How best to make underfloor heating in the house. Water heated floors: wiring diagrams in a private house, technical recommendations and do-it-yourself connections

Now many residents of private houses install a water heated floor for basic or additional heating. It has a lot of advantages: it increases comfort, evenly warms up the room, does not require additional energy costs (because it works from one boiler with radiators). The instructions in our article will allow you to install water-heated floors, even without experience. However, before this it is worth exploring all the nuances.

Best of all, a warm water floor system is combined with laying under and tiles.

• Firstly, both materials are strong and durable.
• Secondly, they do not emit harmful substances when heated.
• And thirdly, heating perfectly complements the tile (the material itself is cold), and you can walk on it even barefoot due to its high heat capacity.

Of course, underfloor heating can also be done under linoleum, PVC-tile and even carpet, if there is a special mark.

But, for example, there is no point in heating the carpet, and you can not exceed the surface temperature above 31 ° C, according to SNiP 41-01-2003. Otherwise, it will provoke the release of harmful substances.

Installation in the apartment

Probably, many tenants had the idea of \u200b\u200bindependently connecting “for free” water heated floors to a central heating system or hot water supply. And some even do it, but in most cases it is prohibited by local law.

For example, in Moscow, government decree No. 73-PP of February 8, 2005 is in force, Appendix 2 clearly states the prohibition of re-equipping public water supply systems for floor heating devices.

Violating the rules, at best, you can get a fine at the first visit to plumbers. And at worst - the risk of leaving neighbors without heating.

In some regions, the ban is not valid, but the connection requires an examination, so as not to disrupt the system.

In general, from a technical point of view, such options are possible, but only when connecting a separate pump and mixing unit and maintaining the pressure in the outlet system.

Note! If there is a jet pump (elevator) in an apartment building, then metal-plastic and polypropylene pipes cannot be used.

Floor installation methods

There are several ways to arrange a warm water floor.

• The most popular and reliable of them is a concrete screed. Unlike electrical types, 16 mm pipes cannot be hidden in tile glue, and it won’t work out. Therefore, the screed is poured at least 3 cm above the pipes.
• The second way - laying pipes in the cut grooves of expanded polystyrene. The grooves are done manually, pipes are laid inside, then the screed is poured.
• The next option is often used in houses with wooden floors, although it requires a lot of labor - it is laying in wooden grooves. To do this, boards are filled on the floor, which create a gutter of the desired shape for laying.

Types of pipes used

For a warm water floor, three types of pipes are suitable.

• Pipes made of cross-linked polyethylene (PEX-EVOH-PEX) are inconvenient to work because it is difficult to give them the desired shape (when heated, they straighten). But they are not afraid of freezing liquid and maintainability.
• Plastic pipes - the best option: low price, ease of installation, stably hold shape.
• Copper pipes are expensive, when used in a screed, they must be covered with a protective layer to prevent alkaline exposure.

Calculation of a warm water floor

Prior to installation and procurement of materials, it is mandatory to calculate the warm floor. To do this, draw a diagram with contours, which is then useful when carrying out repairs to know the position of the pipes.

• If you are sure that furniture or plumbing will always be in a certain place, do not lay pipes in this place.
• The length of the circuit with a diameter of 16 mm should not exceed 100 m (for a maximum of 20 mm it will be 120 m), otherwise the pressure in the system will be poor. Thus, each circuit approximately occupies no more than 15 square meters. m
• The difference between the length of several circuits should be small (less than 15 m), that is, they should all be of uniform length. Large rooms, respectively, are divided into several circuits.
• The optimum pipe laying pitch is 15 cm when using good thermal insulation. If in winter there are often frosts below -20, then the step is reduced to 10 cm (only possible at the outer walls). And in the north can not do without additional radiators.
• With a laying step of 15 cm, the flow rate of pipes is approximately 6.7 m per square meter of the room, and when laying every 10 cm - 10 m.

The graph shows the dependence of flux density on the average temperature of the coolant. The dashed lines indicate pipes with a diameter of 20 mm, and solid lines - 16 mm.

The graph shows data that are valid only when using cement-sand screed with a thickness of 7 cm, coated with tiles. If the thickness of the screed is increased, for example, by 1 cm, then the heat flux density decreases by 5-8%.

• To find the flux density, the sum of the heat losses of the room in Watts is divided by the pipe laying area (the indents from the walls are subtracted).
• The average temperature is calculated as the average value at the circuit inlet and outlet.

The optimum temperature at the inlet and outlet should not differ by more than 5-10 degrees. The maximum temperature of the heat carrier should not exceed 55 ° C.

According to the above scheme, you can only make a rough calculation and make the final adjustment due to the mixing unit and thermostats. For accurate design, be sure to contact a professional heating engineer.

Warm floor cake

The technology for laying a warm water floor consists of several layers, which are laid in a certain sequence. The total thickness of the cake is 8-14 cm, the load on the floor is up to 300 kg / sq. m

In case the base is a concrete slab:

• waterproofing;
• insulation;
• reinforcing mesh;
• water floor heating pipe;
• screed.

For waterproofing, it is permissible to use ordinary plastic film or special materials. The damper tape is made of chopped insulation strips 1-2 cm thick, or buy a finished version with a self-adhesive base.
  The choice of insulation depends on several factors: region, base material. For example, extruded polystyrene foam with a thickness of at least 5 cm (optimally 10) is also used for floors on the ground, and if there is a warm base under the floor of the first floor, thinner options from 3 cm can be used.

The main purpose of the insulation is to direct heat from heating upwards and prevent large heat losses.

In the event that the base is ground floors:

• bulk soil 15 cm;
• crushed stone 10 cm;
• sand 5 cm;
• rough screed;
• waterproofing;
• perimeter damping tape;
• extruded polystyrene foam at least 5 cm;
• reinforced screed with coolants.

The preparatory layers for the rough screed is important to carefully tamp in layers. When densely compacting the base and using extruded polystyrene foam, it is not necessary to make a rough screed.

Installation of underfloor heating

Suppose a good foundation has already been prepared: a flat concrete slab or a backfill layer without strong drops. The differences should not exceed 7 mm when checking with a two-meter rail. If there are bumps, they can be covered with sand.

