Characteristics and technology of laying Thermo floor heating

High-tech cable heating systems appeared on the Russian market several years ago and almost immediately occupied a certain niche among converters of electric energy into thermal energy. The products of the Swedish company Thermo Indastri have excellent reviews, in particular - heating cables and thermomats, temperature controllers and sensors. There are both standard complexes and individual elements for assembling underfloor heating systems for sale. When choosing this heating option, uneven temperature distribution of air is eliminated, since heating occurs over the entire installation area. Among other advantages: safety, ergonomics, reliability, durability and autonomy. But due to the high electricity consumption, Thermo floors are more likely to be additional or alternative sources of heat, rather than main ones.

Types and characteristics

A three-layer cable acts as a heating element; for temperature control and regulation, sensors (external or built-in to the floor) and temperature controllers are used. Inside the wire are two current-carrying conductors, insulated with Teflon and fiberglass, multi-wire grounding made of tinned copper. Also under the durable PVC sheath is a shielding foil layer. This design allows you to lay Thermo floors even in places of moisture accumulation, they are simultaneously reliably isolated from external influences and protected from internal overheating.

Conventionally, products are divided into two types: Thermocable and Thermomat. The first involves self-laying the cable in a concrete screed. Such electric floors have a power of about 130 W / m2. The cable, connecting wires, transitional and trailer couplings are included in the package. The scope is extensive: to protect against icing of the roof, outdoor areas, heating the soil in greenhouses and winter gardens, maintaining the desired temperature in pipelines and industrial tanks and installing a warm floor under the screed. The external coating has UV protection, it is allowed to lay the Thermo cable on the roof and other building structures without special boxes.

Thermomat is a cloth half a meter wide with a fixed thin cable with a diameter of 2.8 mm. The reinforcing mesh-base is made of fiberglass, the heating elements are protected from bending by a strong but flexible shell. Such a warm floor Thermo does not require a thick layer of screed, the maximum thickness of the adhesive for laying is 4 mm (according to reviews, the height of the flooring practically does not increase). There are three types of Thermo thermal mats:

under the screed, with a power of 130 W / m2,
for sites with significant heat loss - 180,
warm mats for a laminate without the use of tile glue with a capacity of 130.

The main advantage of Thermo products is ease of installation, small thickness and environmental friendliness. Therefore, they are recommended for laying in apartments and premises with high requirements for the level of comfort. Reliable waterproofing allows the use of warm Thermo mats in bathrooms, pools and bathrooms.

Selection tips

Overview of performance considerations for purchase:

Dimensions or length: warm mats and wires are not allowed to be shortened, therefore, a preliminary calculation of power and planning of placement are carried out.
Heating area: from 0.6 to 12 m2. If it is necessary to use it for a larger room, two heating mats are connected to one thermostat.
Power consumption: 85 to 1560 W for Thermomat, 165–2250 for cable floors.
Wire resistance (for cable products). It is taken into account together with the length when calculating the power supply cross-section.

“Three years ago I bought a Thermo warm mat for tiling in the bathroom. Before that, there was one radiator in it, it was not enough to eliminate dampness, the floors were cold. These issues are now fixed. Installation was carried out independently in one day, the cable was already attached to the base with the desired step. I installed the thermostat right away, sometimes I turn on the floor heating on cool summer days. ”

Konstantin Demidov, Moscow.

“We decided to buy a warm mat Thermo for floors in the nursery. A layer of foil waterproofing was laid on the concrete floor, then a grid with a cable (without screed), a laminate was chosen as the flooring. The floors rose no higher than 5 cm, the room is warm and comfortable. The average energy consumption with thermostat is 15 W per day, when the central heating is supplied, we set it to minimum or turn it off. ”

Sergey Babich, Kazan.

