By Sacha Megan Miller

If you are looking for a way to conserve heat in your home better and keep the feet warm for longer, underfloor heating is a good option. It works just like a radiant wall heater to provide warmth in the house, only that it is installed underneath the flooring. Hence, heat is transmitted from the floor upwards. This radiant floor heating tends to be more effective than regular wall heaters because heat rises at a lower temperature and pace, thus spreading evenly across the room.

The major difference between underfloor heating and the conventional wall heaters is that the former heats objects, thus sustaining heat in every item in the room; while wall heaters heat only the air. What happens in the room is that the cold objects (which are not receiving any heat from the heater) rely on the hot air and so the air has to be reheated over and over again to keep the room warm. Underfloor heaters ensure that every item in the room, from the floor, to the chairs, walls and people, is heated.

Underfloor heating systems are available in two broad types: water based (also referred to as hydronic) and electric. Hydronic underfloor heating works by circulating heated water through a pipe. This water can be heated in boilers, water heaters, heat pumps or solar water heaters. The house where this type of heating is used is divided into zones, whereupon each zone (usually rooms) is heated separately. So you can decide to heat one room and not the other. If you need to turn on the heating systems for long periods, the hydronic heater is a preferable choice due to its energy and cost efficiency.

Electric underfloor heating uses extremely thin pipes/cables and is near-impossible to leak. It works in zones just like a water-based heating system and is the easier choice to use in older houses. Cables fit perfectly and require no maintenance.

While underfloor heating works well with most flooring materials, the method of installation may differ slightly in each. To install underfloor heating in existing solid flooring, lay the pipe on the surface and cover with timber, tile or laminate. In a new building, it is much easier as you will only need to embed the pipe on the floor screed. In a tiled floor, embed the pipe in tile adhesive, which must be flexible.

When installing in wood floors, extra attention needs to be given since wood is a good insulator of heat and so might end up retaining most of the heat. Two great ways to increase heat transfer on wooden flooring are by using a mortar-filler between the wood planks and pipe or placing aluminum plates under the wood planks to enhance diffusion of heat. It is important to confirm the installation process with the manufacturer and get a professional to do it for you.

Underfloor heating has numerous advantages including even heat distribution. The room remains warm for longer too as the cooling time is also slower. It requires zero maintenance and is cheaper to operate. Unlike wall heaters which raise clouds of dust each time the fan is running, underfloor heaters minimize circulation of dust.

About the Author: Sacha is surely an expert contributing publisher composing regarding house designing. The woman enjoys utilizing

wood flooring

or even

best laminate flooring

for flooring to create a new splash of style for the space.

Source:

isnare.com

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