Under Floor Heating

Under floor heating is a series of plastic pipes laid underneath your floor (see picture) which carry water at around 32 degrees. The heat is gently transferred

Under floor heating (UFH) is an extremely effective and efficient way of heating a house.Here is an analogy; Which is more efficient, motorway or city driving? The answer is of course motorway driving as you are traveling at a constant speed whereas  city driving where you stop and start you use far more fuel. If we apply this to our boiler, the boiler is far more efficient working at lower temperatures for longer. Because UFH requires a lower temperature of water (32 degrees) your boiler gently heats for longer periods of time. With a radiator heating system the boiler is having to raise the water temperature much higher, for shorter periods of time. this uses more fuel and reduces the lifespan of your boiler.

Underfloor heating and renewable energy

As explained above, for UFH to work effectively, the water travelling through the pipes needs to be around 32 degrees. With solar and ASHP technology, during winter (when UFH is mostly required) the temperatures generated by these tend to be lower than oil or gas heating. Therefore, the heat generated by these may go straight into the UFH system to heat the home. Renewable technology still works with conventional radiator systems however the water needs to be raised to a higher temperature to be equally as effective. This is why UFH suits houses with renewable hot water systems.