted.

Natalia Terekhova:

On the surface to be heated in the further objects can not be placed with the legs at least 10 cm, deteriorating the heat transfer from the cable (carpets, cupboards, refrigerators, etc.). This may cause overheating of the cable and lead to premature damage it.

Read our article on System "warm plinth" study theme FORUMHOUSE of water underfloor heatingSee our video about alternative ways of heating housing.

Discuss the article and read other materials devoted to country life you can on the websiteFORUMHOUSE.

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