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What is Underfloor Heating?
The heat produced from underfloor heating or wall heating comprises of 70% radiant heat and 30% convection heat. Conventional systems mainly provide convection heat, which circulates through the air that surrounds objects in a building. Radiant heat, heats objects and the general fabric of the building, including people, just like the sun heats objects on the earth's surface.
Underfloor heating eliminates uncomfortable hot or cold air flows around a room and gives more even and comfortable heating. The warmest part of the room is next to the floor, not the ceiling. Floor heating is as close as you can get to the ideal heating curve.
With underfloor heating, the biggest advantage is the even warmth and comfort throughout your home or commercial premises. In addition, your environment is pleasant and temperatures are slightly lower than you would have with a conventional system. This is due to the even heat distribution. The actual air temperature can be reduced by 1 to 2°C, compared to a conventional system. This adds to the comfort level and can give energy savings between 15% to 50% depending on ceiling height. The higher the ceiling the more you save.
Types of Underfloor Heating Systems
Screeded Floor System
Screeded Floor System
Screeded Floor System
Solid floor underfloor heating systems include all floor constructions that have underfloor heating pipework embedded in concrete or screed.
They include concrete structural floors and concrete screed floors, as well as block and beam floors with a screed finish. The screed or concrete acts as the heat dispersion medium, and contributes to the overall efficiency of the system.
This system is the most common type found in new build projects, from domestic to commercial and schools to care homes. It has the greatest floor height build and therefore must be planned in at the early stages of the project.
Joisted Floor System
Screeded Floor System
Screeded Floor System
Underfloor heating may be successfully installed within a wooden suspended floor. It is essential that planning begins at an early stage in the project to ensure the floor build-up and design can be accommodated.
This system can be installed either between the joists or inbetween cross-battens which are laid onto wooden boards which overlay the joists. Both systems use aluminum diffusion plates to increase heat dispersal evenly across the floor. It is necessary to insulate between the joists to prevent downward heat loss. In some cases, a biscuit screed can be used instead of aluminum diffusion plates.
Suspended floors have a limited output compared to the solid floor screed systems, although this output should be more than enough heat for well-insulated modern buildings.
Floating Floor System
Screeded Floor System
Floating Floor System
Floating floors reduce the overall loading within a building, reducing the weight of the floor compared to other floor systems.
This system uses insulation panels which are pre-grooved at 150mm to 300mm centres and into which are inserted with an aluminum diffusion plate. The insulation panels are produced in a range of thickness from 20mm to over 100mm to suit the floor build up.
Some of the benefits of this system include speed of installation, floor components are fitted at first-fix stage, and floor coverings can be fitted immediately.
For retrofit installations, you can use an overlay system of pre-grooved cement boards which overlap or butt-up into place with each other.
We recognise that there are endless possibilities and options when it comes to installing a wet underfloor system. Please contact us for help with any upcoming projects.