Electric underfloor heating for tiles: which is better, price

Heating floors in apartments today has become commonplace. The device helps to solve several problems at once: eliminates the unpleasant coldness of the tile, complements the main heating system, maintains a comfortable temperature in the room even after the heating season. Owners who want to install such a system in apartments are faced with the problem of choice: which electric underfloor heating to put under the tile? We will find out which system in terms of price-quality ratio is better suited in each particular case and how much it will cost to purchase and install.

The benefits of underfloor heating

Before determining which floor is better suitable for a particular room, we will understand its purpose.

Underfloor heating can complement or even replace the main heating system. It is clear that the second option is more complicated, more expensive and suitable mainly for private houses. It is calculated even at the stage of housing design. The choice of such a heating scheme is due to the fact that the warm floor warms the room more evenly compared to traditional radiators. And if gas is not connected to the house, then warm floors will also become the simplest in execution and economical heating option.

In apartments with standard heating, laying of a warm floor brings the following advantages:

• Creates a comfortable temperature on the floor. This is especially true for tiles. If only radiators are installed in the apartment, then the surface of the tile often remains cold for bare feet, even at a suitable room temperature.
• Residents of houses with central heating often suffer from discomfort in the fall and spring, when the heating season has not yet begun or has just ended. The system of underfloor heating heats the room all year round, and it will also become a salvation in the event of an accident on the heating main.

Why not water heated floors?

Underfloor heating for tiles can be water or electric.

Water floor heating Suitable for private homes and not applicable in urban apartments. There are a number of reasons for this:

• Tubes filled with water and the concrete screed in which they are placed increase the load on the floors.
• It is forbidden to connect to central heating, and it is too expensive to purchase a boiler specifically for underfloor heating.
• Damage to the heating circuit is fraught with flooding of the neighbors, which will lead to serious financial losses.

Types of electric underfloor heating

Underfloor heating with the character of heating elements are divided into:

• cable;
• in the form of mats;
• film.

Electrical systems are more reliable and more durable than water systems, but they are inferior to them in the cost and complexity of installation.

Before choosing which electric underfloor heating is better suited for tiles in an apartment - infrared, opaque or cable, - it is worth familiarizing yourself with all kinds of available advantages and disadvantages.

Cable electric floors

Cable systems are formed by elements in the form of a single-core or two-core heating cable, sold in coils. A single-core cable is cheaper, but it’s also more difficult to lay it: the cable always returns to the thermostat.

Heating elements are not placed under plumbing or heavy stationary furniture: this causes cable overheating, and heating is not required there.

The main advantage of the cable type of underfloor heating is the possibility of forming an arbitrary heating zone.

But there are serious flaws:

• Before laying, complex calculations are carried out to draw up the correct cable layout.
• A thick layer of screed (3 to 5 cm) covering the elements of the system is required under the tile. This design increases the load on the floors and reduces the height of the room.
• If the heating element is damaged, the underfloor heating system will fail. Large-scale and expensive repairs will be required.

We can draw the following conclusion: cable electric floors are the best option for new buildings, where in any case it is necessary to level the floor with a screed.

The cost of laying a cable underfloor heating is approximately 1 thousand. rub / sq. m, cable price - from 1.5 thousand rub / sq. m

Electric heating systems in the form of thermomats

Their calculation and installation are simpler: heating elements are already fixed on a fiberglass mesh. Therefore, calculations are greatly facilitated, and it is much easier to install heating mats. It is enough to buy the right amount of elements and roll them over the heated area. If necessary, you can cut the mats without affecting the heating cable.

Just like the previous version of the electric underfloor heating mats usually occupy no more than 70% of the room area. They have undeniable advantages over cable underfloor heating, including:

• Easy to calculate and lay mats.
• The thickness of the screed is much less, you can do without it at all by placing the material in a layer of tile glue.
• The time required to dry the screed is significantly reduced: after the glue has hardened, the tiles can be walked freely in a few hours.
• If the mats are connected in parallel, then if one of them breaks down, the system will continue to work.

The only thing such warm floors lose with cable is the cost of heating elements. With the same power and area, heating mats will cost at least 30% more.

Conclusion: heated floors with mats are most suitable for most apartments where initial finishing has already been completed. It is not surprising that such tile floors are most common in modern apartments.

The cost of installing mats is about 750 rubles / sq. m., the price of 1 set - from 2–2.5 thousand. rub / sq. m

Film infrared floors

The heating elements are a very thin film. No screed is required, it is enough to fix the material on a heat insulator having a foil-coated heat-reflecting coating, so the room height will decrease slightly. Heating is carried out due to infrared radiation.

Film system It is considered the most effective and economical, but professionals do not recommend laying such floors under a tile.

Their disadvantages include:

• The high cost of the film.
• Quite complicated installation under the tile floor.

For laying under tiles, you can not use material with bimetallic elements, only with carbon. To protect the heaters from the aggressive effects of tile adhesives, polyethylene is used, and for better adhesion with tiles, a small fiberglass mounting grid is laid. A large number of contacts require careful insulation. All work must be carried out very carefully and carefully.

It is worth resorting to laying such a floor under a tile only if it is really impossible to slightly reduce the height of the room. In all other cases, using heating mats will be easier, more efficient and cheaper.

When choosing a specific model of electric underfloor heating, you should read reviews about it or ask the opinion of friends and acquaintances. Sellers often go to all sorts of tricks, overstating the characteristics of the available product.

The cost of laying a film underfloor heating is from 500 rubles / sq. m, the price of the infrared film itself - from 450 rubles / sq. m

Top manufacturers

Among the companies that produce underfloor heating, the following companies deserve the most trust:

• Devi (Denmark). The heating cable and thermostats offered by this manufacturer have a 20 year warranty and, judging by customer reviews, are reliable and efficient. In Russia, there are a large number of service centers of the company, repairing systems for free throughout the warranty period. Prices start at 2500 rubles / sq. m

• Caleo (South Korea). Produces thermal film according to its patented technology. Warranty period is 15 years. The film thickness is only 0.4 mm, so it requires very careful installation. Cost - from 1300 rubles / sq. m
• Teplolux (Russia). It produces all types of electric underfloor heating, which due to its reliability are popular not only among Russians. The cost of production starts from 1800 rubles / sq. m
• Energy (UK). Heating mats and cable systems of this company are considered the most economical in terms of energy consumption. In addition, they are positioned as environmentally friendly. The minimum cost of products from a wide range is 1900 rubles / sq. m

• Esto (Finland). A feature of the underfloor heating of this company is increased moisture resistance, uninterrupted operation in any conditions. The cost of cable systems and thermomats varies in a wide range - from 3,000 to 11,000 rubles / sq. m
• Rehau (Germany). Introduces cable systems and heating mats on the market based on a two-core shielded cable compatible with all coatings. The cost starts from 1600 rubles / sq. m
• "National comfort" (Russia). It produces single-core, two-core cables and single-core mats. Cost - from 1650 rubles / sq. m

• Raychem (USA). It specializes in different types of electrical heating systems, characterized by efficiency, uniformity of heating. Prices for mats start at 2200 rubles / sq. m
• Unimat (South Korea). It produces mats, cable systems and infrared core floors with a 20-year warranty. Cost - from 2200 rubles / sq. m. When choosing a system for laying under tiles, Unimat products are the most popular in the CIS countries.