“I installed an external Thermo heater to protect against ice accumulation on the steps of the store, while saving on cable (I bought a single-core cable), but spent on sensors and a temperature controller. In total, it took 8,000 rubles for the materials, and the site heating is automatically switched on as necessary. ”

“Conducted the installation of a cable electric floor Thermo in the corridor of a private house. I used a ready-made mat of 1.5 m2 for areas with large heat losses. The temperature controller with two sensors was placed on the wall opposite the door, at a height of 0.5 m from the floor, periodically changing the adjustment temperature, depending on weather conditions. Pros: a warm air curtain at the entrance to the house and drying shoes. Minus: the substantial price of the kit (9500 rubles). ”

Advantages and disadvantages of Thermo products

The choice of underfloor heating as a heat source implies:

Comfort and environmental friendliness. Such heating is considered the most suitable for the human body, no harmful combustion products or radiation.
Aesthetics: floors rise slightly, the thermostat takes up little space and is almost invisible.
Universality: Thermo products are suitable for diverse purposes and are reliably protected from internal and external influences. The only limitation is the inadmissibility of strong and permanent bends.
Long service life. The minimum warranty is 20 years, user reviews confirm the durability of Thermo cable floors.
Availability, ease of installation and maintenance.

The disadvantages include the high cost of components and high power consumption (an average of 20 W / h is required per 1 m of cable). It is not recommended to lay underfloor heating without a thermostat, operating costs increase by about three times, in addition - in this case, offline mode is not possible. Another important requirement is the continuity of the system, frequent disconnections from the network are undesirable (although this is rarely done in Russian conditions).

Thermo cable floors are recommended for laying under the screed or under the laminate in rooms with low walls, as well as for protecting roofs, pipes, tanks and containers from freezing. They are reliable and durable, easy to install, in the presence of a temperature regulator can work in a fully autonomous mode. Electricity consumption directly depends on the heated area, so before you buy underfloor heating or Thermo components, you should calculate the power. After laying, weight loads on the wires are avoided, this is especially true for Thermomat with or without a thin layer of screed.

Types and characteristics of Thermo floor heating

Thermo floor heating is a cable electric heating system. The heating elements are a mat and a three-layer cable, which is laid on the floor. To regulate the temperature regime, the system is additionally equipped with a temperature controller and special sensors.

The principle of operation of the Thermo warm floor is based on the laws of energy conversion, in this case from electric to thermal.

The Swedish manufacturer produces underfloor heating in two forms:

Thermocable. The system is presented in the form of a cable. Its main distinguishing feature is that a concrete screed with a width of approximately 4 cm is required during installation, the equipment has a capacity of about 130 W for every 1 sq.m. Thermocable is a shielded, armored and two-core cable with a diameter of 7 mm, as well as sealed end and adapter sleeves. Outside, the cable is insulated with PVC, inside - with silicone.
Thermomat. In this system, the main working segment is a specially equipped mat. When installing, there is no need to pre-lay the concrete screed. Only tile glue is used, the optimum thickness of the adhesive base is 4 mm. The power of the equipment is 180 W per 1 sq.m. The cable is used two-core, shielded, reinforced, thin with a diameter of 2.8 mm and a width of 0.5 m. Teflon insulation.

When choosing a warm floor, you need to determine the operating conditions: are there any restrictions when installing the system, on what area it is planned to mount a warm floor, this will be the main or additional way of heating.

Based on these parameters, the optimal power of the equipment is calculated and a purchase is made in accordance with financial capabilities.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantages of the product:

Easy to install. Using the attached installation instructions, if you have all the necessary tools, you can cope with the work yourself.
Comfort. Thanks to innovative development, it is possible to constantly maintain a temperature regime comfortable for a person. Moreover, a person in each room can set a different temperature depending on the needs of households.
Universality. The system can be used as an independent or additional way of heating the living space. Versatility is observed when installing floors. The project can be implemented during the construction of the house and during the repair.
Durability. The manufacturer provides a warranty period of 20 years, which once again confirms the high quality of the purchased electrical equipment.

Of the shortcomings, most often users mention the quality of thermostats, which is inferior to the quality of the system itself. The Swedish company does not produce them independently, but acquires them from another company. However, the developers took into account this point and there are less and less complaints.

