Underfloor Heating And Its Advantages
Posted: Wednesday, December 16, 2009
by Tal Potishman
Heating Central
It is not surprising why so many people choose to have underfloor heating installed in their homes. As well as being space-saving, it can also deliver significant energy and carbon emission savings. This becomes increasingly noticeable when you compare it to other forms of heat emitters. However, as with most other things, underfloor heating can also have it's disadvantages, and whether or not it is for you will completely depend on you and your choice of lifestyle.
The warm water from the boiler system is circulated through continuous lengths of pipe embedded in the floor, each room has its own circuit. All circuits are connected to a distribution manifold. With each room having its own circuit, the process behind temperature control is quite simple. A thermostat is fitted in the room and connected to an electrically operated valve on the circuit serving that room.
What are the advantages of underfloor heating?
One of the reasons why many people decide to have underfloor heating installed is so that they can have the flexibility and room space to decorate how they wish. Another positive attribute is that an underfloor heating system can be suited to almost any type of flooring.
A further good aspect of underfloor heating is that homeowners will not have to hear unusual noises coming from the room. This is in contrast to radiators which have a tendency to make sounds when they are switched on or off. This can be beneficial for health and safety reasons as you will not have to worry about hot radiators and the under floor's heating presence will hardly be felt.
A noticeable problem with radiators is that they are not very good for the air in the house as they tend to dry it out. You will not find this with underfloor heating and will notice the difference to the overall well being in your home. Underfloor heating is also beneficial for allergy and asthma suffers as it has a balance of convection and radiation which minimises disturbance.
What are the disadvantages of underfloor heating?
Underfloor heating is suited for many people as it is not only a great space-saver, but it is also a positive step in terms of energy saving. Nonetheless, as with most things, it is important to be aware of some of the disadvantages with underfloor heating.
If you decide to have underfloor heating installed, the first thing you will have to be prepared for is the fact that your whole house will be turned over if you have a complete installation. It is important to note that you will have to be prepared for a complete rebuild.
One problem that most people have with underfloor heating is the fact that, it can take quite a bit of time to heat up. This is particularly the case if the pipe is embedded in a solid floor. Depending on what type of flooring you have, the waiting time could even be longer. For instance, with a wooden floor, you might be looking at a 30 minute waiting period for it to warm up. On the other hand, a concrete floor could potentially take hours. You will also have to be prepared for an equally lengthy cooling period. At the end of it, it all depends on your individual taste, and what you are willing to put up with for your comfort.
Tal Potishman, editor of Heating Central, writes articles about boilers, plumbers, plumber Woking, underfloor heating and solar thermal. He specializes in helping save money by advising on efficient heating.
This Article has been viewed 222 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.