Is Underfloor Heating Efficient?

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Is Underfloor Heating Efficient?

When underfloor heating became the latest ‘must have’ in desirable homes everyone wanted to experience that warm and cosy feeling of stepping out of their shower onto an inviting floor. Long gone were the days of shivering as your hop out onto a stone cold floor - underfloor heating enabled you to walk around in bare feet, even on the coldest winter days.

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This welcomed heating system is now laid throughout the home. Whether it’s in the kitchen, conservatory, or utility room, you name it – we’ve installed it there. Slippers are no longer needed to provide warmth to your feet!

We often recommend underfloor heating and have regular questions in regards to it’s efficiency. Yes, a lovely warm floor is wonderful, but what are the pros and cons? Why doesn’t everyone have underfloor heating?

Why you should have underfloor heating:

·      The heat isn’t emitted from specific points in the room, it is evenly distributed throughout the room.

·      Rather than just heating the air as radiators do, it warms the room using radiant heat which is a much more comfortable method of heating.

·      It will free up wall space that would otherwise have been kept clear for radiators.

·      It runs at a lower temperature than radiators require, so you can keep your home warm at a reduced cost.

·      It can be installed beneath stone, carpet or wooden floors.

·      It has the potential to increase your house value as it is a very attractive selling point.

·      It can reduce drafts due to the even heat distribution.

What are the drawbacks?

·      If your home is old, a lot of work may be required to create the correct condition before installing the flooring. We now offer finance to help spread the cost.

·      It may take longer to heat up a room, however with programable timers you can plan ahead so it is up to full temperature for when you have your morning shower (for example).

Is underfloor heating better than radiators?

Although the initial cost outlay of installing underfloor heating can be high, you can then maintain the temperature within your home at your chosen level, which is much more efficient that turning heating on and off for periods throughout the day.

This generally results in lower running costs, which over a period of time will cover the additional initial installation cost. With good insulation beneath the underfloor heating, it will maximise the heat output. This ensures the heat last longer, at a lower temperature, again reducing the running costs.

Your home will also have a cleaner, more minimal look, due to not having radiators dotted throughout. This is big plus point for a lot of people.

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What is the difference between water and electric underfloor heating?

Electric underfloor heating is a network of wires laid within the floor. For a small space, such as in a bathroom, we would propose fitting loose wire cables, however if you have large areas we would advise ready-made mats that are rolled out.

The electric (or ‘dry’) system is cheaper to install, but more expensive to run, so generally only advised for small spaces.

Water (or ‘wet’) systems are a series of pipes linked to your boiler that pumps hot water around under the floor.

The installation is more expensive with wet systems, as the process is much more involved than installing a dry system. However, it is much cheaper to run in the long term.

We are always happy to discuss all underfloor heating options with you. We can advise what would work best for your home, to improve your heating and lower your heating costs. Underfloor heating is a long-term investment!

Please email us here  enquiries@cpjefferies.co.uk, or call 01285 851268 for any further assistance.