Thermal insulation for underfloor heating systems: a comparative review of insulation materials


The need for waterproofing

Everything is quite obvious here. Such a measure will allow heat to be directed upward, preventing it from passing through the floors. Quite often, many forget about waterproofing under a warm water floor, but its need is explained by several reasons at once:

  • it is imperative to arrange waterproofing under a warm water floor, since violations of the tightness of pipes in which the heat carrier moves can cause damage to the base. And if the apartment is not on the first floor, the neighbors living below you will suffer from the flood;
  • under the water and electric floor, a waterproofing layer is necessary to separate the insulation material from the concrete floor. From changes in temperature and cold emanating from the base, condensation will appear, negatively affecting the layer of insulation material;
  • in the premises of the first floor or located on the ground, it is recommended to install waterproofing between the ground and the screed to create protection from capillary moisture. The second option for solving the problem is laying waterproofing between the insulation layer and the rough screed.

When using an insulation material that is vulnerable to water from either side, experts advise placing it between two waterproofing layers in the following situations:

  • the underfloor heating system is being installed, but there is a possibility of leaks;
  • the device of the floor is carried out with a wet method, and the insulation must be protected from the water that is in the solution;
  • the floor is installed in a bathroom or other room with a high moisture content, and there is a possibility of water penetration through the floor coverings.

As a rule, in underfloor heating systems, the underlay acts as a waterproofing layer for insulation from above. For example, foamed polyethylene with a foil surface is responsible for reducing heat loss, uniformity of its distribution, and protects the insulation layer against moisture.

Many are interested in whether waterproofing is needed under a warm floor in principle, and whether there is a need to lay waterproofing on top of a warm floor in wet rooms - corrosion can begin from water leaks, and in the case of an electrical system, there is a possibility of a short circuit.

Such excitements are groundless, since heating elements and coolant pipes are created in such a way that they can be easily mounted under a screed, which creates an aggressive environment before final drying.

Cable and electrical systems of underfloor heating, like water systems, have their own waterproofing, so that moisture penetration from above does not pose a threat to them.

The main types of thermal insulation

Heat-insulating materials for arranging an electric underfloor heating are made from natural and synthetic raw materials. From a large assortment, the following thermal insulation materials can be distinguished.

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Natural thermal insulation is made using a special technology from the bark of cork oak, which is why it is called cork. Such insulation is supplied to the retail network in the form of rolls 10 m long and 1 m wide. The thickness ranges from 1 to 10 mm. During installation, there is no need to glue it, it is easy to fit, has excellent sound and thermal insulation properties, it can have a rubberized base, which eliminates the need for additional waterproofing.

Installation should be carried out using heat-reflecting material, because there is no mandatory component of an electric floor in the design, which allows heat to be reflected to the floor surface.

Cork thermal insulation
Cork thermal insulation
Modern heat-insulating materials of artificial origin for an electric floor include the following products:

  • "Penotherm". It is made of porous polypropylene, has a cellular structure, without marking and with it. The latter facilitates the styling process. Aluminum foil serves as a heat-reflecting layer. Depending on the quality of the installation, it can increase the thermal efficiency up to 70%. Insulation is supplied to the retail network with a width of 1200 mm and a length of 10 and 30 m, of various thicknesses.

Insulation Penotherm
Insulation "Penotherm"

  • Penofol. Made of polyethylene foam. Has a foil layer 100 microns thick. Available in four types with different surfaces. Penofol type A has a foil surface on one side, type B on both sides, type C - one side is foil, and the other has an adhesive layer, type ALP also has a foil side, and on the other it is located polyethylene film. The rolls have a thickness of 3 ÷ 10 mm and a length of 10 ÷ 30.

