Warm plinth, its structure and principle of operation, scope and types of plinth heating, its advantages and installation technology. A warm plinth is a heating system, which is a collapsible box with a coolant, which is water or electricity. Compared to traditional radiators, such products are less efficient. To increase it, the devices are installed above the floor along the entire perimeter of the room, thereby justifying their name. Our today's material is about how to correctly perform the installation of a warm skirting board.
The principle of operation and construction of the "warm plinth" system
By and large, there is nothing new in a warm plinth as in a heating system. It consists of an aluminum body with fasteners, which performs a decorative, protective and convection function, and a heating element mounted in its middle. The only difference between such a system and the conventional convector is its miniature size. A small box containing all the heating elements has a height of 14 cm and a thickness of 3 cm. All parts are original parts of the constructor and provide for a simple and quick installation.
The idea of making a thermal curtain around the perimeter of the room along all its walls is embodied in warm skirting boards. The flow of warm air emanating from the plinth creates an obstacle for the cold from the walls and does not allow it to penetrate into the room. The walls are heated with the same air, increasing the heating efficiency.
Warm skirting environment
The scope of heating with warm skirting boards is wide enough. First of all, they are used in apartments and private houses, replacing the centralized heating system, or serve as an additional source of heat.
In addition, such a heating system is often used to heat educational and medical institutions, swimming pools and shops, office premises, museums and exhibition halls, where it is sometimes difficult to create the necessary comfort in winter due to high ceilings and a large area of premises.
Warm skirting boards are also installed along cold and damp walls on a balcony, in a house, in a greenhouse, etc.
The main types of baseboard heating
There are two types of baseboard heating - using electricity and using a heated coolant.
In the first case, electric warm skirting boards are used. The radiator units of their system are supplied with air heating elements having a power of 200 W and mounted in one of two copper pipes. The second tube contains a power cable covered with a heat-resistant silicone material. Electricity is supplied to the heating system through a regular socket.
Warm skirting boards of this type can be used for heating any premises, except for those with a high level of humidity. An electric heating system is much easier to assemble than a water one. In this case, all heating elements are placed inside the box, and additional parts such as supply pipes or a collector are not required.
A variety of electric models are infrared warm skirting boards. Their systems have a rated power of 150 watts. The weight of such a skirting board is only 2 kg with a thickness of 20 mm. The infrared system can provide the main heating in the room, since, despite its "modest" power, the level of heat transfer from its lamellas is 5 times higher than the efficiency of other electric models.
Thanks to the anodized aluminum lamellas, which are a source of infrared radiation, the warm skirting board heats up the wall at the base of which it is attached quite strongly, and all nearby surfaces. Installation of infrared skirting boards around the perimeter of the room allows you to create a powerful thermal curtain from the cold air entering the room.
In addition, a warm infrared skirting board removes moisture from the walls without disturbing the indoor climate. This is a huge plus in favor of infrared heating, since the air in the room remains safe and clean, and the lack of convective heat supply prevents unnecessary movement of dust along with microbes.
Skirting water heating is a system that consists of the following elements:
- Distribution manifold, consisting of two steel pipes for supplying and returning the coolant;
- A radiator consisting of a box and a heat exchanger enclosed in it;
- A set of plastic tubes. One of them, smaller in diameter and smooth, is placed in a wider second, which plays the role of a cover.
As a rule, heat exchanger tubes made of copper have the following dimensions: inner diameter - 11 mm, outer - 13 mm. They are equipped with lamellas, which can be aluminum or brass. Any of them have high thermal conductivity.
The pipe supplying the coolant is in a corrugated sheath. This is both protection and a way to quickly replace it. In case of wear, the inner tube can be easily pulled out of the corrugated sheath without disassembling the floor or wall. Fortunately, plastic products are resistant to salts dissolved in water, so repairs to warm water system baseboards are very rare.
Advantages and disadvantages of warm skirting boards
Using warm skirting boards, you can maintain a comfortable room temperature within 24-25 degrees. In this case, the distribution of heat energy occurs evenly. The air temperature at the level of the ceiling and floor is the same. The temperature of the plinth during its operation can be + 50-70 degrees, thanks to which you can save up to 40% on heating. The entire circuit of a warm water baseboard uses 2 times less heat carrier than a heating radiator, and the same amount of energy for heating.
Electrical systems are also economical. For example, a conventional heater with a section power of 190 W consumes 30-40% more energy than a warm skirting board.
In such products, heat loss can be 5 degrees, and in conventional radiators - up to 20. Reduction of heat loss is achieved by a high speed of the carrier in the contours of the plinth. In this case, the bulk of the energy goes to warm up the room and quite a bit - to the heat shield.
The radiant heat emanating from the skirting boards maintains optimal humidity in the room, favorably affects indoor plants, does not escape through the windows and prevents condensation from occurring. In a room equipped with such products, mold does not form, since it is heated evenly, including the corners.
For buildings with solid glazing or large windows or dwellings with high ceilings, the warm skirting system is the ideal solution. Its advantages are manifested even more in premises with a significant area - shops, gyms, conservatories, museums and others.
