Underfloor heating underlay: which one to put under water, and which under the electrical system?

Underfloor heating today you will not surprise anyone. It can be made in several modifications - it all depends on the device of the heaters. But, importantly, a warm floor cake allows you to use any floor covering. And it depends on it which materials will be used during installation. One of the constituent elements of a warm floor system is a substrate under a warm floor.

Signs of a good substrate:

High waterproofing and thermal insulation qualities.
Extremely high reflectivity.
Resistance to any temperature differences.
Vapor barrier.
Soundproofing.
Resistance to deformation.
Environmental Safety.
Availability of installation.

A special reflective substrate contributes to an even distribution of heat on the floor surface, and actually accelerates the heating of the system

Important! The substrate is a universal material, so it is relevant not only for the installation of a warm floor, but when laying parquet or ordinary laminate.

If you lay laminate flooring

Laminate - refers to natural floor coverings, which means that it has all the advantages and disadvantages of natural wood. For this reason, when laying a laminate board on a warm floor, the use of a substrate is a prerequisite. If it is not laid, the floor will be very noisy. In the case when a warm floor is mounted on a bulk floor or thin screed, the “substrate - warm floor” system involves the use of the thinnest material, with a thickness of about 3 mm. During operation, it under the weight of other layers is flattened to 2.5-2.0 mm. As a result, the substrate will simultaneously be a good heat insulator and will retain high soundproofing properties.

What should be the substrate for the water system?

The main condition of the warm floor system is to provide an increased degree of heat transfer. In this case, heat will not be wasted. Provided that the floor is based on pipes, the substrate in the event of an accident will perform an additional waterproofing function.

Sometimes you can use a special molded foam coating, which is very easy to fix the pipeline. The same coating acts as a substrate

Usually, a typical substrate base is foil, which helps to reflect heat that should not go to heat the ceilings of neighbors from below. Foil with sufficient thickness can be in its pure form or on a polymer basis (glued with a thin layer). In principle, the heat insulator is endowed with a low degree of waterproofing. You need to worry about this protection by laying a separate layer of insulating material.

The substrate does not need special fixing, since it is laid on the insulation. When installing a water heated floor, a reinforcing screed is used, with which the substrate is pressed

The main difference when comparing identical substrate models is the cost and different service lives. And the modern market offer so far does not shine with a wide range.

Infrared film underfloor underlay

During laying of the infrared warm floor, a substrate is also used to reduce heat loss. It is placed under a layer of film with infrared resistors. As a substrate, it is permissible to use sheets of fiberboard or magnesite plate.

The substrate is laid directly on the screed, on which, ideally, aluminum foil is pre-laid

The substrate for the film underfloor heating can be made in the form of a metallized polymer film (penofol). It, like other types of substrate, is a heat reflector. In its manufacture, foamed polyethylene is taken as a basis, which is coated on one side with a metallized polymer film. Such material is very flexible, thin and flexible, and also environmentally friendly. Its function is to stop heat in three ways of its distribution:

Thermal conductivity.
Convection.
Radiation.

Important! Thanks to the use of the substrate, when installing a warm floor with any principle of operation, it is possible to reflect up to 97% of thermal radiation, thus significantly reducing energy costs.

A few recommendations for mounting the substrate:

The substrate is laid with the reflective layer up.
Separate canvases are stacked joint to joint, and the joints are connected with adhesive tape (preferably metallized). Thus, complete vapor barrier and floor waterproofing are achieved.
The heating elements are mounted on top of the reflective coating.

Create a modern heating system in your home - do not forget the substrate. It is its application that will allow you to get all the advantages that the warm floor system is endowed with.

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Sergei
4 years ago

He made a warm floor in his house. In winter, it is quite cool in the hall, called workers. They chose all the materials themselves. We decided that the electricity would be warm. They removed and replaced when laying the old linoleum with a new one. He also wanted to change him for a long time. Everything turned out to be quite effective. And at prices such a floor is worth a penny. So I was satisfied with both work and myself.
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Edward
5 years ago

Foil in the warm floor has the same effect as kalgon when washing, that is, no use. Only a thick insulation helps out over the passage from 60 mm, above the basement from 50 mm, between floors from 20 mm. Proven by practice.
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1. Vld
  3 years ago
  
  Extruded polyester panels with a thickness of 20 mm or more are enough for the overlap between the basement and the first floor. Since the basement itself is an air chamber that beats the cold from the street. Also in the basement is a communal heating main, which additionally heats the basement. Practice…
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Valera
7 years ago

I want to arrange an electric heated floor on the loggia. I plan to put infrared mats. Hota is the threshold height and allows you to make a screed of 10 cm for a cable underfloor heating, but I do not want an extra load. The neighbors below the loggia is not glazed. What is better in this case to use fiberboard + aluminum foil + screed or penofol + screed?
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Elena
7 years ago

Last year, they made repairs in a new apartment, where the lower floor is basement and rather cool. In this regard, we decided to put underfloor heating. The builders advised electric, and the substrate was chosen appropriate for the laminate and electric heating. In principle, we were satisfied, all winter the floors were heated well and pleased us. Conclusion - not only the correct substrate is important, but also the right builders!
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gohard
7 years ago

So I recently talked with a friend, so he told me that this substrate, in principle, does not have such a strong effect. Of course, it insulates normally, but the fact is that when it’s hot, it’s not really needed. But all IMHO, no more.
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1. Platon
  4 years ago
  
  The stupidest comment :))))
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