Waterproofing

Someone puts waterproofing under the bottom of the insulation, someone, on the contrary, up, and some use both there and there.
  If extruded polystyrene foam is used, it practically does not need waterproofing, so its position is not so critical. But it will not allow cement milk to penetrate between the joints of the insulation and go into the slab and will additionally restrain moisture from below.
  If you fix it to the bottom of the insulation, then you can fix the pipes on the warm floor directly to the insulation. If the waterproofing is laid up, then fixing the pipes will require installation grid installation.

We put waterproofing with an overlap on the walls by 20 cm, and on top of each other. We glue the joints with tape for sealing.

Damper tape

If you bought a finished tape - just glue it around the perimeter. It usually has a thickness of 5-8 mm and a height of 10-15 cm. The height should be higher than the fill level, the excess cut off with a knife. If the tape is made by yourself, then be sure to glue or screw it with screws to the wall.

The linear expansion of concrete is 0.5 mm per meter when heated to 40 ° C.

Insulation

A sheet of insulation for a warm water floor is laid with a displacement of the joints so that it is tightly connected.

Reinforcement

The first layer of reinforcing mesh is usually laid on the insulation and used as a base for fastening the contours and uniform distribution of heat on the surface. Between themselves nets are connected by wire. Pipes are attached to the net on nylon clamps.

The diameter of the wire rods is 4-5 mm, and the cell size, depending on the step of laying the pipes, for convenient fastening.

In addition, it is necessary to lay the reinforcement on top of the pipes, because even when using the net from below, it will have almost no effect if it lies at the bottom. Or, during pouring, put the grid on the supports, creating a gap.

Pipe Fixing Methods

Water floor heating can be laid in several ways, we list them.

• Polyamide tightening collar. Used for quick fastening of pipes to the mounting grid. Consumption - about 2 pieces per 1 m.
• Steel fixing wire. Also used for mounting to the grid, the flow rate is exactly the same.
• Stapler and clamps. Suitable for fast fixing pipes to thermal insulation. The consumption of clamps is 2 pieces per 1 m.
• Locking track. It is a U-shaped strap made of PVC, which serves as the basis for laying 16 or 20 mm pipes in it. Rigidly attached to the floor.
• Mats for polystyrene underfloor heating. In the middle of the grooves between the columns a pipe is laid.
• Distribution aluminum plate. It is used for installation in wooden floors, reflects and evenly distributes heat on the surface.

  The use of various types of pipe fittings

Pipe laying

Pipes are laid indented from the walls 15-20 cm. Each circuit is highly desirable to make a single pipe without welding, and their length should not be more than 100 m. The step between the pipes near the walls is 10 cm, closer to the center - 15 cm.

The layout of the underfloor heating is different, for example, with a spiral or a snake. At the outer walls, they try to make the laying step more often or draw a contour from the feed next to the cold walls. An example of a scheme for enhanced heating of external walls is shown in the photo, this option is best used in cold regions:



  In the remaining cases, the contours are usually laid with a spiral (snail), this is a universal option.

In places with a large congestion of pipes, in order to avoid surface overheating, some of them are closed with a heat-insulating tube.

Plastic 16 mm and 20 mm is easy to bend manually, without the use of special tools. To smoothly bend the pipes with a small radius and at the same time prevent it from cracking, the corners are bent in several passes (hand intercepts).
  At an angle of 90 °, approximately 5-6 interceptions will be required. This means that at first, resting against the thumbs, they make a slight bend, then they slightly shift their hands towards the bend and repeat the actions.

The presence of kinks on the pipes in places of sharp turns is unacceptable.

Polypropylene pipes are much more difficult to bend because they spring. Therefore, for bending, they are heated or made, but in the case of a warm floor, they are simply attached to the grid, making the bends less sharp.

Installation of a water heated floor begins with connecting the first end of the pipe to the distribution manifold, and after laying the room, the return line (second end) is immediately connected.

Connection of circuits

In most cases, the circuits are connected through a distribution unit. It has several functions: increasing the pressure in the system, adjusting the temperature, uniform flow in several circuits, combining with radiators.

There are many schemes for connecting to the boiler, which we wrote about in an article about: with manual adjustment, with weather automation and automatic adjustment with servos and sensors.

  Eurocone fitting

Pipes are connected to the manifold using Euroconus clamp fittings.

Crimping

When you have completed the installation of all circuits, it is imperative to carry out pneumatic tests of the system for leaks. To do this, using a compressor, pressure testing is done. For testing, a small household compressor with a pressure of more than 6 bar is suitable. The pressure in the system is adjusted to 4 bar and left for the whole time, until the system starts.

Since air molecules are much smaller than water molecules, even a slight depressurization can be detected. In addition, water can freeze if you do not have time to connect the heating, and nothing will become of the air.

Floor screed

Screed filling is done only after installation of all circuits and hydraulic tests. It is recommended to use concrete not lower than M-300 (B-22.5) with crushed stone with a fraction of 5-20 mm. The minimum thickness of 3 cm above the pipe is made not only to obtain the desired strength, but also for an even distribution of heat on the surface. Weight 1 sq. m. screed with a thickness of 5 cm is up to 125 kg.

When the thickness of the screed is more than 15 cm or at high loads, an additional calculation of the thermal regime is required.

With increasing thickness of the screed, it takes more time to heat it to a certain temperature after switching on, and the inertia of the system also increases. The lower the heat conductivity of the screed, the higher it will be necessary to make the temperature of the coolant.

Expansion joints

  Examples of dividing a large room into zones

The absence or incorrect position of the temperature gaps is the most common cause of screed failure.

Shrink seams are made in the following cases:

• the room has an area of \u200b\u200bmore than 30 square meters. m .;
• walls are more than 8 m long;
• the length and width of the room differ by more than 2 times;
• over expansion joints of structures;
• the room is too curved.

For this, a damper tape is laid around the perimeter of the seams. At the seam site, the reinforcing mesh should be divided. The deformation gap should be at the base with a thickness of 10 mm. The upper part is treated with sealant. If the room has a non-standard shape, it must be divided into simpler elements of a rectangular or square shape.




  If the pipes pass through expansion joints in the screed, in these places they are laid in a corrugated pipe, 30 cm of corrugation in each direction (according to SP 41-102-98 - 50 cm on each side). It is recommended not to separate one circuit with expansion joints; feed and return pipes should pass through it.

  Correct passage of contours through technological seams

When laying tiles on expansion joints, the likelihood of peeling off due to the different expansion of adjacent plates increases. To avoid this, the first part is laid on tile adhesive, and the second part is attached to an elastic sealant.

