More and more people are having underfloor heating installed in their homes these days because it has so many benefits over and above an old-fashioned radiator system.
Yes – radiators are old-fashioned! In fact, according to Wikipedia, the first person to use the word “radiator” was one Denison Olmsted of New Haven, Connecticut, who obtained a patent for a stove with a heat exchanger that then radiated heat. He described it as “a peculiar kind of apparatus, which I call a radiator.”
It was more than another hundred years before radiator systems became common in the 1950’s, and millions of homes now have them installed. Nonetheless, they are now becoming old-fashioned because they have been superseded by underfloor heating.
Electric Or Water
Underfloor heating can be powered either by electric cables or a hot water system which is laid on the substrate and produces an even level of warmth across the whole room. One of the big advantages is that underfloor systems require less energy to run. Water based systems use water which can be heated by gas, and which is then pumped through pipes laid on the substrate. They are cheaper to run than electric but cost more to install. Electric cable systems are easy to install and can even be done as a DIY project for a competent individual.
Whichever type of system you choose, it needs to be covered by an underfloor heating screed in order to produce a completely level surface on which to lay the final floor surface. Contrary to some opinions, underfloor heating today can be used with most floor surfaces, even including carpet. Having said that, the best type of floor surfaces are stone and tile, and even concrete, because they retain the heat for longer. That means that less energy is required to run the system which, of course, saves money.
Another advantage of underfloor heating systems is that each room has its’ own thermostat. That means that you can easily heat one room, say the living room, while keeping other rooms that are not in use, such as a bedroom, with the heating off or at a much lower temperature.
At UK Screeds, we can provide you with a range of underfloor heating systems, including one that includes underfloor cooling for the summer months. Whatever system you choose, it will need an underfloor heating screed in order to ensure that the final floor surface is as level as it can possibly be.
