Everything You Need to Know About the Best Underfloor Heating in the UK
Winters can be really cruel, especially in the United Kingdom. To make the winter months cozy, it is really important to install underfloor heating. After all, what is the point of depriving yourself of the warmth? Many people opt for radiators, but it is a costly affair as they need to be installed all around the house. Underfloor heating even defies the need for radiators. This means that you have more space for other things like your artworks, showpieces, or even showcase a neutral and minimalistic look.
While looking for the Best Underfloor Heating in the UK, there are many options and choices that need to be looked into. Some of them include whether you want the heating system to be just in one room or the entire house. It depends on the type of your home and the budget you have set for this installation. While underfloor heating may seem like an elaborate process involving a lot of costs, that is not entirely the case. Given below is a guide to the entire process.
Why is underfloor heating important?
In layman’s terms, underfloor heating is installed beneath the flooring of your house so that it can keep you warm during the winter months. Underfloor heating helps in the even distribution of heat across the house, letting your feet be warmer than usual. Underfloor heating is eco-friendlier than radiators and reduces your carbon emissions.
Here are some of the benefits of underfloor heating:
- They keep your feet warm. Therefore, you can walk around in your bare feet even during the winter months and still not get cold at all.
- Cold temperatures help in the development of dust mites. With the help of warmer temperatures, the chances are reduced, and you would be able to have a more hygienic home in the process.
- It is more sustainable as with underfloor heating, you would get the heat distributed evenly throughout the room.
- No matter what is the material used for flooring, underfloor heating can be installed under almost everything – be it tiles, stones, carpeted floors, or wood.
- As per calculations, underfloor heating systems can heat a larger area than radiators without consuming too much energy. Therefore, the cost of the electricity is way lower for a house with an underfloor heating system.
- Unlike radiators, the underfloor heating system is completely hidden, making it easy for you to decorate your house with artworks, showpieces, or even going for a rather minimalistic look. It takes up little to no space, unlike the case with radiators.
- As the heating generates from the floor, you can keep the window open, and the sir will be less draughty, which makes for a lesser amount of wastage in the long run.
With the pros, come the cons. Therefore, you also need to be aware of them if you plan to install underfloor heating in your homes.
- The initial outlay of underfloor heating is a bit costly. Therefore, even if you are generating a lesser electricity bill, the initial costs are high in the long run.
- If you are using a smaller underfloor heating system as compared to the size of the room, then only a certain spot would be heated up while the rest of the floor would be cold. Therefore, either you would need a bigger system, or you have to use a radiator anyway.
- The facilities of installing underfloor heating are pretty much non-existent in the case of older buildings. Therefore, it would be a challenge for non-contemporary homes.
- The worst thing about underfloor heating is getting rid of heavy items altogether as underfloor heating cannot be used under certain types of fittings and furniture.
- It is better to use a timer while using underfloor heating as it takes a significant amount of time to heat up. Therefore, a timer is essential to note when you want to use the system.
Some things about underfloor heating:
- The temperature of a house is pretty relative and varies from person to person. However, the ideal temperature is something within the range of 21 degrees to 18 degrees The lesser the temperature, the lower is the bill.
- Underfloor heating can be an expensive endeavor. It vastly depends on whether you are planning to install a new one or upgrade the current one.
- Underfloor heating is installed under wooden flooring, carpet, and concrete. For the best results, it is better not to let the carpet be too thick or take a longer duration to warm up. In the case of wooden flooring, the highest temperature that wood can handle is 27 degrees centigrade. If the temperature is above that, then the wood would warp and shrink. Concrete flooring is one of the best for the installation of underfloor heating.
Final Take
Having underfloor heating installed in your house is a good and wise investment. The pros outweigh the cons effectively. Underfloor heating is cost-effective, sustainable, and eco-friendly.