Many buyers are confused by the fact that the equipment is assembled in Russia, but at the same time they have no complaints about the quality of the equipment.

Installation and operation

The installation and use of equipment from Thermo does not cause difficulties, especially if a decision is made to additionally purchase thermomats. For installation, it is enough to roll them onto a pre-leveled and dry surface, lay the floor covering on top.

With a screed, things will be a little more complicated. In this case, the work is divided into several stages:

Calculate the required amount of cable.
Lay in a spiral, while stretching the wire is unacceptable.

During installation, it is important to regularly measure the voltage of the cable, as well as to prevent it from being in places where large furniture will be installed in the future.

Types of underfloor heating

The main types produced by this company are 2, it is a thermomat (Thermomat TVK) and a thermal cable (Thermocable SVK) to which Thermo gives lifelong guarantee. We’ll talk about it separately, and now we’ll pay attention to the differences between the thermal cable and the thermomat.

From the technical side, there is no difference, just a thermomat - this is the same cable, but laid on a special substrate - a grid for tiling and reinforced foil for a laminate or parquet.

In both cases, a resistive cable is used, the length of which cannot be changed. You can only regulate the temperature using the thermostat, supplied separately from the cable or mat.

Where applicable

Of course, the main purpose of underfloor heating is tile. This is a kitchen, bathroom, toilet and possibly an entrance. In general, those places where the tile lies, but you want to walk barefoot. Thermo floor heating does an excellent job.

Nevertheless, you should understand that underfloor heating is mounted under the tiles, which means that their presence should be planned in advance, at the stage of repair. And in this case, it should be noted that the installation of such a floor will raise the level of the tile by 5-7 mm.

Laminate, parquet and parquet board are also the “zone of influence” of warm floors. For laminate and parquet Thermo produces a special thermomat TVK-130L (Thermomat for parquet & laminate), which consists of a heating cable, which is enclosed in a mat of reinforced foil. This design allows the most efficient use of heat and direct it in the right direction.

Underfloor heating

It is technically impossible to heat an apartment with warm floors. Rather, it is possible, but then you would have to walk constantly in shoes, because such a floor temperature would be uncomfortable - very hot. But this is all in theory. In practice, it turns out this picture:

Thermomat on 6 sq. M. heats the room on average 10-15 sq.m. since you can’t place it under the furniture. With a power of 750 W - this is extremely insufficient for full heating in cold weather,
To warm yourself from a warm floor, you either have to lie down on it, or turn on the maximum power that will burn your feet like hot sand,
Turning the underfloor heating to the maximum significantly reduces the life of the entire device

Lifetime warranty

Sellers also like to talk about a lifetime warranty on Thermo products. There is also a catch.

A heated floor must be installed by a qualified electrician (read: Thermo certified)
Warranty ends at the moment dismantling warm floor, i.e. if you dismantle all these thermal cables and thermomats and bring them to the store, in return you will receive that the warranty has just expired :)
The warranty does not cover accidents, improper design and careless storage,
Moreover, under warranty, you will have to open a tile or laminate with a Thermo representative so that he makes sure that the dismantling was also carried out in accordance with all the rules.

In general, in order to achieve a warranty replacement for defective products, you will have to fork out for a certified electrician, a design designer and a tiler with an appropriate certificate. And all this is an additional cost.

Does not dry air

Another myth of sellers of underfloor heating. Any heating element, from a wood-burning fireplace to a soldering iron, dries the air. Thermo floor heating is no exception. A large heating area at a sufficiently low temperature makes this process invisible, but it is worth turning on the floor heating more powerful - drying will go as intensively as with any other heaters.

Efficiency - above the roof!

And again fiction! The contact area of a Thermo thermo or thermal cable with a cold concrete screed is much larger than that of a quartz heater. A polypropylene backing with foil (mirror) film helps, but not enough to reflect the terrifying amount of heat that goes into concrete. That is why the story about how high the Thermo system has underfloor heating is simply beautiful fairy tales.

No screed! The cable (mat) is put right like that!

