If you’re looking to upgrade your home’s heating system, you might be considering underfloor heating. It’s become an increasingly popular option in recent years, with many people opting to install it in extensions or during renovations. You might have even thought about installing it yourself, but before you do: how does underfloor heating work and is it really worth it?
In this blog, we’re going to explain the logistics behind underfloor heating systems, helping you decide whether one might be a suitable option for your home. Keep reading if you’re thinking about upgrading your heating system.
What is Underfloor Heating?
As the name suggests, underfloor heating is the process of heating your home from the floor as opposed to through traditional radiators on the walls. You will either have water-based or electrical underfloor heating, but both involve laying a network of pipes underground that heat up your house.
How Does Underfloor Heating Work?
An underfloor heating system is like having a giant radiator underneath your feet. Depending on the system you have, a network of pipes or cables that are installed beneath the floor will heat up either through water or electricity, producing an even distribution of radiant heat.
Rather than getting your heat from radiators which use convection heating to push air upwards – and only heat the immediate area around them – underfloor heating heats the house from below, providing more heat but at a lower temperature. Generally speaking, radiators can heat up to 75 degrees, but underfloor heating will only go to around 27 degrees.
Whilst the surface temperature is lower, you should find that your home feels warmer, and that there are no more cold spots because the heat is spread evenly throughout the house. With the heat coming from below, both you and objects in your house will feel warmer.
Electric underfloor heating
The first underfloor heating system is electric underfloor heating. This involves installing a thin heating wire underground. When the heating is turned on via a thermostat, the wire will heat up and warm the room. The benefit of electric underground heating is that you can install it yourself and don’t need to worry about raising the floor – making it a great option for a DIY renovation. You will, however, need to get an electrician to connect the heating to the thermostat.
Warm water underfloor heating
Installing warm water underfloor heating is slightly more involved because underfloor heating pipes will need to be laid into the structural subfloor. This can mean the floor height needs to be raised. A manifold and a pump mixing unit will also need to be installed between the boiler and the pipes to make sure the water that flows into the pipes to produce heat is the right temperature. Like electric heating, you can adjust the temperature using a thermostat.
How Much Does an Underfloor Heating System Cost?
A lot of people assume that underfloor heating is expensive, but this isn’t always the case. Whilst you’ll have upfront underfloor heating cost for installation, you will find that your energy bills decrease over time (more on that below), meaning underfloor heating systems are actually cheaper in the long run.
The upfront cost will depend on the type of underfloor heating you go for and how big the room is, as well as whether you need to raise the floor level (warm water option only). At Bbright, we are one of London’s leading underground floor specialists, installing the very best underfloor heating systems in just a matter of days. To get a rough idea of how much it might cost you, enter your postcode on our online quote service, or call us to speak to one of our underfloor heating specialists directly.
How Efficient is Electric Underfloor Heating?
One of the main questions you’ll be asking is how energy efficient underfloor heating really is. In short, very! It’s thought that underfloor heating is, on the whole, 25% more energy efficient than a traditional radiator system. This is because an underfloor heating system heats at lower temperatures and expands across a room, meaning you will use less energy overall. This is of particular note with rising energy prices.
Are Underfloor Heating Systems Worth it?
With the install costs of underfloor heating, it’s natural to wonder whether installing an underfloor heating system is really worth it. Well, there are lots of advantages to installing underground heating, including:
Higher comfort levels: Radiators give off heat that feels unnatural when compared to the heat we get from the sun, but underfloor heating feels much more natural because it uses radiant warmth rather than convection warmth. You’ll have no pesky cold spots or draughts, and your feet will remain toasty warm!
Aesthetically pleasing: Wall-mounted radiators can be bulky and a bit of an issue in smaller, odd-shaped rooms. They can dictate where furniture goes and this can be problematic in smaller properties. You don’t have this issue with underfloor heating because you can’t see it, meaning your room will look bigger and sleeker.
Safer: As mentioned, radiators can get up to 75 degrees on the surface, potentially resulting in burns. The edges are also often sharp, posing a risk if you were to fall. Underground heating is a much lower surface temperature and completely hidden, so there’s no health and safety risks. In addition, it also reduces dust mite circulation because there’s less humidity, resulting in a better environment for those with allergies.
Almost every house is suitable for underfloor heating, and with the benefits above, it’s clear to see why so many people are choosing it.
Underfloor Heating at Bbright
Are you thinking about getting underfloor heating installed? If so, get in touch with the Bbright underfloor heating specialists. We can offer expert advice on the intricacies of each system, which one would be best for you, and give you a fixed price quote.
