subject: Underfloor Heating – An Introduction to Its Many Facets [print this page] Underfloor Heating An Introduction to Its Many Facets
The concept of Underfloor Heating is clear from its name. They are great for preventing space constraints in personal homes as well as in commercial buildings. Interiors can now be designed keeping more room in mind with this type of heating option. To make it simple, one can say that underfloor heating is an omnipresent and a low maintenance portion of the environs.
Working of underfloor heating:
Warm water is circulated from the boiler through Santoprene systems or Pex tubing. Every room comprises pex tubing' circuit of its own. This pex tubing circuit is linked with a manifold through water regulating valves. All the rooms can be controlled by thermostat on an individual basis.
When pre-set temperature is reached, a signal is sent to the valve on the manifold to have the circuit of that room closed. Manifolds perform the function of distributing water to pipes connected through pex tubing at temperature ranging from 35oC to 60oC. This, in turn, has the floor heated between 18oC and 29oC.
The type of underfloor heating system used above falls in the category of hydronic underfloor heating systems. The other category of underfloor heating system is electrical floor heating'. In electrical floor heating, electrical resistance elements are used for heating the floor.
Electric floor heating is the one in which flexible, non-corrosive heating elements inclusive of pre-formed cable mats, cables, carbon films and bronze mesh are heated using electric systems. Electric floor heating makes use of line voltage technology whereas the others make use of low voltage technology. Power consumption in this regard is based on wattage output that is produced by heating element.
Designs in underfloor systems' installation:
There exist three main designs in underfloor systems' installation. They are:
Solid Floor: This structure can be described as the one in which insulation itself is embedded in floor as a portion of Building Regulations'.
Suspended Floor: In this structure, heating system is placed in between battens or joists; which can be accessed from below or above.
Floating Floor: Here, one can install pipes above a wood floor or an existing solid.
Use underfloor heating for all your warming needs and enjoy the difference this coming winter with this heating option.