Insulation material Penofol
Material for thermal insulation "Penofol"

  • Folgoizolon. It is made of foamed polyethylene and has air bubbles in its design, as well as a foil layer. It is produced in two modifications: from cross-linked (PPE) and non-cross-linked (NPE) polyethylene foam, differing in service life. For products made of cross-linked polyethylene, it is much higher. Thanks to the high-performance material, it retains heat well. Supplied with and without underfloor heating markings in rolled sheets of various thicknesses and lengths. It is an ideal heat-insulating material for arranging underfloor heating on balconies, loggias and other cold rooms.

Material Folgoizolon
Folgoizolon material

The foil layer must be laminated.

An additional insulation can be a polyethylene laminated film with markings for a warm floor. Use products with a thickness of 3 or 5 mm, a width of 1 m and a length of 10 to 30 m.

Insulation film
Insulation film

Criteria for the selection of waterproofing materials

According to the specifics of the application, such materials are divided into different types, but the same requirements are imposed on their choice:

  • atomic resistance - protection from moisture should be distinguished by the ability to maintain its original properties and quality characteristics for the longest possible period;
  • moisture resistance and resistance to water is a very important criterion that determines the ability to not pass or absorb water;
  • chemical resistance - this parameter is important in order to avoid destruction from the effects of chemical elements during operation;
  • resistance to temperature extremes - this property helps to maintain the original performance at certain temperatures;
  • biological resistance - this characteristic allows you to prevent the penetration and effects of bacteria and microorganisms on the structure of the waterproofing material.

When deciding which waterproofing material to use for floor heating, it is recommended to pay attention to the following important aspects:

  • cost. As a rule, roll materials are cheaper.Mastic materials and primers are more expensive, but better protect against moisture;
  • features of the premises - for rooms with a small area it is better to use mastic, but it is easier to cover large rooms with roll materials;
  • the possibility of waterproofing on our own - it is easiest to work with impregnating compositions, but difficulties may arise with the deposited layer.

In most cases, manufacturers of underfloor heating systems recommend the types of waterproofing materials as recommendations. These include:

  • polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride film materials. They are equipped with thermo-reflective layers. For the convenience of laying, the edges are warmed up and joined, insulation is performed with adhesive tape;
  • cement-polymer - a freshly prepared elastic composition is applied to the surface with a roller or spatula, a special tape is laid at the joints. The result is a durable and waterproof coating that is excellent for concrete surfaces. Many people note its elasticity, which is very important with changes in temperature and shrinkage of buildings recently commissioned;
  • cast - the most reliable option. Today, for this purpose, liquid silicone membranes are used, which create good adhesion and are distinguished by elasticity.

Underfloor heating waterproofing
Liquid silicone membranes - a type of waterproofing for underfloor heating

Insulation requirements

Why is thermal insulation (also called insulation) needed when arranging warm electric floors? During the operation of such a floor, heat losses occur, which are associated with heating the cable / mat / film and the floor. Laying a special material called heat-insulating will help to avoid heat escape. It will be the basis on which the components of the warm floor are mounted.

In the trading network, materials with thermal insulation properties are presented in a large assortment, it is not difficult to buy them. They are made from various components in the form of rolls, panels, films and membranes. Not all materials are suitable for creating an electric floor heating. The requirements for the thermal insulation material for electric underfloor heating are as follows:

  • must have a low coefficient of thermal conductivity;
  • have resistance to high temperatures;
  • easy to fit and not deform during work;
  • must even out small irregularities in the base;
  • must withstand heavy loads;
  • have sound insulation properties;
  • withstand the action of aggressive environments;
  • have a high degree of strength;
  • do not absorb moisture;
  • be electrically safe;
  • be made of environmentally friendly materials (should not release toxic substances into the surrounding space);
  • have a long service life.

Types of thermal insulation
Types of thermal insulation

Types of waterproofing under the water floor

There are several types of waterproofing materials that differ in composition, principle of operation, efficiency.

Roll

Inexpensive and most common insulation option. For this type of protection, roofing material is used, a dense plastic film. Bonded waterproofing materials are applied by gluing with preheating with a gas burner or a construction hairdryer.

