Electricity consumption of heated floors per 1 sq.m: infrared heated floors

Perhaps, in the modern world, many buyers are familiar with the “warm floor” home heating system. And even more so for people who are wondering about energy consumption and consumption. And, nevertheless, heated floors are a modern heating system that heats the air in the room by heating the floors. Those. Heat moves from bottom to top; cable, film or mats can act as heating elements.

Installation and useful tips

The surface of the base is leveled with specialized compounds. Unevenness or sudden changes can damage certain areas.

Leveling the surface of the base screed

If the base is made of boards, it is recommended to level the horizon using fiberboard or plywood. In case of strong differences, the surface is planed entirely with electric jointers, or the places of the highest differences are planed with hand tools.

Standard kit:

Thermal film;
Connecting wire;
Connection terminals;
Insulating material.

Complete set of required materials

One of the options for the external design of the thermostat

Depending on the floor covering, other components are selected.

Advantages and disadvantages of film floors

Such heating is interesting because, despite a lot of positive qualities, it has no negative qualities, with the possible exception of the high cost when purchasing high-quality material. But it’s not worth saving on this.

Among the advantages, we note the ease of installation, which even an inexperienced master can handle. The ability to heat both the entire room and its individual parts is also convenient. It is also good news that even if one of the plates burns out, the rest continue to function.

Power consumption of heated floors

As mentioned above, the following types of heated floors are currently used: film, cable and using mats. Film heated floors are most often used when laid under laminate and linoleum; cables and mats are more common when used under cement screed or ceramic tiles. Although this division is very arbitrary, an infrared diaper floor can be used with equal success under both laminate and ceramic tiles. Each of the heating elements listed above has a certain set of characteristics: geometric parameters, power consumption, operating temperature.

In this case, we are interested specifically in the issue of electricity consumption, so let’s look at how much electricity a particular heating element consumes:

infrared film - one of the most popular design solutions for heated floors today consumes electricity from 150 to 400 watts per square meter of coverage;
thermomats - from 120 to 200 watts per square meter of coverage;
heating cable - from 10 to 60 watts per square meter.

On average, we can say that the electricity consumption of underfloor heating is limited to the range of 120-200 watts per square meter. This indicator is quite economical, which allows you to use heated floors as the main and auxiliary heating source.

Step-by-step installation plan

So, installation of a heating cable consists of several stages:

Preparing the base. A cement-sand screed, the thickness of which is at least 3 cm, must be poured onto the subfloor. To lay the wire connecting the thermostat to the system, you will have to drill a channel whose diameter is 2 cm.
Installation of heat-reflecting substrate.
Laying the reinforcing mesh to which the cable will be attached. If this step is omitted, the wire will need to be secured to the mounting tape. We must not forget that the product does not fit under furniture.
Laying the wire.
Installation of heat sensor. It is placed in a special corrugated tube and placed in a pre-made groove.
Pouring cement screed. It should have a small thickness, only 4 cm. After the thermal cable is hidden under the solution, it is necessary to check its performance: ohmic resistance and insulation resistance. Laying the flooring can be done only after the solution has dried thoroughly - no earlier than a month.

Step-by-step technology for cable heated floors

These are all the features of choosing and installing a heating cable for a heated floor. In any case, before work you need to consider all the nuances of installation. And finally, a video of the installation with detailed comments:

Methodology for calculating energy consumption by type

To determine the amount of current consumed in electric floors, there are several criteria:

level of thermal insulation of the room;
product thickness;
heat loss.

Calculation of energy consumption that is consumed during heating is carried out using the formula:

W=S×P×0.4 (S - area, P - power, 0.4 - coefficient of heated area).

Calculation of mats and electrical cables

To determine how much electricity a heated floor consumes, it is recommended to take into account the following factors:

Heated area. In this case, you need to take into account the space free from furniture. As a rule, the figure varies between 12–15 m². This area will be used for laying mat or cable.
Special wire. The power cell must have a power within 2.2 kW/h. This figure is enough to heat 15 m² of room. There are many options on the domestic market with a power of 2.3 kW or more. Such products are not needed for residential premises in the post-Soviet space, since the wires will not function at full capacity.
Constant cable heating. This is necessary to maintain the appropriate temperature in the room. The cable must be warmed up for 20 minutes every hour.
Maximum load. Electric floors consume approximately 1950 watts every hour based on maximum load. With this indicator, the temperature can reach 50 degrees. However, only 25 °C is considered normal. In case of maximum load, energy consumption will be 960 W.

When a home owner uses a two-tariff meter, he will be able to pay much less for energy consumption. To calculate the energy consumption during cable installation, it is necessary to calculate the length of the product. To do this, use a calculator with the following formula:

L=I/a (I – cable length, a – pitch between loops).

