Electric Under Floor Heating
Electric Under Floor Heating
Find out more about electric under floor heating
energy efficiency | general | shoppingIn our article on
Under Floor Heating we introduced
underfloor heating and its benefits. In this article we will focus on
electric underfloor heating - most commonly used to heat one particular room such as a conservatory or bathroom rather than heating a whole house.
Electric Underfloor Heating
Pictured above is a typical
electric underfloor heating mat. This is an electrically insulated heating element mounted onto a fibreglass (or similar) mesh. With the heating element already spaced optimally, the mat can simply be rolled out and affixed to the sub-floor.
The mat is supplied in a long straight roll just 5-10mm thick, but it can be manipulated to enable it to cover the free floor area in a room - as shown above in a bathroom. The mat should cover 85% of the available floor area.
Underfloor heating mats are available with different power ratings for different uses - e.g. something around 200 Watts per square metre (200 W/m2) for
primary heating in a room, 150 W/m2 for
comfort heating on concrete bases, and 100-120W/m2 for comfort heating on wooden bases. The price difference between say a 120 W/m2 and 200 W/m2 heating mat is typically 10-20% only, but of course the running costs of a more power system will be much greater.
With tiled floors, the heating element has to be covered with screed or tile adhesive before the tiled floor is put down. There is a relatively new type of
carbon heating film designed for use with floating wooden/laminate flooring. The final flooring can be fitted directly on top of the film (which is supplied on a roll) which makes installation very simple.
Note that the final electrical connection to the mains for an electric underfloor heating system must be made by a
qualified electrician. Also, underfloor heating does not operate efficiently when under fitted carpets.
Underfloor Heating Control Thermostat
Aside from the heating mat itself, the other key component of any underfloor heating sytem is the programmable
thermostat controller. This controls the heating to ensure that it keeps the room heated to the desired temperature at the desired times of day. The better of these will have temperature sensors in the both the floor and in the air.
Insulation
When
electric underfloor heating is fitted to a
concrete subfloor in particular, insulation is vital. Otherwise heat from the system will conduct into the subfloor instead of radiating into the room. Insulated boards ranging in thickness from 5mm to 50mm+ are available.
Good insulation speeds up the time it takes to heat up the room and also it reduces operating costs due to increased efficiency.
Buying Electric Underfloor Heating
As
electric underfloor heating is a relatively simple product to install, it is usually best to purchase the necessary components online, and then fit them yourself or have it installed by a general handyman or flooring expert. Complete kits are available including heating mats, insulating boards, thermostat controller, and all necessary cables and connectors. Expect to pay at least
£30 per square metre for the heating system.
Article Last Modified: 08:57, 9th Apr 2009Comment on this Article
If you have any comments on this article, please email them to
neil@reuk.co.uk.
Recommended Related Articles
People who read this article also enjoyed the following articles:
Under Floor HeatingFind out more about the benefits of under floor heating
Article Last Modified: 08:56, 9th Apr 2009energy efficiency | geothermal | generalDrying Clothes IndoorsTips on drying clothes indoors without a tumble drier
Article Last Modified: 13:47, 13th Feb 2010energy efficiency | generalImmersion Heater Time SwitchBuy a timer to control an immersion heater element efficiently
Article Last Modified: 13:49, 20th Nov 2010heating | solar | shoppingExternal Solid Wall InsulationFind out about solid wall insulation applied to external walls
Article Last Modified: 16:14, 9th Aug 2011energy efficiency | heating | generalPaper Log Briquette MakerFind out how to turn old newspapers into briquettes for the fireplace or stove
Article Last Modified: 14:44, 16th Sep 2011heating | recycling | biomass | carbonLight Tubes for Interior LightingFind out more about light tubes (aka Sun tubes) and their uses
Article Last Modified: 14:31, 8th Aug 2007lightingAir Source Heat PumpsFind out about using an air source heat pump to heat water in your home
Article Last Modified: 15:47, 6th Apr 2010geothermal | energy efficiency | heatingSolar Water Heating Swimming PoolsBuild a solar powered water heating system for a swimming pool
Article Last Modified: 13:49, 4th Aug 2011solar | water | heating
|
|
|