Water based mastic

Creates maximum surface protection against moisture penetration. Recommended for use in multi-storey buildings, for maximum protection against water leakage if the water circuit has lost its integrity. In order to prevent leaks, the water circuits of heating systems are embedded in special corrugations as an additional measure. This measure ensures that if the integrity of the pipes is broken, then the water will not flood the lower floor.

Underfloor heating waterproofing
Water-based mastic is one of the waterproofing options for underfloor heating

Warm floor and waterproofing

DoCa wrote: it's hard to watch when a person advises a cement-based coating waterproofing without reading the specification, and it clearly states what kind of work this material is recommended for: for waterproofing basement walls, foundations, pools, terraces, reservoirs ON STABLE areas. Stable areas do not mean either a floating screed with ETP, or drywall, which is now used in most cases in one way or another. In new buildings, even bare concrete floor walls do not fall under stable surfaces. A person smears his bathroom with a similar composition, and it bursts at the adjacent corners, since the person does not see under the tiles and piously believes in protection from leaks.

Hmm, sir. I do not even want to comment, because ... you forgot to insert again - IMHO.

There is also a cement-based coating waterproofing, which can be installed in almost all the cases you listed, except, perhaps, drywall. Neither underfloor heating, nor bare concrete walls, nor plaster are an obstacle / problem base.

So, floor layers (removed the names of materials) for a wet and damp room from bottom to top:

  1. Floor slab.
  2. Quick tie - layer 25 - 80 mm
  3. Primer
  4. Cold self-adhesive waterproofing membrane consisting of an adhesive bitumen mass and a cross laminated, synthetic (HDPE) film. Film thickness - 1.5 mm
  5. Seamless floor - the "warm floor" is laid in it. Thickness from task and material.
  6. Lubricating waterproofing - cement-based layer of 2 mm or liquid film, but this is not about it.
  7. Elastic tile adhesive 7.a Silicone or MS sealant 7.b Grout
  8. Tile

As you can see, there are no distributors or screens for heat transfer in the cake, but there are cement-based waterproofing materials. For residential premises, the pie is accordingly simpler - depending on the specific situation, one or another layer of waterproofing is thrown out, or even both. There is also an option when EPS panels are laid on the screed on elastic glue, then a layer of waterproofing or without it, then tiles. This is also for another branch. And yet - I was not even going to voice it ever, but ... only as food for thought. Even in this maximum cake (with the appropriate materials), fiber and mesh are used only for a larger area than the area of ​​the average Russian room. This is the "specification".

/// PRODUCT *** One-component elastic waterproofing mortar for use under ceramic surfaces. … After setting, *** acquires waterproofing properties, becomes elastic and resistant to cracking. APPLICATIONS Waterproofing of building structures. *** used for waterproofing under ceramic tiles on floors and walls in damp rooms, on balconies and terraces, in swimming pools, as well as in heated floors. … SUBSTRATE The subfloor must be sound, sufficiently dry, clean, with a finely porous surface, free from gouges, visible large cracks or burrs. Suitable substrates are cement screed, plaster, concrete, masonry and old tiles. Concrete substrates must be applied at least 3 months in advance. … Giscode ZP 1 (cement-based)… /// /// PRODUCT *** is a two-component elastic waterproofing mortar consisting of powder and liquid components…… After setting, *** becomes water-repellent, elastic and crack-resistant up to 2.0 mm.

FIELD OF APPLICATION Waterproofing of building structures. *** used for waterproofing under ceramic tiles on floors and walls in damp rooms, in heated floors, on balconies and terraces, in swimming pools.It is also used for long-term waterproofing of parts of buildings in contact with the ground, such as basements, underground garages and concrete blocks against soil moisture and pressure water. … SUBSTRATE The substrate must be sound, sufficiently dry, clean, with a finely porous surface, without voids, visible large cracks or burrs. Suitable substrates are cement screed, plaster, concrete, masonry and old tiles. Concrete surfaces should be at least 3 months old. … Powder component: Giscode ZP 1 (!!!) Liquid component: Giscode D 1… ///

Laying principle

The laying technique and preliminary surface preparation will be determined by the selected material. There are simple application options that are performed independently, in other cases special skills and appropriate tools are required.

