Underfloor heating hots up

The Heating Helpline, the free advice service for homeowners, explains why underfloor heating is gaining popularity

27 September 2010 - With fuel resources, such as natural gas and oil, dwindling and the inevitable increase in future energy prices for consumers, finding alternative energy sources is of paramount importance. Sustainability of our climate, particularly the need to reduce greenhouse gases such as Carbon Dioxide (CO2), is another major concern. With such development to renewable sources of energy supply increasingly driving consumer choice, the Heating Helpline (www.heatinghelpline.org.uk) suggests that warm water underfloor heating (UFH) could be part of the solution for homeowners. Of course if you live in a more rural area that doesn’t have mains gas and are reliant upon oil or LPG (gas) then the cost of fuel may be even more important. For such households UFH is already very popular, often now powered by super efficient heat pumps replacing the oil and LPG fired boilers and the corresponding need for those unsightly outside tanks. But everywhere, not just in rural areas, homeowners are opting for underfloor heating. The modern condensing boilers and UFH work particularly well together and make the very best use of that precious fuel resource. And it’s not hard to see why - UFH gives freedom of interior design, high levels of comfort and reduced fuel and maintenance costs. Modern UFH systems work by passing low temperature hot water around a network of pipes embedded in the floor. Each room or zone is fitted with a continuous length of pipe connected to a centrally located manifold. While radiators heat the room by convection (movement of air) UFH works by radiant heat. Radiators generate heat by drawing cold air across our feet and convecting it towards the ceiling. In contrast, underfloor heating concentrates the warmth where we stand and sit. We experience our head being slightly cooler than our feet, making for ideal human comfort conditions. In a conventional radiator system the surface area of the radiator and the average temperature of the water flowing through it determines the heat output. To operate effectively the water temperature has to be high, usually around 45ºC. With UFH the heat emitter is the floor and as that area is so large the water temperature can be reduced to well below that commonly used in radiators and still provide the required heat output. With UFH it means that with modern condensing boilers, the low water temperature allows the boiler to operate in its most efficient mode. So in all respects the major benefit of UFH is the savings on fuel and substantial reductions in emissions. When using UFH powered by a heat pump the generation of domestic hot water does require careful consideration. Domestic hot water should be delivered at a temperature of around 50ºC. In some cases, a supplementary heat source, usually an electric immersion heater within the hot water cylinder, will be needed to maintain water temperatures. UFH can be used with most floor types but is obviously best planned to be part of the construction of a new home but it is also now widely used in renovations, extensions and conservatories. Most homeowners relish the opportunity to get rid of obtrusive radiators and their attendant pipework. With UFH you have complete freedom to arrange furniture and décor how you want and not be dictated by where the radiators are. If you are interested in finding your nearest HVCA engineer that specialises in UFH visit the Heating Helpline website (www.heatinghelpline.org.uk) or call 0800 840 4069. -ends-