DIY repair of water and electric underfloor heating

Many owners of underfloor heating appreciated this method of space heating. Comfortable temperature at the floor level, space saving and the absence of unsightly radiators allows you to create a cozy atmosphere in the home. But there are times when such a benefit of civilization is a lot of trouble. For example, the floor has stopped heating, and you do not know what to do with it. Do not rush to despair. Malfunctions of the warm floor can occur for various reasons. May need a little repair of the warm floor, after which he will again warm you and your household.

Repairing an electric heated floor

Before repairing the electrical floor heating system, it is necessary to understand the causes of the malfunction. There are three problem areas in electric heating:

• a heating element;
• temperature regulator;
• temperature sensor.

Find out the cause of the malfunction

The first thing to do in the event of a malfunction is to determine which part of the structure is the cause. Usually, difficulties do not arise if before that repair work was carried out. In this case, the heating element is most often damaged during the use of a drill or saw.

During the repair, the floor heating cable was damaged by an electric saw

When the cause of the malfunction is unclear, measure the supply voltage. Operating voltage is indicated in technical documents. The measurement result should not deviate from the instructions given by more than 5%. Pay attention to the inclusion indication. If the light does not light, check the voltage at the terminals. Its absence may indicate weakened contacts on the thermostat, a malfunction of the thermostat or its sensor. Check remote temperature sensor. Having disconnected it from a temperature regulator, measure resistance. It should be in the range of 5-30 kOhm. The most accurate reading is indicated in the instructions.

Attention! When checking the temperature controllers, it is necessary to disconnect the heating cable from them.

If no malfunctions are detected in the sensor and thermostat, the cause of the lack of heat should be sought in the heating element. To do this, measure the resistance of the cable and insulation and compare with the indicators specified in the data sheet of the equipment. Reduced insulation resistance indicates a break in the heating cable. Specify the exact location of the defect will help special equipment.

The reason is the sensor or thermostat

In the event of a sensor malfunction, it should be replaced. When removing old equipment from the corrugated tube, mark its location to install the new sensor as well. There are cases of technology violations, and the equipment is installed in the screed without using a tube. Then the old equipment can be replaced with an air temperature sensor. It is mounted under the thermostat. A temperature controller that has become unusable should also be replaced with a new one.

This is what the sensor looks like, which is usually inside the corrugated tube

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The heating element is out of order

After finding the location of the defective cable, they begin to replace it. Dismantle the coating at the repair site. Open the screed.Dangling or burnt out wires are stripped and connected with the help of sleeves of suitable diameter, which are then crimped with press tongs.

Repaired electric underfloor heating cable - a heat-shrink sleeve is attached to the joint, which is heated with a hairdryer and allowed to cool. Cooling down, the coupling contracts and firmly seals the junction. Top repair site is poured with cement

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Features of repairing a water system

The service life of warm water floors with proper installation and operation is at least 50 years. The guarantee of this is the installation of integral good quality pipes. But there are times when during the implementation of the repair the pipe is damaged by a puncher or grinder. In such situations, system repairs must be carried out immediately. To begin with, without removing the nozzle of a puncher or grinder, turn off the water.

To repair a water heating pipe, you will need two fittings, a piece of pipe, a press

Clean up the area around the gust, allowing access to the damaged pipe. To prevent dirt from entering the piping, wrap the ends of the pipes with insulation or put on rubber gloves. One end of the pipe is expanded, a fitting is put on it and pressed. The end of the prepared piece of pipe is inserted into the fitting and pressed.

This is how the repaired section of the underfloor heating system looks like

The fitting is put on and pressed in at the other end of the pipe section being repaired. Excess is cut from the inserted piece of pipe, and it is connected to the second end of the pipeline being repaired and pressed. Water starts to check. And if everything is normally repaired area is poured screed.

And here is how the same operation is carried out, only on a system of copper pipes:

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Errors during installation of underfloor heating

Nevertheless, in order to avoid such breakdowns, qualified installation of the system should be carried out. There are several nuances that you need to know when installing the system:

• Calculation of the length of the heating element is made taking into account the area not occupied by furniture. The fact is that the heating cable is not laid under the interior due to possible overheating and failure.
• The heating element is purchased strictly necessary size. Cutting the cable during installation reduces its strength and leads to system failure.
• The heating cable must not be laid on a dirty surface. Before performing work, the surface is cleaned and dust free.
• It is not recommended to walk on the cable during installation. A hard sole can damage it.
• The temperature sensor is installed so that it can be accessed in case of repair. It must be placed in a corrugated tube.
• Do not leave voids around the heating element. This may cause the cable to overheat and break.
• It is advisable to draw a laying diagram of the heating elements indicating the dimensions. It will be needed during the repair, so as not to touch the cable or pipe.
• Checking the cable after installation is carried out by the method of measuring resistance. It is not recommended to turn on the system until the screed is completely dry.
• Measurement of resistance is carried out before and after laying a warm floor. It must correspond to the value indicated in the data sheet.

Know that it’s better to prevent a problem than to eliminate the results of your negligence. High-quality and proper installation of the underfloor heating will avoid an early repair.And the use of the laying scheme during the repair of premises will protect the system from breakdown by a puncher or other tools.

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