Before choosing one or another electric built-in heating system, it is necessary to calculate the warm floor. This will provide preliminary information on the costs of its arrangement. You can entrust the design of underfloor heating to professionals by contacting a construction company specializing in such work. In this case, you will not only calculate the costs, but will also be offered the best option that takes into account your budget, wishes and features of the apartment.
To calculate the underfloor heating yourself, use online calculators. Many companies offering heating installation services place similar calculators on their websites. The underfloor heating calculation program makes it quite easy to make the necessary calculations if you follow the instructions given in it.
In addition, on the network you can find more than one example of an estimate for underfloor heating, indicating prices for materials and work. Using a similar sample, but substituting your numbers in the calculations, you can make calculations for your room.
Necessary data for underfloor heating calculations
When calculating underfloor heating, it is necessary to determine the size of the room where they will be equipped. But remember that only the area free from large items is considered - furniture, household appliances. Therefore, when planning the equipment of electric floors, it is necessary to decide in advance how the interior elements will be located in the room. It is not recommended to change their location after the installation of the system.
Before calculating a warm floor, select the desired type of heating. This indicator is of key importance. The capacity of the system, which is used as the main heat source, must be significantly greater than that of the floor for additional heating.
If the underfloor heating project assumes that the system will serve as a replacement for centralized heating, then the heated surface must be at least 70% of the total area.
If the room is densely crowded with furniture, then it will be impossible to comply with this condition. In this case, it makes no sense to install an electric floor, and you will have to look for another option for heating the room.
When calculating a warm floor as the main source of heat, it should be assumed that its specific power should be at least 150 W / m2. For additional heating, a power of 110-140 watts is enough. Such a floor will allow you to maintain a comfortable temperature during the off-season, when central heating is not working yet.
A comfortable (additional) type of heating will also help out if the room is located on the ground floor, and under it there is a cold basement. The calculation of the power of the warm floor is made taking into account this factor. For dry rooms on the ground floor, such as a kitchen or corridor, you need to choose the maximum power, i.e. 140 watts.
Calculation for different types of premises
Each room has its own functional features and, accordingly, special requirements for the specific power of the heating system. Before calculating the power of a warm floor, select the type of room. Glazed loggias and balconies are the most demanding: for comfortable heating, it is required to lay down a power of at least 180 W / m2. For damp rooms such as a bathroom, 140 W / m2 will be needed. The same applies to all rooms, if there is an unheated space under them.
And in the calculation of the electric floor heating for bedrooms, corridors and living rooms, which are located on the upper floors, the minimum power is laid - 120 W / m2.
After the heated area and the required power have been calculated, you can choose the type of electric heater that is most suitable for your purposes: cable, warm mat, film or rod infrared floor.
Features of installation of various types of underfloor heating and their price have the most significant impact on the final cost.
Thermal insulation for floors
To understand how to correctly calculate a warm floor, you need to know the following: calculations on sites are given for typical rooms in which thermal insulation is made and double-glazed windows are installed. Therefore, the calculation of the cost of a warm floor must necessarily include the cost of thermal insulation.
The use of insulating materials will not only reduce heat loss in rooms that have a cold foundation or earth underneath, but will also save energy in more protected rooms.
For some electric heating systems, such as infrared film and rod floors, the use of a special reflective substrate is a guarantee of efficient operation. Consider this point before you calculate the electric floor heating.
Temperature controllers
The thermostat is one of the important elements in the electric floor kit. With its help, the system is powered from the network, as well as heating control. The use of this device helps to save electrical energy. If you choose underfloor heating, how to calculate the cost of purchasing a thermostat? Before purchasing a particular model, decide which features you will use regularly. The choice is wide - from the simplest mechanical devices to intelligent systems that can effectively control the heating of a house in the absence of owners.
Any example of calculating a warm floor will give you approximate information about the cost of heating system equipment. To obtain a more accurate result, it is necessary to take into account all the features of a particular room and the conditions in which this system will operate. Only specialists can do this, so if you are interested in accurate data, seek the help of professionals.