You can get the size of consumed resources by multiplying the calculated parameter by the cable power. As a result, the consumption per 1 m² will be displayed.

Calculation of infrared heated floors

According to calculations, it will be possible to identify electricity consumption in infrared heated floors if we take into account the level of preparation of the room. The film and its power also play an important role. If you use the equipment as an additional source, the power indicator of the electric heated floor will be 0.15 kW, and if the main one - 0.22 kW.

You can view the electricity consumption in warm film floors using the example of a room with an area of 50 m². In this case, the power of the product is within 0.15 kW. The calculation is carried out using the following formula:

W=50×150×0.4=3000 W.

The finished result will need to be multiplied by the tariff plan of the residential complex. The resulting figure will be the final indicator required for monthly payment. It is worth noting that when using the Night-Day counter, the result will be approximate. If planning and installation are carried out correctly, costs can be significantly reduced.

Classification of heating types

There are several types of electric floor depending on the heating elements from which it is made. The energy consumption of such floors varies quantitatively. The owner of the premises must understand the exact calculation for each project, because if the heaters are installed or selected incorrectly, a large waste of electricity is possible.

Classification of heated floors:

heating film located under the laminate or linoleum;
an electrical cable that must be pulled in a tie;
thermomat is a special heating device.

Each type of electric floor has its own characteristics that affect energy consumption. These include, first of all, power.

Each type of heated floor has its own power ratings

Approximate power figures:

for infrared film - from 0.2 to 0.4 kW/m²;
electric heating cable - 0.01−0.06 kW/m². Approximately 5 turns fit in 1 square meter (here it is worth considering the size of the laying distance);
thermomat - up to 0.2 kW/m².

Temperature is the main indicator that quantitatively shows the level of heating. The maximum temperature of the IR floor is +60°C, for the cable floor - +65°C. Usually the operating temperature is set lower - +30...+35°C. This is quite enough to create a comfortable environment.

You can take a closer look at the energy consumption of heated floors in this video:

The higher the resistance, the greater the energy consumption. Basically, the power of a warm electric floor is 0.1−0.2 kW/m². This information is usually indicated on the product box or instructions included with it. The average electricity consumption is 120 W/m². It is also necessary to take into account when calculating what function the heated floor will perform: additional or primary.

The main one is when the electric floor takes on the main function of heating the room. For example, a country house that has no central heating at all. An additional function is performed when the building has a centralized heating system.

Nominal and real energy consumption of electric heated floors

Main types of electric floors

To determine the power consumption of a heated floor, you should consider the basic power of each type of material used during installation. The most common types are:

film infrared coating;
heating cable;
thermomat

Classification of warm electric floors

For thin flooring, such as laminate or linoleum, film heating systems are most often used. For tiles and other hard materials - cable or mats. Film coating consumes the most electricity, heating cable is the most economical. Thermal mats are based on an infrared blanket, so their energy consumption indicators are similar to film ones.

Basic power of heating devices

The electricity consumption of each heating system depends on a set of characteristics:

material thickness;
power of devices per 1 sq. meter;
maximum heating temperature.

Table of heat consumption of heated floors in rooms

The manufacturer is required to indicate this data on the original packaging of the material, as well as the nominal amount of energy consumed.

Table of power consumption of some models of heating elements per 1 sq. meter:

The cable has a small power, but it is placed in several turns per 1 sq. meter, so that the total power of the heated floor is 130–150 W per square meter - this is the average.

Power calculation for heated floors

Factors affecting power consumption

Total costs for underfloor heating systems

But there are other factors that can reduce or increase electricity consumption, these include:

the level of thermal insulation of the walls in the room - the higher it is, the lower the energy consumption will be;
outside air temperature - in the cold season, the electric floor will work much more;

Energy consumption calculation

In order to calculate how much electricity a heated floor will consume, there are several approaches:

Calculation of nominal consumption: in a room with an area of 14 m2, heating elements will occupy 10 m2. To calculate electricity consumption, you need to multiply the coverage area by the power.

Electricity consumption of infrared heated floors

Let's assume that a thermomat with a power of 130 W per 1 meter² is used, then 10*130 = 1300 W or 1.3 kW/h is the nominal consumption. Further, we assume that the floor is turned on for 8 hours per day, then per day it turns out - 8 * 1.3 = 10.4, and per month - 10.4 * 30 = 312 kW.

The average cost of 1 kW in Russia is 2.5 rubles, so the cost of operating a heated floor will be 780 rubles. This method makes it possible to calculate the maximum amount of energy consumption, without taking into account the use of a thermostat and other factors affecting consumption.

Technology for calculating costs using a coefficient.

The formula used for calculation is: W=S*P*k, where:

Graph of heating and electricity consumption of infrared heated floors

S – room area;

P – heating element power;

k is the coefficient of useful heating area, according to generally accepted standards it is equal to 0.4.