For additional separation, expansion joints of an incomplete profile can be used. They are made using a trowel, 1/3 of the thickness. After concrete hardens, they are also sealed with sealant. If pipes pass through them, they are also protected by corrugation.

Screed Cracks

A fairly common phenomenon is the appearance on the screed cracks after drying. This can trigger a number of reasons:

• low density insulation;
• poor compaction of the solution;
• lack of plasticizers;
• too thick screed;
• lack of shrink joints;
• concrete drying too fast;
• wrong proportions of the solution.

Avoiding them is very simple:

• insulation should be used with a density above 35-40 kg / m3;
• screed solution should be plastic when laying and with the addition of fiber and plasticizer;
• in large rooms you need to make shrink seams (see below);
• it is also impossible to let the concrete set quickly, for this it is covered with plastic wrap the next day (for a week).

Screed mortar

It is imperative to use a plasticizer for a warm floor to increase the elasticity and strength of concrete. But you need to use special types of non-air-borne plasticizers for underfloor heating.

Without experience, making a cement-sand screed for a warm floor without crushed stone / gravel will not work, and the correct branded DSP will cost more than factory concrete. Therefore, in order to avoid cracks due to a violation of the composition of the solution, concrete with crushed stone is poured.

The M-300 mortar of cement of the M-400 brand, washed sand and gravel is made in the following proportions.

• Mass composition of C: P: U (kg) \u003d 1: 1.9: 3.7.
• Volumetric composition per 10 liters of cement P: Щ (l) \u003d 17:32.
• Out of 10 liters of cement you get 41 liters of mortar.
• The volumetric weight of such concrete M300 will be 2300-2500 kg / m3 (heavy concrete)

There is also another option using granite screenings instead of sand, for its preparation the following elements were used:

• 2 buckets of crushed stone with a fraction of 5-20 mm;
• water 7-8 liters;
• superplasticizer SP1 400 ml of solution (1.8 l of powder is diluted in 5 liters of hot water);
• 1 bucket of cement;
• 3-4 buckets of granite screenings with a fraction of 0-5 mm;
• bucket volume - 12 liters.

High-quality concrete should not emit water during installation (delaminate). If everything is done correctly and the air temperature is 20 ° C, it should begin to set in 4 hours, and after 12 hours it will not leave traces of heels.

After 3 days after pouring, the screed will gain half of its strength, and will harden completely only after 28 days. It is not recommended to turn on the heating system up to this point.

Mounting on a wooden floor

Wood does not conduct heat so efficiently, unlike concrete, but installation on it is also feasible. For this, aluminum distribution plates are used. Pipes are laid in wooden grooves made by attaching pre-prepared boards.

For the installation of linoleum, carpet and other materials that require a flat surface, an equalizing layer of chipboard, plywood or GVL is laid over the pipes. If parquet or laminate is used as the topcoat, the construction of the warm floor can be slightly simplified without the use of a leveling layer.

When choosing plywood and particleboard, make sure that they have sanitary and hygienic and thermomechanical indicators that allow them to be used together with a warm floor.

Prices for water floor heating

The price of a warm water floor is formed from several components:

• the cost of materials (pipes, insulation, fasteners, etc.);
• cost of pump and mixing unit and collector;
• work on leveling the base and pouring the upper layer of the screed;
• the cost of installing a warm floor.

On average, the price of a water heated floor during turnkey installation together with all materials and work will cost about 1,500-3,000 rubles .. per 1 sq. M. m

Below is an approximate estimate for a house of 100 square meters. m., but the prices of water underfloor heating strongly depend on the region, so it is best to drive your data there and make an independent calculation. It does not include the costs of installation and purchase of radiators, a boiler, topcoat and screed.

Estimation for installation of water floor heating system of 1 floor.
№	Name of material	Units rev.	Qty	Price	Amount
1	Extruded polystyrene foam 5 cm	m2	96	227	21792
2	Mounting grid 150 * 150 * 4	m2	106	30	3180
3	250 micron plastic film	m2	105	40	4200
4	Metal-plastic pipe 16 mm	m.	700	39	27300
5	Damper tape from the substrate	m2	30	50	1500
6	Collector Valtec 1 ″, 7 x 3/4 ″, “Euroconus”	pC.	2	1600	3200
7	Connection fitting to the collector (Euroconus) 16x2 mm	pC.	14	115	1610
8	Pump and mixing unit	pC.	1	14500	14500
9	Dowels and screws	pC.	300	1,5	450
10	Mounting tape	m.	50	11	550
11	Other accessories for underfloor heating	pos	1	0	0
	Total materials				78282
	Name of works	Units rev.	Qty	Price	Amount
1	Rough screed	m2	96	60	5760
2	Damper tape mounting	m.	160	60	9600
3	Waterproofing	m2	100	60	6000
4	Mesh Installation	m2	110	150	16500
5	Pipe installation	m2	96	300	28800
6	Crimping system	m2	96	20	1920
	Total work				68580
1	Total materials				78282
2	Total work				68580
3	Total				146862
	Overhead shipping			10%	14686
	In total, the installation of an underfloor heating system is 1 floor.				161548

Installation of warm water floors is shown in the video:

In rooms whose heating is made using the technology of underfloor heating, the sensations are much more comfortable than with a traditional radiator system. When heating the floor, the temperature will be distributed in the optimal way: it is warmer than the feet, and at the level of the head it is already cooler. There are two ways to heat: water and electric. Water is more expensive to install, but cheaper to operate, so this is what they often do. You can slightly reduce installation costs if you make a water-based warm floor with your own hands. The technology is not the simplest, but it does not require encyclopedic knowledge.

Device and principle of operation

For water heating of the warm floor, a pipe system is used through which the coolant circulates. Most often, pipes are poured into the screed, but there are dry installation systems - wooden or polystyrene. In any case, there are a large number of pipes of small cross-section laid under the floor covering.

Where to mount

Due to the large number of pipes, water heating is done mainly in private homes. The fact is that the heating system of high-rise buildings of early construction is not designed for such a heating method. It is possible to make a warm floor from heating, but there is a high probability that either it will be too cold for you, or for neighbors from above or from below, depending on the type of system powering. Sometimes the whole riser becomes cold: the hydraulic resistance of the water floor is several times higher than the radiator heating system and it can clog the movement of the coolant. For this reason, obtaining permission from the management company to install a warm floor is very difficult (installation without permission is an administrative offense).

