Article by Warm Home Life
Warm Home Life has started a major renovation of a new house. At Rointe, we decided to collaborate with them and this is their experience with the installation of the ERKO underfloor heating system:
The attic is not connected to the central heating system of the house, so it is quite cold in winter. After evaluating various options (electric radiators, split systems with heat pump, infrared emitters…), underfloor heating turned out to be the best option.
This is where we find Rointe, which offers a wide range of heating products.
We spoke to their technical department and they recommended the ERKO model for soft floors (we are going to install laminate flooring). It is a blanket that has a cable inside that acts as a resistor and generates heat.
It is very convenient for renovations such as ours, as it is installed directly under the final floor and does not require levelling.
Warm Home Life explains the step-by-step:
Step by step:
- Spread the insulating mesh over the entire surface. I used double-sided tape so it wouldn’t move while I was installing it.
- Decide where the thermostat will be placed, as the radiant screen will extend from there. Please note that the radiant mesh cannot be cut or joined, so it will be necessary to plan a continuous route for the entire room. Always use 90 and 180 degree turns.
- Make the hole for the flush-mounted box and the corresponding cutout to pass the cables. In my case, I ran the cables behind the wall as there was a storage room. It is also possible to leave the entire installation above the floor using channels and an 80×80 mm box.
- Check that both the radiant screen and the temperature sensor have the correct values. We just need to check the value of their electrical resistances in ohms. Depending on the power of the radiant screen, it will have nominal values indicated in the instructions. As for the temperature sensor, it should have a value of approximately 10 kOhms at ambient temperature (20-25 degrees C).
- Start extending the mesh from the vertical of the thermostat and run the entire length of the mesh continuously. Leave approximately 5 centimetres of separation from the walls of the room.
- Place aluminium tape at each turn to bind the mesh together and also every 20-25 centimetres around the perimeter to secure it to the insulating mesh. This will hold the mesh in place and prevent it from moving while the installation is being completed.
- Install the temperature probe about 30 cm from the wall. Make sure that it does not touch or cross any of the underfloor heating cables.
- Route all wires to the thermostat and make connections according to the instructions. There are only 6 cables: 2 for the temperature probe, 2 for the radiant screen and 2 for the power supply.
- Install the ROINTE app on your phone and configure all its parameters.
Final result
We couldn’t be happier with the result. Electric underfloor heating seems to us to be the best option for heating a space like this room. It requires no building work, takes up no space, does not dry out the environment and provides a very pleasant feeling of comfort.