A room with an area of 20 m2, a thermomat with a power of 130 W per 1 meter² is used, then the formula will be as follows:

W= 20*130*0.4 = 1040 W (1.04 kW).

Next, we calculate the electricity consumption per day: 8 hours * 1.04 kW = 8.32, per month - 12 * 30 = 249.60 kW. Cost of expenses – 249.60*2.5 = 624 rubles.

Electricity consumption of infrared film

How different are the actual energy consumption figures from the nominal ones?

Of course, the actual consumption will be very different from the nominal values, since it often happens that there is no one in the house all day and there is no point in turning on the floor, so in reality it will only work for 5 hours. There will also be no need for daily heating, especially in warm autumn, late spring and summer, so the calculated figures will be approximately two times lower.

Correct installation of electric heated floors

There are also ways to significantly reduce power consumption, for example, using a thermostat. A good device will save up to 30% of the nominal energy consumption. In practice, it turns out that the electric floor heats up to the set temperature in 5 minutes, then cools down for 10 minutes and turns on again. The heating element only works for 20 minutes per hour. If the entire system is turned on for 9 hours a day, only 3 hours of which electricity is consumed, therefore the costs will look like this:

W= 20*130*0.4 = 1040 W/h (1.04 kW);

1.5*3 = 3.12 – per day;

3.12*30 = 93.60 – per month;

93.60*2.5 = 234 rubles.

There are several other ways to reduce energy consumption:

How to calculate future energy costs

It is not difficult to determine the estimated monthly electricity consumption. You can do this yourself using the formula:

W=0.4xSхP

where P is power consumption, W/m2;

S – area of the heated room, m2;

0.4 – coefficient taking into account the usable area. A little clarification is in order here. Laying heated floors over all surfaces of the room is impractical. Firstly , according to the installation technology, you need to make a retreat from the wall of about 10-20 cm. Secondly , if there are other powerful heat sources in the room, for example, a fireplace and stove, then you need to retreat at least a meter from them. Thirdly , laying heated floors is not done under large-sized furniture and other similar items. 0.4 is an empirical coefficient; if you wish, you can derive it yourself, taking into account all the above requirements.

Let's calculate the power consumption using a specific example. Suppose you have a living room in your house where you plan to install a film infrared heated floor. Room area – 25 m2, power consumption – 150 W/m2. Substitute the data into the formula and get:

W=0.4x25x150=150 0 W=1.5 kW.

Those. The planned electricity consumption of film heated floors will be 1.5 kW per hour. Let's try to calculate monthly consumption. Let's assume that the heating system will be used as an auxiliary one and, therefore, will function for about 8-9 hours a day. Accordingly, the daily consumption of electrical energy will be (8...9)x1.5=12-13.5 kW. On average, a month consists of 30 days, therefore, 30x(12…13.5)=360…400 kW per month.

It would seem that everything is simple. But this is not really true. The above calculations are quite rough, and actual electricity consumption, as practice shows, is approximately 2-3 times less. How are such savings achieved? The use of thermostats that can save up to 40% of electricity, the use of less powerful heating systems, etc.

Our calculations require a logical conclusion. You have calculated the probable amount of energy consumed; all that remains is to multiply the number of kW by the cost of electricity in your locality, and you will receive the amount that you have to pay monthly.

When making calculations, it should be taken into account that if a heated floor is used as the main source of heating, then you will need a heater with a power of at least 60 watts. If as an auxiliary source, then 20-30 watts will be enough.

Electric floor consumption calculation

ETP heating is effective, but too high energy consumption makes it unprofitable. Costs are calculated taking into account the operating mode and type of floor heater, otherwise the data will be unreliable.

To calculate the approximate energy consumption of a heating system, you must start by determining the total power of the heated floor installed in the room (Ptot):

Рtotal = Sob * Рmax;

where: Sob is the heated area of the room, free from furniture; Pmax is the maximum power of the heated floor per 1 m2.

The total power (Ptotal) is initially already indicated by the manufacturer (for example, the power of the Thermo TVK-130 heating mat is 130 W/m2).

Example:

The area of the room is 10 m2, the DEVI heating mat is installed on 6 m2. The maximum power (Pmax) of the installed heated floor is 150 W/m2.

Ptotal = Stotal * Pmax = 6 m2 * 150 W/m2 = 900 W

Type of thermostat used

The power of the heated floor consumed during the day (Pd) depends on the type of thermostat:

with a mechanical thermostat, heated floors work on average 12 hours a day;
programmable on average 6 hours a day, thanks to numerous modes for controlling the operation of the heated floor.

Рд = t * Ptot;

where:t is the operating time of the heated floor per day.

