Frequently asked questions – ECOFILM
Question:
Is it possible to have electric floor heating as the main source of heating for the whole house?
Answer:
Of course. Electric floor heating is a completely standard way of economically and ecologically heating buildings. We will be happy to provide a price quotation for your project. We only need:
- a properly dimensioned floor plan and cross-section of the building
- the composition of the floors (including floor coverings), walls and ceiling in cm, in the direction interior → exterior
- the heat loss of the building (this is not necessary but it will speed up the creation of the price offer)
Question:
Which heating system should be chosen with regard to the floor covering?
Answer:
Ecofloor heating cables/mats laid in self-levelling material or glue under floor tiling and glued floor coverings (PVC, vinyl…). For glued floor coverings, the thickness of the layer should equal at least triple the diameter of the cable used (approx. 18 mm). In the case of floating floors, we recommend the installation of Ecofilm heating foils directly under the floor covering. Heating foils cannot be installed under floating floors in bathrooms. AL-MAT heating mats can be installed under floating floors in bathrooms.
Question:
I found a confirmation from the producer on your web pages that floating floors can be combined with ECOFILM heating foils without a loss of warranty. However, the installation firm doesn't want to provide me with any warranty if I use electric floor heating and they claim that I can use a warm water system only.
Answer:
Heating foils actually work with very low temperatures – approx. 23–27 °C – and the changes in the floor temperature occur over a period of tens of minutes. Therefore, a floating floor operates practically under the same conditions as if it were laid on a concrete floor with warm water floor heating. Heating foils have already been tested by several manufacturers, who confirmed that when ECOFILM foils with a wattage of up to 80 W/m² are used and they are controlled with a thermostat with a floor probe, there is no reason for a loss of warranty. Unfortunately, this information is slow to spread around installation firms – this correspondence which took place between a customer, FENIX and a representative of EGGER can be used as an example.
Question:
What are the lifespans of Ecofilm and Ecofloor?
Answer:
The lifespan of both products depends on the operating hours, the method of laying, and the regulation system. If the heating and regulation systems are designed correctly, the minimum lifespan is 30 to 50 years. The upper limit of the lifespan depends on the operating hours of the heating system. In the case of poor installation or design, the lifespan is shortened significantly. Generally speaking, the above mentioned products have a lifespan which equals that of the construction element housing them. The company provides a 10 year warranty for Ecofilm and Ecofloor products if installation instructions are adhered to completely.
Question:
Is it possible to install Ecoflex convectors, Ecosun panels and Ecofilm foils on flammable bases?
Answer:
Ecoflex – can be installed on a flammable base as the structure of the attachment meets the conditions for installation on a flammable base. Ecosun – NT panels can be installed on flammable bases if a mounting cross is used which meets the conditions for installation on such bases. Ecofilm – it isn't advisable to install Ecofilm directly on a flammable base as the structure of the foil doesn't fulfil the safety conditions for installation directly on flammable bases.
Question:
Why is ceiling radiant heating approximately 20 % more economical that convection heating?
Answer:
Radiation is a process during which warmth from a heat source (e.g. a radiant panel) spreads across the room in the form of infrared rays. When the infrared rays reach another solid body, they change into heat energy and the mass of the body is heated intensively. It is basically similar to solar radiation. This form of heating is economical mainly thanks to the following three points:
- Unlike with wall radiators and convection heaters, the heat is sent downwards, towards the floor, which is to the area where it is needed. The higher the ceiling of the room, the more economical ceiling heating is in comparison with other systems.
- In the case of “radiators” and convection heaters, the air circulates unevenly around the room, which can evoke the feeling of coldness in certain parts of the room and force us to set a higher temperature on the thermostat. Every degree set above 20 °C means 6 % of additional expenditure on energy.
- Radiant panels heat a person directly, without using the air as a medium for heat transfer. Thanks to this effect, we can lower the set temperature by one to two degrees Celsius and still feel the same warmth effect as when convection heaters are used – but with a temperature which is 1 to 2 °C higher, i.e. with 6 to 12 % higher consumption.
Question:
Can thermal insulation in the floor be replaced with aluminium foil?
Answer:
No, it can't. On the contrary, aluminium would conduct heat well. Shiny objects such as aluminium foil can be used for the reflection of infrared rays which propagate only in gases (e.g. the air).
Question:
How can ceiling radiant heating warm the whole room when warmth always rises to the ceiling?
