High comfort levels, together with low running cost and environmental benefits, have resulted in a growing demand for underfloor heating systems. The UK market is currently growing at 20% per annum.
Underfloor heating is the most comfortable form of heating because it is largely radiant, and people have evolved physiologically to prefer this form of heating. It is completely unobtrusive, and some people estimate that this gives an average of 15% more usable space in a room. It is completely safe and more hygienic than radiators. And it is more energy efficient.
Radiant energy from the floor is absorbed by the other surfaces in a room, which warm up and become secondary radiant emitters. We become surrounded by gently radiating surfaces, which is very comfortable. There are no floor draughts and the temperature in all parts of the room is even.
Convective forms of heating, such as radiators, use the air in a room as the transport mechanism to move energy into the whole room from a small surface that must be very hot compared with the room air. The hottest air is at ceiling level and the coldest is at floor level. The air can become dry and cause dry eyes and stuffy noses. Convection circulation can also pick up dust from the floor and put it into the air we breathe.
Energy efficiency
Most new buildings can be kept warm with heating power in the range 35 to 75W/m2, which can be achieved with floor-surface temperatures of just 24 to 27°C. The maximum floor temperature should not normally exceed 29°C, although up to 34°C is acceptable for bathrooms.
An underfloor heating system uses water at a much lower temperature than that required by radiators, making it ideal to be fuelled by alternative energy sources such as solar or geothermal energy. Depending on the conductivity of the floor, the water needs to be between 40 and 60°C to reach the design floor temperature. By contrast, radiators generally require the water to be at 70 to 80°C.
When designing an underfloor heating system to heat an entire building, some modern boilers can supply the water at the low temperature required directly to the heating system. The internal pump of such a boiler can be used to circulate the water around the pipe circuits.
Underfloor heating is easy to install. The mechanism for fixing pipe or heating cable into the floor is simple.
Working out where to put the pipe and what pipe centres to use is more complicated. Sorting out where to put manifolds and controls also requires an amount of expertise.
If the project is larger, it is better to seek the help of a professional underfloor heating supplier.
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