Ivor Bates asked:


Under floor heating (UFH) is becoming increasingly popular in homes throughout Europe and it is no wonder as its benefits for health, energy efficiency, visual appeal, space saving and cost effectiveness are vast.

Under floor heating is most commonly used in bathrooms but it is also a popular choice for extensions and conservatories or anywhere wall space is limited or there is a desire to maintain a high standard of visual appeal without wall mounted radiators spoiling the look.

How Under Floor Heating Works

Under floor heating has been used since Roman times as a central heating system.

Any type of gas fuelled boiler can be used to provide the heat for a UFH system. Pipes are usually run underneath the floor surface and the heat from the water passing through the pipes transfers directly into the floor.

A warm floor creates warm air convection and this in turn heats the surrounding living space. Under floor heating is an exceptionally straightforward but highly effective way of providing a comfortably warm indoor climate with an even distribution of heat.

Five Reasons to Choose an Under Floor Heating System for your Home

There are many benefits associated with Under Floor Heating and these include:

1. Comfort

Heat radiating from the floor upwards is far more evenly distributed than heat that emanates from wall mounted radiators. Heat from wall mounted radiators is confined to a small area and rises upwards. This means that the warmer air stays around head height which doesn’t tend to create the most comfortable feeling. Additionally, compared to traditional radiator systems there are no irritating noises arising from expanding and contracting pipes.

2. Cost effectiveness and energy efficiency

Under floor heating systems can give you a 15-40% energy saving over traditional heating methods.

3. Health

Under floor heating helps to keep moisture content levels low which means that house dust mites can be reduced. This will benefit anyone with asthma or breathing difficulties or any other allergies.

4. Ease of control

With a UFH system, the temperature of each room can be controlled individually. Being able to adjust temperature settings in each room of the house is a major benefit for any family.

5. Space and Aesthetics

Under floor heating saves space and offers heightened visual appeal in a home by eliminating the need for wall mounted radiators. Additionally, wet floors dry more quickly and décor is maintained due to a lack of damp walls.

If you are re-thinking your home heating system, refurbishing a room or adding an extension or conservatory to your property then you should give serious consideration to installing an under floor heating system as opposed to a traditional wall mounted radiator central heating system; the benefits are many! 



Edwin

Kirk Smith asked:


Most domestic heating systems today are gas central heating which consists of a boiler and a series of radiators to provide heat to individual rooms or areas in the house. The boiler is the heart of a gas central heating system and will pump water to the pipes feeding the radiators, which in turn, radiate heat.

It is common however, for radiators to become clogged or blocked with sludge and debris which can cause a gas central heating system to under perform and subsequently lose heat. Any sludge in a radiator can also cause the boiler itself to become damaged as it may be pumped through the system causing the boilers pump to fail which may prove to be very expensive to remedy.

We must therefore prevent damage to the boiler by regularly maintaining the radiators and ensuring they are functioning correctly. If you are wondering how to know if a radiator has sludge in it then there are some obvious signs like ‘cold spots’, whereby only parts of the radiator will be hot while others are noticeably cold.

In any case, it is good practice to regularly maintain the system to ensure or prevent any such sludge from building up in the system. There are also a range of additive that you can employ into the water that will assist in keeping your central heating system clean.

Changing A Radiator

Changing a radiator is actually quite easy and as long as you follow the correct procedures, it will not take long to do. You will need to firstly ensure that the water supply to the radiator itself is isolated and this can be achieved by turning the radiator valve all the way down so that the isolating valve is in its closed position. Repeat this for the valve on the other side of the radiator so that both pipes feeding the radiator are now isolated and no water can enter the radiator. Lock shield valves are quite obvious when they have been turned off but with some thermostatic valves, it is not always obvious when they are in their isolated position so double check to ensure that any thermostatic valve is completely isolated.

