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In recent years, geothermal heating has gradually entered people's lives. Not only have many newly built housing developments adopted geothermal heating methods, but some homeowners have also replaced their radiators with floor radiant heat. However, due to the lack of standardization in the early construction and the lack of attention by homeowners during later use, many problems can arise.
Early design and construction not being up to standard
Mr. Liu from Gaoxin started using underfloor heating last year. After two months of use, he noticed that the underfloor heating was not as warm anymore, but because the difference wasn't particularly significant, he didn't pay much attention. This year, after the heating season began, a serious water leakage problem occurred. After inviting a home decoration company to pry open the floor, it was discovered that there was a sand hole on the pipeline during installation. The sand hole turned into a crack after one year of using the underfloor heating, which caused the water leakage. Problems arising from careless construction in the early stages are very troublesome, requiring the entire floor to be re-pried open and the underfloor heating pipes to be re-laid. Therefore, homeowners should not hesitate to carefully inspect during the early design and decoration stages to prevent potential hazards.
Firstly, pipeline distribution must be reasonable. Wang Chaojun, the head of the engineering department at Longfa Decoration, said: "Before laying the underfloor heating, the pipeline distribution must go through professional calculation and design. The underfloor heating pipelines form a complete loop. The length and spacing of the pipelines must be reasonable. The density of pipelines in each room must be even. In a single unit, the length of the pipelines should be as close as possible. The pipelines must be laid with smooth bends and cannot have sharp folds. Since the water quality for underfloor heating is usually dirty, blockages can form at the folds, greatly affecting the underfloor heating."
Secondly, construction techniques must be professional. Homeowners are advised to choose construction teams with professional qualifications to avoid potential hazards caused by reckless construction. When selecting pipelines, ensure they are of guaranteed quality, as some construction teams may cut corners by choosing poor-quality pipelines. These pipelines have uneven wall thickness or are exceptionally thin, causing larger distances between the laid pipelines and affecting the heating results. Wang Chaojun said: "Laying underfloor heating tests the strength of the construction team. There must not be any joints below the ground level throughout the entire room's pipeline layout, nor are nails allowed to be driven into the ground."
Finally, do not hesitate during acceptance. Homeowners must ensure that property management conducts a pressure test when inspecting the new house. Under normal circumstances, it is recommended to conduct a pressure test after the water, electricity, and circuit renovations are completed, after the masonry work is finished, before the installation of sanitary ware and kitchenware, and before the first heating season begins.
Neglecting personal use and maintenance
Ms. Li's family has been using underfloor heating for three years now. Since the start of winter this year, she noticed that her home's underfloor heating was not warm, while other neighboring households had no issues. Upon inspection, it was found that the long-term lack of cleaning of the underfloor heating caused a clogged filter. After thoroughly cleaning the filter, the heating returned to normal. Improper use and neglect of maintenance by the homeowner are also reasons why the underfloor heating might not be warm.
Underfloor heating not being warm could be due to air in the pipes. Ren Wenjie, the manager of the engineering department at Urban Families, introduced: "If the main pipe of the underfloor heating is hot but the return pipe is not, it means there is air trapped inside the pipes, preventing hot water from entering the loop and stopping circulation. At this point, the air valve on the manifold must be used to release the air until hot water comes out. Sometimes, the underfloor heating not being warm could also be due to simple operational errors by the homeowner, such as valves not being fully opened, or the inlet valve being opened more than the outlet valve."
Arbitrarily modifying systems can easily create hidden dangers. Some homeowners change their radiators to floor radiant heating. In such cases, the gas boiler must be chosen correctly. Homeowners must consider whether the selected gas boiler can support the area of their home. If the gas boiler is used both for underfloor heating and hot water supply, insufficient hot water supply may result, causing the underfloor heating to not be warm. Cheng Shuangbin, the manager of the engineering department at Jinchao Decoration Company, suggested: "Since the material used for radiator and underfloor heating pipe connections differs, a conversion joint must be used. Poor-quality conversion joints can easily cause leaks. Therefore, we recommend homeowners adopt the original building's heating system."
Regular cleaning and maintenance are crucial. Cheng Shuangbin said: "Underfloor heating should be cleaned once before each heating season. Since the water quality for underfloor heating is relatively dirty, dirt can easily accumulate on the inner walls of the pipes. It is best to find a professional underfloor heating cleaning company for the job, and a pressure test should also be conducted after cleaning."
Flooring installation has no direct impact
Homeowners often wonder: "If I lay a thick layer of flooring or tiles on the ground, will it affect the heat dissipation of the floor radiant heating, making my home less warm?" Dai Zehao, the vice president of Shengxiang Flooring, introduced: "This is actually a misconception. Whether laying tiles or wooden floors, it will not significantly impact the heating effect of the underfloor heating. Due to differences in materials, ceramic tiles heat up and cool down quickly, providing an obvious sensation, whereas floors heat up more slowly. The thickness of the floor only affects the speed of heating and will not directly cause a temperature difference compared to others."
Dai Zehao suggests: "Homeowners using underfloor heating should wait until the ground is completely dry after the underfloor heating construction is completed before installing the floor. The flatness of the ground changes after the underfloor heating construction is done, so it is best to level the ground again before proceeding with the installation. Nails must not be driven into the ground during floor installation."
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