Underfloor heating is an installation that’s often associated with luxury. After all, what could be better than having your own personal radiator for your feet? Whether you’ve been caught in a rainstorm without an umbrella or you’ve had to trudge through a hefty amount of snow to get home, our extremities can take what feels like an eternity to warm back up after being exposed to extreme weather conditions. However, with underfloor heating, you’ll have the feeling back in your toes in no time, allowing you to quickly settle in for a toasty evening at home.
That being said, there’s far more to consider with underfloor heating than a bit of extra warmth for your feet. From cost and environmental impact to efficiency and installation, there are tons of factors to contemplate when deciding whether or not underfloor heating is for you. However, it’s important to note that what was once a rare, luxury fitting is now a feature that’s becoming more and more popular in domestic properties.
To help you decide whether or not your property could benefit from underfloor heating, we’ve made a list of some FAQs and their answers to outline the various pros and cons of this installation.
At a time when it’s more important than ever to lead an eco-conscious lifestyle, it’s likely you’ll be wondering whether or not underfloor heating is an environmentally friendly installation. Whereas radiators heat the air above and around them (making the floor the coldest spot), underfloor heating distributes heat much more evenly around a room. As well as heating a room more efficiently, underfloor heating also operates at a much lower temperature than conventional radiators, meaning it uses less energy.
Far from simply heating the floor of the room it’s fitted in, underfloor heating can actually be extremely effective at warming up an entire space. Whilst it might not necessarily be practical to do away with a radiator system completely, underfloor heating could help you to become less reliant on radiators, thereby saving you a significant amount of money on energy bills.
Underfloor heating can either be water or electric-based and whilst electric systems are more common (as they are easier to install), a water-based system is likely to be better for the environment. Not only do they operate at a lower temperature than their electric counterparts, but they are also known for heating larger rooms more efficiently. It’s also important to note that both systems are able to be powered using renewable energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines, helping to reduce your home’s carbon footprint.
One of the many great things about this feature is its versatility and flexibility. Although it’s often the case that underfloor heating is installed under naturally cold flooring such as stone and tiles, it can be fitted more or less anywhere under different styles of flooring. Whether you’re constructing a new-build with wooden flooring or your current property has laminate tiles, your installer will be able to amend the heat output, screed and underlay to ensure underfloor heating works effectively in your home.
However, whilst it can be paired with many different floor types, it’s important to note that materials such as stone are natural heat conductors, meaning they will likely heat up more quickly and stay warmer for longer.
In addition to being suited to almost any style of flooring, underfloor heating can be fitted in pretty much any room of the house. Perhaps you want to make your new conservatory more cosy, or maybe you want a heated hallway to make your guests feel more at home. Whatever your preferences, it’s highly probable that you’ll be able to have underfloor heating installed more or less anywhere in your property.
If you’re not quite sure how best to place your underfloor heating, it’s interesting to note that many homeowners choose to have it fitted in either the bathroom or kitchen. This is because these rooms usually have very little wall space for radiators, and underfloor heating offers the perfect solution to this issue. Further to this, these rooms are used on a daily basis, so it’s essential for them to be warm and welcoming.
It has to be said that one of the things that often puts homeowners off having underfloor heating is the upheaval that comes with installation. When fitted in an existing room, it’s likely that the floor will either need to be raised or pulled up completely, and the fitting could take several days to complete.
It goes without saying that installing underfloor heating is likely to disrupt your daily routine, so it’s essential to consider if this feature really is for you, and if so, what the most convenient time is to have it fitted. That being said, there are a range of ways that underfloor heating can be connected to a new boiler or current central heating system, making the installation process that little bit more convenient.
It’s also important to note that generally, electric systems are easier (and cheaper) to install than water-based ones due to the pipework involved. However, there is another side to this coin…
As water underfloor heating is more complex to fit, the increased labour costs also make it more expensive to fit, but, whilst the initial cost might be higher, these systems are actually cheaper to run than their electric counterparts. As previously mentioned, water-based systems are more energy-efficient, meaning they can save you a significant amount of money on your energy bills.
Although this will depend on other methods you use to heat your home (as well as the square footage of the room you choose to have heated floors in), underfloor heating is likely to make you less reliant on your radiators, thereby reducing your energy usage.
Finally, you’ll probably be wondering, all things considered, are heated floors really worth it? Whilst this will likely come down to your personal preferences as well as other factors such as your lifestyle and budget, the benefits of underfloor heating are plentiful.
Not only will underfloor heating provide you with extra comfort during the colder months, but it could also help to reduce your property’s carbon footprint and further to this, save space in your property. Many homeowners opt to remove radiators in favour of underfloor heating and as an invisible heat source, it can help to make your home more spacious.
From saving you money to making your home more winter-friendly, there are tons of reasons why underfloor heating is a sound investment. So, in answer to the question above, we’d say underfloor heating is undoubtedly worth having.
At Gastech, we pride ourselves on being heating and plumbing specialists and we offer an unparalleled, all-encompassing service. Whether you need boiler or central heating installation services or you require plumbing repairs, our expertise knows no bounds and our plumbers will always strive to deliver a no fuss, first class service.
We believe that underfloor heating is a sound investment and can both install and repair heated flooring systems. We only fit high-quality underfloor heating that’s built to last, however, in the event of a problem, we promise to get to the root of the issue quickly and efficiently, ensuring your underfloor heating resumes functioning as it should.
To find out more about our plumbing and heating services, contact us today and get your home ready for winter with Gastech.
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