What is Involved in Installing Underfloor Heating?
Introduction
The installation of an underfloor heating system whether it be a "wet", hot water system, or a "dry", electrical system, need not be hugely complicated provided sufficient thought is put into the process. Either form of underfloor heating system can be tailored to virtually any property or any type of flooring. However, the requirements of the system and the equipment and level expertise required may vary from installation to installation. Even rooms of peculiar shapes and sizes are straightforward to install and can be tackled with confidence given sufficient technical know-how. An underfloor heating plan for each room allows you or a professional installer to foresee and tackle any complications or problems on a room by room basis.
"Wet" Underfloor Heating Systems
A wet underfloor heating system uses warm water up to a maximum temperature of around 65°C which is pumped at low pressure, through a series of loops of pipe work. Pipe work is traditionally buried in the floor screed and supplemented by insulation, which reflects heat upwards into the floor covering and the room above. Wet underfloor heating systems are nevertheless easy to install during new build or refurbishment projects. Underfloor heating pipes are constructed to a high standard, but it is not unheard of for damage to occur in transit or at some point during installation. For this reason pipe work should be tested pneumatically or with water before screed or flooring is laid.
Warm water is usually supplied to a wet underfloor heating system by a central heating boiler (condensing boilers are particularly cost-effective for this application) and its flow is controlled by a series of thermostats and manifolds. Each room typically has its own thermostat, hard-wired to a manifold controller, such that when heating is required thermal actuator valves allow water, heated to the correct temperature set by the thermostat, to flow through the pipe work. The connection of the manifold to the heating system is best left to a professional plumber or heating engineer, while the associated electrical wiring should be installed by a professional electrician.
"Dry" or Electric, Underfloor Heating Systems
The traditional form of electric underfloor heating system involves the laying of heating cables to a depth of between 1" and 2" in screed beneath the floor covering. This system of electric underfloor heating is therefore suitable for new build or complete renovation projects, and can be implemented successfully beneath many different flooring types including tiles, wood, laminate, vinyl, carpet, provided that the substrate is sound, and free from grease and dust.
More recent developments in electric underfloor heating include flat or ribbon cables and heating mats, which allow a much greater surface area of the floor to be covered (when compared to traditional cable systems) and therefore allow operating temperatures to be significantly lower. Operating temperatures of around 30°C allow these electric underfloor heating systems to be installed directly below floor coverings such as engineered or laminated wood, carpet, etc., with no danger of discolouration, or other damage. Furthermore, the thickness of these cables and mats is such that electric underfloor heating need not mean a change in floor level of more than 1" or so in the worst case, so that doors do not need to be shaved or skirting boards raised.
Many such electric underfloor heating systems can be installed directly onto an existing subfloor, but timber or wooden subfloor should always be checked for structural integrity beforehand. Any loose floorboards, for example, should be fixed firmly and reinforced with construction board or plywood if necessary. If the floor is to be tiled ultimately, the heating cable or mat may be required to sit in the tile adhesive layer, so it is particularly important that the subfloor is even, secure and free from flexing. Primer should be applied to a timber, or wooden subfloor before tiling, to prevent moisture from tile adhesive being absorbed by the subfloor itself. It is, of course, possible to install electric underfloor heating directly onto an existing tiled floor without taking up old tiles unless they are damaged, or unsound.
In the case of installing electric underfloor heating onto a concrete subfloor, the surface must again be level (so repairs must be made to any imperfections) and subsequent cleaning to remove dust, dirt and any other impurities is necessary. A layer of insulation, in the form of insulation board is advisable above a concrete subfloor and many lightweight, waterproof, boards are available in a range of depths. It has also been shown that a concrete subfloor absorbs heat more quickly than a timber subfloor, so while electric underfloor heating with an output of say 100w/m2 may be more appropriate and safer in the case of timber, 150w/m2 or even 200w/m2 (for primary heating) beneath tiles may be required in the case of a concrete subfloor.
Further electric under floor heating Information
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