subject: Why Choose Underfloor Heating? [print this page] Underfloor heating originally was widely used in Northern Europe but in recent years it has become popular in the UK. There are quite a few factors that need to be considered when choosing whether or not under floor heating will be appropriate for your home, here in this article we shall look at both the advantages and drawbacks of this type of heating.
Under floor heating systems turn the floor itself into a heat emitter, heating the room from the floor up. Unlike radiators in a central heating system that emit heat from the radiator panels that are usually mounted on the walls, the room heating this way is heated from the ceiling downwards. With underfloor heating there are options for either electric of water-based heating. Both systems are very similar apart from the obvious heating cable or water piping.
One benefit that people find with underfloor heating is that it is thought to be slighter cheaper to run than radiators in a central heating system. Whether this is true or not remains debateable, the logic behind this is that the under floor system keeps the water temperature lower than radiators. This would probably only really make a difference if your heating is on twenty four hours a day.
It also claimed that with under floor systems the same level of comfort that is achieved around 2 degrees less than with a room that has been heated with radiators. Without the need for wall mounted radiators the biggest benefit of underfloor heating is that furnished rooms will have far more space than one with radiators. Young children also will be unable to suffer from burns if the heating is all beneath the floor boards than mounted onto walls.
Another reason that you may wish to consider purchasing this type of heating system is down to the fact that wet areas, such as bathrooms, shower rooms, hallways and kitchens will dry far quicker than a room that is heated conventionally. However one of the biggest drawbacks of heating your floors is the slow response time, a wooden floor can take up to thirty minutes but a concrete one can take up to several hours. The cooling time takes a long time also so if your lifestyle requires heating straight away then this system may not be suitable for you.
Really personal lifestyle is the biggest factor in choosing your heating; if you do not require instant heating and often have a problem with wet floors then heating under your floors may be the best option whilst giving your home extra space.
