What Are The Advantages Of XLPE Pipes For Underfloor Heating

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 07:54

• Pipe selection
• Concept and types of cross-linked polyethylene pipes
• Positive traits
• Comparison with metal-plastic
• Installation features

In order for the underfloor heating system to fully function, quality materials should be purchased. You cannot save on the purchase of pipes, since the operating period of the heating system will fully depend on their quality. But it is worth remembering that the choice of pipes will depend on the specific circumstances and conditions of installation. To a greater extent, preference is given to cross-linked polyethylene due to its high quality and a set of positive qualities.

Pipe selection

In order to generally choose pipes for a warm water floor, it is important that they meet certain requirements, which include:

• Ability to withstand mechanical stress.
• Extended terms of the operational period.

• Elasticity and flexibility.

  

• High heat transfer.
• Resistance to corrosive processes.
• Absorption at maximum noise.
• Environmental Safety.
• Low coefficient of linear expansion, etc.

But if you look closely at each of the materials presented on the construction market, you can conclude that almost each of them will meet these requirements. For a water heated floor, copper, polypropylene pipes, corrugated steel pipes, stainless steel or polyethylene pipes can be chosen. Each of them has its own characteristics and a set of positive qualities.

Copper pipes together with stainless ones have the best qualities and characteristics. They can be used in almost any circumstance. In some cases, they may also have a polymer shell. They are distinguished only by a very high cost, which is not always interesting for the performer.

Lower consumption and easier installation correspond to corrugated steel.

In terms of quality, they are not much inferior to their copper counterparts. True, the price is practically that high.

Also, a metal-plastic pipe has excellent properties. But here, over time, at the locations of the threaded fittings, or rather inside them, scale may appear. If such pipes are not carefully installed, there is a high probability of cutting and damage.

But still the most modern and perfect option in this case is a cross-linked polyethylene pipe. All characteristics meet the operational requirements, but the cost is several times less than that of other materials.

Cross-linked polyethylene can be used not only for the underfloor heating system, but also for the entire water supply. In the first case, it is best to purchase products with anti-diffusion protection, which reduces oxygen permeability to a minimum.

Concept and types of cross-linked polyethylene pipes

From the name itself, it can be assumed that some individual elements or parts are sewn in pipes. In reality, the molecules are crosslinked. There is a physical or chemical way to cross-link polyethylene. The formula PE-X is used for this pipe material. But it is worth deciding which pipes for a warm floor can be, depending on how they are made:

1. RE-Ha. In the process of heating the elements, peroxide is used.
2. PE-Xb. Such polyethylene, which was obtained after processing it with moisture together with the implanted silane, as well as a substance acting as a catalyst.
3. PE-Xc. All polymer molecules are bombarded with electrons.

4. PE-Xd. They are obtained as a result of using nitrogen technology. You can rarely find them on sale.

   

From this it can be concluded that all strength characteristics are based on the molecular level. It is almost impossible to break all the connections received. This is a very important advantage of the material, though practically the only one.

For a water-heated floor, the most suitable is a cross-linked polyethylene pipe. Its service life is very high, and also has excellent strength characteristics. In addition to all this, the material has a sound-absorbing effect, increased thermal conductivity. The process of installing a cross-linked polyethylene pipe for underfloor heating is very simple and does not take much time.

An excellent option from the presented types of pipes made of cross-linked polyethylene, which is obtained by the peroxide method. They have the corresponding PE-Xa marking.

Positive traits

A set of unique characteristics belongs to the XLPE pipes. The main attention is paid to high temperature resistance, which allows the use of a coolant flow in the pipeline up to a temperature of 120 degrees. When compared with other products made of polymer material, they are capable of fully functioning at a coolant temperature of no more than 80 degrees. In addition, they are distinguished by reverse shrinkage, excellent elasticity, which allows you to create different radii and bends of the contour of the warm water floor system.

One very interesting quality of XLPE is the ability to recover from significant stress. If, in this case, other products, similar in composition, were used, they would simply stretch or even break. All this leads to the earliest possible repair work.

During the installation of a water floor heating circuit, XLPE pipes can be located on the base with a different radius. In this case, the fracture can be easily avoided due to the properties and qualities of the material itself. It should be noted that for the floor screed itself, as well as the environment, polyethylene does not have any negative impact. No emission of harmful substances is performed even after a long operating period. The quality of the material allows the system to operate fully for a longer time in comparison with similar materials and products. Throughout the entire time, no one will encounter material decay, the appearance of corrosion, both inside the pipe and outside.

