Liquid Screed Benefits
Water underfloor heating systems, also known as Hydronic or wet, warm a room quicker than conventional radiators. This is due to underfloor heating systems warming the floor evenly across the room rather than the air space around a radiator.
The absence of radiators also leaves wall space clear, improving the overall appearance of a room, not to mention the trials and tribulations of decorating around a conventional radiator. There is also evidence to suggest that airflow is improved and there is a reduction in the amount of dust in a room, as it doesn’t collect around the radiators.
Traditional central heating systems often reach temperatures of 65–75 °C. Underfloor heating do not have to be heated to this level, as the heating is distributed evenly across a room, reducing the energy require to heat a room and driving down those energy bills!
Ready for manifold installation
Room prepared and ready to go
Work in progress
Underfloor heating pipes should be installed to manufacturer’s spacings and guidelines, as a minimum requirement the pipe should be secured using either a clip rail or staple every 400mm. The pipe should be well secured to prevent floating during the application of liquid screed.
It is essential that the pipe work be pressure tested (preferably with water) before the application of screed to ensure there are no leaks.
Finished preparation should be completely water tight to prevent leaking and polythene and other materials should be grease free and sitting flat to the insulation boards. All pipes and conduits running in the screed must also be fully secured.
The floor where the underfloor heating is to be installed should be clean and all debris removed.
The insulation should be overlaid using minimum of 500-gauge polythene, overlapped by 100mm and taped, cut flush to the perimeter strip. The polythene should be laid flat with minimal ridges.
The pipe fixing system should be laid in a criss-cross pattern, at a 90-degree angle from the water heating pipes.
The laying of pipe should begin from the outlet manifold and move in a snake like pattern to the furthest point in the room, in line with the manufacturer’s spacings and guidelines. Ideally, the pipe should be secured using either a clip rail or staple at every 400mm.
Once the entire system is installed it should be pressure tested with water.