The Benefits Of Underfloor Heating
Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the heating industry.
Find out more about Underfloor Heating at http://www.tilefixdirect.com
Not many people know that it was actually the Romans who first invented underfloor heating. In the cold areas of the Roman Empire, they channelled hot air from fires through ducts beneath the floor, and flues in the walls. The ducts were ‘hypocausts’, meaning ‘heat from below’ and were used for both heating private homes, mostly of the rich, and public baths.
Hot air from the fires would warm the bricks or tiles of a building, and the heat would emanate into the rooms.
Underfloor heating is today gaining in popularity once again, especially for barn and agricultural property conversions which benefit from the lack of moisture and gentle heat this type of heating provides.
This heating is popular for many design-led property conversions because it offers aesthetic value as well as heat efficiency, as there is more space on walls thanks to a lack of unsightly radiators taking up room.
There are two common types of underfloor heating, these are warm water systems, and electric systems. The electric type can take on many forms, such as cables or mats, and are easier to install than the warm water systems. However, warm water systems can be heated with any kind of fuel.
Underfloor, as opposed to conventional heating, means that the whole floor effectively becomes a radiator, and because of its large surface area, it doesn’t need to achieve the extremely high temperatures that a radiator would.
It can be used with all types of flooring; wooden and concrete, both on the ground and upstairs, and with any type of floor covering, such as carpet, tiles or wood. The floor covering does make a slight difference to the amount of heat produced into a room, as some floorings conduct heat very well, such as tiles, while others insulate, such as carpets.
Underfloor is also more economical than traditional heating. Although it can be costly to install, companies providing the service are in competition and so prices aren’t extortionate, and once up and running it will eventually save money, especially if the property is well-insulated. If a condensing boiler is installed, savings can be as much as 40 per cent compared with conventional heating, but even with a normal boiler, energy savings of up to 15 per cent can be expected.
There’s also an added benefit for asthma and dust mite allergy sufferers. Underfloor heating cuts down the amount of dust mites and dust in general that circulate in a house.
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