How Does Underfloor Heating Work?
As the cold season draws ever closer, you might be tempted to pursue alternative methods of heating your home to keep things cosy and comfortable.
Underfloor heating can be an incredibly effective means of providing warmth to your home, and can be a sound investment for anyone looking for a luxury, modern and minimalist heating method throughout London and the surrounding areas.
If you’re interested in installing underfloor heating in your property, but are unsure as to how it might work, then this article is for you.
Types of underfloor heating
There are two options when it comes to the style of underfloor heating for your home:
- Electric underfloor heating
- Water underfloor heating
Both systems will provide heat in similar ways, taking advantage of the ‘hot air rises’ principle, turning the floor into a radiator which emits heat upwards into the room.
Electric underfloor heating
This kind of underfloor heating uses wires attached to mesh mats or rolls, hooked up directly to the mains. The wires are thin, making electric underfloor heating perfect for retrofitting into your existing floors – you won’t have to worry about raising the floor level like you might with water based heating system.
Electric systems can be incredibly convenient, and will be cheaper to initially install than water systems. However, the wires will be more expensive to run over the long term so it might be wise to keep them confined to smaller spaces.
Water underfloor heating
A water-based system uses a network of pipes to distribute heated water throughout the room. The system is linked to your boiler and offers a much more even heating solution than your radiators.
With regards to installation, water-based systems will require more work than electric underfloor heating. Pipework naturally takes up more space, and your floor will likely have to be raised to make room. While this does mean a higher initial cost than an electric system, water underfloor heating is cheaper to run overall.
Unlike radiators, which need to work harder to provide sufficient heating to the whole room, your water underfloor heating is much more efficient. Water can be heated at a lower temperature with an underfloor system, due to the much more even heat distribution.
Benefits of underfloor heating
Whichever system you choose, you gain a number of benefits typical of a luxury heating solution.
When you eliminate the need for radiators you create a much cleaner interior, freeing up wall space and keeping the entire heating system neatly out of sight.
Radiators, as well as being unsightly, are a relatively inefficient way to heat a home. Overheating is a common issue and quite a lot of wasted heat is generated day-to-day. An underfloor system, as we’ve said, offer even heat distribution, leaving no cold spots while heating a larger area much more easily.
With water underfloor heating, heating your home becomes more efficient, and can be especially effective when used underneath tile or stone floors. Bathrooms and kitchens are prime candidates for underfloor heating, while laminated floors also complement underfloor systems nicely.
Carpets can also work nicely with underfloor heating, but it’s important to make sure the carpet isn’t too thick or dense, or the heat won’t be able to penetrate past it.
Installation considerations
Underfloor heating can be an efficient and effective means of heating your property, but you should make sure that your home is properly outfitted to make the most of it.
As mentioned, water-based systems are more complex to install and might require the floor to be raised. Your installation firm will plan the install to make sure that there is sufficient room for the system – including room for insulation.
Insulation is hugely important, underneath the system and throughout your home. Insulation resting under the heating system will prevent heat loss, ensuring that heat is directed upwards into your property, while insulation throughout the rest of your home will help maintain heat in general. This helps offset some of the costs involved with underfloor heating, and will work to keep your home comfortable, taking advantage of the even heat distribution provided by underfloor heating.
Whether you’re retrofitting underfloor heating into your existing property, or are looking to install underfloor system into a new-build, renovation or extension, you will need the services of a reliable, professional installer.
Conditioned Environment design, install and maintain underfloor heating systems to properties throughout the London area. Our skilled team of engineers will plan your system from the start, working to attain the most efficient heating solution for your property. To discuss the underfloor heating systems available at Conditioned Environment, don’t hesitate to contact us today – we are always happy to help.