The good news is that two systems began to be made in new buildings: one for radiator heating, and the second for a water heated floor. In such houses, permission is not required: an appropriate system was developed taking into account the higher hydraulic resistance.

Organization Principles

To understand what you need in order to make a water heated floor with your own hands, you need to understand what the system consists of and how it works.

Coolant temperature adjustment

In order to make the feet comfortable on the floor, the temperature of the coolant should not exceed 40-45 ° C. Then the floor warms up to comfortable values \u200b\u200b- about 28 ° C. Most heating equipment cannot produce this temperature: at least 60-65 ° C. The exception is condensing gas boilers. They show maximum efficiency precisely at low temperatures. From their exit, it is possible to supply the heated coolant directly to the pipes of the warm floor.

When using any other type of boiler, a mixing unit is required. In it, the cooled coolant from the return pipe is added to the hot water from the boiler. The composition of this bond you see on the diagram of connecting a warm floor to the boiler.

The principle of operation is as follows. Heated coolant comes from the boiler. It enters the thermostatic valve, which, when the threshold temperature is exceeded, opens a mixture of water from the return pipe. In the photo in front of the circulation pump there is a jumper. A two-way or three-way valve is installed in it. Opening it and mix cooled coolant.

The mixed flow through the circulation pump enters the thermostat, which controls the thermostatic valve. When the set temperature is reached, the flow from the return is stopped, when it is exceeded, it opens again. This is how the temperature of the heat carrier of the underfloor heating occurs.

Contour distribution

Next, the coolant enters the distribution comb. If a water heated floor is made in one small room (bathroom, for example), in which only one loop of pipes is laid, this node may not be. If there are several loops, then between them it is necessary to somehow distribute the coolant, and then somehow collect it and send it to the return pipe. This task is performed by a distribution comb or, as they are also called, a collector of a warm floor. In fact, these are two pipes - on the supply and return, to which the inputs and outputs of all the underfloor heating circuits are connected. This is the easiest option.

If the heated floor is made in several rooms, then it is better to put a collector with the ability to adjust the temperature. Firstly, different rooms require different temperatures: someone prefers + 18 ° C in the bedroom, someone needs + 25 ° C. Secondly, most often, the contours have different lengths, and different amounts of heat can transmit. Thirdly, there are "internal" rooms - in which one wall faces the street, and there are corner ones - with two or even three external walls. Naturally, the amount of heat in them should be different. Provide this combs with thermostats. The equipment is not cheap, the circuit is more complicated, but such an installation allows you to maintain a given temperature in the room.

Thermostats are different. Some control the air temperature in the room, the second - the floor temperature. Type yourself. Regardless, they control the servomotors mounted on the feed comb. Servomotors, depending on the command, increase or decrease the flow area, adjusting the flow rate of the coolant.

Theoretically (and practically happens), situations may arise when the supply to all circuits is blocked. In this case, the circulation will stop, the boiler may boil and fail. To avoid this, be sure to do a bypass through which part of the coolant passes. With this system construction, the boiler is safe.

You can watch one of the system options in the video.

Laying underfloor heating

One of the key components of the system is pipes and their fixation system. There are two technologies:

Both systems are imperfect, but it is cheaper to stack the pipes in a screed. Although it has a lot of minuses, it is because of its lower cost that it is more popular.

Which system to choose

Dry systems cost more in cost: their components (if you take ready-made, factory) are more expensive. But they weigh much less and are put into operation faster. There are several reasons why you should use them.

First: a large weight of the screed. Not all the foundations and ceilings of houses are capable of withstanding the load created by a water heated floor in a concrete screed. A concrete layer of at least 3 cm should be above the surface of the pipes. If we take into account that the outer diameter of the pipe is also about 3 cm, then the total thickness of the screed is 6 cm. The weight is more than significant. And on top there is often still tile on a layer of glue. Well, if the foundation is designed with a margin - it will withstand, but if not - the problems begin. If there is a suspicion that the floor or foundation can not stand the load, it is better to make a wooden or polystyrene system.

Second: low maintainability of the system in the screed. Although it is recommended to lay only whole pipe coils without joints when laying the underfloor heating circuits, periodically the pipes are damaged. Or during the repair they got a drill, or burst due to marriage. The place of damage can be determined by a wet spot, but it is difficult to repair: you have to break the screed. At the same time, neighboring loops can be damaged, due to which the damage zone becomes larger. Even if you managed to do it carefully, you have to make two seams, namely they are potential places for the next damage.

Third: the commissioning of a heated floor in a screed is possible only after concrete has gained 100% strength. It takes at least 28 days. Until this time, you can not turn on the warm floor.

Fourth: you have made a wooden floor. A heavy load on a wooden floor alone is not a good idea, but also a screed with an elevated temperature. Wood will quickly collapse, the whole system will collapse.

The reasons are serious. Therefore, in some cases, it is more advisable to use dry technology. Moreover, a wooden water heated floor with their own hands is not so expensive. The most expensive component is metal plates, but they can also be made of thin sheet metal and, better, aluminum. It is important to be able to bend, forming grooves for pipes.

A variant of a polystyrene system for a warm floor without screed is shown in the video.

Materials for underfloor heating

Most often they make a water floor heating in a screed. Its structure and necessary materials will be discussed. A diagram of a warm water floor is shown in the photo below.

All work begins with leveling the base: without insulation, heating costs will be too high, and the insulation can only be laid on a flat surface. Therefore, the first thing they do is prepare the base - make a rough screed. Next, we describe step by step the order of work and the materials used in the process:

• A damper tape is also rolled around the perimeter of the room. This is a strip of heat-insulating material with a thickness of not more than 1 cm. It prevents heat loss from heating the walls. Its second task is to compensate for the thermal expansion that occurs when materials are heated. The tape can be special, and you can also lay thin foam cut in strips (no more than 1 cm thick) or other insulation of the same thickness.
• A layer of heat-insulating materials is laid on the rough screed. For the installation of underfloor heating, the best choice is expanded polystyrene. Extruded is best. Its density should be at least 35 kg / m 2. It is dense enough to withstand the weight of the screed and operating loads, has excellent characteristics and a long operating life. Its disadvantage is that it is expensive. Other, cheaper materials (polystyrene, mineral wool, expanded clay) have a lot of disadvantages. If you can, use expanded polystyrene. The thickness of thermal insulation depends on many parameters - on the region, the characteristics of the foundation material and insulation, the method of organization of the rough floor. Therefore, it must be calculated in relation to each case.