If cross-linked polyethylene is used when installing a warm water floor, then it allows you to absorb incoming vibrations. This reduces the noise level entering the room.

But no material can boast only positive qualities. There can be no ideal pipe for a warm floor. There are, albeit insignificant, disadvantages that you should remember when buying such material. In some cases, even they can lead to more serious consequences.

The main disadvantage is oxygen permeability. This factor can cause corrosion of the components located near the pipeline. But this point can be almost completely avoided. In this case, a special spraying should be done on XLPE pipes.

Since such pipes retain their shape very poorly, it is best to fix them immediately securely using the appropriate fasteners (rails, latches). The fasteners almost always have installation grooves, where the pipes are placed.

Comparison with metal-plastic

You can make a comparison of XLPE pipes with metal-plastic pipes. It is these two options that the master usually offers during the installation of a warm water floor. There is practically no difference in cost for these products. Favorable cost can be found in both pipe options.

In this case, special attention should be paid to the performance characteristics of the material. Cross-linked polyethylene behaves somewhat worse when constructing sections with complex diameters, with a significant contour radius. This suggests that small rooms in terms of area, as well as with a complex pipe laying scheme, it is better to give preference to metal-plastic products. But this is probably the only thing that a metal-plastic pipe can surpass. In all other cases and variants, XLPE is unmatched. In addition, the degree of reliability is higher than that of metal-plastic.

In addition, PE-X has other qualities, which are manifested by the material from the best side in comparison with metal-plastic. This is the ability to tolerate low temperatures, and even freezing. In this case, they retain their appearance and do not burst. Cross-linked polyethylene burns only at temperatures up to 400 degrees. But even in this case, it does not emit harmful substances into the environment, forming water and carbon dioxide.

They will not be able to affect cross-linked polyethylene and various solvents (aromatic - toluene, aliphatic - gasoline, chlorinated - trichlorethylene). But caution should be exercised when exposed to oils, waxes, fats, etc. Even swelling of cross-linked polyethylene is possible on contact with such materials.

Antifreezes can be used instead of water inside such products, since they do not have any effect on the material. Anti-corrosion agents, detergents and their analogues are also transferred in the same way.

Installation features

Press-on or compression fittings are used as the main components for the installation of pipes for a warm water floor system made of XLPE. Compression products have the greatest popularity and simplicity. To install it, you need to do the following:

1. The tube being used is supported by a crimp nut, which should point towards the connector.
2. The split ring should be fixed on the pipe so that the edge slightly deviates from the cut of the pipe itself by about 1 mm.
3. The pipe is pushed onto the nipple of the fitting. This action should be performed until the very end.

4. The crimp nut is tightened using a conventional wrench.

   

In this case, you shouldn't even try to chamfer the pipe. The process of tightening the nut is carried out with caution, as the pipe itself may be damaged if basic requirements are not followed. Polyethylene underfloor heating will lose its properties and qualities.

When using press fittings, it is possible to obtain a permanent connection of all elements of the XLPE pipe. The work will require the use of special pressing equipment. Everything is done as follows:

• Initially, you should put on an uncut clamping sleeve.
• After that, the expander of the selected size is inserted into the pipe.
• The expander handles are very neatly and consistently brought up to the stop, after which they are fixed in a given position for a few seconds.
• The pipe is inserted into the fitting.

• A sleeve is pressed onto the fitting. For this, it is best to use a hydraulic press or a manual version of such equipment.

  

We must not forget that such materials have the ability to reverse shrinkage. This is achieved due to the fact that cross-linked polyethylene for underfloor heating has molecular memory. After the pipe is placed in the fitting, after even a few minutes, it will be very difficult to get it out of there due to its tight fit to all elements.

It is forbidden to use fittings on a twist under the floor screed, since the connection may loosen.

After the completion of work on the installation of the underfloor heating pipeline system, it is required to fill the underfloor heating screed through the pipes. To do this, you should first select its specific option and purchase all the materials for this. For a warm floor, the size of the screed will depend on the arranged system, the chosen filling option. The concrete screed and the dry option will be different. As a result, you will get a really high-quality "cake" that will transfer a large amount of heat from the base of the floor and to the ceiling, warming up the air at the level of a person's height.

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