Warm floor on the loggia: installation instructions

It is often impossible to be on a loggia in the winter. It is really very cold there, and even special heating means, which are often used to heat small rooms, will not help here. Probably the most serious problem in a particular case is the too cold floor. Most often it is a concrete surface, which is sometimes tiled.

Fortunately, modern technologies allow you to turn the loggia into a complete room that can be used without any problemsyear. We are talking about the installation of warm floors, which are increasingly being used in industrial buildings, and even in bathhouses. Accordingly, it is the warm floor that is an excellent option for such a small space, in which there are no other heating installations.

In advance it needs to be said that there are several varieties of warm floors. Of course, this information needs to be analyzed before making a choice in favor of one or another means of heating the surface.

In this material, we will take a closer look at the main details related to warm floors and their application to the loggia. Also, we will try to highlight the main advantages of this or that type of warm floor, the most suitable for use in the above space.

The main features of modern warm floors

At the very beginning it should be noted that it is the feet of a person that are most sensitive to any temperature changes. Accordingly, in a cool home it is extremely important to have a warm floor, since even at low temperatures, but with a warm floor, a person will feel comfortable.

Unfortunately, to date, most of the warm floors are too expensive, so most often these systems are used in stores, as well as in enterprises where it is necessary to maintain a certain floor temperature.

It is also important to know that it is advisable to use floor heating in large private houses. Very often such large rooms are too difficult to warm up in the usual ways, and the warm floor significantly improves the situation. Of course, the best option is the simultaneous use of insulation, a warm floor, as well as standard means of heating the room.

It is impossible not to mention the fact that all work related to the installation of warm floors can be done by hand. Of course, there is a certain risk of doing the work not so qualitatively as I wanted, but with the help of some advice the result will be excellent. If you are not sure that holding such events will not be able to you, it is better to resort to the help of specialists.

Advantages and disadvantages of the heated floor

Before you buy a warm floor, you need to carefully analyze all the advantages and disadvantages of this system. It should be borne in mind that each feature of the warm floor can significantly affect the situation associated with the installation of the system and its operation.

Highlights:

• Highest level of comfort. Only with the help of underfloor heating systems can you achieve a result in which the surface becomes really warm, and it is nice to walk even without shoes. In the winter, this is especially important, given that the concrete floor heats up very slowly. Also it is worthwhile to know that often the laying of the warm floor can be carried out under a concrete screed, as well as under parquet or laminate.
• Functionality. Most of the above systems have thermostats. With their help, you can fine tune the temperature regime. Moreover, this allows you not to spend extra money on the electricity that the system consumes. In some cases, it is enough to warm up the floor a little, after which the heat will be felt for a whole day.
• Reliability and durability. Most of the systems available on the market are distinguished by a fairly simple principle of operation. Also, many manufacturers who have long been involved in the production of such products, often provide a guarantee of up to several years. This only says that they are confident in the quality of their products.

Disadvantages:

• Costs for electricity. It is often necessary to use the warm floor at full capacity. In such situations, the system consumes a lot of electricity. Of course, it is worth remembering that the warm floor is used only in the cool seasons, and this is not such a long period.
• Raising the floor. Some systems require a lot of space to install a warm floor. Accordingly, the height of the ceiling should be sufficient for such events. In addition, there are some subtleties that allow you to avoid unpleasant details associated with the height of the floor.

It should be borne in mind that there are also many other aspects related to the warm floor. For example, we can talk about the inertia, in which a full-fledged heating of the floor can last for several hours. There are a lot of similar details, and it's best to learn about all the subtleties from a consultant in the corresponding store. This will easily avoid problems that are not uncommon in the installation and operation of warm floors.

Kinds of warm floors

If we are talking about installing a warm floor on a loggia, then our choice is limited to two systems, among them:

• cable heating system;
• film warm floor.

Each of these systems has its advantages and disadvantages, which we will discuss below. Also consider the main stages associated with the installation of warm floors.

Cable floor heating system on the

loggia This system has a cable base, which are heating elements. Accordingly, in this case, we have the opportunity to place the cable in our own way exactly as we please( except when the cable is supplied with the grid).It is worth noting in advance that much depends on the location of the heating element. For example, if we install a cable with the wrong pitch, then unequivocally encounter an uneven heat spread.

