underfloor heating idea..

[ColJack]

I don't have the ability to install standard underfloor heating as i live in a first floor flat with concrete floors.

I thought about tiling the kitchen and using one of those electric mats in the adhesive, but don't want the expense of running it..

I have access to large quantities of 1/4" copper pipe at work..

so here's the tought..

I want to put the copper pipe in loops into the kitchen floor and then "screed" with self leveling compound to just cover them.. then put vinyl flooring / vinyl tiles over the top...

toughts?

 

[Onetap]

I want to put the copper pipe in loops into the kitchen floor and then "screed" with self leveling compound to just cover them.. then put vinyl flooring / vinyl tiles over the top...

toughts?

The heat lost to the flat below & outside will probably be of the order of 40% or 50% & will stop it working effecitively.

1/4" bore is too small, the resistance will be excessive, unless you have numerous short loops and can design around that (and you can't). The pump won't be capable of pushing sufficient water through the pipes.

It would be a waste of time and tube.

 

[big-all]

you would have to cover or provide a barrier between copper and concrete
you would also have to check that materials in touch with the copper are ok
you would also need expansion room

if its practical to bury copper you are going to get a big heat loss thus only background heating at low efficiency

these are only my thoughts as i am a chippie

 

[ChrisR]

If you can also steal a few car batteries you could make it nice and warm...

 

[doitall]

Was thinking along the same lines Chris.

If the Op posts his details we could get the old bill to put the heat on.

 

[ColJack]

not once did i mention stealing the copper pipe..
I would be buying it at cost from them..

I was thinking that a manifold could have been used to run parallel loops..

it's a double concrete floor ( one over another for some reason.. ) between me and downstairs with a layer of felt like stuff in between.. so i should only be heating my own floor..

is latex flooring compound also cement based?

the interior walls of the flat are built on the lower of the 2 concrete floors so each room has it's own floor.. i guess that it's an option to dig this out and re-screed with foam and underfloor heating but the cost would be prohibitive..

 

[doitall]

We sell a tray system whereas you lay the insulation straight on the existing floor, clip in the metal trays, clip in the pipes and lay a floating floor on the top

Ok so you loose 35mm of room height, but that shouldn't be a problem