Example (for heated floor):

The DEVI heating mat installed indoors has a total power (Ptot) of 900 W.

1) with mechanical thermostat:

Рд = t * Ptot = 12 h * 900 W = 10,800 W = 10.8 kW

2) with programmable thermostat:

Рд = t * Ptot = 6 h * 900 W = 5,400 W = 5.4 kW

To evaluate the result obtained, it is necessary to compare the data of the heated floor with the energy consumption of an average convector. For such heating devices, there are only non-programmable thermostats with an on/off function.

Example (for a convector):

A 1,500 W convector is installed in the room. The device is turned on for an average of 12 hours a day.

Рд = t * Ptot = 12 h * 1,500 W = 18,000 W = 18 kW

The result obtained is 8 kW more than the power consumed by a heated floor with a mechanical thermostat and 12.6 kW more than that with a programmable thermostat.

Let's determine the cost of running a heated floor per month.

The approximate cost of 1 kW in Russia is 3 rubles. The average number of days in a month is 30. Thus:

Cost of underfloor heating per month = Rd * 30 days * 3 rubles

Example (for heated floor):

1) Warm floor with mechanical thermostat: The power consumed by a DEVI heating mat installed in a room reaches 10.8 kW.

Cost of work, etc. per month = Rd * 30 days * 3 rubles = 10.8 kW * 30 days * 3 rubles = 972 rubles

2) Heated floor with programmable thermostat: The power of the heated floor is 4.68 kW.

Cost of work, etc. per month = Рд* 30 days * 3 rubles = 5.4 kW * 30 days * 3 rubles = 486 rubles

Example (for a convector):

The power consumed by the convector per day reaches 18 kW.

Cost of convector operation per month. = Рд* 30 days * 3 rubles = 18 kW * 30 days * 3 rubles = 1,620 rubles

Obviously, to achieve a comfortable temperature in the room, heated floors work more efficiently than convectors. Being a heat storage system, a warm floor retains heat even when turned off (especially in the case of a thick screed).

Manufacturers and prices

Logo	Manufacturer	Power, kWt	Length, m	Width, m	price, rub.
	CALEO	0,15	1	1	1600
	CALEO	0,13	2	0,5	1620
	CALEO	0,33	3	0,5	3050
	CALEO	1,02	12	0,5	12000
	Sun Power Film	0,22	2	0,5	1000
	Sun Power Film	0,35	2	0,8	1550
	Sun Power Film	0,33	3	0,5	1450
	REXANT	0,66	6	0,5	3100
	REXANT	1,76	16	0,5	7100
	REXANT	0,88	8	0,5	3900
	Teplotex	0,22	2	0,5	1400
	Teplotex	0,22	4	0,5	2400
	Teplotex	0,22	30	0,5	15000

Methodology for calculating electricity consumption

You can determine how much energy a heated floor consumes in one simple way. To do this, any extraneous electrical appliances in the room, be it radiators, convectors or heating devices, must be turned off. That is, the entire volume of electricity consumed will come exclusively from the heated floor.

The advantage of this method is that it allows you to determine the amount of energy that will be required to heat the room only with a heated floor system, without additional heating devices.

It is also noteworthy that at different stages of operation the power consumption of the heated floor will vary, therefore, the amount of energy consumed will also differ. The maximum load level occurs at the moment of switching on, when the full power of the floor is required to heat it up (read: “How to calculate the power of a heated floor - theory and practice”).

Grand total

An infrared heated floor sample has enough advantages to compete with its analogues, but you should carefully calculate the heat loss of your home before using it as the main heating. When used for its intended purpose, for heating the floor covering, this option is irreplaceable.

The passport of each electric floor heating system indicates its energy consumption per square meter. But how many kilowatts does a warm floor actually consume during a month? The energy consumption of such heating when switched on is high. However, it does not work around the clock. And with proper planning, this consumption can also be significantly reduced.

Calculations

First of all, you need to understand that using underfloor heating to heat a room is very expensive. However, many systems are simply not suitable for this. Therefore, the energy consumption for a heated floor should be spent exclusively on comfortable surface heating, which does not belong to the general heating system.

Factors

These parameters are also affected by a temperature sensor
, which, with proper selection and accurate installation, will save about 30%.
To facilitate accurate calculations, they take as a constant value 150 W per 1 square meter for comfortable use and 200 W when used as a heating system.
However, it should be remembered that the exact energy consumption of electric heated floors is almost impossible, since there are many variable factors that influence the result. In this case, approximate calculations should be made using maximum parameters.

Advice! Quite often, the amount of energy consumed is indicated on the packaging of the selected system. This will help make accurate calculations of the maximum parameters, since a particular product will not be able to use more electricity.

