About Underfloor Heating (UFH)

With Under Floor Heating the entire floor radiates warmth under your feet instead of far away and piping hot, stuck out on a wall.

UFH has been around since Roman times, over 2,000 years ago. The Romans used ducts under floors and flues in walls; with hot air and fire travelling through. The hot air would warm the tiles or bricks and the heat would fill the rooms.
In the 1960's UFH made a comeback in the UK but electrical systems were used instead, proving expensive and prone to electrical failure. In Europe a new form of UFH was developed; Warm Water Under Floor Heating, proving an instant success and very popular in colder climates around Europe and the Mediterranean today. The floor surface temperature remains quite low (even close to room temperature). The ideal temperature is 29 ° C or below to reach optimal comfort, lower temperatures of 27 ° are required on timbers or sometimes delicate flooring structures or finishes.

How does it work?

Solid or Timber floor systems.

Plastic pipes are placed in the floor, solid (concrete or scree) or timber floor systems. Water is pumped into the tubes around the rooms which can be zoned with individual thermostats. When the room temperature falls, the warm water is pumped round the floor until the desired temperature is reached and then switches off that zone. The entire process is automatic, providing a constant comfortable warmth economically and unobtrusively.

Excellent for new builds; with easy solutions for existing constructions.

Example of edge insulation strip placed against wall.

Example of pipe circuits .

Great for conservatories, kitchens and bathrooms.

Designed for both new builds and retrofit construction, low profile panels can be placed on existing solid and timber load bearing floors.

Solid/Screed Flooring.
Typical construction types include:
	Floor finish
	Screed or conducting layer
	Edge insulation
Above: An example of vapour barrier and barrier pipes in a solid floor UFHS; Insulation and edgeing example.

The optimum depth of screed is 65-75mm. Specialist screed is available for lesser depths.

Screed should be allowed to cure for 28 days (usually)
Heat commissioning should not be carries out for at least 21 days after the screed is laid.

Timber/Intermediate.
Typical construction types include:
	Floor finish
	Sub Floor
	Underfloor pipes
	Heat transfer plate
	Counter batons between floor joists
	Insulation between heating pipes

Floating Floors/ Overlays.
Typical construction types include:
	Floor finish
	Sub Floor
	Underfloor pipes
	Heat transfer plate
	Grooved insulation panels
Approximate maximum heat output 100w/m2

Costs and Savings

Advantages of UFH
	Energy Efficient, Invisible warmth. Save on running costs compared to radiators.
	Better Heat Distribution.
	Greater level of comfort.
	No more cold floors. Even stone and ceramic can be cosy underfoot.
	Compliments a high efficiency boiler. Designed to operate at low temperatures.
	Cleaner interior design. No unsightly radiators to dust behind.
	Safe for children, elderly and less able. With no hot pipes exposed.
	Silent Running. No expansion creaking or water flow noises.
	Ideal for high ceilings. Maintains heat levels throughout.

Suited to high efficiency gas boilers but can just as easily be used with any other heat source including Ground Source Heat Pumps.