Once the radiator has been isolated from the system, you can then prepare to drain any water from it. This is done by loosening the nut on the radiator valve that is connected to the radiator. You may need to also use grips alongside your spanner. Before loosening the nut, place a shallow tray beneath the valve to catch any water as it expels from the radiator. You may also want a bucket on hand to transfer the water. Do this for both valves.

Now that the radiator has been drained, you can remove it from the wall and prepare it for maintenance. Take care with this as even without water in, some radiators are very heavy so if you can, have a helper to assist you with this.

Cleaning The Radiator

Take the radiator outside into the garden or yard and turn it upside down. Take a hose and start to flush it out with water until the water is running clear. Badly contaminated radiators may also need the addition of chemical agents which are available from your local plumbers merchants.

Take the radiator back in an position it back onto the brackets on the wall. Connect the valves back as they were and ensure they are securely nipped up with your spanner. Older radiators may also need a couple of turns of pfte tape before tightening.

When valves are nipped up correctly, you can proceed to turn the isolation valve back up so that water will flow back into the radiators. Check closely for any leaks as you do this. You will need to go back to the boiler and add a little water if need be to accommodate the water that was drained earlier. Make sure that the water is in accordance with the manufacturers recommended settings. All you have to do now is go back to the radiator and bleed it for air which can be done with a radiator bleed key which is available form any DIY shop. Bleed the radiator until water flows through the bleed hole at the top side of the radiator. Check the radiator once again for any leaks.



Gene

Keith George asked:


Indoor climate control in cold regions is very important. As per ergonomics the floor temperature should range between 19 to 29 degrees C and the air temperature should range between 20 to 24 degrees C for maximum efficiency.

There are two types of indoor climate control namely convection type and radiant type. Convection type heats the air then air is moved around the interiors. Convection type uses systems like radiators, blowers and fireplaces. Radiant heating systems heat the floor using air, liquid or electricity.

A radiant system is a modern and superior system to a convection type system. The convection system heats the air and does not heat the floor whereas the ideal system should heat the floor more than the air. In a convection system the air tends to escape as it becomes lighter and moves towards the ceiling. Further convection systems can be harmful to people suffering from allergies or asthma as air is circulated. A convection system is not aesthetically good to look at, whereas the radiant systems go underneath the floor and are invisible.

Air Type Floor Heating System

In this system the air is heated in a central radiator and passed through pipes underneath the floor. However air heating systems are not popular because they are unable to retain heat over time. Hence they are used only where little heat is required such as mildly cold regions.

Water or Liquid Type Floor Heating System

In this type warm water is circulated in pipes laid under the floor. Usually 5/8-inch tubes are used. The water is heated in a boiler and circulated by means of thermo siphon. Thermo siphon is a natural system to flow water in tubes. A small pump is used to purge air bubbles trapped in the tubes. There are cutoff valves in case you want to heat a particular room and not other rooms. The tubes usually have a life of 100 years and require very little maintenance. The same system can be used to circulate chilled water if the weather becomes hot. This system is the most common and electricity savings of 40 to 15% are common.

Electricity Type Floor Heating

In this type of system electric coils are laid underneath the floor. The main advantage of this system is the floor build up. It can be as low as 3 millimeters. The coils are installed on an insulation board like marmox and then the flooring is tiled over using tile adhesives. This system has faster warm up times compared to other systems. Floor heating systems can be installed on almost any type of floor such as concrete, tile, vinyl, linoleum, ceramic tiles, hardwood etc. Ceramics are most commonly used as they have higher thermal mass and good aesthetics.



Dana

David Collins asked:


Oil prices have fluctuated as of late, in the midst of the credit crunch this has led to increases in the price of fuel sources such as petrol and natural gas.

With the winter months not too far away, there are some who will undoubtedly have some concerns about how they will be able to heat their homes for as little money as possible.

