7 Benefits of underfloor heating

7 Key Benefits of Underfloor Heating

As homeowners have become increasingly aware of the benefits of underfloor heating over conventional radiator systems, it’s no surprise that this is currently one of the fastest growing home improvement projects in the UK and the one to add potential house value overall.

Although there is an initial outlay to install the heating, over a surprisingly short time the savings on energy and efficiency will pay for themselves,

For those interested in learning more about the inherent advantages offered by underfloor heating, here’s a run-down of the seven key benefits:

Controlled maintenance costs

Perhaps one of the most popular reasons why people choose to install underfloor heating is simply because it very rarely ever requires any form of maintenance once it has been fitted correctly. This is the case for both forms of Underfloor Heating (UFH )  electric and water based underfloor heating.

The only thing to be aware of when water-fed heating is being installed is that it is certified to BS EN 1264 standards (the vast majority are). So reliable are these standards that companies who perform the task typically offer at least a 25 year guarantee.

Energy efficient

Underfloor heating is generally far more efficient than old-fashioned radiators and consequently more cost-effective in regards to running costs which can have a significant reduction on your utility bills.

However, it is wise to install your heating system while also having an efficiency test performed. This will assess the overall effectiveness of your home insulation and ensure that you will get the optimal performance from your heating. This can be determined by qualified and competent installers.

Because the floor itself is heated, it retains heat far better than traditional radiators which cool down very quickly when turned off, causing the heat they’ve produced to evaporate rapidly. With underfloor heating, the home will be able to retain heat much better and require less energy to maintain warmth. With Underfloor heating, you can control the heat that you require in the house with the help of thermostats. This can create zones in the house and instead of heating the whole house as traditional radiators do you are controlling the areas that you would like the areas to be heated.

On the subject of cost, it’s also worth briefly highlighting the advantages of electric and water-based systems.

Water-based water underfloor heating systems

As water-based systems are reliant upon gas they are typically more efficient in regards to running costs, but they are considerably more expensive to install.

On the other hand, electric underfloor heating is cheaper to install (in fact, even the most inexperienced DIYer can lay it), but over the long term much more expensive to run. These are ideal for smaller areas where you would only require the underfloor heating to be installed for a short amount of time, for example, bathrooms and conservatories.

Better all-round comfort

Running on from the point above but deserving of its own particular mention, the house will feel more comfortable when heated through the floor.

Quite simply this is because the temperature will be consistent around the room, for example, one corner will not be cooler than the other as is often the case with a radiator system that relies on convection.  I have forwarded a meaning of convection for the people who require a science lesson!!! the movement caused within a fluid by the tendency of hotter and therefore less dense material to rise, and colder, denser material to sink under the influence of gravity, which consequently results in the transfer of heat.

“the final transfer of energy to the surface is by convection”

Underfloor heating is more hygienic

With radiators and convection heating, floors remain cold and dampness at ground level can occur. This is the perfect breeding ground for the dreaded dust mite. Also with the fact that dust sits quite prominently on the top of radiators once the radiators are on the dust tends to float around the rooms, unless people do “wet cleaning” which is when a person uses a damp cloth to wipe away as much dust as possible.

Even with this method this needs to be done regularly and can be avoided if the person who suffers from allergies like asthma installs Underfloor Heating (UFH ) However, thanks to the floor being heated through, any dust mites and other creepy crawlies will find that the underfloor heating makes their environment too warm and dry for them to live and breed in.

Is Compatible with most floor surfaces

Many people think of underfloor heating as being reliant upon solid surface floorings such as tile or stone.

This is not necessarily the case and, in fact, such a heating system can now work under most kinds of floor surfaces  – vinyl, engineered wood, carpet, laminate, etc.

Flexibility in room temperature

Thanks to each room having its own dedicated thermostat there’s no obligation for one room to be kept as warm as others. This is especially useful when the whole house isn’t required to be heated and “zones “are created with the use of thermostats.

With a good UFH control system, it’s easy to save money by keeping temperatures low (or even off) in rooms that are rarely used, while key living areas are kept as warm as liked. This gives people the flexibility to have the temperature set to various zones to a useful feature for people who like to manage their own temperature in their own spaces – after all, some of us feel the cold more than others.

Good Use of open space living

Let’s be straight – radiators take up space and people are restricted in how they could set up the furniture in their house. With Underfloor Heating as there are no radiators against walls, this creates a feeling of space in the rooms and also can avoid potential issues when toddlers who have naturally inquisitive minds start putting parts of their bodies on scorching hot radiators.

Tell us your thoughts

Hopefully, these seven points will highlight the potential benefits of underfloor heating. Please let us know what you think by giving us a call on 01204 548400, or fill in our web form underneath.