Laying infrared underfloor heating under laminate

Your living areas can be completely transformed with underfloor heating, providing warmth and comfort all year long. It’s crucial to comprehend the advantages and workings of underfloor heating, particularly utilizing infrared technology, if you’re thinking about installing it beneath laminate flooring. Unlike conventional systems that heat the air, infrared underfloor heating works by emitting radiant heat waves that warm objects and surfaces directly in its path. By using this technique, the warmth is distributed evenly and efficiently throughout the space, making it comfortable without drying out the air.

The rapid response time of infrared underfloor heating under laminate is one of its main benefits. With infrared heating, warmth is produced almost instantly, as opposed to traditional heating systems that might take some time to reach the desired temperature. This quick response makes it perfect for places like kitchens and bathrooms where you need to heat up a space quickly. Furthermore, infrared heating panels are suitable for both new construction and renovations because they are thin and simple to install beneath laminate flooring without raising the floor level significantly.

The energy efficiency of infrared heating beneath laminate is another advantage. Compared to heating the entire volume of air in a room, less energy is wasted because it heats objects and surfaces directly. Over time, this efficiency can result in reduced heating costs, particularly when paired with properly controlled thermostats and well-insulated flooring. Furthermore, because they have no moving parts and require little maintenance after installation, infrared heating systems are typically regarded as low maintenance.

It’s important to take laminate flooring compatibility into account when installing infrared underfloor heating. Underfloor heating can be used with most laminate floors, but it’s best to check with the flooring manufacturer for specific instructions and compatibility tests. To optimize efficiency and performance, make sure the infrared heating panels are installed correctly in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

To sum up, installing infrared underfloor heating beneath laminate flooring has many benefits, including effective heating, rapid response times, energy savings, and improved comfort. You can take advantage of contemporary heating solutions and create a cozy and welcoming living area by knowing how this technology operates and making sure it is installed correctly.

What types can be laid under?

Not every laminate that is manufactured can be installed with underfloor heating. Their qualities are the cause of this.

Laminate is an industrial product, so it might contain formaldehyde, which turns toxic to people and animals when heated.

Manufacturers have created unique markings for this purpose. Select a class E0 or E1 floor covering for electric floors if you want to avoid formaldehyde.

This laminate is classified as class 32 and 33 in Russian production. Heat and wear and tear are not able to destroy this kind of coating. Additionally, it works with both electric and water-based underfloor heating systems.

Requirements for the IR system

You must decide where the furniture will go in the room before putting the laminate over the IR floor. The infrared system can only be installed correctly in this situation.

The high level of heating makes it impossible to place IR floors underneath furniture like beds or wardrobes. even beneath a cushion. When deciding where to place the film heating, this needs to be considered.

The area should be divided between 60 and 65 percent for the IR floor.

Additional prerequisites:

1. Distance from walls or heating batteries – 20-30 cm.
2. Rolls of film floor are rolled out with gaps of 5 mm between them, and also – parallel to the longest side of the room.
3. The thermostat must be located at least 30-50 cm from the floor.
4. The supply power cables must be protected: for this, grooves are made for them or a corrugated pipe is used.
5. A temperature sensor that reports the surface temperature is placed in the underfloor heating system at a distance of 50 cm from the nearest wall.

The IR structure’s heating-functioning wires should all be arranged in parallel, without twisting or crossing one another.

Preparation of the base

Cracks are sealed and filled with putty if they exist. When measured with a level, the screed for laminate and IR floors should differ by no more than 3 mm every 2 meters.

The flat base then needs to be washed and dirtied. It is preferable to use a moist cloth or a vacuum cleaner to clean the surface.

If the height variations are greater than 3 mm, place a substrate underneath the laminate. It serves the purpose of leveling as well as reflecting and transferring heat from the floor into the apartment.

Methods and rules of installation

A foil substrate is pre-laid in preparation for the IR floor installation. There are no spaces between the sheets because of how they are arranged. Tape is used to secure the pieces to one another.

The IR system’s actual installation follows:

• Installation of a thermostat in the wall and connection of power cables to it.
• Mounting the film on the coating with the shiny side down.

