Under the concept of a warm floor, some mean a huge carpet that covers the whole room, which serves as a thermal insulation layer, while others mean a modern residential heating system.
It's hard to believe, but the history of underfloor heating as a heater goes back several hundred years. The baths of the Roman Empire served as a prototype of modern high-tech heating systems, where warm air or smoke passed through special channels located under the floor.
Wealthy Romans could also afford such a heating system. The Turks peeped and began to similarly heat the floor in their baths. Until the beginning of the 20th century, air was the only heat carrier when heated through the floor.
With the advent of pumps at the beginning of the last century, water became the main coolant. In the 50s of the 20th century, when electricity fell sharply in price, the inventors proposed heating living quarters using electric cables built into the floor.
Water heated floor.
Underfloor heating, as a means of space heating, has become widespread in the Scandinavian countries, Latin America, Spain and France. In the CIS countries, it began to be used 15 years ago. Today in Russia, an apartment that does not have floor heating, at least in the bathroom and toilet, is not classified as elite housing.
In these rooms, heating is connected to the towel drying system (works all year round). In the rest of the rooms, an electric cable is used as a heat source - connection to central heating is prohibited. Therefore, there is no dilemma for residents of apartment buildings what to buy - systems with electric floor heating or water.
But in private buildings, any "warm floor" is possible. Floors with a liquid heat carrier are in the lead here by a huge margin. How justified is this state of affairs? Let's figure it out. To do this, we will find out the strengths and weaknesses of each space heating system, we will compare the water and electric underfloor heating according to the main technical and economic indicators.
Electric (cable) floor heating. What is the difference between an electric "warm floor" and a water
A comparative analysis of water and electric floor heating is impossible without taking into account the specific features of each heating system.
Water "warm floor" uses as a heat source a liquid heat carrier circulating through pipes laid in the floor screed. Water heating is carried out in boilers that can run on gas, liquid and solid fuels.
For electric underfloor heating, the heat source is a special cable that heats up when an electric current passes. It is also mounted inside the screed.
Strengths and weaknesses of the water "warm floor"
The high popularity of water floor heating is due to a number of advantages of the system:
- efficiency - according to experts, the water "warm floor" in terms of heating costs is better than central heating by 30%, and in some cases by 60%, electric floor heating - by 4-5 times;
- long, up to 50 years, service life;
- device for all commercially available types of floor (linoleum, laminate, parquet, tile, etc.);
- universality - there are no restrictions on the type and type of premises (there are prohibitions on buildings);
- environmental friendliness - there are no emissions of harmful substances into the air and electromagnetic radiation, the humidity parameters in the room change, but not significantly (radiators dry the air more strongly);
- comfortable walking on the floor barefoot;
- aesthetics - the whole system is hidden, there are no visible pipes and heating radiators. This allows designers to apply the most unexpected solutions when arranging furniture and interior design.
There are also disadvantages:
- it is necessary to have a technical room for heating the coolant;
- the height of the room is significantly reduced, by at least 8 cm, due to the need to lay insulation between the screed and the base of the floor (so as not to heat the basement) and a thicker screed (it is additionally necessary to close the pipes 2-4 cm thick);
- high cost of a set of equipment (heating boiler, centrifugal pumps, mixing units, etc.) - about 5 times higher than the cost of a cable heating system;
- complex and time-consuming installation - you need experience in connecting pipes and pouring a screed (minor errors can open up in a couple of months, as a result, the floor and the system will have to be changed);
- it is forbidden to install in multi-storey buildings;
- there is no possibility of repair - in the event of a leak, both the floor and the screed are dismantled;
- despite the presence of a mixing unit, adjusting the temperature of the coolant is difficult, resulting in constant temperature jumps, which is clearly seen in solid fuel boilers;
- uneven heating of the floor - as it passes through the pipes, the coolant cools down;
- constant maintenance is required when using solid fuel boilers (regularly add fuel);
- the heavy weight of the screed, which requires strengthening the base, if the reinforced concrete floor slab was not laid.
Strengths and weaknesses of the electric "warm floor"
Among the advantages of electric floor heating, experts distinguish:
- the possibility of laying any floor coverings on the electric heating system;
- inclusiveness - can be mounted in one- and multi-storey buildings, apartments and offices, living room, bathroom, kitchen, etc.;
- low price of a set of equipment;
- simple installation - the execution of work is within the power of homeowners;
- very accurate, up to 0.1 degrees Celsius, temperature control of the heat source thanks to temperature sensors and thermostats;
- the system is compact, does not require additional premises and is easily hidden;
- no need for maintenance;
- high level of comfort in the room: pleasant warm floor, adjustable air temperature, no air circulation;
- long service life, subject to elementary operating rules (the most common mistake is a violation of the system on and off mode);
- uniform heating of the floor surface, both in a separate room and in the apartment as a whole.
There are also disadvantages:
- high operating costs (when heating an apartment, electricity consumption reaches 10-15 kW / h);
- it is required to replace the supply wiring with a more powerful one (standard options are not designed for high loads);
- the height of the room is reduced by 7-10 cm;
- a powerful overlap is required due to the heavy screed;
- complex, but not requiring complete dismantling of the screed, repair (unlike the water "warm floor", the place of loss of contact is easily determined by devices).
The considered strengths and weaknesses of each type of space heating do not allow us to make an unambiguous conclusion: "warm floors" - water or electric, which is better.
Let's continue the analysis. To do this, we will compare the technical and operational characteristics.
Performance Comparison
To determine what is better to use for floor heating, we will compare the water and electric "warm floor" and draw conclusions on the following indicators:
- kit price;
- installation cost;
- operating costs;
- life time;
- complexity of installation;
- the possibility of repair;
- environmental friendliness.