• Next, they often put a reinforcing mesh with a step of 5 cm. Pipes are also tied to it - with wire or plastic clamps. If polystyrene foam was used, you can do without reinforcing - you can fix it with special plastic brackets that are driven into the material. For other heaters, a reinforcing mesh is required.
• Beacons are installed on top, and then the screed is poured. Its thickness is less than 3 cm above the level of the pipes.
• Next, a fine floor covering is laid. Any suitable for use in underfloor heating systems.

These are all the basic layers that need to be laid when you make a water heated floor with your own hands.

Pipes for underfloor heating and laying schemes

The main element of the system is pipes. Most often used polymer - made of cross-linked polyethylene or metal-plastic. They bend well and have a long service life. Their only obvious drawback is not too high thermal conductivity. This minus is not present in recently appeared corrugated stainless steel pipes. They bend better, cost no more, but due to their low fame, they are still rarely used.

The diameter of the pipes for the warm floor depends on the material, but usually it is 16-20 mm. They are stacked according to several schemes. The most common - a spiral and a snake, there are several modifications that take into account some features of the premises.

Laying with a snake is the simplest, but passing through the pipes the coolant gradually cools and reaches the end of the circuit already much colder than it was at the beginning. Therefore, the zone where the coolant enters will be the warmest. This feature is used - laying begins with the coldest zone - along the outer walls or under the window.

The double snake and spiral are almost devoid of this drawback, but they are more difficult to lay - you need to draw a diagram on paper so as not to get confused when laying.

Screed

You can use ordinary cement-sand mortar based on Portland cement to fill the underfloor heating water. The brand of Portland cement should be high - M-400, and preferably M-500. - not lower than M-350.

But ordinary “wet” screeds gain their design strength for a very long time: at least 28 days. All this time you can’t turn on the warm floor: cracks will go that can even break pipes. Therefore, so-called semi-dry screeds are increasingly used - with additives that increase the plasticity of the solution, significantly reducing the amount of water and the time for “maturing”. You can add them yourself or look for dry mixes with the appropriate properties. They cost more, but there is less trouble with them: according to the instructions, add the required amount of water and mix.

It is possible to do a water heated floor with your own hands, but a decent period of time and considerable means will be required.

Warm floor - a modern heating system, which is used more often in country houses and cottages. In many cases, it becomes the main heating, but sometimes it is mounted only to increase comfort.

Meanwhile, warm floors can be different: water, electric, infrared. In this article we will consider the features of such systems, the differences, as well as the advantages and disadvantages.

Why is it recommended to install a warm floor in the house? What are its advantages?

The heating system of any type installed in the cottage guarantees the owners a higher level of comfort and several important advantages.

However, perhaps the most interesting thing is that all the heating elements are completely hidden from the eyes, that is, the appearance of the cottage becomes much better - no sticking pipes and familiar radiators. At the same time, it is habitually warm to live in such a house, since a heating circuit (water, infrared or electric) is located under the floor.

It is also important that contact with heating elements is excluded, since they are placed under the floor covering. Which increases the level of security.

The circulation of heated air becomes more uniform, and the total cost of heating can be significantly less (if you use a water circuit). The floor is always warm, you can walk barefoot - and this is especially important if there are children in the house.

What are the types of underfloor heating?

In practice, the following types of such systems are used:

1. water;
2. electric;
3. infrared;
4. combined (rarely used, we will not consider it).

Each of these types of heating has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. In order to choose a specific system, it is necessary to analyze the features, pros and cons of each of them.

Water floor heating

This is the most popular, but at the same time the most complex, option of underfloor heating in cottages. However, it is worthwhile to understand that equipping it yourself is not an easy task, only if there is relevant experience. The design and installation of this type of heating is best left to specialists.

System features, positive and negative properties

In general, the water floor heating system is a closed loop made of pipes. The circuit is mounted under the floor using a concrete screed, special polystyrene plates or wooden floors and is connected to a common heating system.

The system includes the following elements:

1. pipes (plastic, metal-plastic);
2. fasteners;
3. thermal insulation materials;
4. collector and fittings for connection.

This kind of system has many positive qualities, and is becoming more and more popular in country houses, and here's why:

• more economical use of electricity - the cost of electricity after installing a water floor heating is reduced several times in comparison with the use of conventional electric heaters;
• the rooms warm up more evenly;
• high level of safety - the risk of burns is excluded;
• you can adjust the microclimate of the rooms (arrange for each of them a separate heating circuit);
• the ability to use any floor coverings - surface heating does not exceed 30 degrees, there are no harmful emissions;
• creating coziness and comfort for residents.

Disadvantages of this system also exist, but they are either temporary or you can put up with them:

• long and complicated installation process;
• leaks may occur, which often lead to damage to the flooring - to eliminate leaks and repair the floor requires complete dismantling of the coatings;
• the possibility of reducing pressure in the common heating system;
• to regulate the temperature, the installation of mixers is necessary.

If necessary, use a warm floor with a water circuit as the main heating, it is connected to a heating boiler installed in the house. Conventional radiators are not used in this case. The boiler can be of any type - solid fuel, gas or electric. However, before using the electric boiler, it is better to first look at the electric underfloor heating.

Important!In order to avoid emergency situations in the winter, it is impossible to turn off the underfloor heating system.

Electric underfloor heating

Heated floor, heated by electricity - a very popular heating system for a country house. Its main components are a heating cable and a temperature controller that controls the entire system.

There are two options for installing a heating cable - either laid in a cement-sand screed or directly under the floor covering. Most often in this case, tiles are used as flooring, but other materials are possible.

Important   the advantage of electric underfloor heatinglies in the simplicity of its execution. Any experienced home craftsman can design and assemble it.

ABOUT system ownership

After laying the heating cable and the finish flooring, the entire surface of the floor turns into a kind of heater, sourcepleasant and soft heat, comfortable for bare feet. It is worth noting that the air in the room does not dry out, as is the case when using electric heaters of many models.

The structure of the electric underfloor heating system in cottages traditionally includes:

1. heating cable of the required length;
2. control automation - temperature sensor and thermostat that turns off heating when the set temperature is reached;
3. fasteners used during installation;
4. heat insulating materials.

The basis of the electric underfloor heating system is a heating cable. It consists of several sections, equipped with special couplings for connection, two-layer insulation and a protective screen.

