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Original poster

Is underfloor heating worth the cost?

22 replies

Brightandyoung · 18/02/2022 21:24

If you have it, how much does it increase your bills? I have a 25 sq m kitchen diner and I’m trying to decide whether to have:

a) wet underfloor heating which could cost me a fortune as gas is so expensive
b) electric underfloor heating which will also cost a fortune unless I put in solar panels in the future (may not happen)
c) just radiators

Any advice? How expensive is it to run?

OP posts:

womaninatightspot · 18/02/2022 21:34

Shockingly expensive to run. Under a 50 square metre floor there is electric underfloor heating. In winter it costs about 200 quid a month and that is with solar panels.

noworklifebalance · 18/02/2022 22:43

This is for a bathroom but the pros & cons of electric v wet underfloor heating is probably relevant for a kitchen too:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/4368943-Adding-underfloor-heating-when-renovating-a-bathroom

TizerorFizz · 18/02/2022 23:10

Wet underfloor heating is just a set of horizontal radiators! We have it. Love it. I don’t want radiators taking up space. We find it ok to run. We are air source heat pumps. We have electric underfloor heating in 2 bathrooms on the first floor. We like the overall heat but control very carefully with thermostats.

FusionChefGeoff · 18/02/2022 23:16

Here's my thread from last week

Underfloor heating www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/4482885-underfloor-heating

Notcontent · 19/02/2022 00:06

Don’t go for electric heating as that’s always going to be expensive.

But wet is great. I love mine.

MarieG10 · 19/02/2022 07:43

@Brightandyoung

If you have it, how much does it increase your bills? I have a 25 sq m kitchen diner and I’m trying to decide whether to have:

Any advice? How expensive is it to run?

@Pigletjohn will say anyone who has electric UFH only ever uses it for one month due to the cost.

We have set UFH as part of our central heating. Was a large extension to the house so can't judge how expensive, but I am told it is cheaper than radiators. After having a new boiler as well, our KW usage has dropped a fair amount so it is clearly very economical

I love that we have no radiators so is better decorating as well
The heat is lovely and gentle but you need separate controllers as it needs to come on much earlier than the radiators but also go off earlier...ie ours switches off at 6pm as that part of the house just stays warm even in coldest winter...so good insulation is key.

I would only install in a new build extension or major renovation where you are laying new floors with decent insulation below otherwise you just heat up the underneath

PigletJohn · 19/02/2022 07:46

The solar panels idea will not work.

On very rare occasions, you will need heating on bright sunny days.

But if you are in UK, winter days are notoriously short, dull and cloudy. Winter solar generation is next ti nothing.

It is quite reasonable during some summer months when UFH is not needed. But not dependable.

billysboy · 19/02/2022 07:48

Ufh works on a water temperature half that of radiators

EATmum · 19/02/2022 07:54

With our extension we out in wet UFH as radiators simply wouldn't be enough to keep a large space warm. I love it, but you need to learn how to make it work for you - on a separate control it's in for a couple hours in the morning before we get up and then the room stays warm all day. Being newly built and well-insulated makes a real difference to the new space (compared to the rest of the house) too.

roses2 · 19/02/2022 08:00

I have wet in my 49sqm kitchen. It's on 2 hours am and 2 hours pm. Cost to run is minimal and its the warmest room in the house.

You don't need to leave it on all day for the room to stay warm. Floor Tiles retain the heat really well.

Definitely get a zoned heating setup as it takes 2 hours to feel to feel effect when you switch it on and won't benefit you if you run it at the same time as the normal wall radiator heating.

It was expensive to install but worth it for us.

Totalwasteofpaper · 19/02/2022 08:17

We have wet in the house we bought. I was keen/excited but in reality Underwhelmed was an under statement.its all top spec stuff and is laid under travertine marble (also awful for diff reasons) so this might be why?

caringcarer · 19/02/2022 08:22

We have ugh in kitchen but don't know how much to run as was here when we moved in. The cats like it though. Warm under their baskets in winter. We have thermostat. We use a lot of electric generally. We have gas CH everywhere else. Nice to walk on warm tiles.

TizerorFizz · 19/02/2022 08:27

Yes, definitely some the heating and control when and how you use it. We run ours from air source heat pumps and the water gets to around 65 degrees in the taps. It is absolutely fine for underfloor heating. Solar panels can be used to supplement the electricity use. If doing a big extension, new house or remodelling this is system is possible. We don’t have gas and wanted to get away from oil.

Original poster

Brightandyoung · 19/02/2022 18:16

Thank you all. I’m sort of none the wiser though. The house isn’t brilliantly insulated and we are on a windy hill, so I don’t know whether it will ever be warm 😞

I am just so worried about running costs because, unlike the cost of installation, it’s a complete unknown until you’ve got it.

OP posts:

mateysmum · 19/02/2022 18:25

We have wet UFCH throughout - was in when we bought the house and I love it - warmest house I've ever lived in. No cold or hot spots, just overall warmth.Your house does need to be fairly well insulated though. It also works best if you are in the house a lot as you can't just flick it on for an hour as it takes a while for the subfloor to heat up. So you have to front load it, but then you can switch it off early as it stays warm. You should have individual thermostats in each room and we have upstairs and downstairs circuits so very flexible without having to turn the whole system on and off.

Original poster

Brightandyoung · 19/02/2022 18:35

@mateysmum

What are the running costs like?

OP posts:

PigletJohn · 19/02/2022 18:54

you do mean wet, off a gas boiler?

not seriously thinking about electric?

twosticksandanapple · 19/02/2022 18:57

We have wet underfloor heating in our extension and our gas bills have gone down despite the house being bigger. It feels so nice to walk on and the rest of the house now feels drafy and cold in comparison.

mateysmum · 19/02/2022 19:20

Hard to say Brightandyoung as we also have an oil AGA which single handedly drains the world oil reserves! No gas in our road.

My perception is that it is not overly expensive as once the house is up to temperature the boiler barely comes on and we have rooms at different temperatures so we're not keeping the bedrooms or hall to warm but the living room is toasty.

mateysmum · 19/02/2022 19:23

FYI also the floor feels pleasantly warm when it is actively heating but no more than that, but if you leave a towel on the floor, when you pick it up it is lovely and warm.

hollygoflightly · 19/02/2022 19:28

We have wet underfloor heating in the kitchen - we added it when we did a full extension 2 years ago. I LOVE IT. It makes the room so toasty, it's on for a couple of hours in the morning and then the room is warm all day. Not seen any change in the gas bills. I'd say absolutely go for it, but avoid electric like the plague- my parents have it and never turn it on!

Original poster

Brightandyoung · 19/02/2022 22:17

Ok, thank you. I will get the plumber to cost wet and see what the installation will cost. If it’s £££££ then I will have to stick to radiators but at least I know it shouldn’t affect my bills too much if I can afford the installation. And to avoid electric!

Thanks all.

OP posts:

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