Answer:
Warmth doesn't stay by the ceiling, only warm air does. This phenomenon is known when radiators and convection heaters are used. These heaters have a significantly higher temperature than the air temperature. The air is warmed up by this heating element through contact with it, and increases its volume while its bulk density decreases. Colder air with higher bulk density pushes this warm air upwards and this means that the greatest warmth is by the ceiling where it isn't needed at all. Ceiling radiant heating radiates infrared rays from a source (in our case, it is from the ceiling towards the floor); these rays change into warmth when they fall on solid or liquid substances. Often, people stand on a stool under the source of heat and claim that it is warmer near the ceiling. For an easier understanding of heat radiation, a comparison with a ray of light is better. A ray of light propagates in the same way as an infrared ray, via electromagnetic wave motion; both of them are reflected from shiny objects and are absorbed by dark objects. We perceive light via vision, and warmth through the surface of our bodies and thus also though our hands. Both light and infrared rays propagate in a perpendicular manner from their source. Let's conduct an experiment with a spot bulb and ECOSUN S. The thickest luminous flux points downwards or in the direction in which the bulb is pointing (both the panel and the bulb will be installed in such a way that the flux will aim downwards). Radiant panels behave in the same way too. Thanks to the microscopic unevenness of the silicating surface, the thickest part of heat radiation aims downwards in a conical shape. Both light and infrared rays are partially reflected, of course, and therefore we see a low amount of light outside the illuminated part – it is the same with infrared radiation: a proportion of the rays are reflected and warm up the walls, etc. If you look at a bulb from a distance of 0.1 m, your eyes will start hurting immediately and you will stop seeing. It is similar with a radiant panel. If you place your palm at a distance of 0.1 m from the radiant panel, you will feel an unpleasant burning sensation. However, if you look at a bulb or an ECOSUN S panel from a distance of five metres, you will see an acceptable amount of light and feel pleasant warmth from the ECOSUN panel. The density of light and infrared radiation decreases with the distance from the source but the illuminated, radiated surface increases (we do not need to be worried – energy isn't lost). The Sun is a natural source of light as well as infrared rays. Infrared rays pass through the universe, where the temperature is under freezing point, and they pass through the Earth’s atmosphere and air, but they change into warmth when they reach solid or liquid substances and the air subsequently warms up from these.
Question:
How to regulate the temperature in the floor when a hot-air fireplace is used occasionally?
Answer:
If you only have a room thermostat (possibly with a sensor in the floor which limits the hygienic limit of the floor temperature, 28 °C), it will switch off the floor heating when the room is heated with a supplementary heater, e.g. with a hot-air fireplace as in this case, and the floor will cool down. This mode is economical but it may not be comfortable. If you only have a probe in the floor, the floor will be constantly warm when the fireplace is used. This may be comfortable but it certainly cannot be called economical. There is no clear answer to this issue and it depends on each customer individually. Some people like to be more economical, while others are happy to pay for comfort whatever it may cost.
Question:
Do you know why suppliers of floating floors don't recommend electric heating but prefer warm-heating systems?
Answer:
Some manufacturers of floating floors assume that electric heating overheats the floor and that it can cause deformation of the floor after some time. If warm-water heating is used, the temperature of incoming water usually ranges between 40 to 50 °C; however, the recommended floor temperature is only 28 °C. In the case of electric heating (Ecofilm F foil), the floor temperature is limited by a floor probe and it doesn't exceed the set temperature. This shows that there is more danger of the floor overheating in the case of a warm-water system. Another argument presented by manufacturers is that the temperature build-up of electric heating is too fast and, again, deformation may occur. The temperature build-up really is faster in the case of electric heating, but it isn't so fast that it could damage the floor. A faster change in temperature occurs, for example, when the sun shines on the floor through an attic window, when the temperature may rise up to 50 °C within a few minutes. If you wish to use electric heating under floating floors, we recommend the use of floors produced by Egger and Alloc who have issued a declaration that their products can be used with our Ecofilm heating floors.
Question:
How long does defogging a mirror with MHF heating foil take?
Answer:
It is recommended that MHF heating foils be connected to the lighting circuit, causing the mirror to start warming up immediately after the light has been switched on. As a result, the mirror doesn't fog up. If you switch on the foil by itself, the effect of the foil will be apparent almost immediately, within one minute, I expect.
Question:
When Ecofilm foils are installed in drywall ceilings, doesn't only the plasterboard heat up intensively? As it was written: “After the rays reach another solid body, the infrared heating changes into heat energy and the matter of the body is warmed up intensively.” Plasterboard is also a solid body.
