underfloor heating systems

Underfloor heating is the most comfortable and unobtrusive heating system that can be installed in a home.

Because the heat comes from beneath, the temperature at floor level is slightly higher than at head level creating the perfect environment of warmer feet and cooler head. The heat is spread evenly throughout the house eliminating the cold and hot-spots associated with radiators.

Climate Control design your system taking into account heat loss from doors, windows, walls, floors and ceilings. A low water temperature design allows you to get the highest efficiency from your system. The system can be used with all types of floor coverings including tiles, wooden floors, parquet and vinyl, although thick carpets should be avoided. Underfloor heating can also be fitted on joisted floors. There are various different methods of installing on joisted floors, which can be discussed with Climate Control.

How it works?

Underfloor heating works by placing circuits of plastic pipe on a bed of insulation and covering them with a sand-cement or liquid (screed) mixture between 50 and 75mm thick. Warm water is then circulated through these pipes, which heats the screed acting as a heat store.

The heat is then released slowly from the screed, which once heated can maintain its temperature for hours, and heats the room evenly creating the perfect comfort zone where the upper part of the room is slightly cooler than the lower.

Heat up and top up

Some people express concern as to the reaction time of underfloor heating systems. In a properly designed system, this slow start up refers only to the initial heating of the screed, which would take about 3-4 hours to reach temperature.

Once temperature is reached the screed temperature should be ‘topped up’ when the temperature drops. A heatpump or boiler would do this automatically. The screed should not be allowed to cool fully unless the system is being shut down.

underfloor heating systems

Underfloor and Heatpumps, the perfect match

Underfloor heating is ideally suited to operate alongside heat pump systems. Its lower required operating temperature means an increase in performance (COP) of your heat pump. Heat pumps are generally rated at a flow temperature of 35c but a properly deigned underfloor Heating system can operate at temperatures below 30c flow which can increase your heat pump performance by as much as 15%.

Check our our range of Heat Pumps from the links below

>>AIR TO AIR HEAT PUMPS

>>AIR TO WATER HEATPUMPS

>> GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMPS

Wall Heating systems

Where floor depth is limited, weight of a screed cannot be carried or where fitting underfloor is impractical, wall heating is a very good alternative.

The system is very similar to underfloor heating except the system is mounted on your walls rather than floors.

Wall heating is particularly suited to retrofit houses. There are two types of wall heating systems, Wet Wall and Dry Wall.

Wet Wall Heating systems

Wet wall heating systems are implemented by mounting a 12mm plastic pipe on a clip rail to your wall. This pipe is connected to a distribution manifold and the pipe is covered in plaster normally around 20mm thick. The pipe which is now part of the mass of your wall is slowly heated using warm water at about 30-35c.

With this system your entire wall becomes an unobtrusive, low temperature radiator which can deliver heat up to 8m away. They can also be combined with underfloor heating systems in bathrooms to provide the ultimate cosy experience of being surrounded by heat while showering or bathing.

Dry Wall Heating systems

A dry wall heating system consists of pipe imbedded in a preformed plasterboard like panel. The panels comes in various sizes and are mounted on the wall, the pipes are joined together and the panels are then skimmed with plaster. This type of system is normally used in timber frame constructions or on stud or metal frame walls

Controlling your Underfloor system

There are many possibilities for controlling your underfloor heating system. The system can be fitted with thermostats in one or all zones in order to increase controllability. These thermostats can be either analog or digital, incorporating time programs, set temperatures etc. We can also offer control systems that allow you to adjust the temperatures or switch on / off the system through the internet or simply from a tone dial phone.

Alternatively if used with a heatpump, the heatpump can be used to control the system.

Climate Control offer a number of variations of underfloor heating systems, offering a system to suit each need. Contact Us to discuss the perfect system for your home!