Another tale. You will not lay laminate flooring on clumsy floors? Lay tile on curved floor? If you put a thermomat on the curve floor, then the same fate awaits him as the laminate, and tiles laid on the curved surface. All statements that Thermo does not need screeds are just one more hit with the finger in the sky.

Device and types of floors Thermo

By itself, the Thermo floor heating is cable system heating, where a heating, three-layer cable and a mat laid directly on the floor are used as a heating element. To regulate its temperature, special sensors and temperature regulators are used.The work of the warm floor is arranged according to the law of energy conversion, that is, the conversion of electrical energy into heat.

Thermo floor heating has two main types:

Thermocable. This system is presented only in cable configuration. Its main difference is that during installation concrete screed needed about 4 cm and has a power of about 130 watts per square meter. m. Thermocable - consists of a two-core, armored, shielded, 7 mm diameter cable with a connecting cable of 2.5 m, as well as sealed transitional and end couplings. Outside the system is insulated with PVC, and inside with silicone.
Thermomat. In this configuration, the basis of the system is a specially equipped mat. During installation not necessary in concrete screed and only 4 mm of tile adhesive is used. Its power is approximately equal to the mark of 180 watts per square meter. m. The structure of Thermomat includes a thin, reinforced. Shielded, two-core, with a diameter of 2.8 mm mat with Teflon insulation and a width of 0.5 m.

The choice of each of the modifications depends on what goals you pursue from heating. Will it be the main source or additional, for which room and on what area will the floor be installed, and whether there are any system installation restrictions. Depending on all these parameters, the optimum power is determined and the necessary set is purchased in accordance with the budget.

Installing a Thermo Cable

Drawing up the styling scheme. It marks the location of the cable itself, the location of the network connection, the location of the sensors, as well as the coupling.
Strobes preparation in a wall for a temperature regulator and a temperature sensor.
Laying thermal insulation material (provided that the thickness of the screed is more than three centimeters).
Surface cleaning and installation of a heating cable. Avoiding the location of stationary furniture and checking the cable resistance (if it does not match the coupling, it is recommended to stop working).
Installation sensors and thermostat.
Check the power supply process of the system.
Fasten the cable with cement-sand screed.
Leave screed to secure for 30 days.

Thermo mat installation

Construction of a styling drawing, as in the case of the cable. This is necessary so that in the event of a breakdown easier to navigate in the location of the system.
Wall gating for sensors and thermostat.
Place mats on a clean surface avoiding the location of stationary furniture (if this is not possible, you can incise the mat, but in no case damage to the cable must be allowed).
Installation sensors and thermostat.
Check mains power.
Filling mats with tile adhesive.
Allow the glue to dry for about 7 days.

Regarding the operation of Thermo warm floors, the manufacturer claims that after installation, the system will not be required to be serviced, since it is excellent will work offline. True, it is desirable that the system is constantly in operation without downtime. Of course, this is quite problematic especially in the summer, but it will protect the floors from damage.

If we talk about the prices of Thermo warm floors, then they depend directly on required power and heating area. Installing a heating cable will cost you less than installing mats, which must also be taken into account. For small rooms, the price will be about the same - about 120 - $ 150 - for the house the most suitable option, but if you need to heat a larger room, then the mat will come out more expensive tens of dollars.

Thermo warm floors are the best option for those who appreciate the warmth and comfort around them. The undoubted advantages of this system and its attractive price make it one of the leaders in its field on the modern market. And traditional Swedish quality guarantees their long and reliable operation.

Reviews of Termo underfloor heating

Three years ago, I installed Thermo underfloor heating in my bathroom and kitchen. During this time, there were no complaints about cables, but both TI-900 temperature controllers are out of order, More precisely, the display has broken. Most likely, the contacts were oxidized and instead of numbers, hieroglyphs appeared on the screen, although there may be a problem in another, although friends had a similar situation.