You should also consider in advance where exactly the thermostat will be located. This component of the system should be in a convenient place. If necessary, it can be taken to a room adjacent to the loggia.

With regard to preliminary actions related to the installation of a cable floor heating, here we need to get rid of the main floor covering( laminate, tiles, etc.).In addition, you need to level the floor surface, so that the heating is uniform. In most cases, just remove the cement residues.

After this, you can safely begin the basic process of laying the warm floor based on the cable. This activity consists of the following stages:

• On the "rough" surface of the floor we lay the heat-insulating layer. It is worth noting the fact that in this case it is advisable to use thermal insulation of small thickness. For today on sale there is a considerable quantity of various heat-insulating materials reminding a film material. In addition, it should be noted that this insulation will be the basis for fixing the mounting tape. Particularly responsible is to level the insulation, since the proper location of the underfloor heating system depends on this. If necessary, you can make a waterproofing installation, but for a loggia this is hardly useful.
• Now it's time to lay the heating cable. As mentioned earlier, it should be installed evenly throughout the entire area of ​​the room. For this, you need to take a certain step, which allows you to make the most efficient use of space on the loggia. For this room, you do not need too much cable, as heating such a small area will happen quickly and efficiently.
• As mounting, a mounting tape is used here, which is laid under the heating cable, and also fastens this element from above. Of course, it is at this stage that you need to check the correct location of the heating element.
• After this, the thermostat is installed. Most often, the temperature sensor and the regulator are mounted side by side, as these are two indivisible elements of the system.
• Once again, make sure that the cable is positioned correctly, because the next step is to create a screed based on a cement-sand mortar. This layer should be thin, but at the same time the system must fully penetrate into it. If the ceiling is high, then the thickness of the screed layer is by far not the most important issue, since the heat is perfectly spreading over the concrete surface.
• Most often, the screed recovers strength for several weeks, so during this period, walking on such a floor should not be. When the cement is already strong enough, you can begin the process of laying the tile or any other floor covering. However, first of all, it is worthwhile to check the system of the warm floor for efficiency, and this procedure is carried out before the creation of the screed, and after. If you have any problems, you should immediately contact a specialist.

Most often for the installation of a warm floor, it is necessary to involve the relevant services responsible for safety. Moreover, it should be borne in mind that the screed is an additional load on the lower slab of the balcony. For the loggia, this situation is not very dangerous, but it is still worth consulting.

Mounting of a film warm floor

Many specialists in the construction industry believe that it is best to use a film warm floor in apartments. The thing is that such a system is characterized by incredible practicality, as well as security of use. The thing is that the film floor does not store, but only gives off heat. This allows you to use as a floor covering materials such as linoleum or laminate.

Accordingly, in this case there is no need to create a cement screed, which not only simplifies the installation process, but also keeps the available dimensions of the room.

The essence of the film warm floor is that a thin layer of material emits infrared heat. In this case, there is one drawback, which concerns the heating of all surrounding objects. It can be furniture, under which it is best not to mount this system.

The process of arranging a film warm floor consists of the following steps:

• If we have flooring, then it must be temporarily disassembled. Already on the basis of the rough coat you need to place penoplex. Again, the layer of this material should be located as flat as possible. Any flaws can immediately appear after the start of operation.
• Then comes the turn of the film coating installation. This is a fairly thin layer of material, which is very easy to spread over the entire area of ​​the loggia. Often the material is sold in large rolls. It is also very important to evenly distribute the film throughout the space, eliminating the possibility of any gaps between the strips of material.
• This system also has a temperature sensor, as well as a thermostat. These elements should be located in the most accessible places of the loggia.
• Already after the film material, it is necessary to arrange a protective layer. For example, for a laminate it will be a substrate that will not damage the film even if desired. If we are talking about the use of linoleum, then the installation of the protective layer becomes much more important task. Often used protective film, but it may not be the most effective option.
• If everything is in order, you can safely install the floor covering. At the same time, you should check whether the floor is laid flat.

Immediately after the flooring has been laid, you can start a full operation of the loggia. Unlike the previous variant, there is no need to wait for several weeks, since a huge plus is the lack of the need for a cement screed. Immediately after completing all the work, you need to check the system for operability. It is necessary to be sure that each sector of the surface of the warm floor copes equally well with its immediate tasks.