Energy efficiency has become a byword for building projects of all kinds in recent times.
Indeed, Part L of the Building Regulations, 2006, raised the energy efficiency of new buildings in England and Wales by 40%, when compared with the previous regulations, and any building undergoing renovation, or replacement, of thermal elements must have reasonable provision for energy conservation. The legislation makes sense of many levels; fossil fuels are becoming more and more expensive, notwithstanding the effect of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other emissions on the environment, so energy efficient heating systems, using clean, renewable forms of energy, can save money on fuel bills, safeguard the value of property and preserve the environment.
Underfloor Heating Systems
Traditional radiator systems tend to heat the air at the peripheries of a room first, such that it rises into the space immediately below the ceiling, and cools, before circulating throughout the room. As such, the method of heat transmission is highly inefficient when compared with underfloor heating systems, which not only use the entire floor surface to radiate heat into a room, but also heat the air at ground level first, creating a more natural temperature gradient as far as the human body is concerned. In fact, the achieve the same level of comfort, the air temperature of a room heated by underfloor heating can be 1°C or 2°C cooler than that of a room heated by a traditional radiator system. This means that not only is the room more comfortable, overall, but the increased efficiency can translate into savings of anything between 15% and 40% on fuel bills.
Electric underfloor heating systems, in particular, are suitable for installation in any room of your house, large or small, and beneath any type of floor covering, including tile, carpet and solid or laminated wood. In a bathroom, or wet room, for example, electric underfloor heating can be used simply to prevent the shock of stepping from the bath or shower onto a cold, tiled floor, or can be combined with heated towel rails, and a heated mirror pad, to provide a luxurious, condensation-free bathroom experience. Care does need to be taken when installing electric underfloor heating in any wet environment, such as a bathroom, however. Standard, 240-volt power outlets should be avoided, for example, and a thermostat should be positioned outside the wet bathroom area, with a low voltage probe installed in the bathroom floor, itself.
When it comes to renovation projects, "dry", or electric, underfloor heating systems are eminently more suitable than the "wet" alternatives, simply because they can be installed onto an existing subfloor without disturbance, and without raising the height of the floor by more than a few millimetres. Loose heating cables, or heating mats, are typically laid in a self-levelling latex compound onto which the floor, itself, is subsequently laid. One of the important characteristics of hardwood flooring is its propensity for expansion and contraction, according to its moisture content, and the amount of heat applied. It is not unusual, therefore, for hardwood boards to contract slightly as they dry out in winter and expand slightly in summer, when there is more moisture in the atmosphere. Hardwood boards beneath which electric underfloor heating is to be installed should therefore be kiln-dried, so that its moisture content is no more than 10%, to prevent twisting and warping. Similarly, the type of heating cable, or mat – that is, the heat output per square metre – needs to be chosen in accordance with manufacturers` guidelines to prevent damage to the floor covering.
