Getting out of bed or the shower can be a shocking experience, but if you have underfloor heating fitted you will not only have a warm home, you will never need to suffer from cold feet again.
Types of underfloor heating
The Underfloor Heating Store offers a wide range of heating solutions that will suit all styles of housing. There are two main types of underfloor heating system. The first is electric, the other is water fed and they can both be fitted in any home.
Which magazine has an article that explains in detail the various types and costs involved with this form of heating.
Photo credit: Martin Pettitt / Foter / CC BY
Efficiency
This type of heating is an efficient alternative to standard central heating and can be used with renewable or sustainable energy heat sources.
Underfloor heating can keep a room warmer for longer due to the fact that the floor retains the heat at a lower temperature. Radiators, once switched off, go cold almost straight away. Also because heat rises the benefits are felt instantly due to the air circulating upwards.
It is estimated that this form of heating is up to 40% more efficient than using radiators.
The basics explained
Turning your entire floor space into a heater can seem daunting but once you see how it works you’ll wonder why you didn’t fit it earlier.
One version is water fed underfloor heating; run with a hot air pump and small bore pipes taking water from a tank or boiler and then placed in the floor screed, which is then covered by your carpet. Or there is an electric version which comes in a roll out matt that is then covered with screed and wired into the fuse board by a qualified electrician.
The fitting process is straightforward and can be carried out by a DIY expert, but a specialist should always check this method.
Will underfloor heating affect my house price?
The Guardian states that this type of heating will not only save you money on your energy bills, but will also create more room in your home. Where radiators once stood you can now have more artwork or bookshelves. Some companies do recommend that you only have underfloor heating on the ground floor as standard radiators heat up faster and cool down quicker for use in bedrooms.
The benefits of underfloor heating are constant warmth and lower bills, which will all help when you sell your home in the future.
What type of floor covering can I have?
Once you have had your underfloor heating fitted, you will then have to decide on the type of floor covering you would like. Fitting carpet, for example, can act as an insulator and therefore affect the output of the heating coils, so you should check with the manufacturer or supplier what the best covering for your floor is. For some of the best results, lying ceramic, flagstones or slate are all good as conductors of heat and will also retain some heat once turned off.
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