Underfloor heating for older properties

Underfloor heating is a great addition to any home as part of an eco-friendly heating system, though older homes may benefit more from it than newer and better insulated homes. Particularly when paired with a heat pump (of any kind; water, air or ground), underfloor heating is efficient and reliable.

Benefit 1: No radiators

Aesthetics and space are both improved when using underfloor heating in place of radiators. With no requirement for anything attached to your walls (aside from a tiny control panel similar to your thermostat), and all pipes laid under your flooring, you can free up a lot of space. Particularly in smaller rooms, this is a great advantage. The look of your home can be improved by removing radiators, which are often large and can be unsightly in a room where decoration has been carefully considered. Without them, there is more room for furniture that compliments your home and less clutter on walls where you might like to have some open space instead.

Benefit 2: Maintenance Free

Due to their continuous plastic piping fitted under flooring, there is little chance of pipe joints leaking or pipe damage from knocks / movement. The pipes for underfloor heating are like large, long tubes that bend around corners to be laid into a pattern that covers your floorspace. This is great as joints are usually where leaks occur. The pipes won’t move after fitting as they’re secured down, and as they’ll be underneath your flooring there is no chance of accidental movement or knocks. They’re considered extremely reliable and not prone to breakage or leaking, meaning they can be classed as maintenance-free.

Benefit 3: Energy Efficiency

Particularly for older properties with high heating demand, underfloor heating can be a great way to save on running costs. You will have to watch out for temperature to ensure you’re not wasting heat, but by using the thermostat controls you can maintain an ambient property temperature for less. The system works by producing a lower but constant heat throughout, which works really well with heat pump systems that are built to create a constant stream of warm (not hot, like gas boilers) heat to a property. Due to the efficiency of heat pumps, the two systems working together creates a really efficient, low cost solution.

Benefit 4: Feeling warm

This benefit is less scientific and more about how you feel in your home. Cold feet make us feel cold, and cold floors are felt even through the warmest socks. Tile, wooden, or laminate flooring all feels quite cold underfoot even in the summer, and many people choose to wear slippers to combat this. With underfloor heating, your floor will feel warm (or even just not freezing cold!) at all times when it is on, and between times if working on a timer due to residual heat built up in the flooring. This makes a huge difference to anyone walking around without shoes on and reduces the need for heat in general as you are likely to feel less cold overall. Just ask anyone who has an underfloor heating system – the difference is noticeable.