Why underfloor heating?

The timing for writing this little article couldn’t be better! Writing on a freezing foggy morning in December makes you realise how important a central heating system actually is. The trouble with most heating systems however is that the temperature is not consistant across the room or the building. In most cases it will go arm in arm with cold spots, draughts and high energy bills. That is where the advantages of underfloor heating is coming in.

Underfloor Heating

With underfloor heating a system of pipes filled with hot water runs under the floor, effectively changing this into a giant radiant surface. With underfloor heating your home will benefit from:

• great comfort, coldspots or draughts, the warmth is exactly where you want it and only looses 2 degrees celcius when measured 2 meters above the floor
• design freedom, no radiators mean that there is more groundspace and that there is more flexibility with space planning and curtains and artwork
• healthier air quality through the lack of dustmovement and condensation on surfaces
• lower energy bills because the system can run on a much lower and less fluctuating temperature settings than convetional heating systems 
• sustainability, because in combination with the lower running temperatures of the underfloor heating system, renewable energy sources can be used like ground source heat pumps. water source heat pumps and air source heatpumps

Underfloor Heating in refurbishement projects

(image credits: Architectural photographer Glasgow)

As more and more people see the benefits of underfloor heating and want to add it to their property, low Profile systems follow the same principle of floating floor systems. Floating floor systems consist of pipes laid into pre-grooved and foiled insulation boards which can be laid directly onto the floor surface below. Low profile systems can be laid directly onto any solid floor surface to provide an even heat output with minimal reduction in floor build-up. 

Characteristics:

• ultra slim floor build up
• suitable for both new and refurbishment applications
• wooden floors can be laid directly over insulation layer
• fits over existing floors
• quick response time

In a townhouse project underfloor heating Edinburgh utilising Incognito 12mm pipework. The PE-RT pipework is fitted to steel reinforcing bars within a concrete slab. The pipe is of extremely robust manufacture, made up of 5 layers including an oxygen barrier. It is designed to give complete peace of mind, that’s why it comes with a 75 year warranty.