Benefits Of Underfloor Heating

While some types of heating warm the air in your home, they can leave the flooring cold to your feet. Floor heating, though, begins from the ground up. Here are some benefits.

Works in an Allergy-Friendly Way

Some systems work by forcing heated air around the room; ducted or convection heaters work this way. Underfloor heating, though, relies on a radiant technique, which involves warmth releasing from coils within the floor. It does not blow air into a room, along with dust and airborne particles that can irritate. So, it is more allergy friendly and also less draughty than some other methods.

Heats Rooms Evenly

Underfloor heating warms a space more evenly because it treats every centimetre of the floor. As the heat emanates from the flooring, it warms the air in the room. Hot air naturally rises and cold air falls, so the hotter air rises toward the ceiling until the entire room is cozy. Other heating systems, in contrast, can warm some parts of the room while other areas remain chilly. A duct system, for example, can create pockets that are more and less comfortable, depending on the position of the ducts that emit the hot air. Or a wall heater can provide heat to the space directly in front, more so than the room corners. 

Makes Life More Comfortable

No one likes stepping out of the shower onto ice-cold tiles early in the morning or jumping out of a warm bed onto cold floorboards. Underfloor heating provides comfort, letting you walk barefoot around the house without worrying about putting on slippers or shoes.

Provides Installation Options

You will have plenty of options when installing underfloor heating. You can choose from an electric or hydronic system. One uses electrical coils under the floor while the other uses embedded water pipes. A hydronic method can use electricity, gas or solar power to heat the water within the tubes. Contractors can set the coils and pipes within a concrete slab, into screed (a layer of sand and gravel) on top of the concrete or directly underneath your flooring material. Your contractor can advise which is best for your home. With some systems, you have controls with a thermostat for each room so you can turn the heating up in some areas and down in others. If your flooring material has a relatively high thermal mass, as terracotta tiles do, for example, this allows it to store and hold heat and to release it later, helping to reduce energy costs.

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