Underfoot heating - worth the hassle?

[Mudball]

Planning an extension that would create an open plan kitchen, dinner and sitting room. It is a big space 7m x 7m. Also likely to have high ceilings

Underfloor heating keeps coming up as an option. I like the idea of not having rads. Also since this will be a new build, we can put it in at the same time rather than retrofit

However I also hear a lot of negatives .. takes time to heat up. Can’t handle a cold snap, will need a backup heating source. Also given that this area will have a kitchen hood that will suck out air, will underfloor cope? Does the type of flooring - concrete, vinyl tile make a difference.

 

[DCB]

If it is a new build, I'd be going for it without a second thought. We use it in some of our premises at work and it is an excellent form of heating. Granted you need to consider build up time, but, once that is taken care of it just chunters away. Even in the recent really cold weather an underfloor system running at 45c flow temp was giving ideal room conditions. There are a variety of specialist underfloor heating contractors out there now have a look on line to see what they can do.

 

[Whereditgo]

Pro’s:

Efficiency – great if operating from a heat pump or condensing boiler (though the rest of the heating system would need to be capable of providing heat at comparatively low flow temperatures, i.e. larger heat emitters)

Very effective where room occupants are sedentary, think office worker, care home or creche with small children crawling on the floor.

Effective where room occupants may be barefoot, bathroom with a tiled floor.

Keeps wall surfaces clear.

Avoids risk of vulnerable people contacting a hot surface.



Con’s:

Thermal inertia – slow to respond to changes in ambient conditions, slow to heat up, can continue to overheat in a small room.

Effective heating zone is floor to 2m – not good for high ceiling rooms or rooms that have a high air change rate.

Floor coverings can have a dramatic effect on the heat output.

Comparatively expensive installation costs against standard radiator heating system.

 

[funkycoldmedina]

We have it in a big space (15m x 4m) with high ceilings (4m). It's really fantastic but it does take a bit if getting used to. As I'm sure you know it's the thermal mass, the concrete it's set in, that heats the space so it's important not to let that drop. We have our thermostat set at 18°C at off peak and then up to 21 when we're using the space. As mentioned too do need it to be on earlier than you would conventional CH and off earlier as the thermal mass keeps radiating heat after its off.
It's perfect for a large space and we love it. The things we got caught out by at the start were getting the wood burner after the heating had kicked in as it got too warm because the extension is so well insulated compared to old part of the house and to not have it on if we had a party as again it got too warm.

 

[HowlingGale]

I wouldn't hesitate. What I would say is get a specialist in to do it and don't rely on your builder unless you're 100% sure he knows what he's doing. Ours doesn't work 100% correctly but we can live with the problems, however had we had more knowledge when our builder was installing we wouldn't have issues. He just asked us one day if we wanted underfloor heating and we said yes without really knowing how it worked.

As mentioned before it's a separate zone and needs to come on hours before your main heating. I have to say the heat you get from it is lovely. Not the normal heat from radiators. It's kind of hard to explain.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I can only reflect on my own experience of NOT having underfloor heating installed in a little toilet/shower room extension we had built. The solid floor is freezing...put myself at risk of developing chilblains if I sit on the khazi for too long...

 

[Lord Tyrion]

It is interesting to hear views for larger rooms. We had it put into a bathroom 2-3 years ago, tiled floor. Absolutely fantastic, it's brilliant. I would definitely recommend it for similar.

It's bold to put it into bigger rooms but if it comes off I like the sound of it.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

It is interesting to hear views for larger rooms. We had it put into a bathroom 2-3 years ago, tiled floor. Absolutely fantastic, it's brilliant. I would definitely recommend it for similar.

It's bold to put it into bigger rooms but if it comes off I like the sound of it.

I'm thinking of seeing if we can have it 'retro-fitted' in our little toilet/shower-room.

 

[spongebob59]

Got it in the bathroom, it's been very good, dogs like to go in there for a sleep ?.

Had it put in the porch and was a disaster, ended up putting a small electric rad in there and switching it off.

 

[Rooter]

We built an extension (single story, 25m2 ish) and we weighed it up. We didn't go for it. Cost and arse ache outweighed the benefits. The new space is open plan to the existing house, the added complexity of zoning the boiler, plumbing it, new kit (and lack of space for manifold, pump etc) etc etc was too much. Stuck with 2 correctly sized rads, and I stand by my decision 18 months later.

However, If i were building a new house from scratch, it would have UF heating!! (and rads in selected rooms, ie bathroom, utility etc)

EDIT 2 - I have assume you mean a hot water system. Electric UF is terribly inefficient and expensive. Maybe ok for a small bathroom etc, but not a big space.

 

[Neilds]

No radiators in a kitchen?? Where are you going to put your towel and tea towel to dry????

 

[SocketRocket]

We have it throughout and it's very cost effective and efficient to use. We have thermostats in each room and can control the temperature in each room individually. You have to just leave it on all the time and if your house is well insulated it will be toasty all the time, ours comes on for a couple of hours every twenty four to thirty hours. Love it.

 

[Rooter]

No radiators in a kitchen?? Where are you going to put your towel and tea towel to dry????

Oven door.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I'm thinking of seeing if we can have it 'retro-fitted' in our little toilet/shower-room.

In our house there is a downstairs shower room, put in by previous occupant due to mobility issues. We had that re-done when we moved in but didn't think of underfloor heating. The floor is like ice in there so we rarely use it. When we had the upstairs room done we put it in and it is a revelation. I'm also toying with retro fitting the downstairs room as it would make the room usable. I would definitely recommend it.

 

[HowlingGale]

No radiators in a kitchen?? Where are you going to put your towel and tea towel to dry????

Hang anything you like anywhere above UF heating and it dries in no time ?.

 

[Neilds]

Hang anything you like anywhere above UF heating and it dries in no time ?.

Hang it where? Surely you mean lay them on the floor??

 

[HowlingGale]

Door handle, chair, oven door, whallo...
Anywhere you like ?.