ᐅ Installing Underfloor Heating Retrofitting: Experiences and Insights!
Created on: 19 Dec 2016 07:57
N
nilipiliI am trying to find people who have actually had underfloor heating retrofitted by milling the floor themselves. I would like to know if they are satisfied with it or if they even regret it.
If possible, please only share your experiences and avoid discussing the usefulness of such a project or alternatives.
Thank you.
If possible, please only share your experiences and avoid discussing the usefulness of such a project or alternatives.
Thank you.
I’ll join in here: since an older bathroom in the family is going to be renovated, it would be great to install underfloor heating during this process (only in the bathroom). Removing the radiators should primarily free up wall space.
I assume that the existing screed would need to be milled out for this – or would it be better to remove it completely from the entire room?
What should be considered when doing this?
I assume that the existing screed would need to be milled out for this – or would it be better to remove it completely from the entire room?
What should be considered when doing this?
Maria16 schrieb:
I suppose the existing screed would have to be milled out for this—or would it be better to remove it throughout the entire room?
What should be considered during this process? It depends on the local conditions! Will all the sanitary fixtures stay in their original positions? If not, screed work will likely be necessary anyway. You also need to assess the condition of the screed. One drawback of milling out the screed is that optimal insulation below is not possible, and the tiles above may not be heated evenly. For a 5m² (54 ft²) bathroom, this might not be a big issue, but for 20m² (215 ft²), you need to ensure the heating capacity is sufficient. Also, milling creates a lot of very fine dust that spreads everywhere. In some cases, breaking out the screed may actually produce less dust than milling, despite dust extraction. Honestly, I can't really judge the cost differences.
To the questioners:
The valuable suggestion—and indeed the crucial question—from "86bibo" was whether all the sanitary fixtures are to remain in their current locations.
If the answer is no, then on small areas it is generally not practical to make adjustments to the screed. However, adding a new screed will not provide enough height to install a standard warm water underfloor heating screed with the necessary thermal insulation.
There are special solutions, such as the SCHÜTZ R50 system, which requires only about 50mm (2 inches) of build-up height together with the insulation, plus floor covering and adhesive layer.
Retrofitting grooves into existing screeds is a critical task. It unintentionally introduces numerous weak points and thus structural weaknesses. I have overseen such retrofitting in a concrete slab floor with core heating. This worked because we could only cut 20mm (0.8 inches) deep and the slab was thick enough.
With existing screeds, it is never certain if the required thickness according to standards is present. If the structure is then weakened, the screed will crumble at the first walk-on, held only by the tiles and their adhesive.
For upgrading a small bathroom, a safer and dust-free alternative is recommended: an electric foil heating system.
These are available with a room thermostat, add only about 3mm (1/8 inch) of thickness, and are installed exclusively beneath ceramic tiles in the adhesive mortar.
This is a solution I can recommend.
Regarding electricity costs, for a small room these will be limited, especially considering that heating with oil or gas also incurs expenses.
The system works and can be considered state of the art.
Best regards to everyone: KlaRa
The valuable suggestion—and indeed the crucial question—from "86bibo" was whether all the sanitary fixtures are to remain in their current locations.
If the answer is no, then on small areas it is generally not practical to make adjustments to the screed. However, adding a new screed will not provide enough height to install a standard warm water underfloor heating screed with the necessary thermal insulation.
There are special solutions, such as the SCHÜTZ R50 system, which requires only about 50mm (2 inches) of build-up height together with the insulation, plus floor covering and adhesive layer.
Retrofitting grooves into existing screeds is a critical task. It unintentionally introduces numerous weak points and thus structural weaknesses. I have overseen such retrofitting in a concrete slab floor with core heating. This worked because we could only cut 20mm (0.8 inches) deep and the slab was thick enough.
With existing screeds, it is never certain if the required thickness according to standards is present. If the structure is then weakened, the screed will crumble at the first walk-on, held only by the tiles and their adhesive.
For upgrading a small bathroom, a safer and dust-free alternative is recommended: an electric foil heating system.
These are available with a room thermostat, add only about 3mm (1/8 inch) of thickness, and are installed exclusively beneath ceramic tiles in the adhesive mortar.
This is a solution I can recommend.
Regarding electricity costs, for a small room these will be limited, especially considering that heating with oil or gas also incurs expenses.
The system works and can be considered state of the art.
Best regards to everyone: KlaRa
Similar topics