Applications for underfloor heating?

quatro

Is underfloor heating just designed as an addition to a central heating system? - or can it be used throughout a bungalow as the major heat source? How cost-efficient is it?
Advice and experiences appreciated.....

apples1

We have underfloor heating as the major (only) heat source in our barn conversion. Its wonderful, rooms feel warm without you being aware of heat coming out. Its lovely on bare feet too especially under the ceramic floor tiles. Ours is under floor tiles in some areas, oak floor boards in others and carpet in bedrooms. Fine under all of them but you must get special underlay if you have it under carpet as normal underlay is designed to stop cold coming up so wouldn't let heat up.

Ours is from oil fired boiler (no gas here) and as oil has more than doubled in cost since we moved here two years ago it ceratinly doesn't feel cheap but I have no idea whether it would be any cheaper with traditional heating. Cost aside (as I don't know if its cost efficient or not) I would recommend it 100%. I'm sure it heats the house better than radiators would - we have big rooms with high celings and they don't ever feel cold (apart from when we ran out of oil that is!!!)

brindles01

We also have UFH as our major heat source and its fantastic. So comfortable and evenly distributed. We have it under stone flooring in 85sq feet, under oak floors in 53sq feet and all with higher than average ceilings. I would say is make sure you have plenty of recommended insulation UNDERNEATH the pipework and it is no more expensive than radiators. And when the temp is reached in the stone floor it gives off the heat for a good couple of hours after switching off. I would have it any day over rads.

brindles01

Sorry Apples1 have you signed up with Pipeline.com? they are trying to negotiate cheaper heating oil as well as petrol.

gromituk

It is OK if you keep the house heated all the time, but is uneconomical if you want to change temperature rapidly and/or have the house unheated part of the time (which is always cheaper). This is because of the lag, as mentioned by brindles01.

myrnahaz

A word of caution when fitting it into a new build house. My friend has underfloor heating and says it is fantastic - she would recommend it to anyone (she hasn't mentioned how economical it is). Unfortunately, the moron who fitted it failed to notice that she didn't want it running under her cold storage pantry (!!!). More unfortunately, the floor tiler arrived the same day (sealing it nicely), so she now has a nice cosy cupboard for her hoover instead of a really useful cool storage for her veg!

monkmorency

I once rented a place with underfloor heating as the only heat source, and I would say it's certainly not for everyone.

It heated the rooms really well, which is great at times, but there is little control over the heat, which can be really frustrating. You can't put it on for a quick blast of heat, and I found having permanently hot floors when running around doing chores was maddening!

Also, downstairs ceilings end up being heated too, which could be a bit much (!) although in a bungalow I guess this might not be an issue.

Having said that, in my last house we had underfloor heating just in the bathroom underneath the tiles which was heavenly, and I miss it so much now :sad:

aluncairns

We have wet underfloor heating in a barn conversion and I am looking for advice on how to run it as efficiently as possible.

we are out all day but in view of the time to heat the room as has already been mentioned, should I leave it tick over at say 16 degrees all day (in teh rooms we use) and then to say on timer for 18 or 19 degrees with a 2 hour time lead.

Or should I leave it off all day, with the timer set for 19 degrees 4 housr before we get home?

any other advice would be more than welcome.

Thanks

A

gromituk

Leave it off all day.