Under-floor heating elements

SMW warmfloor is a Chinese developed system made for future demands of healthy heating. The priority is comfort for the human need, safety and energy efficiency. A building height from 1,2 mm, easy installation, self-regulation and 24 Volt makes the product unique. More than 20 years of continuous development ensures that the advanced technology makes it endurable and easy to use. SMW warmfioor has been tested by several international laboratories and is approved for installation in dry, damp and wet rooms according to norms and regulations. Installation of elements can be done by anybody, but before covering, a certified electrician must inspect and connect the wires to the house net. THE SMW WARMFLOOR SYSTEM The SMW warmfloor is based on 1,2 mm thick and 34 cm wide heating elements of carbon-enriched polyethylene with copper braid embedded along both edges. All of the plastics are electrically conductive. Because of the resistance in the material, heat is developed. An advantage of this technology is the self-regulating effect. The elements are cut to desired lengths and clips are mounted for wire connection. Safety transformers running on 24 Volt ensures a secure system. The self-regulating effect (PTC), means that every little piece of the plastic is its own thermostat. When room temperature increases, the resistance in the material increases and electricity consumption decreases .This also happens under local area covering in this way the elements can not overheat. The temperature on the heating elements rarely exceeds 27 to28°C when connected to 24 Volt. Floor surface temperature will normally be 25 - 26 C, giving a comfortable and healthy floor heating for both people and animals. DESIGN FOR PERSONAL NEED To ensure optimal heating solutions, every installation is specified for the individual need. Insulation standards, type of room, usage, number of outside walls, climate etc. are all factors that influences the calculation for energy consumption. In this way, special considerations can be taken to achieve a satisfying solution both in comfort, quality and price. When ordering, the heating elements can be cut to desired lengths, clips mounted and a box containing all components will be packed for the individual floor. Our policy is to supply customers with all relevant Information to be able to make a decision on material selection and the way to make the floor. In the following information there are short descriptions on issues that may be important to know. More detailed information can be supplied on different topics, and the installation manual also give further instructions on how to build the complete floor. ENERGYSAVI NG There is a lot of energy needed to compensate for a lack of insulation. The building standards of today means half the energy consumption compared to the insulating standards 50 years ago. There are materials and methods today to improve the insulation level in an easy manner. It is important to evaluate every single installation for optimum performance and easiest possible building method. Different types of heating sources have variable energy efficiency. A small heating surface demands higher temperature than a bigger area to obtain the same result. The higher temperature you need ,the less energy efficient it is. Energy used directly as heating source is normally the most effective. Political authorities sometimes influences and subsidize alternative energy sources, but rarely this means a better energy efficiency or cost saving for the consumer. Always calculate investment costs plus running costs for the life expectancy of the heating source. SMW warm floor is very economical in use with measured savings of more than 40 % compared to conventional heating. This is due to a low temperature heating across a big area, self-regulation, and closeness to floor surface. By principle, it is expensive to heat up all underlying material, so considerations about insulation mean cost efficiency. SAFETY AND HEALTH Building materials of today may contain numerous chemical connections. High temperature releases more toxic fumes than low temperature. The ideal temperature on the floor is 22--23°C and about 19°C around your head. In some countries the temperature on the floor is defined by Health Authorities to be between 18 and 26 degrees in Kindergarten. Temperatures above 28 C is by some regarded to be a health risk. Our experience define a temperature of 25 to 26 degrees on the floor as what most people feel is pleasant, and normally this is enough to secure a nice living comfort. The low temperature SMW heating element gives an ideal heat distribution in a room where it is warmer on the floor than underneath the ceiling. When the feet are warm, there is less need for beat in the rest of the room. The average room temperature can often be lowered by 2--3 degrees with an increased comfort. The lower temperature means that dust is not burned and that allergic people get a substantially improved living condition. The self-regulation secure that the SMW element can not be overheated when connected to 24 Volt. This low Voltage is safe to touch even if a damage to the floor should occur. A mechanical damage in the floor seldom leads to a loss of heat. The safety transformer is made with fuses to secure that if a faulty situation should occur, no serious damage will develop. ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY Polyethylene is an environmentally friendly plastic that will give no toxic fumes. It is environmentally friendly to nature as it is degradable by sunlight. It can be resirculated and used for other purposes. All materials used in the SMW system are waterbased products or others that are harmless to human being and nature. TOTAL OR COMFORT HEATING SMW warmfloor can be used as a total heating source with sufficient capacity to heat single rooms or the full house. Normal calculation is about 50 Watt per in a living room, depending on insulation, usage, size, geographic vicinity, number of outer walls etc. Bathrooms and small entrance areas will normally" have a higher capacity. This is made by installing the elements closer together and closer to the wall. In a living room or bedroom there are furniture along moat walls, and heat is normally not placed under fixed installations. Comfort heating is when you just want to avoid the cold floor where you walk and sit. The elements are placed further apart and concentrated to the areas where people move. Capacity can be as low as 30 -40 Watt per , but in most cases there must be an extra heat source for the colder days.