Calculation

To determine the maximum electricity consumption for a heated floor, you first need to determine the area of the room and find out the parameters of the selected product. For example, you can take a room of 14 square meters and a heating element with a power of 150W.
First of all, we immediately determine the coverage area. To heat such a room you need to install 10 sq.m. floors, since 70% heating elements will be sufficient.

Then we multiply 10 by 150W and get the amount of energy needed for the entire floor. It will be equal to 1.5 kWh.
Next, the calculation instructions suggest determining the degree of use. Since the expected result should show the maximum amount, we will assume that the surface is constantly heated, which means that the resulting number must be multiplied by 8 hours. The fact is that such heating is not carried out constantly.
As a result, we find that 12 kW will be consumed throughout the day.

At the next stage, we multiply 12 by the number of days in a month (30) and get 360 kW per month. It is worth remembering that this result is the maximum for the selected system.
Next, we need the price of electricity, which we multiply by 360 and get the amount of money necessary to maintain such comfort every month.

Advice! Do not be alarmed by the cost of the final calculations, since in practice they are almost always half as much. However, this is only with good insulation and heating.

What factors reduce energy consumption

Installing electric heated floors, regardless of the size of the room, in any case requires considerable investment. But if you follow these tips, you can significantly save on further energy costs:

Perform high-quality insulation. If the coating is successful, the technician can reduce consumption by 30–50%.
Install the heated floor in a free area. As mentioned earlier, installation of heated floors should be carried out in a place that excludes the presence of furniture.
Install multifunctional meters. The night tariff always implies a small consumption of electricity. In this case, the costs will be half as much.
Install regulators with the program. Thanks to special toggle switches, you can set activation and deactivation times.
Use finishing coatings that have a high level of thermal conductivity.
Do not maintain high temperatures in rooms that are rarely visited by people.

Attention! Reducing the temperature by just 1 degree will save 5% of energy costs. At the same time, the owner of the apartment will practically not feel the difference.

Another important factor is the temperature outside the room. If the discrepancies between the street and the room are large, then energy costs will increase.

Each of the above types of heated floors has different functional and design features. While one option saves on costs, the other provides a higher level of heating for the room. To choose the appropriate option, it is recommended to rely on the article provided and take into account your financial capabilities.

Calculation formulas

Let's move on to the main question - how to calculate a warm floor with an electric heating element. But here everything is very simple. To determine the power of your system, simply multiply the power of one m2 by the area it will occupy.

The cable length is usually already measured in the kit for the specified power parameters and coverage area. The recommended distance between cable turns is from 5 to 20 cm. If you want to be more precise, use the following formula: h=S*100/L. As you probably guessed, h is the pitch width, S is the area, and L is the total length of the cable.

To make the calculation process even easier for yourself, you can use a special calculator for electric heated floors. Just fill in all the required fields, and the program itself will perform the necessary calculations and give you the final result.

Warm electric floor calculator

Whatever method you use, remember that it is better to spend more time at the design and calculation stage than to later spend time and money correcting mistakes. And your reward for this will be comfort and favorable weather in your home.

Determining the desired temperature in the rooms

The final floor temperature depends on the purpose for which the room is used. For example:

+29-30 degrees – halls, hallways;
+27-29 – offices, living rooms;
+30-35 – floors near windows, on verandas;
+32 – bathrooms, toilets;
+17-19 – gyms.

Installation of water heated floor

In this case, the coolant temperature should not be less than +40 degrees or exceed +60. The heating system should be such that the difference between the temperature indicators of the forward and return pipes in the case of water floors does not exceed 15 degrees. Otherwise, the base will be heated completely unevenly.

The balance of thermal/hydraulic loads for a water floor must also be optimal and adjusted. Therefore, the heating circuits must have a certain length in accordance with the diameter. The optimal pipe option is 18 mm, since even with a small amount of water such a pipeline will work correctly and heat the base.

Principle of operation

Electric wire used for heating consists of a nichrome core and various insulating sheaths. Such devices must be mounted in a solution. The layer of screed or tile adhesive heats up and transfers heat to the floor covering. Laminate, tile or other materials become similar to the heated surface of a convector. Only heating, unlike such an electrical appliance, occurs according to a different principle.

The convector sends streams of heated air upward. In this case, the maximum temperature is determined at the ceiling. Cold masses accumulate at the base of the room. An electric heated floor, whose electricity consumption is often less than that of a convector, creates heating in the lower part of the room. The air near the ceiling is colder. Therefore, this type of heating is more comfortable for humans.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=DblishKHMyc

Energy costs depending on the finish coating

When choosing a finishing material for laying on a warm electric floor, be sure to have a pictogram on the product that indicates the possibility of proximity to a heating device. More often, ceramic tiles, linoleum or parquet are laid on floor heating systems.

