Infrared film for the warm floor: characteristics and reviews

The system of a warm floor can hardly be called a novelty of the construction market, because even in the era of the ancient Romans it was successfully used for heating marble buildings. In those days, architects tried to design houses so that the steam coming out of the bath heated the floors and walls of the adjoining rooms.

Since then, many new technologies have appeared, and today not only steam but water and electric heating systems are available to us. All of them are quite actively used for space heating, but infra-red floors have won the most popularity.

Why they are so in demand, what features are possessed and how the infrared film works, let us consider this article.

The principle of film floors

The principle of the action of infrared heating lies in the radiation of a film of thermal rays. This process can be compared with the heating of the earth under the influence of the sun. Its rays warm the earth, water, buildings, and those, in turn, give heat to the surrounding space.

The infrared film works in a similar way. In itself, it is very thin (from 0.2 to 0.4 mm), while it consists of three layers:

1. The heating element is responsible for converting electrical energy into heat.
2. The foil acts as a conductor for the uniform distribution of heat over the entire surface of the film.
3. Protective coating prevents damage and moisture penetration to the working elements.

In simple words, the heating process begins with the fact that the electric current, when it enters the heating element, is converted into thermal energy, which heats the film. She, in turn, warms up the floor covering, which gives the received heat to the objects standing in the room.

Specifications

To understand how much you need an infrared heating film and what is necessary for its proper functioning, you need to familiarize yourself with its technical characteristics. It will be useful to learn that:

• The film is produced in rolls, the maximum length of which is 50 cm;
• The width of one roll varies within 0.5-1 meter;
• The installed system operates from 220V;
• Electricity consumption per day (on average) from 20 to 70 W / m²;
• The maximum daily energy consumption is 210 W / m²;
• Heating to the highest possible temperature occurs in 2-3 minutes;
• The average weight of one roll is 55 kg;
• The surface temperature of the running film can reach 50 degrees.

In order for the system to warm up the room well, it must cover at least 80% of the entire floor surface. In this case, energy savings will be more than 25%. When choosing IR products, pay attention to the fact that high-quality infrared film for a warm floor should have a warranty period of about 10 years.

Advantages of wave heating

The film heating system has a number of advantages over other options available today to heat the housing. According to users, they include the following facts:

1. Infrared film for the floor is very simple to install. To install it, you do not need to dismantle the old base. If the surface is flat enough, it should simply be vacuumed and insulated.
2. After installing this system, the ceiling height in the room remains at the same level, which is very important for owners of low rooms.
3. The laid film does not need to be poured with a concrete screed, which allows reducing the repair time and avoiding additional costs.
4. Above the heating layer, absolutely any floor covering can be laid.
5. The film evenly warms the room, which eliminates the appearance of temperature changes in different corners of the room.
6. The system is capable of withstanding strong dynamic loads, so it can be used even in public institutions.
7. Energy costs for this heating method are much lower, compared to the costs of using other heating appliances.
8. The infrared film is mobile. Moving to another place of residence, it can be easily rolled up and placed on another surface.
9. The heating element easily tolerates sudden voltage surges, therefore the service life of film floors is quite large. If one segment still fails, the remaining modules of the system will continue their work.

disadvantages

Unfortunately, even the most innovative materials are not devoid of negative qualities, and this type of heating is no exception. What drawbacks does the infrared film have? Feedback from buyers indicates the following negative aspects of this product:

• When in contact with sharp and thin objects, the system quickly fails;
• The electrostatic nature of the surfaces in the room increases, and they are more attracted to dust;
• Infrared film for the warm floor is very afraid of moisture;
• In places where this roll material is laid, heavy furniture can not be installed, as this will lead to overheating of the module, and it will quickly fail;
• The acquisition of a film of infrared radiation will cost the buyer a tidy sum. The cost of 1 square. M system (with the installation) reaches about 700 rubles, so more often it is used in small rooms.

Types of films and their application

By their structure and principle of operation, all film heaters are similar. Depending on the manufacturer, the infrared heating film may differ in appearance, width, thickness and maximum heating temperature. The latter indicator strongly influences the choice of the installation method and the application of this system. Let's look at how.

The fact is that the maximum temperature of the heated film can reach about 50 degrees, and this thermal impact can not withstand every floor covering.

If the IR system will fit under the linoleum or laminate, you should choose products that are heated by no more than 27 degrees. But under the ceramic coating this option is not suitable, since it can not heat a thick enough material. In this case, you can choose high-temperature systems (which are heated by more than 45 degrees).

Universal heating film (infrared) can be installed on both horizontal and vertical surfaces. The finest varieties fit exclusively on the floor.

How to choose the right option

Modern infrared film for a warm floor is very diverse, which can plunge the confusion of the most collected buyers. However, when making a choice, it is important to simply consider in what conditions it will be used.

If your house already has central heating, but you want to install an additional source of heat (in poorly warmed rooms) - give preference to low-temperature products. It does not greatly increase the electricity consumption and will make your home much warmer.

For heating balconies, wall or ceiling panels are often used. And if you need to heat a large and damp room, choose a film whose power is 300 W / m².

For the equipment of saunas or drying rooms, purchase film products with a capacity of 400 W / m².

What to pay special attention to by purchasing an IR film

A truly reliable product has the main features of a quality product. Namely:

• Infrared warm film should be manufactured on the basis of high-quality and fireproof polymer. Its distinctive feature is a milky shade. Transparencies are short-lived and rapidly deformed under the influence of high temperatures.

