hydronic underfloor heating?

[soy413]

I'm entering the stage of putting in a planning application for a fixer-upper victorian terrace...moving walls, new floors, extension, the works.

Now that the shell has been figured out I'm switching my focus to the interior.

One of the things I've always fantasised about having in my own property is underfloor heating. I grew up in Asia where this is normal...but of course none of my family there knows much about putting one in because all new builds just come with it!

I have googled around a bit and it seems that it's catching on here. I'm thinking that I would put it in all the floors of the house, so would probably go for hydronic rather than electric.

Pros:

• nice ambient heating. no need to huddle near the radiator in winter.
• potentially lower running costs
• nostalgia factor

Cons:

• higher costs up front
• it looks a bit niche so maybe it would be hard to get service if something goes wrong, or maybe it's expensive because it's niche, etc.
• I guess it depends on the installation but maybe I'll lose a little bit of height
• using wood as a flooring material might be problematic/not very clever. there might be higher labour costs associated with getting the gaps between the wood right so that there aren't unsightly gaps when it expands/shrinks from heat/cold. Maybe it's better to have another flooring material altogether, something that's better for conducting heat though I can't really imagine having concrete (?!) or stone in my bedroom.

Does anyone have underfloor heating? Any advice?

We are trying to get it installed at the moment. As you say it's a bit niche so it's been a bit difficult finding someone to fit/design it - you do have to go for specialists rather than just using local tradesmen like you might for anything else.

On the flooring there are specific types of wood (engineered wood) that work well with underfloor heating so as long as you buy the right type you should be fine.

We have underfloor heating throughout, though it was installed by our predecessor who built the house. I love the constant warm feeling it gives.

We have a mix of tile, engineered wood and carpet. The important thing is to make sure the wood flooring is suitably engineered for underfloor heating and that carpets are no more than 4 Tog. Some carpet shops understand what's needed but as PictureFrame says you may have to hunt around a bit for someone who knows what they're talking about to advise you.

if it's a fixer upper that you are selling why bother? just use the common and easily available stuff. otherwise it just eats away at your profit.

I would avoid this. We had a house with underfloor heating and when it went wrong the whole floor had to be lifted and replaced, the skirting's had to come off and I got so pissed off with it I ended up putting radiators in so more expense and more redecorating. If I was looking to buy a house now and it had underfloor heating it would put me off buying it.

I do not recognise the term hydronic.

If you mean pipes filled with hot water, blended to a suitable temperature and heated by a gas boiler, it is not unusual but quite disruptive and expensive. If you are laying new concrete floors downstairs it can be incorporate much more cheaply than digging up existing.

Are you hoping the cost will increase the value of the house?