Hello everyone! In general, I work as an installer, and have already lost count of how much I had to install underfloor heating. He installed floors of various companies and should note that there have never been problems with the thermo brand. No complaints about the quality, and actually the company itself, too. I have more than 10 years of experience, and before the thermo I worked with DE-VI and Teplolux, but they have recently deteriorated. Therefore, I switched to thermo, because I do not want to lose customers!

My husband and I have been choosing for quite some time where and what kind of underfloor to buy. Just traveled all the shops in the area. As a result, under the influence of two particularly active consultants, they took thermo to the bathroom, and energy to their bedroom. In general, what can I say the bathroom is warm and dry, although you live there, but you don’t feel it in the bedroom, plus the regulator broke down after a month of use, and the warranty call is paid. It would be better if they put a thermo in the bedroom - we regret it now.

What you should not expect from a warm floor

The quality of Thermo underfloor heating in comparison with analogues is really worthy of respect, but you should not assign to it unusual tasks. In order not to be upset after the purchase, remember a few rules:

The warm floor is not designed for heating as a separate system, it is designed to give comfort to your feet,
Saving electricity with underfloor heating is possible only when it is correctly turned on and off. If you don’t want to do this manually, you can set up a socket with a timer, which will turn on the warm floors for you at a certain time and turn it off when you don’t need them
Thermo underfloor heating is not a high-efficiency element. Most of the energy spent on heating the concrete floor under your feet, so using the system as primary heating is unprofitable for this reason, too.
Thermo warm floors “do not like” when they put furniture. The fact is that the cable is heated along the entire length the same way, and if the cable section is laid under the furniture - it will overheat and fail,
Thermo cable changes completely when broken. It will not be possible to remove one tile and put a jumper / roll up electrical tape. I’m glad that cases of cable breakage during the operation phase are quite rare, but they do happen,

Features and types of equipment for underfloor heating from “Thermo”

Thermo floor heating is manufactured at the facilities of the Swedish Thermo Industri. The company specializes only in the production of heating equipment. The manufacturer gained its popularity in the beginning in the markets of Scandinavia, and then in Russia. The equipment is in great demand, many customers trust the company.

If we talk about technology, the Swedish manufacturer's series of underfloor heating is based on a cable system. A special innovative heating cable consisting of three layers is used as the main heater. For ease of use, the cable is securely fixed to the mat, which greatly simplifies installation. To conveniently regulate the temperature, Thermo warm floors are equipped with special electronic sensors and a thermostat. This greatly simplifies operation and makes the warm floor more comfortable. The principle of operation of the heating cable is based on the law of energy conversion, in which electricity is effectively converted into thermal energy.

The Thermo range of underfloor heating includes two groups of systems. The first one is Thermocable. It exists only in cable configuration. Among the differences of this system is the need for a concrete screed with a thickness of 4 cm. The power of the equipment set is 130 W / sq. m

A system based on a special two-core cable has been arranged. Additionally, the cable is shielded and reinforced. Its diameter is 7 mm. A 2.5 m long connecting wire is also used. Reducing and terminating couplings are completely tight. The system is carefully insulated. A special PVC material is used as the outer insulation, and silicone is used as the inner insulation layer.

The second system in the range of underfloor heating - Thermomat. The package includes a mat. For its installation, there is no need for cement-concrete screed equipment. A layer of self-leveling mixture with a thickness of up to 4 mm, or the same layer of tile glue, will be enough. The power of the heating mat is 180 W / sq.m.

A thin shielded two-wire cable is used as a cable with a reinforcing layer. Its diameter is 2.8 mm. The mat is insulated with Teflon coating and its width is 0.5 m.

The choice of this or that type of equipment depends on what requirements are presented to a heat-insulated floor. Thermo floor heating can be used as an additional or as the main source of thermal energy. It is also important for the choice in which room the installation will be carried out and what size the room will be. After a thorough analysis of all parameters, the necessary power is determined and a suitable set of equipment is acquired.

System Benefits

Thermo floor heating has many advantages, but it is not without drawbacks. Before purchasing this equipment, it is necessary to form a complete opinion on these products.

