A beginner’s guide to underfloor heating

Underfloor heating is a means of controlling indoor temperatures to achieve the level of thermal comfort suitable for you. An underfloor heating system can be applied to new or renovated buildings. As a beginner, it is necessary to have an idea of the available systems and costs involved to choose the most suitable system.

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There are two main types of underfloor heating systems: electric, which is referred to as dry, and water, which is referred to as wet.

The types of underfloor heating

The warm water system may be buried or mounted. Buried underfloor means the water pipes are buried into the floor screed, which is then covered with your flooring of choice. Heat would be emitted from the entire flooring area. Unlike buried, the surface system is mounted atop the existing floor. This is relatively easy to fit but may be more expensive to run.

Electric systems are installed directly into the flooring and are separate to your regular heating. They are generally easier to install than a water system and are more expensive to run.

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Flooring choice

Your chosen type of flooring material will affect how quickly heat is generated and transferred to the floor surface. Stone or tile flooring will generally have higher levels of heat conductivity than wood engineered flooring from a stockist such as https://www.woodfloorwarehouse.ie/engineered-flooring.html.

Choosing the right type of underfloor heating is an important decision that will not only affect your level of comfort but also your utility bill.