The edges of the copper and silver strips need to be insulated with bitumen tape if the film base needs to be cut. Clamp it on both sides and adhere it to the edges to accomplish this.

• The thermal sensor is mounted from below, on the shiny strip of the IR film, gluing it with the same bitumen tape.
• Laying clips for cable placement is carried out before installing the film. To do this, attach the clamps to the copper strips, the so-called buses.

Connection features

The subtleties vary depending on how the connection is made:

• Using clamps (clips). This method is the easiest to use. The clamps are made of galvanized copper. They are fastened in such a way that one tab is inside the film itself on the side of the copper strip, and the second is on the other side of the same strip, only outside the film.
• Using eyelets. Holes are made in the thickness of the film. Grommets are installed there. And copper cables are already fixed in them.
• Using soldering method. The cable is soldered directly onto the copper strip.

Although it requires more work, the last approach is the most dependable. The transition resistance will be lessened because of the strongest adhesion between the cable and the strip. This will make the connection more dependable.

It is advised to purchase IR film with a normal thickness and cost instead of cheap thin film, as the latter can melt when handled too closely with a soldering iron. Additionally, it’s recommended to never solder on weight and to always use a support, like a tile.

The wires are connected to the films, then brought to the thermostat and connected to a temperature sensor on one side of the room.

A special fuse is used when the infrared coating’s power exceeds 2 watts. It contributes to the network’s safe operation.

Use the diagrams in the figure to connect the electric floor’s wires. Cable arrangement can be done in two ways. Only the appropriate copper bars are linked together in both situations. Left buses are also wired in series with each other.

The sole distinction between the two approaches is that the former makes use of cable crossing, while the latter does not.

Regarding infrared flooring The approach that doesn’t involve reconnecting the wires is usually appropriate. This occurs when the cables are only connected to the infrared tapes’ right bus on one side and their left bus on the other.

In the event that a standard scheme is designed, wider grooves for the wires must be inserted in the concrete covering; otherwise, pressure will eventually cause the entire electrical circuit to collapse.

Checking and preparing for coating installation

Following the completion of the wiring and sensor connections, a system test is performed. Errors are fixed if there is a spike in voltage or sparks.

You can only lay a film, or substrate, if there are no flaws prior to laying the laminate. It should have a thickness of one to three microns. The materials are layered one on top of the other, overlapping.

Apart from the standard polyethylene substrate, a perforated version has been manufactured recently. There are holes in the material that let the heat from the infrared floor pass through, reducing energy losses.

After the wires are connected, the programmable thermostat needs to be configured. It is an obligatory requirement that guarantees the security of electric floor operations.

The thermostat is typically made at the manufacturing plants with two options: it can measure the temperature of the material it is connected to and the air temperature.

Manufacturers typically configure the device to control and warm the surrounding air. It must be configured to a remote underfloor heating sensor in order to function on infrared film.

Installation process for film heating

The only way to install laminate for infrared heating systems is floating, which means using locks instead of glue.

The latter are unique grooves in the elements that can be fixed by clicking or locking, or they can be simply adjusted to each other (Lock).

For the laminate to be laid using the first method, the surface must be absolutely level. The second one is capable of removing tiny variations of 1-3 mm.

A locking system with a latch is ideal for underfloor heating. The evenness of the base will then remain unaffected even if the laminate dries out. The planks won’t split or deteriorate.

This is how the procedure appears:

• A plank is laid on the substrate, starting from the far corner of the room. The second plate is attached using locks. And so on until the end of the wall.
• The last plank is cut to the required size and fixed in the row and corner.
• The remainder of the plank is not thrown away, it is used to start the next second row of laminate.

This will remove the need for trimming when the laminate is installed.

Difficulties and errors

Paul installs IR. The following mistakes could happen:

• The clips are fixed on the film from the outside: from the side of the copper busbar and the matte side – the top side of the substrate under the laminate. In this case, the infrared heating system, although it works, quickly burns out.
• Cut the film along the copper strips that do not insulate. This leads to a short circuit of the system and its sparking.
• Make a thick layer of polyethylene between the IR plates and the laminate. As a result, the heat cannot reach the apartment.