Systems from the Swedish manufacturer are extremely comfortable. The equipment is configured in such a way as to produce the most suitable and comfortable temperature for people at the level of their feet. In the legs, the temperature is 24 degrees. At the level of the human body, the temperature is slightly lower - 20 degrees. Electronic controls allow you to accurately change the heating modes in different rooms, depending on the need. The temperature regulator is intelligent and allows for high precision settings.

An important parameter is aesthetics. A properly mounted system will not be visible in any room, but at the same time it will give such a cozy and desirable warmth for everyone. To learn that the room has a warm floor, you can only by the elegant and elegant thermostat, which can be hung on the wall. The best European designers worked on the appearance of the thermostat - it can easily fit into any interiors and will be able to fine-tune the warm floor to the situation. Sweden is a country where they love comfort and aesthetics, therefore the manufacturer is trying to realize all these important and necessary qualities in his products.

The equipment is characterized by high durability and reliability. Such heating systems can serve a person for decades. An important fact is a guarantee. The company gives a guarantee for the whole complex of equipment for 20 years. This is the best way to declare that both the components and the complete system are incredibly reliable and durable.

In Sweden, just like in our country, they love universal solutions. Therefore, the manufacturer has created a system that is truly universal. Such underfloor heating can be used anywhere. It can be the only and main source of heat in an apartment, house, office. Another complex can work as additional heating. In addition, versatility is manifested during installation work. Heating cables and mats can be mounted both in a building under construction and in a living room, where repairs are simply done.

An important factor that made this warm floor so popular is the simplicity and ease of installation. Thermo, Sweden takes care of its customers and consumers and attaches very detailed instructions to each kit, where the installation work is described literally in steps. The instruction also includes a list of tools. Even a person far from such equipment can cope with the installation.

Disadvantages of underfloor heating

The advantages of solving this Swedish manufacturer are not few. But some flaws are also present. Among the disadvantages are thermostat. Thermo is a manufacturer of cable and mats, as well as related equipment. Thermostats, by contrast, are ordered from other manufacturers. The quality of these products is not as high as that of the heating elements, therefore there is a lack of durability. The equipment does not work as long as we would like. However, company management is aware of this problem and has taken appropriate measures. Thermostats in production undergo more stringent quality control - there are practically no complaints about the longevity of their work.

The second drawback is almost impossible to call a drawback. Many of those who own this complex are sure that the system is being produced not only in Sweden, but also in our country. Numerous checks did not reveal a fake product, and even more - a special certificate was drawn up (which can be requested from the seller), fully confirming the origin of Thermo.

Cable mounting

The first step before installation is the cable laying scheme. In this diagram, the desired location of the heating element, the location of the sensors, couplings, the place of connection to the electric network are marked out. They also prepare a strob for laying the temperature regulator wire and temperature sensors.

Then perform the laying of the insulating layer. Thermal insulation is necessary if the screed has a thickness of more than 30 mm. Next - the working surface is thoroughly cleaned and the cable is laid. When laying, make sure that the place where the heater will lie is free of furniture.

At the next stage, the sensors and thermostat are mounted, the power supply is checked and the cable is fixed with a cement screed.

Mounting the heating mat

As is the case with a cable heater, a styling scheme is first created. This is necessary so that in the event of failure of individual sections, to know and navigate the location of communications. Further preparatory work is the same as when installing the cable.

Mats are laid on a clean surface in places where heavy furniture will not stand. Then mount the electronics, check the power and fill the mat with glue for the tiles.

Operation and maintenance

Manufacturers declare that after installation there is no need to maintain a warm floor. The system functions perfectly in a fully autonomous mode. To achieve effective work, the manufacturer recommends using the complex without downtime. This can be a problem, but longevity will depend on it.

Warm floors - the best solution for everyone who loves a maximum of warmth and comfort around them. Prices and advantages make this equipment a leader. Swedish quality is a guarantee of a long and reliable operation. This is confirmed by all those who used the Thermo floor heating. The owners write positive reviews about these complexes and are generally satisfied with the purchase.