It is worth noting that the level of electricity consumption of 1 sq. m of a warm electric floor is also affected by the finishing, or rather its thermal conductivity. When choosing laminate or plank, your heating costs will increase, as they have a low degree of thermal conductivity.

But ceramics, linoleum or carpet are ideal and economically viable materials. The surface is heated quickly, and a minimal amount of resource is spent on this.

Heating element power

Above we examined only the standard electric “warm floor”, but today, as we know, there are several main types of this system, including:

film floor (aka infrared);
heating cable;
thermomats.

Let's start with the film coating. It is used mainly where the heating system is installed under linoleum or laminate. But it is more advisable to install a cable with mats only under ceramic tiles. Each of the mentioned types has its own characteristics, parameters, and power. Now we will briefly take a look at all this.

The electricity consumption of the heating elements mentioned above is as follows:

thermomats - if you are wondering how much electricity a warm floor of this type consumes, it is on average 120-200 watts per square meter (parameters taken from the technical characteristics of the product and Davy);
for a film floor this figure is 150-400 watts per square meter;
finally, for a heating cable it is only 10-600 watts (often about 30) per square meter; correctly, about five turns of heating cable are laid on each meter of area, so that the total power reaches 150 watts.

As you can see, the average power of the system ranges from 110-200 watts per square meter, thanks to which the “warm floor” can be used as a source of both main and auxiliary heating of the room. Video footage of the consumption is shown below.

Energy costs depending on the finish coating

But ceramics, linoleum or carpet are ideal and economically viable materials. The surface is heated quickly, and a minimal amount of resource is spent on this.

Consumption

Electricity consumption table

To have an idea of how much a heated floor consumes, it is necessary to calculate the heat losses of the room. It is possible to make calculations yourself by analyzing the main factors influencing this. The energy consumption of underfloor heating is influenced by the following factors:

For what purpose is the system used: to heat a room or to create a comfortable environment.
How well is the room insulated? The better the insulation of walls, doors and windows, the less energy consumed by electric floors.
Seasonality and climate. During low temperatures and cold weather, costs increase.
Flooring option.
The number of people living in an apartment or house. If there are several family members, the electric floor should work more often. If one person lives and is often absent, then there are real savings when flooring can be omitted.
Personal preferences of a person, desired temperature regime. These indicators are subjective.
Type of thermostat, presence of thermal insulation. Some types of equipment allow you to save more than a third of electricity compared to analogues.

The power consumption of a heated floor depends on the following parameters:

When heating a room, the power of an electric floor is up to two hundred watts per square meter.
When using the system to increase the comfort of staying in a room, the power of the electric floor ranges from one hundred ten to one hundred sixty watts per square meter.

When the set temperature is reached, energy consumption decreases and the set parameters are maintained. The system operates in alternating on and off mode. On average, the equipment operates for about fifteen minutes in an hour, and no more than six hours in twenty-four hours.

The variety of underfloor heating options is great. The following subtypes are distinguished in the electric heating system:

Electric cable underfloor heating. This type of heating was used at the very beginning of the emergence of such technology. It is a construction made from ready-made mats, attached to the base using a special tile adhesive. Tiles are laid on top of the mats, and a screed is made for installing laminate, linoleum and other decorative coverings. This option is interesting because it makes it possible to heat the floor in one room in different ways, warming up individual floor segments to different temperatures.
Film heated floors take a leading position when installing the system. Thin film can be used under any floor covering, with the exception of tiles. The advantage of film heated floors is its efficiency, practicality and durability. The energy consumption of film heated floors, according to experts, is considered minimal in comparison with existing options.
Infrared heated floor. The essence of this option is to heat surrounding objects, not air. They release the accumulated heat into the room, which makes the heating process more efficient. Infrared floors do not consume much electricity. According to the observations of experts, among the existing options for electric heated floors, this option consumes the minimum amount of electricity and is considered the most economical floor heating system.

Warm floor

The main disadvantage of electric heated floors is their energy consumption. But the advantage that the system gives is measured against this fact. It is possible to reduce energy consumption by installing special devices, such as a programmable thermostat. You can set a specific operating mode and get almost fifty percent resource savings.

A water heated floor allows you to heat the room when connected to the central heating network. But this option has not shown effectiveness when installed in apartment buildings, if the coolant temperature is unstable, and also requires permits

Experts recommend paying attention to other floor heating options

In order for the heating system to be effective, you should carefully study the existing options and select the most appropriate one.

If you are in doubt about whether to install a heated floor system, ask for information from specialists and those who are already using the floor heating option. It is advisable to install the system if:

The house does not have an individual heating system.
New and high-quality floor screed. To avoid dismantling work, you can install a film electric floor.
The need for additional heating to the main heating system.

