Installation of Rehau underfloor heating with RAUTHERM pipes and Vario boards

20 March 2009 - Comments (0)

Construction

Being mostly done with the interior walls and ceillings, we started the installation of the underfloor heating and cooling system. As verticals and manifolds had all been already installed before, this part of the work consists in placing Vario boards on the floor on which RAUTHERM pipes are passed. Our installers, Kombo are performing this installation.

Rehau Edge Insulation

The installation starts by placing a strip of Rehau Edge Insulation all around the walls. This strip of material dissociates the floor from the walls. This is excellent for sound insulation and makes a dilatation join with the walls.

Rehau Edge insulation strip.

The strip is placed with a protective plastic that is removed later.

Rehau Edge insulation strip installed in the room of one apartment.

Rehau Edge insulation strip installed with Vario boards on the floor.

Rehau Vario boards

After the strip is in place, Rehau Vario boards are installed on the floor. Vario boards are made of extruded polystyrene. They provide support for the underfloor heating pipes and serve as a layer of thermal insulation. That thermal insulation adds to the insulation already provided by the light concrete layer.

Installation of Rehau Vario boards on the floor.

Rehau Vario boards installed on the floor of the living room and the bedroom of one apartment.

Rehau RAUTHERM pipes and manifold

We use Rehau RAUTHERM universal pipes, made from cross-linked polyethylene, with an oxygen diffusion barrier. Those PE-Xa pipes are certainly amongst the best pipes that exist for underfloor heating.

Rehau RAUTHERM universal pipes with oxygen diffusion barrier.

In one apartment, the underfloor heating system is organized in several loops, that are all connected to a central distribution point that is the manifold. The number of loops depends of the size of the apartment. For a 1-bedroom apartment, there are 4 loops: bathroom, bedroom, living-room and corridor or kitchen.

Underfloor heating loops connected to the manifold.

There are 2 manifolds: the supply manifold (up) for the incoming flow of water from the system, and the return manifold (down) for the outgoing flow of water after circulation in the underfloor loop. Each loop is therefore connected to the 2 manifolds (supply and return). The supply manifold is fitted with flow meters which show the flow of water in the loop. The return manifold is fitted with balancing valves to adjust the flow.

Closeup on the 2 manifolds (supply manifold up and return manifold down) for incoming and outgoing water from the underfloor loops.

From the manifolds, the loop are distributed in the rooms of the apartment.

Distribution of the undefloor heating loops from the manifolds.

Installation of RAUTHERM pipes on Vario boards

RAUTHERM pipe fits directly in Vario boards. This simplifies and speeds up the installation a lot.

Installation of an underfloor heating loop on Vario boards with RAUTHERM pipe.

In order to optimize the flow and to even up the temperature, the pipe for each loop is installed in a double spiral.

Installation of the underfloor heating loops in double spiral.

After the pipework is finished, the system has to be tested under pressure. Then the last screed can be put, on which tiles will go.