Answer:
In the case of Ecofilm C ceiling foils, intensive warming of the plasterboard really does takes place. The infrared radiation penetrates all objects which are warmer than their surroundings. Thus, when the heating foil is warm, it gives off the warmth to the plasterboard, which heats up and starts giving off energy in the form of infrared radiation.
Question:
I would like to install Ecofilm C into vertical structures under plasterboard. I would use a metal structure made of I profiles onto which plasterboard slabs are screwed. Before installing them I would attach the heating foils to the I profiles by the non-active edges of the foils; the foils thus would have screws going through their non-active edges, and they would be held primarily by screws to the plasterboard.
Answer:
From our point of view, this installation procedure is fine. However, the ČSN EN 60335-2-96 standard probits the installation of Ecofilm C foils in vertical structures; installation is only possible from a height of 2.3 m, which I think is unnecessary. I would therefore recommend installation in the ceiling or bevels whose inclination is less than 45 ° from the vertical.
Question:
I would like to install floor heating in a caravan. At present, the floor is composed of a wooden grate with insulation, plywood and linoleum on top. I'm thinking about putting heating foil onto the linoleum and a floating floor above it. With regards to heat losses in the caravan, I’m considering a wattage of 200W /m². I would like to ask for your opinion and possibly any other technical solution.
Answer:
I definitely wouldn't recommend the installation of such a wattage under a floating floor, as the floor would get deformed. I recommend the use of heating foil with a wattage of 80 W/m², and I would use it as supplementary heating e.g. to accompany a convection heater. If the linoleum is undamaged (without any protrusions and cracks), you can leave it on the floor and put impact insulation onto it - Climopor 3 (or even better, Extrupor 6), lay the heating foil, cover it with vapour barrier foil and cover that with laminate floating floor.
Question:
Where is the borderline as to which part of installation must be carried out by a qualified person (a qualified electrician) and what can be done by oneself in the case of EcofilmSet – so that the warranty isn't limited? Is a residual current device necessary in the case of installation under a laminate floor in a “standard” environment (i.e. non-humid – according to the relevant ČSN standard)?
Answer:
In the case of EcofilmSet foils, a qualified person should carry out the connection to the mains itself, take measurements and confirm the warranty certificate. However, it questionable whether this person would be willing to connect something which he/she didn't see being laid. My advice is to consult the electrician who will connect the foils. Heating foils must be connected via a residual current device even in standard environments.
Question:
Why isn't it possible to heat the floor under a floating floor with a wattage higher than 80 W/m² when warm-water heating up to 160 W/² can be used? Does the foil or the floor get damaged?
Answer:
If you use a higher wattage, you will have to increase the temperature of the floor so that it can be transferred to the room. According to manufacturers, the temperature of a floor mustn't exceed 28 °C because otherwise it could get damaged. In order to achieve this temperature, 80 W/m² is a sufficient wattage. Another reason why we do not recommend higher wattages is that floor deformation might occur due to the high rate of temperature increase.
Question:
What type of floor heating foil would you recommend for use in a bathroom (zones 2 and 3, TNC electric installation) on existing floor tiling so that the height including the new tiling laid onto the heating foil is as low as possible? The composition of the current floor is, from the top: floor tiling, concrete (approx. 20 cm thick), clinker layer, and a stone vault in the corridor under the bathroom which isn't heated – only maintained at a non-freezing temperature by warmth loss form the lower rooms connected to the corridor. Is it necessary to lay insulation under the heating? Is there a difference between installation in a bathroom and in the adjacent corridor and WC? What wattage per m² should I use? At present, ECOFLEX ZCT 500 W is used in the bathroom and it is sufficient for heating; only heating of the cold floor is needed. There is one ECOSUN in the corridor – 300 W, I think.
Answer:
Heating foils cannot be used under floor tiling – they are intended for use under floating floors and their structure does not comply with the requirements of the standard for placement in humid areas. I would recommend that you use LDTS (160 W/m²) or LD (160 W/m²) heating mats in combination with F-board insulating slabs. If no thermal insulation is used, there will be large heat loss into the base and the warming of the floor will take a very long time. With F-board slabs the floor will warm up within 30 minutes, without them I would estimate 1.5 to 2.5 hours.
Question:
Can a vapour barrier foil with AL layer be used if the Ecofilm ceiling heating foil is 15 cm away from the vapour barrier foil?
Answer:
Such a use isn't possible – we do not recommend vapour barrier foils with an aluminium layer (capacity phenomena, the value of leaking current increases). The heating foil must be placed in close contact with thermal insulation and plasterboard or gypsum fibreboard. The vapour barrier (PE foil) must be placed between the gypsum fibreboard and the heating foil.