• The conductive current strip must be made of copper and have a width of at least 15 cm. The presence of any damage in this area is unacceptable.
• The silver strip should go slightly out of the copper bar. Well, if it has clear contours and does not shine through. Experts advise to give preference to options in which the silver content is not less than 70%.
• Also pay attention to the type of connection of the copper and silver strip. If they are connected together by glue - this option is less durable. More reliable is considered a "dry" connection, using high pressure and temperature.
• When choosing the type of the main active element, it is not necessary to give preference to the non-standard arrangement of the heating elements. Figured sputtering does not affect the operation of the system in any way, so it does not make sense to overpay for them.
• The protective laminating film (located on both sides of the product) should be of the same quality as the substrate. Use of thinner material is not welcome.
• Give preference to products made by professional manufacturers, since cheap film can be deformed from heat and thereby spoil expensive flooring.
• While in the store, ask the seller to check the speed of heating the film. Qualitative options should become warm after a couple of seconds from the moment of connection to the network.
• Take into account the width of the product. As practice shows, the narrower the roll, the greater the risk of overheating the system. If you have a small room - continuous infrared film will be the best option.

Preparation of the substrate for laying the film

So, when you have purchased all the necessary materials, it's time to think about their packing. As mentioned earlier, the process of installing infrared floors is quite simple, but each stage should be given maximum attention.

First of all, it is necessary to properly prepare the substrate for laying the film.

If the old concrete screed is flat enough, it does not need to be dismantled. In this case, you can limit the cleaning of debris and dust. Very often, during the preparation of the substrate, cracks and chips are found on its surface. These defects should be carefully covered with any suitable glue or mortar.

If the screed already begins to move away from the rough floor, it needs to be dismantled and poured again. If the base is still strong enough, but it has a large number of swings and chips, the surface is leveled with a small layer of self-leveling floors.

Particular attention should be paid to the places of joining the walls and the floor, since cracks in the corners of the room can cause large heat losses. All chips, seizures and other defects are scraped, cleaned and filled with foam.

When the repair materials are completely dry, the screed is again cleaned of dust, and the excess sealant is cut.

Over a flat base, a thermal insulation material is laid over and fixed onto which an infrared film for the floor will be laid. Most often for these purposes, a foamed polyethylene reflector is used. Its structure allows you to compensate for the slightest changes on the surface and protect the expensive film from damage. The foil side reflects heat so that it does not go to the floor.

Places of joining adjacent sheets are glued with a special tape. On this basis preparation of the ground can be considered finished.

Self-installing system of warm floors

Installation of infrared film does not cause special difficulties, even for beginners. In this case, the main thing is to strictly adhere to the instruction and not to disregard the basic rules.

So, let's look at how the infrared film is installed with our own hands.

• During the installation of the underfloor heating, it is first necessary to determine where the temperature regulator will be installed. This will help to understand how to correctly place the film on the ground and make preliminary markings. Pay attention that the film should be stacked only on the open areas of a floor, places where furniture will stand, it is better not to cover.

• Measure the required length of the film.
• From the roll, unwind the necessary amount of material and carefully trim it on the specified lines. Usually they are denoted by a pattern in the form of scissors or dotted.
• Laying material is made by copper strips to the base. The cut infrared film is stacked on the marking and fixed to the base with adhesive tape or silicone sealant.
• In the heat-insulating substrate, depressions are made in which wires, terminals and a temperature sensor will be located. The work should be done so that the listed elements do not protrude above the surface of the film.
• The temperature sensor is located in the center of the heating strip, at a distance of at least 50 cm from the wall. Its wire is fed to the temperature regulator.
• Next, the terminals are mounted and crimped to the silver bars of the heating element. Connect the wires to the terminals.
• Now place all connections must be carefully insulated. On both sides of the terminals use special tar cushions. Similarly, the exit points of copper busbars are processed from each cut edge of the film.
• The next stage, all the wires are connected to the temperature regulator, after which it is fixed to the wall.
• After the installation is completed, the correctness of all connections and the operation of the heating system are checked.

Safety during work execution

That the infrared film for heating the room immediately did not fail and served you for many years, pay attention to the rules that must be observed during its installation.

1. Strips of film should be placed so that they are a short distance from the wall (from 12 to 40 cm).
2. Do not lay adjacent sheets overlapping, as this is not safe! The optimal distance between the two strips is 5 mm.
3. Installation of the thermostat should be carried out at a height of 10-20 cm from the floor level.
4. It is not recommended to lay the film longer than 8 meters.
5. It is not necessary to lay the system of a warm floor at high humidity and minus temperature.
6. It is inadmissible that the wires connecting the film and the thermostat intersect on the surface of the base.
7. Roll material is laid without bends and kinks. Mount it to the surface with screws - it's forbidden!
8. Some types of infrared floors can be installed using exclusively branded clips that come complete with a film.

Summarizing, I want to note that the use of infrared film allows you to create an optimal indoor microclimate. Unlike stationary heating, it does not dry air, does not "consume" oxygen and positively affects the human body.

Simplicity of installation makes the system of warm floors accessible to a wide circle of the population, after all everyone can perform its installation with his own hands.

We hope, after reading our article, you found the answers to all your questions. We wish easy repair and warmth in your home!