If you are thinking about getting some underfloor heating installed, then you will know how beneficial it can be to your home. You may even be thinking about how much energy you will save, and how luxurious it is to have it turned on when the weather takes a turn. With that said, there are a few things you need to know before you go ahead and spend a lot of money on underfloor heating.
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Underfloor Heating and New Builds
Buying underfloor heating is a great option if you have a new build. One of the biggest issues when you consider something like underfloor heating is the floor space. When you have a property constructed, you may find that the space you have under the floor is somewhat limited. If it is, then the only option you have may be to go with electric heating. The hydraulic heating may require way more room to be fitted, as you need enough room to allow the water pipes to flow throughout the home. If you have a new build that is under construction, then space can be engineered at the design stage. This means you can make sure that you are fitting the product with ease, so you don’t have to worry about things here. As a general rule of thumb, you need to make sure that you opt for electric if you can, as this requires way less maintenance when compared to water systems. If you need some help with your underfloor heating, or if you want to make sure that you’re going through a company that really knows what they are doing, then Novon Group is a great option. They can provide you with everything you need to get your underfloor heating up and running, and they can also ensure that the whole job is done for a reasonable price.
Types of Floor Coverings
In theory, you can cover your underfloor heating with just about any type of flooring you want, but at the same time, you have to consider the fact that some floors will conduct heat more efficiently than others. Some of the best surfaces for things like heat conduction include stone and tile. Wooden and laminated floors can vary depending on how efficient they are. If you have a very thick wooden floor, then this will take a long time to conduct the heat, but if you have tile, then you may find that this does very well. Carpets can also work well, but you do have to make sure that the carpet rating is no more than 2.5 tog if you can.
The Price of Underfloor Heating
You also need to give some thought to the general cost of underfloor heating. One thing you need to know is that underfloor heating is way more expensive to buy when compared to the cost of radiators. If you are on a really tight budget, then you may find that it’s more cost-effective for you to go with a radiator. Of course, a lot of the complexity regarding underfloor heating will come down to the age of your home, how much space you have, how much flooring you need to heat, and what energy efficiency you are looking for. If you are setting it up throughout your home, then you may find that it’s easier to go with an electric system, as the running costs will come down to the current energy prices at the time.
Your Carbon Footprint
Another thing you need to give some thought to would be your carbon footprint. Underfloor heating is a much cleaner and a much more sustainable way for you to lower the general carbon emissions that your home is generating. If you can give some thought to the huge range of underfloor heating options that are out there, then you’ll find that it’s possible to heat your home by using solar panels, which is great to say the least. If you have a water system, then this is designed to use much lower water temperature when compared to heat pump sources, which again can reduce your carbon footprint. If you can think about things like this when installing your system, you will find it easy to reduce your energy bills by up to 35%.
Insulation
Underfloor heating operates at a lower temperature when compared to things like radiators. As the heat radiates slowly, and across a very large surface, you may find that if you choose to install it in a very old property or if you install it in a home that has a low energy efficiency rating, then this can mean that you end up with cold rooms, as well as wasted energy. If you want to do something about this, then you need to make sure that you are leaving the system on at a low and consistent temperature. If you do this, then you will find that you don’t end up having to turn it on and off all the time, which is great. If you want to keep running costs down even more, then make sure that you are taking the time to consider things like this before you move ahead with your installation.
Floor Build Height
Considering your floor build height is also very important. If you want to help yourself here, then you should know that water systems are normally built in the screed, as this means that they can distribute the heat properly. You may want to make sure that the flooring is at a depth of at least 50mm, but ideally it can be up to 75mm. If you happen to be retrofitting, then you do need to make sure that you verify that your current floor height can actually work with what you have, because if it doesn’t, then this means that you may need to take a different approach, or consider a new flooring type altogether.
If you can keep this in mind, then it will help you a lot later down the line.
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