Underfloor Heating FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions regarding Underfloor Heating.

General

Why should I choose underfloor heating?
Underfloor heating is cheaper to run, easy to install and with prices from less than £295 inc VAT it is not an expensive option. Underfloor heating is also a better kind of heat and warms the room more evenly.

How much does underfloor heating cost?
Underfloor heating kits start from less than £295 inc VAT for a single zone of up to 14sqm. Prices for larger areas depend on the amount of zones and size of the floor areas. Please contact us for details.

Can it be fitted on most floor constructions?
Yes, we have systems for the screed floor, suspended timber floors, amongst others.

Can I fit carpets on top of the underfloor heating?
Yes, you can have carpets as long as the underlay and carpets do not exceed 1.5 tog. This means you cannot have too thick an underlay as it will hold back all the heat.

Can I fit laminate floor on top of the underfloor heating?
Yes, you can have laminate flooring as long as you don't sit this on a thick underlay. This will act as insulation and will hold the heat back.

Is underfloor heating cheaper to run than radiators?
Yes. It is about 15-20% cheaper but it will depend on the heat source used to heat the water. The new condensing boilers are a lot more efficient when working at low temperatures and have lower return temperatures which helps the condensing process.

Is underfloor heating more complicated to install than radiators?
The underfloor heating pipework is easier to install than radiators, as you have all the information about pipe centres and pipe lengths given to you by us. The connection is simple as you just have to zone it like heating and hot water in a conventional manner or UVHW.

Is it more expensive to install compared with a radiator system?
In a new build house in solid screed floor it is as cheap as radiators. In a timber floor, the equipment prices are very similar but building works may make it more expensive.

Will underfloor heating work well in my conservatory?
Underfloor heating is ideal for conservatories. Owing to high heat loss from such rooms, you have to give separate control to meet with part L of the building regulations, which underfloor heating permits. Also, many conservatories tend not to have much wall space to install radiators.

Installation

Who connects the manifold to the heat source?
Any plumber who is used to basic heating zoning can do this. The extension packs have all controls, so you can zone it off to the rest of the system. With UVHW systems you have heating and hot water zones, so you can use one without the other. You should then add a third zone or if you have a combi boiler you would create two zones.

Do I need an electrician to wire the programmable room stat and zone valve?
Yes, you need an electrician to wire all the underfloor heating. It is very simple to wire up and comes with wiring diagrams. It also needs to be wired in a way that gives you separate control of your underfloor heating and hot water.

My boiler already has a circulation pump. Why do I need another one for the underfloor heating?
The underfloor heating pump is used to pump water around the underfloor heating network. When the thermostatic head is satisfied with the water temperature, the head will shut off and stop taking water from the boiler. The pump then keeps the water pumping around the heating system.

I am worried about potential problems with solid wood on heated floors?
Check with the timber floor supplier that it is ok for underfloor heating to be installed and leave the flooring in the room with the heat on, so it can acclimatise to the temperature in the room.

Where should I place the manifold?
The manifold should be placed as close to the room that is to be heated as possible. If it is a multi zone system, the manifold should be placed as near to the centre of the house as possible so as not to heat any of the rooms with pipework from another room.

Is there a need for pressure testing before screeding?
The system should be pressure tested before screeding and left tested while screeding. If any damage was caused while screeding you could therefore check the pressure easily.

Do we put the heating pipes under units or cupboards?
No. The heat under the units will cause the cupboard to sweat and warm the contents of any cupboards.

Renewable Energies

Can it work with heat pumps?
Underfloor heating works well with heat pumps as they give a constant low heat temperature. This sort of heat pump works very well with larger projects, unlike extensions, where they become costly. See www.ecoheatpumps.co.uk for more details.

Can it work with solar panel heating?
Solar panels can either be used for hot water, which doesn't affect the heating, or it can be used for heating. As with heat pumps, the water is at a lower temperature than a normal boiler. This is ideal for underfloor heating, because this also works at low temperatures. Care should be taken when designing underfloor heating, as the flow temperature depends on underfloor heating pipe work centres.