The Basic Floor Heating Requirements
Although hydronic floor heating systems may look complicated the fundamental parts are quite basic. Every hydronic floor needs a manifold, floor tubing and a connection to a heat source. A basic room thermostat is also a a requirement although it is not considered part of the hydronic floor heating system and is not part of our quote.
An example of a standard 5 group floor heating manifold
Manifold
A standard hydronic floor heating manifold distributes hot water from a heating source through the floor heating tubes uniformly, ensuring even heat distribution and a consistent temperature throughout the floor. There are many different types of hydronic floor heating manifolds. For simplicity, the manifold in the photo shows the most basic type. Different types of heating and cooling sources and floor heating configurations will determine what type of manifold is needed.
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The manifold is a component of the floor heating that can need service and periodic adjustment and must remain accessible. The manifold also requires an electrical outlet for power.
The number of groups needed to heat the floor will determine the size of the manifold. Every 10 m2 of floor heating increases the size by 1 group. A 10 group manifold will require a minimum of 1 meter wall space.
Although the manifold is not loud, it is not completely silent and should not be installed where it could cause a disturbance (e,g, on a bedroom wall).
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Water resistance can affect the flow rate in the hydronic floor heating system. A large floor with many groups will have increased water resistance inside the tubes. The manifold requires an adequate water flow rate to function properly. This is achieved by ensuring the diameter of the supply and return pipes meet the demands of the floor heating system.
A smaller floor can also suffer lack of flow if the heated water travels through many meters of pipe to reach the floor.
The size of the pipes play a large role in determining the flow inside the system and the how well heat is transferred to the floor. In some cases water pipes may need to be replaced to increase the flow rate. As a basic rule, the larger the manifold the larger the supply and return pipes need to be.
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The manifold is equipped with an energy efficient ‘Smart Pump.’ This means that the pump works faster when heat is in high demand and will pump slowly when demand is low.
PR-RT floor heating tube.
Polyethylene Tubing
The PE-RT floor heating tube is an extremely strong and flexible product that does not allow air to diffuse through its wall making it highly reliable in floor heating applications. The tubes are resistant to stress, corrosion and cracking. This type of underfloor heating pipe is one of the most commonly used pipes in hydronic floor heating
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The manufacturer provides a 50 year warranty of the PE-RT tubing. Should the pipes fail, they also provide a 10 year warranty for damage to a maximum value of 5 million Euors.
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Exposed tubes can be damaged. Drilling into the floor or breaking the floor open can crack and break the tubes.
Floor tubing that has been installed and has yet to receive the final floor covering is also vulnerable to damage. A sharp or heavy object dropped on an unprotected floor can puncture or fracture the tubes.
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Damaged tubing can ONLY be repaired with the specific proprietary couplings installed with a specialised tool. Any other type of coupling installed to repair a damage tube will forfeit the warranty.
Hot and cold water supply lines
Water Supply Pipes
The flooring manifold connects to the hot water supply and a cold water return pipes. Ideally it should be installed close to the central heating boiler. It also needs to be located on the same level as the floor it is supplying with heat. The manifold can be connected to existing pipes if they provide a sufficient flow rate. If not, replacement pipes may be needed.
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The cost of the manifold installation is included in our price if the supply and return lines are in place and the location of installation is no more than one meter from the existing pipes that originate from the central heating unit.
If the manifold needs to be installed further than one meter from the supply and return pipes, there will be an extra charge added for the cost of running more piping.
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The size of the manifold is determined by the number of groups needed to heat the floor. The larger the manifold the bigger the supply and return water pipes need to be for satisfactory operation and a proper flow rater.