All connecting elements are made of non-corrosive materials. Warranty cable life is 15 years, but there are more durable cables, including armored and shielded ones. They are characterized by high reliability and durability.

Management system and the ability to automate work

The convenience of any systems running on electricity lies in the possibility of a wide range of regulation, including automatic control. The same features and has an electric heated floor.

In systems it is simpler to use thermostats in which the temperature is set manually, smoothly or discretely, that is, without the possibility of programming. Such systems are quite logical and natural to use in homes intended for permanent residence. At any time, the owners can interfere with the system and set the desired temperature.

Programmable thermostats maintain and adjust the temperature automatically, according to a given algorithm. Such systems are convenient if you come from time to time to a country house or cottage.

Infrared underfloor heating

The work of a warm floor of this type is based on infrared radiation, which heats not only the floor itself, but also objects located above it.

The system has several very important advantages:

• the use of radiation, which by its nature resembles the sun and is perceived by a person more naturally;
• not the air warms up, but the objects in the room, which after that themselves begin to give off heat;
• versatility and ease of installation - a thin radiating film can be mounted on walls, ceilings, under floor coverings without cement screed and special work;
• reliability and safety;
• profitability;
• universality;
• quick heating of the room;
• convenience in operation;
• the ability to automate management;
• long service life.

Important!As practice shows, infrared floor heating is economical and completely safe. A thin film does not require space under the floor covering and is not felt at all even under thin and soft linoleum.

Disadvantages infrared heating system also has:

• heating of furniture, leading to overheating of the film. It can be avoided by not installing the film in places where furniture will be located or using furniture on legs;
• significant energy costs for heating large rooms;
• dependence on power supply - relevant if the underfloor heating is the main or sole source of heat.

Summary

The choice of the type of underfloor heating depends on the specific features of the country house, its area and volume of space. An important role in choosing a system is played by other factors:

1. features of the local climate;
2. comfort requirements;
3. the presence of centralized heating from the village network;
4. functionality;
5. individual preferences.

Electric underfloor heating is convenient in operation, but installing it in a cottage is beneficial only in villages with cheap electricity and uninterrupted power supply.

The most common option for houses with central heating is a water floor heating. But it is also installed in cottages with independent heating. Infrared heating has many important advantages, and is the most modern option, although not the most economical.

With the advent of cold weather, many think about the modernization of their heating system. And installation of a water heat-insulated floor is one of the frequent decisions of such users. After all, this design allows you to significantly save on heating, while the consumption is sharply reduced, and the elements that provide heating and warm air do not take up space in the room, because they are hidden under the floor. We'll figure out what warm floors are and how to mount them in a private house with your own hands.

The principle of operation of the warm floor in the house

Heating and warm air in a cottage or a private house are provided with the help of underfloor heating - this is a completely new system that excludes such actions as installation and operation of convectors with radiators, as well as a large connection of their nodes and elements. Instead, a heating circuit made of pipes and a manifold built into the floor is used, or several such sets if the length and width of the room is greater than the norm, which one collector and circuit can handle.

All this is installed, as a rule, on a concrete coating, but it can also be installed on a wooden one (although the consumption will be greater). Mats for a warm water floor are also installed, thanks to which consumption is significantly reduced. But most importantly, all this can be done in a cottage or in a private house with your own hands. The main thing is to know the principle of this technology and to comply with the installation rules.

So, the scheme of a heated floor in a private house is pipes with a coolant that provide heating and warm air, as well as a manifold, pump and thermostatic mixer, which make up the mixing units. All this equipment is installed using joints in the floor, and a cement screed for a warm water floor is poured on top.

When these works are completed, you can turn on the system for heating and thus start the warm air in the cottage. As you can see, do it yourself is no more difficult than installing a bath, if you know the principle of operation. In addition, the cost of construction will then be less.

Warm floor in a private house or cottage: advantages and disadvantages

Before you understand whether it is worth choosing such a scheme to provide warm air in a private house, and even more so do it yourself, you need to weigh all the disadvantages and advantages of this technology.

The advantages of this design are as follows:

1. The heating consumption in the house is reduced by at least 30%, and the air remains as warm.
2. Due to the uniform circulation of air in the cottage becomes comfortable. After all, heating applies not only to furniture near the battery, but to the entire area in the cottage.
3. The technology that provides heating by means of a pipe mounted in the floor is safe, since there is no direct contact with the hot pipe, and the pressure in it is not so high that a break leads to a serious accident of the entire structure, as is the case with radiators, the connection of which is less reliable.
4. Improving the appearance - inside the cottage it will now be more comfortable, because there will be no big white pipe through the whole and radiators taking up space. Instead, underneath the floor of each room there will be a heating circuit covering the entire area, and in some places there will be a small closet hiding the manifold with parts. There you can put furniture and increase free space.
5. The heat-insulated floor can be installed both under a laminate, and under a tile, linoleum and other coverings.
6. The cost of installing equipment in the cottage is quite low, especially if you do the work yourself.

But there are also disadvantages to choosing such a principle of air heating as underfloor heating technology:

1. To install the equipment, you need to spend a lot of time, especially if you do it yourself;
2. If the equipment breaks down, this leads to serious repair costs, because you have to dismantle the entire floor, remove the furniture, and at this time the heating will stop, and the air will be cold in the whole house;
3. Some large rooms will need an additional source that provides heating, since the warm floor technology is not designed for high heating power. To keep the air warm, you will have to install radiator covectors.

On this, the disadvantages that this equipment has are ending.

Wiring diagrams for installing warm water floors

To install the equipment for heating the air in the home with your own hands (pipes, manifold, pump to regulate the pressure), you need to know the schemes of how to install the heating circuit under the floor, taking into account how the furniture is installed, how long the room is and other characteristics.

DIY pipe installation diagrams are as follows:

• Snail;
• Snake
• Grid;
• A combination of different methods, so that the contour is located on all surfaces.

Calculation of a warm floor and the amount of necessary materials

Calculation of a warm water floor is an important part of building a home with your own hands. But to do this stage is better not on their own, but with the help of professionals. They will calculate what length the pipe should have, the type that the heating circuit should have, they will advise you to choose the best installation option (mesh, snake, etc.), they will calculate what the cost of the repair will be. But you can calculate everything with your own hands according to well-known schemes.

So, first draw the diagrams, according to which a grid of pipes, circuits will be mounted, as well as a collector for each room.

