Underfloor Heating

What are Underfloor Heating Systems?

Underfloor heating is fast becoming the go-to system for efficiently heating buildings and rooms. It comes in two different forms:

Wet Underfloor Heating - This is where pipes are laid out underneath the floor of a room and warm water is run through these pipes
Electric - This is where electric coils are placed under your floor and an electric current passes through them to generate heat

The pros and cons of underfloor heating

Pros of Underfloor Heating

Underfloor heating is unobtrusive by removing the need for radiators. The system has a number of health benefits whilst also saving money on energy bills.

Typically radiators will need to work a lot harder for you to get the desired temperature, you will often find cold spots from where the temperature rises towards the ceiling, compared to the even comfort level that underfloor heating provides.

Underfloor heating can be installed into new or pre-existing rooms.

Cons of Underfloor Heating

Underfloor heating can sometimes take longer to heat up than traditional radiators, however you can combat this by programming times of the day for the system to turn on.
Underfloor heating can be more expensive to install, but it does offer long-term savings.

Electric Underfloor Heating

Electric underfloor heating is a system that's comprised of a network of wires that run underneath the floor. Depending on the size and shape of the room you can either run individual wires throughout or use heating mats. On average using heating mats will save you money.

The electric wires are quite thin and are usually cheaper to install than a "wet" underfloor heating system, however they are generally more expensive to run which makes them more appealing for smaller rooms such as bathrooms.

Wet Underfloor Heating

Water based underfloor heating systems, also known as hydronic heating, are similar to electric underfloor heating but use pipes instead of wires to carry the heat across the floor. The boiler then supplies the hot water which travels through the pipes, providing the property with ambient floor temperatures. Because wet underfloor heating systems distribute heat evenly, they will utilise water at a much lower temperature than a conventional radiator which enables a boiler to work more efficiently.

Is Underfloor Heating Right for you?

Although a water based system might only save you £20 per year on energy prices, underfloor heating is a much more efficient heating system and can easily increase the value of the property it is installed in to.If you wish to install underfloor heating by yourself then please make sure to check our our underfloor heating spares.