Roll materials

Such waterproofing under the warm floor is laid along the rough screed. The materials are spread over the surface in such a way that the joining areas form an overlap of several centimeters.

If bituminous covering materials are used, then the waterproofing is arranged as follows. The base must first be leveled and treated with a primer. The roll of waterproofing material is gradually rolled out, while its lower surface warms up. The seams are processed especially carefully. Bituminous materials are glued to the base, creating a high-quality protection against water penetration and condensation.

Underfloor heating waterproofing
Roll materials for waterproofing under floor heating

Liquid mastic

It is quite simple to work with such material on your own. The mastic is applied with a brush or spray gun in several layers. Impregnations penetrate deeply into the surface, creating a moisture protective layer. Ultimately, reliable protection against leaks is provided if the water circuit breaks through. It is worth noting that this option for waterproofing under a warm floor is recommended for a device in the bathroom.

The technological process of working with mastic implies a thorough surface treatment, applying the next layer perpendicular to the previous one.

Waterproofing prevents the formation of condensation, provides high-quality protection against leaks if damage occurs in the water circuit. If there is no such layer, it means that the installation work was performed with a gross violation of technology.

We buy nishtyaks

And we bought a warm floor a long time ago, at the end of April, but we only got around now. The choice of underfloor heating was not great: between a very expensive solid, but very warm and reliable, and striped less warm, but for acceptable money. We decided not to show off and chose a striped 9m2 80cm wide. from kravati to the cabinet in the corridor

I also bought for a warm floor: a connection kit (bitumen insulation and terminals), a heat-insulating substrate, metalized tape, a thermostat (the most budgetary with the program), wires for power supply, and a corrugation for a temperature sensor.

Initially, the project had light parquet, but we decided to replace it with the same one that was in the whole apartment, and without a threshold to connect with the laminate laid in other rooms, for this we bought 6 more boxes of this laminate.

After everything was bought, the installation, as always, was postponed for various reasons, and began only after 2 months)).

What is the waterproofing of the bathroom floor for?

The bathroom is the room in which there are most of all various water pipes, and if a leak occurs, all your water will end up on the ceiling of the neighbors below. That's why they make the waterproofing of the floor, in order to insure themselves and their neighbors from unwanted repairs. After all, if you have made reliable waterproofing, you will have much more time to scoop out water from the floor and fix the malfunction. Waterproofing will prevent water from seeping out so quickly and will hold it back for a while.

Waterproofing under floor heating: device features

The army of those wishing to provide more comfort in the house due to the system of underfloor heating is steadily growing. They not only raise comfort to a completely different level, but also provide economical energy consumption against the background of familiar heaters. However, their arrangement in rooms such as a bathroom or a bathroom requires additional measures. Among them is waterproofing.

I don’t even want to imagine what consequences a breakthrough in water supply or sewerage communications could have. Today, when flexible hoses are commonly used to connect to water mains ranging from washing machines to toilet flushing devices, this problem is especially relevant. The reason may be not only their possibly low quality, but also the connections themselves, which are often performed in violation of operational standards: the hoses are bent, twisted, unnaturally twisted, which is why they quickly fail.

And it's not just that waterproofing is necessary when there are neighbors below. Probably not everyone knows how moisture adversely affects concrete. The moisture that accumulates in "wet" rooms, as a rule, contains salts of certain acids and alkali. Once on the floor, it penetrates through problem areas of the floor covering - cracks or joints, into the screed, absorbs into it and gradually destroys it. It only takes a few years for the concrete layer to crumble completely.

Waterproofing materials for underfloor heating


Usually, there are basically two requirements for materials:

  • waterproofness;
  • resistance to biological corrosion, that is, to the destructive effects of mold.

But at the same time, they must have sufficient elasticity to withstand thermal deformation loads. Since there is a high temperature, waterproofing under the warm floor is selected with great care.

