Most recently, manufacturers of warm floors offered their customers only two options that did not have a principled difference, but differed only by the features of the premises in which they were established. But progress does not stand still, and today you can meet a lot of proposals for the installation of electrical infrared floors. Their advertising promises comfort, warmth and safety, but are they so much different from their predecessors, and what is better - electric warm floor or infrared?

Electric "matte" Warm floors

Pretty affordable and already tried by many people around the world a way of heating room. The design of such a warm floor is pretty simple and consists of three components: heating cable, thermostat and temperature sensor.

Heating elements, in turn, are single-core and bile. By and large, they do not differ in except for the laying scheme. Thus, the two-housing cables must be connected to an electrical network only from one end, and single-core - with both. Due to the savings on sockets, the two-housing cables are considered more convenient, profitable and stand a bit more expensive.

Usually the cable is placed in a spiral or zigzag. Its diameter depends on the species of the screed that you will do at home. For a thick screed, the corresponding diameter of the cable is selected, and for a thinner (5-15 mm) is suitable. The diameter of the heated floor cable may vary from 2 to 10 mm. The power, regardless of the thickness, is almost always the same and is 5-20 W on the temporal meter.

Why then the warm floors call "matte"? The fact is that the cable can have a different form. There is a product in the form of the usual wire, and there are so-called "mats". They are a grid base with cable fixed on it. Thus, it turns out something like a single warm cloth. This species is greater popular because "mats" guarantee a uniform distribution of heat over the entire floor surface.

But if the cable diameter can be selected under the thickness of the screed, then only thin wires are used for grids, so "matte" warm floors are suitable only for thin screeds up to 15 mm.

The advantage of heating cables is that they can be installed virtually all types of coatings. Today in building stores you can even meet self-leveling mixtures specifically for a warm floor. But to guarantee fire safety, it is necessary to clearly follow the instructions during the laying of the coating. It is also worth considering that if you put on top of warm floors with excellent thermal insulation properties, for example, a thick wool carpet, then there will be little sense from heating. When buying a linoleum or laminated parquet, find out the seller or look at the manufacturer's labeling - it should be indicated that the product is suitable for electric heating floor.

Infrared floors

New in the world heating devices, which has already managed to establish itself in the best possible way. However, we consider in more detail and find out why infrared electric floors rapidly displace their predecessors from the market.

The main argument of manufacturers in favor of such innovative floors is their beneficial effects on the human body. We will not argue, there is a sense in this. Medical studies have long proved that infrared radiation is useful for a person and can be heal from many diseases. It is actively used in physiotherapeutic purposes in clinics worldwide. But infrared heat loses any meaning if it is overlapping it, for example, by conventional linoleum, laminate or ceramic tiles. Therefore, before installing a film infrared electric floor, find out whether it will be "friendly" with a future finish coating or tie. Unfortunately, this is more difficult to make it more difficult to show at first glance, because no manufacturer of infrared floors can ensure that the useful radiation breaks through this or that coating and will bring this best. Heat - how much, but they are trying not to spread about wellness exposure. Therefore, all convincing arguments that sound in advertising are no more than a successful marketing move.

The infrared electric floor is presented in the best light and is positioned as the best system of heating the latest generation. Yes, it is more convenient and more efficient than ordinary batteries, but also a "wonderful" medicine from all diseases caused by cold, is not.

Advantages of infrared floors:

• small energy consumption - electrical infrared floors consume much less electricity compared to cable. This is due to the absence of a screed over the film, and therefore - the absence of heat loss;
• simple installation and replacement - if part of the film failed, it can be easily replaced, without removing all the coating. Since the heating elements are connected in parallel, the segment failed can easily be removed. However, it is these elements that are subject to the most serious risk of breakage. On-site floor is carried out in just 2-4 hours depending on the square of the room;
• the price of infrared electric floor is not much higher than that of the cable. And even more so it will be cheaper to establish such compact floors than spending on the convection heating system;
• infrared floor - the optimal solution for those cases when there is no possibility to increase the height of the floor with a screed;
• the nature of infrared long-wave radiation is such that he does not heat the air indoors, but the living objects that are in it. With such a system, the air in the room will not be asleep or "heavy" due to temperature, and you will always be warm and comfortable;
• infrared heat does not overpower air and does not provoke dust circulation, contributing to the formation of a clean and comfortable microclimate;
• environmentally friendly method of heating. Infrared thermal film is absolutely safe for human health, and even when heated, it does not highlight poisonous evaporation;
• universality application. Infrared floors can be installed in any rooms. They will be suitable not only for the bedroom and children's, but even for the kitchen and the bathroom;
• the ability to vertical installation. Thermal film is very flexible and easy, so it can be calmly attached to the walls and even the ceiling.

The deficiencies in infrared floors are not so much. If the price and features of the installation under certain coatings are not confused, the main thing is to remember that the thermal film cannot be resolved under the furniture on low legs, for example, dressers or sofas. Otherwise, local overheating will occur under the furniture, and this infrared segment will quickly fail. Therefore, if you have such a heating at home, then you need to plan everything very well before making a permutation.

What are the floors better

We looked at electric and infrared heat floors, and now it's time to determine which one is better?

Cable floors are best laid in the bathroom, nursery or on the balcony, because they are distinguished by better waterproofing than infrared. In addition, on top of them you can put the tile, ceramics, or pour the screed.

Connections of infrared heating elements are very unreliable and quite often fail, while the cable electric floor is a solid cable. The only weak point in it is a coupling.

The price of a warm electric and infrared floor is not so different. Again, it all depends on the square of the room, the diameter of the cable and expenses for the services of the wizard.

Film infrared electric heated floor heats out objects indoors, but not air. The cable warm floor, as well as ordinary batteries, warms the cold air at the bottom, and then elementary physics goes - the air as heated is rising higher and higher, and as a result you get a warm atmosphere under the ceiling, but not in the zone of your comfort.

By summing up, it would be possible to say that the account is none, but there is always some kind of "but". Infrared floors, definitely, would have won the electric years in 5. The current level of production does not yet allow the entire potential of this brilliant invention to fully disclose the entire potential of this brilliant invention, but over time it will still become convenient, compact and one of the most optimal options for home heating.