At the same time, furniture, windows and other elements of the rooms are taken into account. Then they calculate where the pressure-regulating pump and other required equipment will stand, according to the scheme. After that, choose a coating for a warm water floor, calculate what its thickness should be, etc. Once the preparatory work on paper is completed, you can proceed directly to installation.

Features of collector mounting

The collector and its accessories are installed in a special cabinet for the collector. This is not furniture, but a special niche with dimensions of 500x500 (length and width) on average. Its thickness is small - the main thing is that all the equipment fits, and it was convenient to adjust it.

Once the cabinet is installed, install the supply and return pipe for hot and cold water, respectively. The collector for hot water is connected to the supply pipe, and the collector connecting the end sections of the pipes to the return pipe.

Then a shut-off valve is installed where the pipes are connected to the manifold so that the system can be repaired. On the other side of the collector, remember to install a drain valve. If it is difficult to install the collector yourself, you can buy ready-made one, in which all the necessary equipment will be installed, and it will not have to be regulated.

Surface preparation

Before installing mats for a warm water floor, which must have the proper thickness to retain heat, as well as the heating circuit itself, the length of which allows you to cover the entire surface of the room, proceed to surface preparation. It is necessary to remove garbage, to close up the places where the reinforced mesh or other interfering parts protrude, to remove the furniture in the room. If the floor thickness is different, that is, it is crooked, you need to adjust it before installing a warm circuit.

The preparation principle is as follows: first they lay a waterproofing layer, the length and thickness of which is known from the size of the room (made of dense polyethylene), they attach a damper tape along the edges with self-tapping screws, after which they lay the insulation - insulation for a warm water floor. The greater its thickness, the better, because it reduces heat consumption. On top lay a reinforcing mesh.

How to lay pipes

A heating circuit from a pipe, the length of which should allow to heat the entire room, is laid in a concrete screed, using either a mounting grid, or mats, or grooves of a rough wooden floor. Screed thickness should be sufficient. The ideal thickness is 3-5 cm above the surface of the plates. If the screed is made under the tile, and not laminate or linoleum, the thickness should be greater.

Connection diagram for heating circuits

As a rule, any heating circuit of the underfloor heating is connected to the boiler. It creates proper power and pressure. But its power should exceed by 15-20% the power of the underfloor heating itself. At the same time, an expansion tank and other safety elements must be installed between it and the collector. They will not affect consumption. In addition, in a private house this is a common element of any heating scheme.

Then the pipe is connected to a collector installed in a cabinet away from furniture. From the collector, the pipe goes to the very warm floors. It is laid over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe room - this is the heating circuit. You can not put it under areas with bulky furniture, if it will always be there. The end of the pipe is connected to the return manifold. If the pressure in the pipes is weak, pump and mixing units are installed. They also help to reduce consumption.

System Health Check

Before laying a laminate or tile over the pipes, you need to check them. This is done as follows:

1. Air is injected into the system with a compressor - the pressure must be up to 4 bar. The system is checked for depressurization. Such a high pressure will reveal even the smallest gap.
2. The system is filled with water - pressure from 0.6 MPa. First, in the first half hour, the pressure should not decrease by more than 0.06 MPa. At the second stage, the pressure is brought to 1 MPa, and in 2 hours it should not decrease by more than 0.02 MPa.

If the test is passed, you can fill in the screed and lay the floor, choosing a laminate, tile or other coating as a coating, and then install furniture.

Concrete flooring

Traditionally, concrete floors are used as the basis for underfloor heating. It is reliable, strong, resistant to temperature extremes, smooth. Laying is done as follows:

1. Prepare the room for work (take out furniture, tear off the old floor). Level the base, cleaning it.
2. Install a waterproofing layer and a damping tape.
3. Install heat and vapor barrier.
4. They lay a reinforcing mesh.
5. They install the warm floor itself, check its performance.
6. Pour the screed on top (2-3 cm above the level of the pipes) and leave to dry.
7. They lay the floor covering (laminate, tile), arrange the furniture.

Warm floor under wooden floors

If the basis for the floor is wood, this is not a problem - heating can also be installed. A heater is installed between the lags and pipes - it will reduce heat consumption and remove contact between the pipe and the tree.

It is also possible to install hydro and vapor barrier. It will also be useful to reduce heat consumption. Next, they make a classic warm floor, at the end of which a laminate is laid on top. But in order to maximize heat transfer, logs are laid on the insulation, boards are nailed to them, between which 2 cm gaps are made for pipes. They install metal gutters in which there will be pipes.

Thanks to this, the finish coating (laminate or tile) will be completely heated. They make a screed on top and install the floor - either a polymer coating (plate, porcelain tile), or a laminate that can withstand temperature changes. Parquet and board will not work.

This design is very successful. After all, when repairing it is enough to tear the laminate and fix the problem. But the concrete floor will have to be destroyed for a long time before reaching the source of the problem. Laminate is simply removed and just as practical installed. But a wooden floor heating gives less thermal power - this must be taken into account.

Sometimes it is the only solution to ensure a comfortable and cozy stay in a private house, especially in the northern regions. In the autumn-spring and winter periods, the base under your feet can cool off quite quickly, and you have to walk in warm socks, otherwise your feet get very cold. Also a plus can be considered in some way additional heating of the building from the inside. In the objects of individual residential construction often make underfloor heating water. Wiring diagrams in a private house can be very different, but the essence is the same - such a heating system was and remains the most often equipped in the house. Let's see what are the features of water floors, how they can be done independently.

Warm floors are no longer an innovation. For several decades they have been used to create comfort and coziness in the house and are especially popular in private houses where there are no neighbors below, but only a basement or foundation. And, of course, in the cold seasons, the floor under your feet will be cool, if not icy (much depends on how well the floors themselves were insulated).

Water-based floor heating is often recommended for use for underfloor heating in any private house, although there are also electric ones. The latter are often equipped in apartments, since they do not carry the danger of flooding the premises, and are also easier to install - in particular, they do not need to build a cement screed. But water floors - this is perhaps the perfect option for a private house, especially if it has a heating boiler.

On a note!   The water heating system cannot be regarded as the only heating system in the house. It can only act as an extra along with heating radiators and other heaters. But to make life in the house comfortable is just her task.

It is easy to understand that, in contrast to the electrical system, water plays the role of a heater in the water, which enters the pipes laid and screed. The coolant is supplied through a special collector, which is connected to the heating system (central, heating boiler, etc.). The heat comes from the heated water circulating through the pipes to the concrete screed, heats it, and it, in turn, transfers heat to the room and warms up the floor covering. Therefore, walking on this floor will be pleasant.