How to save money

Installing a two-tariff meter allows you to save on heating costs with electricity. Moscow tariffs for apartments and houses equipped with stationary electric heating systems distinguish between two prices:

4.65 RUR from 7:00 to 23:00.
1.26 rubles from 23:00 to 7:00.

Then you will spend, subject to round-the-clock operation of a 9 kW electric boiler turned on at one third of the power:

9*0.3*12*4.65 + 9*0.3*12*1.26 = 150 + 40 = 190 rubles

The difference in daily consumption is 80 rubles. You will save 2400 rubles per month. Which justifies the installation of a two-tariff meter.

The second way to save when using a two-tariff meter is to use automatic control devices for electrical appliances. The idea is to place the peak consumption of an electric boiler, boiler, etc. at night, then most of the electricity will be charged at 1.26, not 4.65. While you are at work, the boiler can either turn off completely or operate in a reduced energy consumption mode, for example at 10% of power. To automate the operation of an electric boiler, you can use programmable digital thermostats or boilers with programming capabilities.

In conclusion, I would like to note that heating a house with electricity is quite an expensive method, regardless of the specific method, be it an electric boiler, convector or other electric heater. People come to him only in cases where there is no way to connect to gas. In addition to the costs of operating an electric boiler, you will also face the initial costs of arranging for a three-phase electricity supply.

The main troubles are:

preparation of a package of documents, including technical specifications, electrical design, etc.;
organization of grounding;
the cost of cable for connecting the house and installing new wiring;
installation of the meter.

Moreover, you may be denied three-phase input and an increase in power if there is no such technical possibility in your area, when transformer stations are already operating at the limit. The choice of boiler and heating type depends not only on your desires, but also on the capabilities of the infrastructure.

This is where we end our short article. We hope you now understand what the real electricity consumption of an electric boiler is and how you can reduce the cost of heating your home with electricity.

Related materials:

How much electricity does a heated floor consume?
Air conditioner power consumption
How to save on electric heating at home
How to connect an electric boiler to the network

Factors affecting energy consumption of underfloor heating

With proper installation and calculation, you can heat your house efficiently and not overpay.
Electricity is an expensive source of energy, but effective. If you choose the right heating system, you can keep your home warm without spending a lot of money on bills.

System type

There are several types of floor electric heaters:

Heating cable – resistive or zonal. The cheapest option. Accumulates a certain amount of heat; after switching off, the floor cools down slowly. The installation scheme is complex: the cable can only be placed in open areas, otherwise it will overheat and fail. This modification is installed on balconies, loggias, and in bathtubs, where heating is required less frequently.
Thermal mats – convection and infrared. More economical and consume less electricity. Installation requires high qualifications. Thermal mats are placed under a thin floor covering, placed in a screed or in a layer of tile adhesive.
IR film – heating only due to IR radiation. In this case, the stage of heat transfer to the coating disappears. IR film is more effective. It is installed in residential areas where an acceptable temperature must be maintained at all times.
Self-regulating - due to the inclusion of carbon-polymer material, the system is self-regulating. In a cold section of the cable, the resistance drops, a higher intensity current passes through it and heats it up. When heated, the resistance of the cable increases and the current weakens. This option is designed for the industrial sector, expensive to manufacture, but more efficient than other modifications.

External factors

Electricity consumption is affected by the area of windows and doors, their number

Factors determine the amount of heat loss. The smaller they are, the less powerful the heating can be installed, and the less you pay for electricity. Consider the following:

Number of windows and doors - metal or glass surfaces conduct heat well. Prevent losses by insulating doors.
Level of resistance to heat loss - the value is determined by the wall material - brick, concrete, quality, thickness of the thermal insulation layer, characteristics of external and internal finishing. Insufficient thermal insulation negates the benefits of underfloor heating and leads to unnecessary costs.
Weather conditions – during extreme cold, consumption naturally increases.
Number of residents - the more people live in the apartment, the less the heated floor works.

Floor characteristics

The wider the laying step, the lower the energy consumption

The energy consumption of any underfloor heating option is influenced by its own indicators:

the presence of a thermostat - the more accurately the temperature is controlled, the more economical the system is;
cable laying step - the smaller it is, the more powerful the heater, the more energy it consumes;
the thickness of the flooring - laminate, tiles, or screed - the smaller it is, the lower the electricity consumption.

Carpet or rugs reduce the efficiency of the underfloor heater and cause it to work too hard. The material makes it difficult to dissipate heat, which can lead to overheating and damage to the cable. Only small decorative rugs are allowed.

Calculation of cable footage and laying pitch

To determine the length of the heating conductor, it is necessary to take into account some features:

Manufacturers offer cables of fixed length with different powers (from 9 to 20 W per 1 linear meter);
so that the heater can give off heat and not burn out in the floor, the circuit cannot be laid under stationary furniture and appliances without legs;
for installation in the bathroom or on the balcony, the cable conductor is taken with a margin of 15-20%.

