Duo-Thermo, Sistema de Aquecimento Lda. Aquecimento eléctrico em pedra natural.

WHAT IS UNDERFLOOR HEATING?

Underfloor heating is a total and homogeneous heating of the floor, which, while being totally invisible, ensures a pleasant environment and ambient temperature, controlled by a thermostat. The thermostat is connected to a sensor installed inside the floor and it controls the temperature of the floor.

Etherma underfloor heating is manufactured in Austria and conforms to all safety and quality tests. It is a particularly ecological, economical, healthy and modern means of heating environments. It offers many advantages: it is simple to install, easy to use, economical in terms of energy consumption, comfortable, 100% safe, clean and reliable - sheer genius!

Characteristics of electric underfloor heating

It can be used for the entire habitable space – there are no visible heaters

It does not require a separate room for equipment – there is no need to store fuels or have a boiler

It does not need to be cleaned daily nor does it require periodical maintenance

An absolutely silent system with no smoke or smell

Precise and exact temperature control, adjusted individually in each room

Uniform temperature

The heating is generated by radiation, there is no movement of air and, consequently, no movement of dust

It does not dry the air – it maintains the necessary humidity for healthy respiration

It does not burn oxygen, nor does it pollute the environment

There is no wear and tear or damage to the material over the course of the years

“Warm feet and a cool head” – a principle that allows thermal comfort with a temperature that is about 3º lower than with a traditional convection system

20 to 30% savings in terms of energy consumption, as compared to traditional heating methods (radiators, air convectors, fireplaces, recuperative heaters, etc.)

It can use new alternative energies, without necessitating a change in systems

It makes the most of night energy rates (dual tariff meters)

Maximum energy efficiency:
-100% TRANSFORMATION OF ENERGY INTO HEAT -

Different applications for underfloor heating

Etherma, an international pioneer in this kind of heating, has over 30 years of experience. This has enabled the company to find suitable solutions for different situations: both for new constructions, as well as for structures that are being restored, without needing to break the existing old flooring.

System of radiation pads:

1st Solution -
The radiating pad can be installed directly under the final flooring
Detachable element every 0.5m

Application:
This is ideal for structures being restored, where the client would like to install underfloor heating and has a limited height. This kind of underfloor heating only requires a height of about 1.5 cm (including the insulation) in order to be installed.

The product is supplied as:
Supplied in the form of a roll and accompanied by a technical guide - manufacturing label with all the technical data, numbered according to the installation plan.

Installation: The network with a type 1 resistor must be installed in a flexible layer of glue with a thickness ranging from 1 to 1.5 cm - installation in a thin layer, directly under the final flooring.

Capturing heat that is closest to the surface decisively shortens the heat reaction time and substantially improves the regular capacity of the heating system (direct heating).

A perfect installation should only be attempted on flat flooring, i.e. flooring that has been duly levelled. This will avoid having hot points and cold points owing to irregularities in the flooring where the heating system was installed.

Possible installation techniques
	On screed - Final flooring - tile glue with heating pads - screed - insulation
	On existing flooring -new flooring -tile glue with heating pads -old tiles -old screed
	On wooden flooring -floor covering with a new final flooring -tile glue with heating pad or a 16mm liquid layer of levelling putty or a supporting element in hard foam or 9mm of cellulose insulation
	Under wall to wall carpeting or loose laid flooring -carpet or loose laid flooring -16mm layer of levelling putty with heating pad - screed

2nd Solution -

The underfloor heating is applied in a thick layer of screed, resistant to all the humidity and chemicals that could arise during construction. The cable, which has a thickness of about 1 cm, is placed on a flat and insulated floor, so as to avoid heat loss, and is directly covered by a layer of wet concrete or self-levelling screed, measuring between 2 to 3 cm.

This layer of screed simultaneously serves to protect the heating cable as well as the heat-accumulating layer.

This kind of underfloor heating should preferably be installed during the construction phase or whenever a height of at least 4 cm is available, to be able to incorporate the insulation, heating cable and the layer of screed

This underfloor heating system is to be applied in a layer of screed and comprises a resistor (heating cable) and impermeable junction wires, which are connected via a refractory hose (impervious to heat), in two different lengths, 3 m and 3m + length of the heating pad, for all sizes of rooms. A choice of three kinds of resistors is available. All the resistors are certified according to VDE and OVE norms.

IMPORTANT ASPECTS TO CONSIDER WHILE INSTALLING UNDERFLOOR HEATING.

1 – The existence of insulation: Floormate (at least 2 cm thick) or Space-Reflex – an aluminium sheet specially treated on one side with a bubble of trapped air in the interior and polyethylene on the other side; a thickness of merely 4mm has the same insulation effect of about 5 cm of Floormate.

2 – Control the floor temperature through a sensor that is placed within the floor, which, being connected to the ambient thermostat, prevents the floor temperature from crossing 26º, the limit established by health norms (ISO X 35.203)

3 – Type of cable – the use of bipolar (dipol) cable is recommended, free from electromagnetic radiation, which can have adverse effects on your health over the long term. Always use a cable that has been tested and which shows acceptable test results, without noxious health risks.

4 – The final flooring – any kind of flooring can be used. However, it must be kept in mind that this is a factor that will have an effect on energy consumption, since the flooring material can be a good heat-accumulator, e.g. clay tiles, ceramics, stone, tiles, etc., or an insulator, such as wood or cork. Logically, if the final flooring is an insulating material, the level of energy consumption will be considerably higher.

5 – Underfloor heating is a heating system that consumes more energy in the initial phase when it is switched on, until the ambient temperature is achieved. It has a low energy consumption while maintaining a constant temperature and it is therefore recommended that you do not switch it off when you leave: use the thermostat and reduce the temperature slightly when you go out in order to save on energy.

ADVANTAGES OF UNDERFLOOR HEATING:

1 - Healthy: - It does not consume oxygen, ensures a moderate temperature, ascending heat and a uniform distribution of temperature.

2 - Economical: - Low energy consumption - owing to the fact that heat rises and is generated uniformly, the same thermal comfort can be achieved with a lower temperature.
- Very simple and easy to install
- Does not require a special room for installing technical equipment.

3 - Aesthetic: - Completely invisible, underfloor heating allows the use of any kind of flooring: stone, tiles, clay tiles, loose laid floors, etc.,

4 - Practical: - The system can start working 24 hours after it is installed. All you need to do is press the thermostat button and the system will start to work!
It does not require any maintenance, and is always ready to heat at any time of the year, whenever temperatures drop.
5 - Effective: - It is based on an elementary physics principle: “hot air rises”. Thus, not only will your feet be warm but so will the rest of your body and your entire environment.

SUMMARY:
1 - The temperature is uniformly distributed. Equitable distribution of the heat.

2 - The ambient temperature is regulated by a thermostat and can be adjusted according to individual preferences.

3 - The temperature of the floor is regulated by specific sensors connected to the ambient thermostat, in order to limit the floor temperature to a maximum of 25º C/ 26º C.

4 - Waterproof and resistant to chemical products.

5 – Uses the finest quality bipolar (dipol) cable, completely free from electromagnetic radiation.

6 - The type of resistor can be adapted to suit the characteristics of the site where it is being installed.

7 – The exact power is installed for each room, after a study prepared by the engineer.

8 - It can be safely installed, without any risks, in bathrooms and other areas that are liable to get wet.

9 - The load conforms to VDE 0253/87 standards; quality certification according to ISO 9001 norms.

10 - 10 year guarantee.

Possible installation techniques