Attention!   Water systems are used, as a rule, in private homes. In an apartment, it is rarely possible to connect the system to central heating, and it is also possible to flood the neighbors living from below in the event of a system breakdown.

Advantages

A water-based heating system has many advantages. These include:

• achieving the desired level of comfort, since the floors will always be warm, and the air in the room will be heated evenly;

• securitybut only in a private house. Such floors will not be shocked, and the worst thing that can happen is a leak. But in a private house, it is not as critical as in an apartment building. Moreover, even if a leak occurs, the owner’s property will suffer the maximum, but not he himself, since there is simply no risk of getting burned with hot water;
• saving   - also one of the advantages. Water floors will save a lot of natural and monetary resources, since the water will be used as a coolant the same. You can also quickly warm up the room using water floors, if the height of the ceilings is very high;
• compatibility with all floor coverings   - also a plus. Indeed, only in rare cases it is impossible to lay any specific coatings on top of the heating system. And then, if everything is done correctly, then any coatings can be laid on top of the water system;

• the cost of the water system is low, which will save some amount of money during installation.

But such a system also has drawbacks. So, for example, you can’t do without installation, and this is quite hard work, requiring certain skills. Plus, the screed must be dried before operation, and this is a plus of 28 days to the duration of the repair. And during this period nothing can be done in the repaired building. Another drawback is the difficulty of repairing the system itself, if necessary. So it is important to do everything qualitatively initially, so that later you avoid trouble for a long time.

Types of water floors and device features

The main element of such a floor heating system is the pipes through which coolant-water circulates. They can be either metal or made from polymeric materials. The former are notable for their high price and complexity of connections, while the latter are much easier to install, and they are cheaper. In addition to pipes, you will need other elements of this system. This is the base in the form of a concrete slab or polystyrene, a waterproofing layer, a layer of thermal insulation, concrete screed. The topcoat is directly placed on top of this cake. In general, the thickness of the entire structure will be about 7-15 cm.

Depending on how the arrangement of underfloor heating is carried out, several basic types of construction are distinguished.

Table. Types of water floors.

Type of	Description
Heavy	This is the most common option, characterized by high reliability. It is important to carefully prepare the draft surface (draft floor or floors), then lay the heat and waterproofing layers, and then the layer of reinforcing mesh, to which the heating circuit from pipes will be attached with clamps. After that, it will remain to fill everything with a screed, dry it, and the warm floor is ready for operation. Heavy water floors are also called concrete or wet. The latter is due to the fact that work is required to fill the screed. It is important to understand that the layer of screed over the pipes themselves should not be less than 3 cm.
Lungs	In this case, a special polystyrene foam plate is used as the basis for the pipes. It is sold ready-made. During installation, it must be laid on the subfloor and laid on it in accordance with the scheme of the floor heating pipe. They will not need additional fixing, since there are special protrusions on the plate itself, which allow reliable fixation of the pipes. Then, special heat-distributing plates are placed on top, on top of which the final coating is installed. This is a good option for arranging a water floor in conditions of impossibility of installing it according to the standard scheme due to the high severity of the standard screed.

There is also another option for arranging a warm floor system - on wooden battens. That is, as a basis for such a floor, a tree will be used, to which pipes are attached, and on top they are closed with gypsum fiber and a finish coating. This option is used extremely rarely and it is not reliable.

Wiring diagrams

It was already mentioned above that laying schemes of a warm floor can be different. Depending on the scheme and compliance with the installation rules, the distribution of thermal energy in the room will also occur. There are three main schemes for laying out the pipes, but they are all united by the fact that the installation of pipes is mandatory from the walls towards the central part.

Table. Water floor mounting schemes.

Type of circuit	Characteristic
	In this case, the pipes are laid in a spiral from the wall to the center, and then return to the starting point. Moreover, the design gradually narrows toward the center of the room. When calculating the scheme and laying it, you must not forget to leave free space between the pipes so that you can "take" them back to the power source. It is noted that such a scheme will achieve the most uniform floor heating, and the hydraulic resistance due to it can be reduced. The number of pipes is also used less than in other cases. The main drawback is the difficult installation.
	In this case, the pipes are laid along the walls with loops in one direction, and then in the opposite. When looking at such a scheme, the undulation of the final figure can be noted. It’s easy to lay pipes, but due to the frequent step of laying pipes, it is unlikely to achieve uniform floor heating without temperature jumps.
	In this case, both pipe laying patterns are combined. The option is used if the walls in the room are cold enough. Pipes are laid so that in some places they lie in the form of loops, and in some places at right angles.

Mounting Features

Before we talk directly about the installation process of a water floor, it is worth talking about some features of this process. So, it is important to consider that in many respects the thermal load of any room will directly depend on what materials the walls are made of, how everything is insulated, how large the window openings are, and also on a number of other factors. You will have to try to calculate the heat transfer. If it will be more than 100 W / m 2, then water floors cannot be used as the main heating system, but only as a floor heating directly.

The length of the pipes also can not be any. It will depend on the size of the room and the layout. It may be necessary to lay two or even more circuits in one large room. This applies to rooms larger than 30 m2 in the first place. And each circuit will heat up independently of the other, although all circuits can be connected to one collector. However, the diameter of the pipes, the laying pitch between them and the length should be the same if the pipes are connected to the same system. And the length and pitch of the contour, in turn, depend on the diameter of the pipes. The larger it is, the longer the contour can be.

Advice!   If the room has built-in furniture, then the floor area under it does not need to be taken into account in the calculations. There will still be no sense from the underfloor heating, and pipes can not be laid there.

A small indentation should be made from each wall (about 10-15 cm from the exterior and up to 30 cm for the internal walls). The step between the pipes can vary between 20-30 cm, if they are used as an additional option for heating the room.

A water floor is an ideal heating option for large rooms, the area of \u200b\u200bwhich is more than 20 m 2. But in a small room it is better to choose some other option, since laying water mains will be very inconvenient. It is also worthwhile to dwell on a heavy version of a warm floor, if possible, that is, mount it using a concrete screed. This is the most reliable, although the longest option, but it is ideal for a private home. By the way, the screed itself very well protects the pipes of the circuit from the risk of damage and by itself is capable of retaining heat for a long time, which means it will save money.