Resistive cable installation diagram in the bathroom

Having determined the need for thermal energy to heat a specific room, make a calculation of the electric heated floor according to the instructions:

Select a cable from the catalog, focusing on the previously obtained thermal power and adding a margin of 15%. Record the total length of the conductor.
Draw a scale plan of the room on paper.
Place furniture and household appliances in the sketch that are close to the floor and interfere with normal heat exchange. Observe the actual dimensions of cabinets, washing machines and other equipment.
Subtract the area occupied by furniture from the total square footage. The task is to place the heating conductor selected from the catalog on a free area.
Divide the remaining area by the length of the cable heater - get the laying step in meters.

Layout rules in residential and auxiliary premises are different. For example, in the living room or bedroom, the first heating line is moved away from the furniture at a distance of 10 cm. In the bathroom or on the balcony, the cable is laid close to cabinets and plumbing so that your feet do not feel the temperature difference on the floor. Be sure to take this nuance into account when planning. The specialist will tell you more in the video:

Since heating mats are sold in strips of mesh (rolls), the laying step does not have to be counted. But keep in mind another point: the heat transfer of 1 m² of mat is limited, and the power cannot be increased. But to reduce it is no problem, just cut the mesh between the conductors and move the cables apart.

An example of calculating a warm electric floor in a bedroom of 18 m² with a heat consumption of 2.16 kW:

Since cable heating is planned to be combined with a radiator system, the thermal power is divided in half - 2.16 / 2 = 1.08 kW per floor circuit.
We select a two-core DEVIsafe 20T cable with a power density of 20 W/m. Taking into account the reserve, we take a ready-made conductor 60 m long with a heat transfer of 1.2 kW.
Stationary furniture occupies 3 m² of bedroom area. 15 m² remains, then the laying step will be 15 / 60 = 0.25 m.

Possible cable layouts

Advantages of using IR radiation to heat a room

Infrared floor heating attracts the attention of consumers for many reasons. Despite the fact that there are many alternative types of heating devices on sale, the choice is often in favor of an IR warm source. All types of IR floors have the following advantages, which have already been tested during their operation:

All types of IR floors have the following advantages, which have already been tested during their operation:

IR radiation has a beneficial effect on the body;
do not dry the air, unlike water heating;
reduce heating costs;
allow you to quickly warm up the room (in 5-10 minutes);
you can install them yourself;
possibility of local installation.

In addition, infrared heat sources are convenient to connect in emergency cases when central heating is not enough, or when it has already been turned off. IR floors are indispensable for insulating loggias and balconies.

Unlike the convection type of water heating, the heat from the IR source is felt immediately, even when the minimum temperature is set.

Features of different types of infrared floors

The production of infrared floors is constantly being improved. Manufacturers are trying to take into account consumer preferences. According to the type of construction, IR floors are:

film;
rod-shaped.

Film, in turn, are divided into solid and striped, according to the type of carbon fiber applied, which is the source of infrared radiation. The film with continuous carbon fiber coating is easy to install and easy to cut. It transfers heat from the entire area, the heating dynamics are higher than when applying carbon in strips.

The carbon strips are arranged in groups, between which cuts can be made. Since the connection to the power source is parallel, if any unit fails, the remaining area of the “stripe IR film” will remain operational.

In this case, a film with a continuous coating is more advanced, since only the places where there is a tear or a cut fail. The service life and price of solid carbon film are higher than that of striped film.

The IR rod floor looks like a rope ladder. Many rods, which are filled with carbon, copper and silver, are connected to each other by wires. The rod mat has the ability to self-regulate. Its installation differs from the film type in that installation requires a “wet” cement screed. However, the service life is even higher than that of solid film, and it is not afraid of heavy mechanical loads.

The problem of proper operation of the household electrical network

From a constructive point of view, the household electrical network has been developed to a high degree of perfection: its normal operation does not require special knowledge.

The network is designed for certain operating conditions, the violation of which leads to complete or partial failure, and in severe cases, to a fire.

The condition for proper operation is the absence of overload.

At the same time, the load capacity of sockets and the consumption of equipment connected to them are measured in different units:

for sockets this is the maximum permissible alternating current (6 A for traditional Soviet sockets of old housing stock, 10 or even 16 A for European-style sockets);
connected equipment is characterized by power, which is measured in Watts (for powerful devices, larger units are indicated instead of Watts: kilowatts (1 kW = 1000 W), which allows you to avoid confusion with numerous zeros).

Hence the need arises:

determining the relationship between power and current;
finding the power of an individual electrical appliance.

The relationship between Watts and Amps is simple and follows directly from the definition of Watt above. The task is simplified by the fact that the voltage of a working household network is always the same (220 or 230 V). From here, power is always found along the current.