It is advisable to hire experts to lay the laminate and install the electric floor in order to prevent issues. They’ll make things go more quickly.

The absence of grooves, which are holes in the rough concrete coating that conceal the temperature sensor and wire terminals, is another common error.

If this isn’t done, the joints between the cable and the film will break easily from the pressure of the floor. Additionally, the infrared strips will stop working.

Additional errors committed when self-laying an electric floor:

• Installing the temperature sensor in the wrong place. If you place it away from the film, it will not read the temperature normally. Because of this, the owner of the home can overstate the heating value on the controller, which will lead to a fire hazard.
• Laying cables between the substrate and the film, and not under them. This is also unsafe.

Many do not know that you cannot lay the film over the entire area of ​​the room, because when placing furniture, the heat will not be able to escape. The floor covering will dry out.

The choice of the heat-reflecting substrate is off, which leads to problems with the infrared floor’s functionality. All that is needed is a lavsan-based material that is non-conductive. It has the same appearance as regular metal foil.

It is not permitted to use an aluminum backing meant for other kinds of construction work when installing an IR floor. It is electrically conductive, so there’s a chance of a short circuit between the layers.

Pros and cons of heating

With an infrared floor, heat loss from traditional water-based heating systems is completely eliminated, resulting in the most energy-efficient flooring possible.

The surface of the floor covering is heated throughout the installation without overheating because of the consistent placement of the IR cables.

Benefits of utilizing an infrared floor

• Economical energy consumption.
• Absence of corrosion, as is usually the case with water-based metal systems. Polyethylene film serves for many years without destruction.
• Ease and speed of installation. Installation of an IR floor can take from 2 to 3 hours.
• You can walk on an infrared-based electric floor on the day of installation.
• Maintaining the height of the ceilings in almost their original form (3-4 mm of IR coating thickness will not take up much space).
• If a separate element is damaged, you will need to replace only a separate sector of cables, and not the entire system.

The following are drawbacks of infrared heating:

• Requires a perfectly flat surface. If there are irregularities, you will have to make a good screed.
• It will cost more than other heating systems.

Since infrared flooring is not inexpensive, installation will cost a significant amount of money. However, because the system will save money on electric heating, the manufacturers claim that the system will pay for itself in the second year of operation.

We examine the advantages and drawbacks of installing infrared underfloor heating beneath laminate flooring in this article from "All about Concrete." We explore how this contemporary heating solution improves comfort and energy efficiency in addition to ensuring effective warmth distribution throughout your space. Readers will obtain insight into making well-informed decisions regarding their home heating needs by comprehending the installation procedure, suitability for laminate flooring, and benefits over conventional heating methods.

Useful video

Further details regarding the subject matter of the article in the video:

Under laminate flooring, installing infrared underfloor heating provides a contemporary way to effectively keep your house warm. Underfloor heating radiates warmth evenly from the floor upwards, creating a comfortable atmosphere throughout the room, in contrast to traditional radiators that heat the air. Since it evenly distributes heat without destroying the laminate flooring, this method is especially appealing for laminate floors.

Energy efficiency is one of the main advantages of utilizing infrared underfloor heating with laminate flooring. This system requires lower temperatures to achieve the same level of comfort as traditional heating methods because it heats the floor directly. Over time, this efficiency lowers heating costs in addition to consuming less energy. Furthermore, infrared heating systems are silent in operation and do not require visible radiators, which results in a more aesthetically pleasing living area.

The simplicity of installation and upkeep associated with infrared underfloor heating is another benefit. Infrared systems are easier to use and less complicated to install than water-based systems, which can be expensive. They are a feasible choice for both new construction and renovations since they can frequently be put directly onto pre-existing flooring surfaces. Compared to traditional heating systems, these systems require less maintenance because they have fewer moving parts and are less likely to break down.

Installing infrared underfloor heating beneath laminate flooring is, all things considered, a sensible option for homeowners seeking to improve their homes’ comfort and efficiency. It offers a hassle-free installation process, even heat distribution, and lower energy consumption. Infrared underfloor heating can make your home more comfortable and environmentally friendly, whether you’re building a new home or remodeling your old one.

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