What is cheaper
First of all, let's deal with the main question for many: what is cheaper - water or electric underfloor heating? It is impossible to immediately and unequivocally answer which is more profitable. Here it is necessary to compare the price of equipment, the cost of installation, the cost of operation.
System price. When connecting water floor heating to central heating, it is enough to buy pipes and couplings. In this case, a "warm floor" with a liquid heat carrier is ten times cheaper than a cable heating system. However, there is one thing here - the use of liquid coolant systems in multi-storey buildings is prohibited.
This flips the price factor 180 degrees. You will have to buy not only pipes, but also additional equipment: a boiler, mixers, electric pumps, etc. As a result, the purchase of equipment will be 5-6 times more expensive than the purchase of a cable and thermostats.
Installation cost. Installation of the system under the floor covering costs approximately the same: in both cases, the floor base is insulated, pipes or cables are laid, and the screed is poured.
At the same time, water heating requires expensive additional costs - the construction of a utility room for a heating boiler, its installation, the supply of coolant to the heating system, the installation of a mixing unit - these are significant expenses that pay off for quite a long time.
Operating costs. It has been proven by both practice and theoretical calculations that the use of electricity to heat a house is several times more expensive than the cost of gas or solid fuel.
Conclusion: the cost of the cable system and its installation is cheaper than water floor heating. In general, during long-term operation, the use of liquid heat carriers saves the family budget.
What lasts longer
Manufacturers of water floor heating systems indicate in the accompanying documentation a service life of 50 years, electric - 30 years. So far it has not been possible to test it in practice. "Warm floor" came to Russia only 15-20 years ago.
Conclusion: until statistics on the service life of the compared systems are accumulated, no one can be given an advantage.
What is easier to assemble
Installation of water floor heating should be carried out by professionals - minor errors in the connection of pipes can lead to leakage, and this is a significant financial loss due to the complete replacement of the floor and heating system. Any novice builder can assemble the cable system - the technology is very simple, without any nuances.
Conclusion: electric floor heating, when comparing the complexity of installation, has undeniable advantages.
Scheme of a water heated floor. What is easier to repair
A small leak in the heating pipes leads to the complete dismantling of the screed. A break in the electrical circuit in the cable is detected by devices with an accuracy of 2-3 centimeters. Therefore, it is enough to break the screed in a small area. Numerous reviews on the forums confirm that cable damage is repaired faster and cheaper.
In this situation, it is not the cost of repairs that comes to the fore, but the frequency of the need for repairs. Practice shows that both leaks and cable breaks are the result of the human factor. The owners do not make mistakes when operating the systems - there is no need to repair something.
Conclusion: the need for repair is very rare. Therefore, despite the meager cost of repairing a cable compared to fixing a leak, the indicator should be ignored rather than taken into account.
What is safer for health
Many construction professionals consider electric floor heating harmful to humans due to electromagnetic radiation. But this is a formal view of the layman's problem. Numerous measurements carried out both in Russia and in Western countries show that cable shielding has nullified electromagnetic radiation during floor heating.
Even a cell phone has more powerful radiation. Water "warm floors" do not even have a hint of a negative impact on family members.
Conclusion: both systems are safe for humans.
What and in which case it is better to choose
The conducted comparative analysis allows to determine which type of space heating to choose in each specific case.
1. The area of the heated room determines which underfloor heating is cheaper, water or electric. Therefore, in large areas, it is economically advantageous to arrange heating with a liquid heat carrier, in small ones, up to 10 m 2, with electricity.
The recommendation is due to the high cost of equipment for water heating and the peculiarities of the technological process of heating the coolant. So, in a small area near the water “warm floor”, operating costs increase sharply in two indicators:
- High depreciation charges (the cost of the boiler, pipes, mixers, etc. must be added to the cost of fuel and system maintenance evenly, in equal parts to achieve payback on equipment costs), which eats up fuel savings.
- The principle of operation of many heating boilers is the continuity of combustion processes, which leads to excessive fuel consumption and additional cooling of hot water at the system inlet. In this situation, we observe the following picture. Firstly, the constant mixing of cold water into the coolant leads to its partial discharge into the sewer. And that's wasted fuel. Secondly, during the passage through a small circuit, the water does not have time to cool, and the boiler works and further heats it, which requires its cooling, i.e. Let's go back to the first point.
As a result, a cheap heat source rises sharply in price, exceeding the cost of electricity in many cases.
2. In apartment buildings there is no choice of heat source - only cable floor heating.
3. In the absence of electricity or insufficient power of the electrical wiring, the option with electric heating is not considered in principle. There is no alternative to heating boilers here.
4. Electric heating is very effective in the bathroom and toilet, where you can warm up the tiles in a matter of seconds if necessary - the rest of the time the system is turned off.
5. In addition to central heating, balconies and attics can be heated with cable "warm floor" - it is enough to maintain a positive temperature here, which does not lead to high costs for electrical energy.
Conclusion and Conclusions
Many years of experience in Western countries has not resolved the dispute, which underfloor heating is better, water or electric. The short period of use in Russia also did not bring clarity. However, some conclusions can be drawn.
Each system has its pros and cons.:
- At the price of purchase and installation, the electrical system is cheaper.
- In operation, water floor heating requires 5-6 times less finance than it takes to pay for electricity.
- Both types of heating are durable and safe for humans.
- The electric floor heating can be repaired, the water system cannot.
- In small living rooms, as well as in the bathroom, toilet, attic and loggia, cable heating is preferable.
- In large areas, there is no alternative to water heating - the cost of electric heating is ruinous.
