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UNDERFLOOR HEATING


UFH – a cost-effective alternative?


Mark Dowdeswell, senior category manager at Uponor explores the role of underfloor heating in the demand for more energy efficient, cost-effective ways to heat homes


H


ow we heat our homes is coming under intense scrutiny and is top of the agenda for most homeowners. Last month, millions of people saw an unprecedented £700-a-year


increase in energy costs which has led homeowners to look for efficient and cost-effective ways to heat homes in the long-term. And, due to their ability to run at lower temperatures, underfloor heating systems could play a key role in meeting these needs.


Underfloor heating used to be viewed as a luxury, but the emergence of new technology and innovative low profile systems have led to underfloor heating becoming an increasingly popular choice as a retrofit solution. Low profile systems are suitable for retrofitting as they come in a range of heights and designs and can be laid on most substrates including solid concrete, timber or tiles with minimal bearing on the floor to ceiling height. They also allow for a variety of floor coverings to be installed on top without impacting heating efficiency. There are a number of differences between installing a regular underfloor heating system and a low profile one. This best practice step-by-step guide to applying the ultra-thin, wet-screed based system Minitec, shows how a low profile can differ.


Step 1: Remove any old carpet and adhesive, then clean and prime the concrete screed so that it’s ready for the underfloor heating panels to be applied. You can install the panels directly onto floor tiles that are properly cleaned and primed. For wet-screed systems,


the primer needs to be compatible with the levelling compound, which will be applied at a later stage. It’s essential that the subfloor is stable, flat and properly prepared, otherwise it can lead to problems later on such as damage to the floor finish. If the UFH panels are going to be installed on top of old floorboards, it is important to lay at least 5mm of self-levelling screed first.


Step 2: Fix the edge strip to the wall and lay the underfloor heating panels across the floor area. Both the edging strip and the panels of the system have a self-adhesive layer on the back to aid application and to make sure that the system stays in place.


Remove the protective backing on the edging strip and press along the


wall, starting from the right hand corner of the room. The edging strip comes in various profiles to help create an effective seal along the walls and floor. Remove the backing from the panels to expose the adhesive layer and attach the panel at the first corner and then roll it out across the floor. Make sure to apply pressure to secure the panel in place. Panels can be walked on without boarding over. Once the whole area is covered, the panels can be easily cut to shape with a knife.


Stage 3: Once all the panels are down, connect the polyethylene pipes according to the floor plan, making sure the pipes are laid in loops of equal size. The panel allows the 9.9mm pipes to be clipped in at a minimum of 50mm centres. This is the distance between two pipes measured from the


‘centre’ of one to the next. 50mm is much closer than the typical 100mm centres and allows the UFH to be more reactive, meaning it is able to heat up 50-60% faster than standard underfloor heating systems. If there are any obstacles in the room, you can alter the centres on the pipe to avoid the obstructions. The tracking in the panels combined with the flexibility of the pipes helps you


to lay pipes in accurately spaced and consistent lines. Panels are designed to allow the pipes to be installed in both 90˚ and 45˚ bends. This can be done by simply applying firm pressure to fit the pipes into the panels’ grooves and then using your foot to press them into place. The system is extremely robust so you don’t have to worry about breaking the panels during this step.


Stage 4: Next, install the manifold, connect the pipes and then test the system. If you are connecting to the Uponor compact


manifold with branch compressed connections, the pipe needs to be bent at a right-angle and pushed onto the compression adaptor. The end of the pipe,


including the adaptor, is compressed onto the pipes and sewed onto the manifold.


Stage 5: Pour a levelling compound on top, covering the pipes and panels. The system has prefabricated holes at regular intervals, allowing the levelling material to flow in smoothly and bond directly with the underlying substrate. Keep applying this layer until it reaches just above the panels’ studs,


achieving the 15mm installation height. Compounds are available with curing times as low as 30 minutes, allowing the floor finish to be applied on the same day if required. Normally, hard surfaces such as ceramic tile or stone will be chosen as they are suitable materials for transferring heat to the surface of the floor. However, the system works just as efficiently with the majority of floor coverings including carpet – as long as the combined tog rating of the carpet and underlay does not exceed 2.5 tog value it won’t affect the UFH’s ability to heat the room. The heating system itself can be brought up to temperature just three days


after laying the compound. It can be connected to a smart control system With the rising cost of gas and electricity pushing household energy bills in the UK up to a record high, the impetus for homeowners to find more energy efficient and cost-effective ways to heat their homes has never been greater. On average, UFH uses between 15-40% less energy than conventional radiators as, due its large heat emitter area, it requires a much lower flow temperature to heat a room. This means that UFH can save homeowners a significant amount of money in the long-term.


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