GB2276928A

GB2276928A - Underfloor heating

Info

Publication number: GB2276928A
Application number: GB9307268A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David John Robbens
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-04-07
Filing date: 1993-04-07
Publication date: 1994-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 2013-04-07
Also published as: GB9307268D0; GB2276928B

Abstract

In an underfloor heating system, particularly for use with timber floors, there is provided a support for underfloor heating pipes or elements, comprising a channel portion 2 for housing a heating pipe or element, and an attachment portion 1 for securing the support to a floor bearer. A plurality of these supports may be located on floor bearers, heating pipes or elements are laid in the channel portions of the supports and connected to a heat or power source, heat-spreading plates (7), (Figure 2) are laid over the floor bearers in contact with the attachment portions of the supports, and a floor deck (8) is laid over the heat-spreader plates. <IMAGE>

Description

UNDERFLOOR HEATING The present invention relates to underfloor heating systems.

It is particularly concerned with systems for use with timber floors, which may be suspended, sprung or floating.

Underfloor heating systems for space heating typically use either piped heated water or electrical elements located within the floor structure. The heat must be distributed evenly from the pipe or element beneath the timber deck for the system to function. Present systems utilise preformed conducting plates with a pipe groove or grooves formed by pressing. These plates fit specific joist (or support batten) centres and thus require that the floor design is tailored to suit the plates, rather than the specific output required, or the most cost effective floor joist spacing.

Conversely, such plates are rarely suitable for use in older houses with irregular joist spacings.

The present invention in one aspect provides a support for underfloor heating pipes or elements comprising a channel portion for housing a pipe or heating element, and an attachment portion for securing the support to a floor bearer.

Typically the attachment portion is a flange, preferably continuous but optionally as a series of tags, extending from one side of the channel portion. Ideally the flange extends from the top of one side wall of the channel portion, allowing the support to be folded from a strip of sheet metal. The channel portion preferably has a rounded bottom surface, typically of radius matching that of a pipe or heating element that will be accommodated in it. However the cross sectional shape of the channel portion may be varied to suit elements of non-circular cross-section.

Preferably the support consists solely of the flange and channel, but in some circumstances it may be desirable to add a further flange or tags to the other sidewall, but not to the extent that the lips will extend so far as to bridge the gap between two joists.

The support is preferably folded from a strip of metal sheet, such as aluminium, mild steel, galvanised steel or copper.

However it may be appropriate in some situations to use extruded metal or plastics supports.

The support is most easily attached to the floor bearer, such as a joist, by nailing or stapling through the attachment portion. The channel portion is placed against one side of the joist/batten with attachment portion or flange overlying the top surface of the joist/batten. If screw attachment is preferred, screw holes may be formed, for example by punching, in the attachment portion.

The support may be fixed to existing joists, or to battens laid at any required spacing, or to grooved insulation board.

To increase heat output at specific locations, the supports may be provided at double density by installing supports on both sides of a joist or batten.

After installation of the supports, the heating pipes or elements are laid in the channel portions and routed to a hot water or electrical supply by conventional means. A sheet of heat conducting material, for example any of the metal sheets previously mentioned, will usually be laid over the supported pipes or elements, resting on the joists, battens or insulation board and in contact with the attachment portion.

In this way the heat generated in the pipes or elements is spread beneath the floor deck and transferred to the floor deck.

Accordingly, in another aspect the present invention provides an underfloor heating system in which a plurality of the above supports are located on floor bearers, heating pipes or elements are laid in the channel portions of the supports and connected to a heat or power source, heat-spreading plates are laid over the floor bearers in contact with the attachment portions of the supports, and a floor deck is laid over the heat-spreader plates.

Various embodiments of the above invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a support in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 shows the support mounted onto a joist with pipe, heat-spreading plate and floor deck fitted.

Fig. 3 shows the support mounted to both sides of a sprung floor batten with pipe, heat-spreading plate and floor deck fitted.

Fig. 4 shows the support fitted into a grooved insulation panel with heat-spreader plate and f floor deck installed above.

Referring to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, a support 4 of the invention has an attachment flange 1 secured to one side wall of a channel 2. As shown, the support is of unitary construction, being folded from a sheet of aluminium, so the flange 1 extends from the top of the one side wall of channel 2. The base of the channel 2 is rounded with a radius that will give a snug fit to a standard heating pipe.

Typically such a support is supplied in 500 or 1000mm lengths. Suitable dimensions are an overall width of approx.

40mm with the channel portion having a curved bottom surface of approx. 8mm radius. The support may conveniently be formed from 26 gauge (0.5mm) thickness aluminium sheet.

In the installation of a heating system, several supports 4 are installed in line against floor joists 6 as shown in Figure 2. The channel portion 2 is placed close against the side of the joist 6 with the flange 1 overlying the top surface of the joist 6. The flange 1 can be secured to the joist 6 using a staple gun or by nails 9. The supports are spaced approx. 50mm from each other to ensure there is no contact, which could lead to undesired noise caused by heat expansion and contraction. A heating pipe 5 of conventional construction, for example having an aluminium core tube coated on inner and outer surfaces with polyethylene, is laid into the channel. The radius of the channel 2 and the pipe 5 are matched to allow efficient heat transfer. The free edge 3 of the opposite wall of channel 2 can be pressed down over the pipe 5 to retain it in position. Alternatively lips or tags could be formed on the edge 3 for the same purpose.

After installation of the appropriate length of piping using adjacent joists, a heat-conducting heat-spreader plate 7 is placed over each pipe, bridging the adjacent joists. The spreader plate 7 is placed in contact with flange 1 so that the latter also serves to transfer heat to the spreader plate 7. The floor deck 8 is secured to the joists 6 through plate 7 using screws or nails 10.

Figure 3 shows a similar installation, except that the support 4 is secured to a batten 11 laid on a solid floor 13.

The floor deck 8 may be sprung by mounting the batten on resilient pads 12 or other conventional fittings. In this installation the heat output has been doubled locally by installing a support 4 and pipe 5 on both sides of the batten 11.

In Figure 4, the supports 4 are part of an installation using grooved insulation board 14 to support the floor deck 8 on a solid floor 13. The grooves in the insulation board may be provided at any desired spacing to suit heat output requirements. This spacing can easily be reproduced in the pipe system 5 using the individual supports of this invention. The channel of the support 4 is pressed into the grooves in the insulation board, with the flange 1 overlying the adjacent upper surface of the board. As before the pipes 5 pressed into the channels. The heat spreader plate 7 and floor deck 8 are laid across the pipes 5 and flanges 1, and may be left as a floating floor or secured by nails or screws.

Whilst these specific embodiment shave been described in terms of installing heating pipes, clearly the installation system is equally applicable to use of electrical heating elements.

Claims

1. A support for underfloor heating pipes or elements, comprising a channel portion for housing a heating pipe or element, and an attachment portion for securing the support to a floor bearer.

2. A support according to Claim 1 in which the attachment portion is a flange secured to one sidewall of the channel portion.

3. A support as claimed in Claim 2 in which the flange extends from the top of one sidewall of the channel portion.

4. A support according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the channel portion has a rounded bottom surface.

5. A support according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, in which the flange and channel are formed by folding a metal strip.

6. An underfloor heating system in which a plurality of supports as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5 are located on floor bearers, heating pipes or elements are laid in the channel portions of the supports and connected to a heat or power source, heat-spreading plates are laid over the floor bearers in contact with the attachment portions of the supports, and a floor deck is laid over the heat-spreader plates.

7. A heating system according to Claim 6 in which the floor bearers are joists1 battens or grooved insulation board.