Underfloor heating is a unique traditional form of central heating that has been gaining popularity. It primarily utilizes radiant heat for indoor climate control, whereas other forms of indoor heating (for example, from a radiator, blower or fireplace) rely mostly on convection.

Underfloor heating provide many advantages over traditional forms of heating:

1. Thermal comfort
In-floor radiant heating can warm the lower part of both the room and the body because when warm air convects from the radiant floor surface, it loses approximately two degrees Celsius at two meters above the floor. This imparts a feeling of natural warmth, since the limbs should ideally be warmer than the head.
Asthma sufferers may benefit from underfloor heating because it reduces the airborne circulation of both dust and dust mites.

2. Aesthetics
Underfloor heating is invisible from above and does not use valuable wall space with unsightly heating equipment. In a sense, the entire floor is a radiator, although, because of its area, it need not reach the high temperatures of a steam radiator. It has a particular advantage in public areas where exposed hot or sharp surfaces can be dangerous and unsightly.

Underflood heating suppliers like WarmFloors has created a revolutionary carbon underfloor heating system that is so thin it hardly makes an impression on floor height.

3. Energy efficiency
Underfloor heating can reduce air-inflitration heat loss. This is because the the air is only warmed to the temperature of the thermostat setting, so the temperature differential at the outside wall is less, thereby reducing air infiltration due to the stack effect.

4. Cost efficiency
The running cost of the underfloor heating system is very economical (£3 – £4 per sqm per annum) & in many cases less than traditional convection systems, but this much depends on the heat loss from the room(see point 3). The better the insulation levels within a room the better the running cost of the underfloor heating system.

Underfloor heating can be used with concrete and wooden floors, with all types of floor covering (e.g., stone, tile, wood, vinyl, marble, and carpet) and at ground level or upstairs. It is important to note that the choice of floor finishing requires careful consideration because changes of floor finish may affect performance. So, if you are considering underfloor heating for your home this winter, speak to a WarmFloors consultant to find out which Underfloor Heating solution suit you best.