UNDERFLOOR HEATING
With energy bills rising, energy- efficient technologies are essential to today’s discerning homeowner and electric underfloor heating is rapidly becoming the heating solution of choice. Tilers and installers need to be aware of the benefits of this offering and find the best solution for their customers’ properties.
As more and more property owners look to improve their house rather than move, there are lots of opportunities for installers to up- sell products, especially if they can improve or enhance their customer’s lifestyle, and even more so if they can help to cut utility bills. Underfloor heating does all of these things, making it the perfect product to recommend to consumers.
WHAT IS UNDERFLOOR
HEATING? When correctly insulated, underfloor heating provides high- efficiency heating and helps to control the temperature of each room, heating only the rooms homeowners want, when they want, with no energy wasted.
Instead of heating a specific area of a room in the way radiators do, a much larger surface area is gently warmed at a lower temperature. This way, there are no cold spots as most of the heat is spread evenly across the room and because it uses a lower temperature than standard radiators, heating costs are reduced and savings of around 10 per cent can be achieved across average utility bills.
It’s important to note that there are two types of underfloor heating systems, electric and hydronic:
Electric system - An electric system (such as the Warmup ProWire exclusive to Topps Tiles) runs on a dry structure which uses electric elements and a series of cables strategically laid out underneath the floor. These are connected together and linked up to the thermostat and mains power supply to provide heat. Loose wire and mats are available, with the Warmup StickyMat offering the fastest and most secure installation method.
Hydronic system – This method of underfloor heating uses warm water from the central heating system
twitter.com/TomorrowsTS WHERE CAN UNDERFLOOR
HEATING BE USED? Once restricted to bathrooms and conservatories, underfloor heating has fast emerged as more of a whole- house solution so installers shouldn’t be afraid to advise customers on using it in different areas of the home. For example, a hallway with underfloor heating can create a warm and welcoming entrance to a home. In fact, underfloor heating can be used to heat the entire home or to simply provide warmth in small areas, such as bathrooms or utility rooms.
When used under a tiled floor, the installer needs to think carefully about the insulation and type of tile that will be laid over the top of it. Natural stone, ceramic and porcelain tiles are all ideal options for use with underfloor heating, due to their high thermal mass and strong conductivity, which allows heat from the underfloor heating pipes to easily transfer to the floor’s surface. However, consideration needs to be given to the thickness of the tile or stone used as this will affect the
which is pumped through plastic pipes laid beneath the floor. This type of heating helps to reduce water-heating costs as it uses water at a lower temperature than that of radiators.
While traditional heating methods, such as radiators, generate heat which is above head level creating the sensation of a ‘stuffy’ atmosphere, underfloor heating systems offer a way to heat a room, from the ground up, so very little heat is wasted. As such, it is a great alternative to traditional heating methods as it offers householders more usable floor space.
length of time it takes for the floor to reach optimum temperature.
WHY CHOOSE
UNDERFLOOR HEATING? The benefits of using underfloor heating are vast. Aside from high comfort levels, underfloor heating offers improved efficiency, when fitted correctly, and greater heating control. As each system is controlled via a thermostat, it enables the householder to set the temperature to the desired level, allowing them to monitor and control their energy usage and costs. The Warmup Cloud White 4iE Wi-Fi Thermostat, exclusively available at Topps Tiles, is a great way of doing this as it allows homeowners to control and monitor their heating system, helping to make savings on their utility bills.
Many people assume that installing, running and maintaining a whole house electrical heating system will be more expensive than a water based or gas boiler system but this is not the case. Electric underfloor heating can use much less energy than warm water heating when properly zoned and controlled, not least because it offers a heat-up time of minutes rather than hours.
Electric underfloor heating also brings greater design freedom as it removes the need for unsightly radiators and pipes. This means walls are left clutter-free eliminating restrictions when it comes to room design; an important consideration for increasingly style- conscious homeowners.
Furthermore, underfloor heating reduces humidity, thereby preventing dust mites from surviving and dust from circulating – perfect for those who suffer from allergies and asthma, which is another important factor to communicate when up- selling the product.
Underfloor heating is hugely popular with consumers, so installers should make sure they aren’t missing out when it comes to offering it. At a time when home improvement is on the up, all avenues for profit such as this should be explored to ensure installers can maximise their revenue.
www.toppstiles.co.uk/trade/home — 21 —
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