Building a cottage or converting a loft and keen to enjoy the comfort of underfloor heating as soon as possible? A dry heating system is designed for anyone who is pressed for time. Quick, simple installation using polystyrene system insulation boards makes both the decision and the job itself easier, and you can soon look forward to a warm floor beneath your feet.
You will find the full range in the underfloor heating category – system insulation boards, pipes, manifolds, controls and electric heating mats.
Unlike a wet underfloor heating system, where you have to wait for the screed to dry, a dry system can give you a warm floor within a few days. If you are reasonably handy, you can even lay this type of underfloor heating yourself, without specialist knowledge or heavy equipment.
Advantages of dry underfloor heating
The main advantage of a dry underfloor heating system is the lower floor build-up height. This is particularly welcome if you are planning underfloor heating in a cottage, in a loft or as part of a renovation.
Another clear benefit is that a dry system is installed without any need for concrete or screed. That is why a dry system is recommended where underfloor heating is fitted between load-bearing timber joists in a loft and a conventional concrete screed would be unsuitable because of the load. Choosing dry underfloor heating also makes sense where the structure imposes limits – where the ceiling height of a habitable loft is too low and the floor cannot be raised.
Because no screed is used in a dry system, the low weight load is a further benefit, especially for timber-frame buildings. Shorter warm-up times, i.e. the floor reaching its optimum temperature more quickly, particularly in the colder months, are another of the dry system's notable strengths.
What you need for a dry underfloor heating system
For installation you need, above all, low-profile polystyrene system insulation boards and aluminium heat distribution plates, which carry the heat from the pipe into the top layer of the floor. The plates are supplied in half-metre lengths, are perforated and hold the pipe through which the warm water circulates.
Installing dry underfloor heating
Lay the polystyrene boards over the whole area of a levelled subfloor and then place the heat distribution plates on top. Insert the pipe into the grooves in the plates, taking care to use every second groove as standard so that a pipe spacing of 30 cm is maintained.
The pipe is pressed into the grooves in the plate. Before turning the pipe, remember to bend it first and only then push it into place. Each system insulation board has a profile on one side that allows the pipe to be turned sideways or back. If you want to turn the pipe through 180 degrees, a plate cannot be used at that point.
The heat distribution plates are designed for PEX-AL-PEX 16 or Ivar pipes. Five-layer plastic-aluminium pipes (PEX-AL-PEX) combine the best of both metal and plastic pipes. They are easy to shape, bend and join. The pipe also has an internal oxygen barrier that prevents oxygen from entering the heating system and so protects its components from corrosion.
To strengthen the prepared base, it is advisable to cover it with, for example, an OSB board or a Fermacell gypsum fibre board. The floor covering can then be laid on top.
Opinions on the various types of underfloor heating often differ. Not sure which type of heating suits you best? The experienced specialists at ATRIA will be happy to advise. Their range covers both wet and dry underfloor heating systems. You can be confident that, with their professional insight, you will choose equipment tailored to your conditions. Please send any questions or concerns to info@atria.sk.