More and more homeowners are becoming aware of the many benefits of underfloor heating compared with a radiator system, and in fact, installing underfloor heating is becoming one of the fastest growing home improvement projects in the UK.
We are all more aware of our energy usage and of climate change these days, and one of the biggest benefits of underfloor heating is that it is just so much more efficient than a radiator system. That also means that it has a direct effect on your heating bills as well.
Because the floor itself is heated, it will retain heat for far longer than radiators which cool down very quickly when they are turned off. Using underfloor heating will enable the home to retain the heat for far longer and thus use less energy to maintain the desired level of heat.
Wen you have a radiator system there are often parts of the room which are cooler than others. This is because a radiator relies on convection. When you have underfloor heating however, the room should be heated evenly leaving no cold spots. We say “should be” because it does depend to some extent upon the type of screed that is used to cover the heating pipes. A liquid screed such as the ones that we use for floor preparation in Windsor at UK Screeds will totally cover the heating pipes so the heat transfer will be even.
However, if you use a traditional sand and cement screed which is laid by hand, it is very difficult for a labourer to fully envelop the heating pipes, and that means that there will be certain gaps or voids which in turn means that the heat transfer into the room will not be totally even.
The Dreaded Dust Mite
When you have a radiator system using convection, the floor will remain cold, and can even become damp at ground level. This is the perfect breeding ground for the dreaded dust mite and possibly other creepy crawlies. However, if you have underfloor heating, it is too warm for them to live there. Studies have shown that underfloor heating can reduce the amount of dust mites by 80%. This makes the room far more comfortable for those suffering from breathing issues such as asthma.
With underfloor heating you have a dedicated thermostat in each room, so you can keep the temperature as warm as you like in the living room while turning it down, or even off in other rooms such as the bedroom. Certainly a lot of radiators today have thermostatic valves fitted, but it can be a pain turning them up, then getting too hot and turning them down again.
Another advantage of underfloor heating is that you have more space in the room because you just don’t have any radiators on the walls.
You can also use underfloor heating in combination with almost any sort of floor surface, so there are no limitations with the type of flooring, although there are a few things you need to do to ensure that the heating is not obstructed in any way, chiefly by keeping any carpeting to a maximum of 1.5 tog.