Heating with warm skirting boards is absolutely safe, unlike radiators, it does not damage wooden surfaces. Therefore, near such elements, you can safely put any furniture, for example, a sofa, cabinets and armchairs, as well as equipment, including a TV or computer. Curtains hanging down to the floor near such a product will also not be affected.
Warm skirting board surpasses not only convectors and radiators, but also the "warm floor" heating system. In contrast, electric skirting boards are quick to install and do not require large-scale construction work.
Such a system makes it possible to use your merits in many architectural and design projects, creating a lot of scope for creativity. It is almost invisible, since the color of the warm skirting board can be any color, including imitation of wood species.
In addition to the above-described advantages, the devices have such advantages as simple dismantling and fastening without harm to the interior, quick warming up of the room, automatic control, which includes the ability to set its own temperature level in each room, no threat of freezing of the system when the power is turned off and coolant leaks, as well as its Fire safety.
The only drawback of a warm plinth is the susceptibility of its body to mechanical stress. If, for example, a child driving his car crashes into him, then there is no guarantee that the box will withstand such a load.
Warm skirting board installation technology
Installation of the "warm plinth" system is carried out in stages. Each of them should be treated responsibly, as this will affect the final result of the work.
Preparatory work before installing a warm skirting board
The preparation involves choosing the most suitable warm electric or water baseboard system depending on the optimum energy source available. If a water baseboard is chosen, it is necessary to decide how to connect it to a boiler or central heating, and if it is electrical, it should be securely connected to a household outlet.
In order to calculate the required number of warm skirting boards, it is worth taking into account the total capacity of such a heating system, taking into account the possible heat losses for each of the rooms, which depend on the glazing area, wall insulation, outside air temperature and others.
The less heat losses, the less power will be required for a warm plinth, which means that its price will be lower. On average for a warm electric skirting board of 10 m2 the area of the room will require 0.5 kW of heater power. For water with the same area, power will need 2 times more.
Features of installing warm skirting boards
Before installing warm skirting boards, a plan for their installation should be drawn up. The products are arranged in one row on two supports at a distance of 10 mm from the floor surface and 15 mm from the wall. Clearances are necessary for the organization of convection of heat during the operation of the heating system in order to avoid overheating.
First, the level of the skirting boards is marked with a paint cord. Its print will give a line along which the devices should be mounted, taking into account the necessary gaps. Along this line, you need to attach the back panel of the skirting board to the wall and mark the holes for drilling. After making the holes, you need to insert plastic dowels into them and fix the plinth panel with screws. All other modules are installed in the same way. In this case, you should strictly adhere to the marking line.
Upon completion of the installation of all products, supply jumpers must be installed on them and the devices must be grounded. You can connect no more than 17 modules of the heating system, which have a power of 200 watts on the loop. This is due to the limited cable cross-section of 2.5 mm2, which is located inside the heating element. All modules must be connected in series.
After connecting, you need to close them from above with covers and install seam and side plugs. If the fixing of the cover is not sufficient, it is necessary to bend from below the edges of the back side of the case.
System thermostat connection
The thermostat of the heating system is installed on the inner wall opposite the heating elements in a convenient place - for example, near the block of sockets and switches. This will allow him not to interfere with the installation of equipment, furniture and assembly. The thermostat should be located at a height of 1, 2-1, 5 m from the floor and be open for free air access.
To install the device, attach its back panel to the wall and mark the holes for 6 mm dowels for drilling. After completing them, the back of the thermostat must be securely fixed with dowels and screws on the wall.
It is important to know that this device reacts to the temperature in the room, so its distance from the heating panels should exceed 2 m. After connecting the thermostat, close the lid and check the temperature to activate the relay.
Cable routing for the "warm skirting" system
It is made in compliance with all cable cross-sections, selected in accordance with the power of the system. Concealed wiring is carried out using a special channel cut in the wall, and open wiring using decorative junction boxes. Its connection is made through a thermostat or a junction box.
After preparing the place for the wiring, you need to connect the cable to the warm skirting board. In this case, it is recommended to use the DIF RCD system. Select a wire of the required length and secure it with a crimp in the lugs, which must then be inserted into the terminal block and clamped with a screwdriver. The two cables coming from the panel should be similarly connected on the other side of the block, which after that should be fixed on the panel with screws.
After that, the connecting wires must be connected to the thermostat, and the device itself must be connected to the network. The connection diagram should be in the passport for the thermostat.
After finishing the installation of warm skirting boards, it is recommended to test the finished heating system. To do this, you need to turn it on, check the operation of the DIF UZO machine with a test button and set the temperature. The thermostat should be checked for the identity of the response temperature of its relay with the room temperature. Remember that in any case, the temperature of the skirting boards must correspond to the data in the system manufacturer's passport.
How to install a warm skirting board - watch the video:
That's all. We hope that our article will help you install a warm skirting board in your home quickly and correctly. Good luck!