By taking the time to check a few little details around your home, and taking a few things into consideration when it comes to your daily routine, you can ensure that your house is toasty warm whilst saving you money on your gas and electricity bills

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Take the time to perform an ‘energy audit’ of your property. This could be anything from the gaps under the doors to checking for damage to windows or fireplaces. Identify and repair areas which feel drafty, whether you purchase a draught excluder or additional insulation, anything which will help reduce heat loss, thus helping towards a cheap gas bill.

Consider how long you use your central heating for. By adjusting the timer to activate the heating when you’re actually in the house it can help to save you money on your heating bills. Also, if there are rooms in the property – such as guest or spare rooms – which are not used that often, consider temporarily deactivating the radiators, and make use of space heaters if additional heat is needed.

Don’t turn your thermostat up too high; make sure that the house is heated to a comfortable temperature and check that details such as curtains and insulating strips are in good condition. If you can afford it, look into fitting a programmable thermostat, which can help to heat the house whilst fitting around your working hours.

Ensure that your boiler is well maintained, and that you seek professional assistance if you are looking to replace it. Combi-boilers, which recycle surplus heat are available, and could save you money on your gas and electricity bills.

Try to minimise use of ventilation fans, both in the kitchen and the bathroom, in order to stop much needed heat from escaping.

Watch your appliances - consider doing laundry at a lower temperature. You can now purchase detergents that are suited to lower temperatures, and switching to a lower temperature could help save you money on your electricity and water bills.



By keeping your eye on the little details, ensuring that you keep your insulation in good condition and try and economise on your heating and water use, you can help yourself to save money on your utilities and keep yourself warm in the cold winter months.



Donna

Tal Potishman asked:


Unvented hot water systems are finally growing in popularity in the UK, which is still mostly reliant on gravity fed systems throughout the housing stock. This system which has its roots in the nineteenth century, suffers from low pressure of hot water (especially in the top floors), and limited availability of hot water to more than one user. It is common for one user to have a shower, only to be surprised by a splash of cold water as soon as another household member turns on the hot water tap elsewhere in the house. Compare this with a steady pressure (equal to the mains pressure of the cold water) all around the house even if more than one tap is used at any point in time.

With many new houses now boasting two or more bathrooms, along with an impressive array of systems that use hot water (Jacuzzi, jet shower), users do not accept a system that cannot cope with the hot water demands of modern life. With long working hours, time in the home is valuable and people these days do not want to wait for the hot water, nor do they accept a trickle form the hot water shower. An unvented cylinder and central heating system is the answer, providing virtually unlimited volume of hot water, in a convenient pressure for the shower or any other domestic use.

There are three main groups of materials that are used in the manufacturing of unvented cylinders. Each of these has their respective advantages and disadvantages. The three types of materials are copper, Stainless Steel and sheet metal.

* Copper tanks - their price has rocketed in recent years following the commodity’s sharp price rises. Copper tanks are relatively light and easy to maneuver into the house. However, they are less effective at heat retention and suffer from heat loss unless covered with a very thick insulation.

* Stainless Steel shell - offers middle ground in terms of heat retention and weight compared to the other technologies. Their longer lifetime (over 20 years) is reflected in their substantially higher prices.

* Sheet metal shell - offers the best heat retention properties, and is cheapest of the three technologies. Although heaviest of the three, sheet metal shells are highly popular in the rest of Europe and normally come with an inner enamel glazing, thus reducing build up of scale.

There are several important parameters to remember when choosing your unvented hot water cylinder:

* Volume and external dimensions - a typical household (4-5 people) in the UK will require a 200 liter cylinder. However, the cylinders come in different shapes and dimensions. Make sure to check the width and height of the cylinder, so that it fits in the airing cupboard (or any other space you plan to position the tank in).

* Heat retention properties - check the heat loss specifications of the cylinder. A good cylinder will lose very little heat (e.g. less than 3 kW per 24 hours). This will reduce energy wastage and cut your heating bills.

* Manufacturers service and warranty - although unvented tanks have good record of reliability (they have virtually no moving parts), it is important to note what warranty and service level is provided by the manufacturer.



Rebecca