KARDO Waterpanel ultralight alternative system.
From the series "Heating, ventilation, air conditioning - inspirations and solutions 2021"
KARDO Waterpanel is a state-of-the-art floor or wall water heating and cooling system manufactured in Poland. Among other things, it is characterized by its lightweight construction and low height. KARDO Waterpanel does not require concrete screeds and associated expansion joints. The ultra-thin floor layer makes the performance of the system very high. This state-of-the-art solution is so simple that it can be implemented on a do-it-yourself basis without much technical knowledge.
The streamlining of construction processes, the versatility of their execution and ecology are increasingly desirable values. Both self-construction and implementation of the heating system by a specialized company bring concrete benefits and satisfaction. In the course of construction work, questions may arise - what kind of underfloor heating to make in a wooden house, when the ceiling has a low load-bearing capacity? Is it possible to make heating during renovation, when there is no room to raise the height of the floor? What to do when it is not possible to remove the old floor? All these questions can be answered by installing the KARDO Waterpanel system. It is implemented on the basis of extruded polystyrene (XPS) boards, whose compressive strength is at least 30 tons/m². This ensures long-term and safe operation of the heating system and high stability of the substrate.
KARDO Waterpanel used in Croatia
© Elektra Kardo
The ultra-lightweight KARDO Waterpanel surface heating and cooling system is an alternative to systems based on traditional methods of installing wall and floor coverings using wet concrete mortar. Its high strength and resistance to deformation, as well as its effective thermal performance, makes it possible to dispense with the laying of dry screeds (such as cement boards). Due to the fact that KARDO Waterpanel is an extremely lightweight and easy-to-assemble system, we can use it horizontally, as well as vertically - on walls (while maintaining technical parameters in accordance with the norms). In justified cases, this type of installation may be the only possible technical solution - at low load-bearing capacity of wooden ceilings or the need to improve the thermal insulation of the floor.
© Elektra Kardo
There are several models of the KARDO Waterpanel system. In a variant called KARDO Waterpanel X, the groove spacing in the XPS insulation board is 10 cm. Scientific studies have confirmed that such spacing does not adversely affect comfort. Thus, no additional aluminum foil or other metal plates to improve heat flow are required. At the same time, high efficiency is ensured, and the grooves of the plates are shaped in such a way that the laying of heating pipes with a standard diameter of 16 mm is very simple - without the use of specialized equipment.
In the KARDO Waterpanel XL (XPS LAMEL) variant, the groove spacing is 15 cm, and the XPS insulation boards are covered with aluminum foil fins. The use of aluminum fins increases the heating capacity, while reducing the consumption of heating pipes.
© Elektra Kardio
After the heating pipes are laid in the grooves of the boards, the top layer of the system is finished in 4 ways, depending on the type of flooring chosen. Using panels without aluminum foil and making a floor of wood-like panels, a special KARDO Alumax mat is laid over the Waterpanel panels (1). The ceramic tile floor is laid after reinforcing the boards with KARDO Flex adhesive and "armor" mesh (2). Using panels with aluminum foil and making a floor of wood-like panels, we lay KARDO Therm matting (3) on the Waterpanel panels. The ceramic tile floor is laid with KARDO Proof adhesive (4). Installation of the KARDO Waterpanel X system is shown in the video below.
KARDO Waterpanel is an effective and durable heating system, and can be used as a system for cooling when connected under reversible pumps. The technical solutions of the system make it compatible with both traditional heating boilers and devices using renewable energy sources (such as heat pumps). KARDO Waterpanel has been installed in many countries, including Poland, France, Norway, Croatia, Bulgaria and others.
© Elektra Kardo
The KARDO Waterpanel system is characterized by low heating inertia, which allows it to quickly achieve the desired temperature on the floor surface, efficient cooling and easy control. This brings tangible financial benefits and time savings. Production of the system is subject to strict quality control. KARDO Waterpanel panels are marked with the European CE mark and have documents of approval for use in the European Union. It has been subjected to strength and thermal tests at the Bialystok and Cracow Polytechnic Universities and other independent laboratories in Poland. All components used in the system come from the factories of European manufacturers.
For more information, visit Elektra Kardo on the A&B portal.
