UnderFloor Heating

[tzh]

Do you Have underfloor heating? How good is it ? Do you recomend it ? If so what is the make?

[X111]

I have installed literally acres of electric and hot water underfloor heating in houses, swimming pools, flats, commercial premises etc of every make both UK and foreign. From this experience I can tell you that both types can be a severe disappointment in long term performance and both are an absolute devil to repair if anything fails. Stick to conventional electric or hot water radiators which can be easily controlled and maintained.

[doctorsteve]

Rubbish. The key point here is there can be problems if it is not done correctly. How does the whole of scandinavia cope with UFH if it is so disappointing. We have UFH in all areas of our house. The advantage we had was that it was a new build and so was designed in from the start. I can not recommend it enought, even warmth, no radiators on wall taking up space and warm floors. We have a wet system by Rehau. If you are trying to retrofit then an electrical system would be easiest but I understand the heat output and economy is not as good in some situations discuss with few companies, who do both.

[buildersmate]

2 points of view that boil down to the same thing. A correctly designed, installed and maintained wet UFH system is great - get troubles and it is a lot more difficult to put right if the trouble is in the buried pipes. You can't just change the pipes like you can change a boiler or a pump after 15 years when one component gets knackered. (I have a wet UFH system).

The benefits are in the eveness in the temperature and the lack of ugly radiators.

Electric systems are just like huge electric blankets under the floor. As with any electric central heating don't expect it to be the cheapest to run, even with economy 7.

[Golden Shred]

Of course there are people who will extoll their individual underfloor heating systems. But from my own experience of very many systems and very many clients over several decades in the international construction industry I can tell you that in the main most people come to curse it.

[X111]

I do building project management and maintainance in UK and EU, GS, and most (not all) of our clients ultimately become dissatisfied with underfloor heating. Contrary to the seemingly explosive gentleman above I can also say from hands-on experience that underfloor heating is not the bees knees in Scandinavia, and as for their District Heating Scheme's the least said the better (as it is here in UK).

[bradleyy]

I had it installed in my kitchen just over a month ago and I love it. I highly recommend it. I can�t understand why people are being negative about it. Everyone that enters my kitchen says how lovely and cozy it makes the room feel. I highly recommend it. The best thing is it doesn�t matter if you forget to put your slippers on.

[SpottyB84]

The only problem i know of is that if you have a solid woden floor the wood can dry out and warp, and as said above if there is a leak in the system then you have to lift the floor up to fix it.