Underfloor heating

[FusionChefGeoff]

Part of our planned downstairs remodel doesn't leave much room for radiators so I was keen on the idea of installing underfloor heating - especially as it looks like the floor in question appears to be already a few cm lower than the rest of the area so no need to dig down.

But I'm seeing lots of chat on energy cost threads about how expensive it is.

Is there any hope for a modern system that might not be prohibitively expensive to run??

I have the newest system available and it isn't cheap to run. Even when the floor itself is off it still costs me as the monitors are "turned on". We have turned it off at the main switch as it costs that much. We do use it every now an again when it's freezing and used to cost £3 a day to use - not even all day use. It's now doubled

A water based system which runs off the boiler would be cheap to run, but more complicated to retrofit as they need pipes encased in screed which are a lot more bulky than electric mats.

How doable (and expensive!!) It is to install depends on they type of floor you have- we retrofitted it in our kitchen by taking the floorboards up, but not so simple if you have a concrete ground floor. You may need insulation if you don't already have any, as well as the pipe/screed layer so you do need a bit of depth for it.

The wet systems run off your boiler it at a much lower temperature than radiators need, so it's not expensive to run.

We have the water pipe type (don't know what it's called!) in our extension and it's fantastic. It's our dining and informal lounge area so we live in there in winter. We turn it on and off manually, so only have it on when we're home.

We have both wet and electric underfloor heating and rads in different parts of the house. Wet is fantastic and some of the newer systems don't need much depth... but if the floor isn't properly insulated underneath you might be just wasting money. If it isn't properly insulated you will need to dig down more than a few inches and could end up being expensive (and you might have to wait weeks for concrete to dry too). The electric is expensive so we never actually use it. The much cheaper option is just good rads with a 'warm' feeling floor (so not tiles/stone etc.). Basically, I would only put in a wet system if it was a new extension etc. I wouldn't retrofit one and I wouldn't put in another electric one at all!

Ok not what I wanted to hear I'll admit I was hoping for a magic answer (!) but all very useful for next discussions with the builder.

I think it can be done www.homebuilding.co.uk/advice/retrofit-underfloor-heating

But agree with all above, we have wet underfloor heating but in a new extension and it is really good. Also electric in 2 small bathrooms that are on for about an hour a day.

I completely renovated my house about 6 years ago. I had a large extension and was told by builders that I could only have electric underfloor heating at the time as water types meant you needed to dig right down and this is not cost effective on a renovation. However, just at that time a new type of underfloor heating came out and by chance a plumber mentioned it in passing. I investigated and we used it (I purchased it) and it was the first time the builders had seen and used it. It was called polypipe but I think there are lots of options available. It is really low profile and is perfect for renovations as you can lay it under existing floor and does not need you to dig down through the original screed.

The water underwater heating acts as a big radiator and whilst more expensive to lay much much cheaper to run, especially now with rising electric costs. In my house I had two thermostats, one for the underfloor heating in the extension and then another for the rest of the house which had traditional radiators fitted.

I had a little office in my garden which we installed electric underfloor heating in and to be honest I ended up turning it off and running a plug in heater as it was so expensive.

To confirm (re read my post) the polypipe is a low profile water underfloor heating system. That's what you need to google, low profile being the key words or slim etc

Push for water based. It’s brilliant.

Look at Wunda Floor - it's called overfloor heating and is the slim profile wet system you lay over your existing floor boards.

Ooh this is sounding more optimistic and I will now sound super knowledgeable when talking to the builder (if he ever returns my calls )