Incorrectly selected, it loses its waterproof qualities over time.

As a rule, manufacturers of heating systems themselves recommend the types of waterproofing. Nevertheless, we will note some of them.

  • Films made of polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride

Films that are used for warm floors are equipped with thermo-reflective layers. The edges are preheated and connected, the joints are insulated with adhesive tape.

  • Cement-polymer


A freshly prepared mass of elastic coating material is applied to the surface using a spatula or roller. The joints between the walls and the floor must be laid with a special tape. The resulting coating is durable and absolutely waterproof, has excellent adhesion to concrete. Especially it should be noted its elasticity, the quality that is so necessary for waterproofing warm floors and floors in new buildings, which allows it to stretch and shrink in unison with a change in temperature and insignificant subsidence of the structure. And also heat resistance, will transfer the heating of the floor surface to 30-40 ° C.

  • Cast

The most reliable is considered to be protection from water by pouring a waterproof continuous layer - cast. Modern technologies involve the use of liquid silicone membranes, characterized by high adhesion and elasticity.

Where does moisture come from when the device

The device protects against:

  • capillary penetration of ground water from the bottom of the floor, if it is arranged along the ground;
  • thermal insulation layer and lower floors from leaks of the water system in case of damage.


Usually, the bottom waterproofing is made of polyethylene film, laying the canvases with an overlap of 8-10 cm. Additional insulation is required for the joints, so they are glued with sticky tape. The edges of the material at the walls are wrapped and covered with the bottom of the walls, creating a kind of trough.If a warm floor is installed on the first floor, torn from the ground, or higher, the meaning of the lower layer of insulation is lost.


As for the protection of the insulation, modern plate heat-insulating materials, which were originally developed for "warm floor" systems, are combined with an upper waterproofing layer made of hard polystyrene or lavsan. Although, of course, traditional plastic wrap can be used for this purpose.

The screed is made of a sand-cement mixture with the addition of plasticizers and fiber, which replaces the reinforcing mesh.

The "wet" system is reliable, efficient and quite cheap, however, its significant drawback is its impressive weight and height.


Therefore, it is often replaced with a light "dry" system. Its support layer is formed from polystyrene molded boards, cement-bonded particle boards, etc.

Today, for waterproofing "dry" systems, a special polyethylene film with pressed trapezoidal parts, equipped with a supporting fabric on the underside, is often used. It not only provides insulation, but also serves to equalize the horizontal stress in the base.

In "wet" rooms, it is recommended to carry out the method of surface insulation on a dividing screed for a warm floor, say, a coating. This technology allows you to protect both the screed and heating elements at the same time.

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Laying pipes for a warm water floor

Layout of pipes for a water-heated floor
Layout of pipes for a water-heated floor

Let's consider step by step how to make warm water floors:

  • Reinforcement mesh is laid on the thermal insulation layer. The pipes of the system will be attached to it with the help of a wire. Instead of a mesh, you can use special clips that come with the warm floor. If you choose this method of fastening, then you must first make a markup so that the pipes are strengthened evenly.
  • The collector is being installed. For this, a box is installed on the wall or a niche is made. A collector and adjusting elements are mounted inside the cabinet.
  • The pipeline is being laid. To do this, you do not need to immediately unwind the coil, but pull out the turns gradually, as they are fastened. There should be a distance of no more than 30 cm between the pipes, the distance near the wall is reduced to 15 cm.
  • One end of the pipe is connected to the supply manifold, and the other to the supply.
  • Underfloor heating is being checked. If it radiates heat, then you can proceed to the next step. In the absence of underfloor heating functionality, the entire system is checked for defects. The pipe may have been pinched or too tight.
  • A concrete screed is poured, it should rise 30 mm above the pipes. minimum and 70 mm. maximum. It will take about 3 weeks for the material to dry, but this time can be shortened by turning on the heating system.
  • Only after the screed has completely dried is the floor covering laid.

Boilers

Ovens

Plastic windows