United Kingdom Residents Love Underfloor Heating
Tal Potishman asked:
While “traditional” heating sources like radiators, wall units and other types of forced air are still very popular among residents in the United Kingdom, Underfloor heating is quickly gaining quite a following as well. Underfloor heating is a type of central heating that uses radiant heat as well as heat conduction mechanisms for the distribution of heat instead of a convection heating system like the forced air units that most are used to dealing with. With underfloor heating, the heat can be conducted throughout a home or building via cables, film heaters, mesh or even water!
Underfloor heating might seem like a recent invention but the truth is that it was developed by the Romans two thousand years ago. The Romans’ version of underfloor heating was comprised of a furnace room. Typically the furnace had its own subterranean room. Someone would light the furnace and let the heat from the furnace fill the room. The heat would naturally circulate upward and warm up the rest of the rooms of the Roman house. If the furnace room was not subterranean but on the first floor of a house, a series of pipes connected to the furnace itself and transferred the furnace’s heat throughout the rest of the home via the pipe system.
“Modern” underfloor heating came about in the 1960s when electric resistance cables were put into concrete and then heated via an electrical current during the night. This method did not work well because the temperature could not be controlled, but it did serve as the precursor to the methods for distributing underfloor heat that are used today.
The biggest benefit of underfloor heating is the amount of money it saves on a home’s utility bill. Underfloor heating regulates a room’s temperature. Forced air systems are not able to do this efficiently as the heated air quickly dissipates leaving the room cold.
Underfloor heating also saves space, unlike the radiators and wall units which can take up quite a bit of space in a room. Radiators and wall units are also known for stirring up dust which can be detrimental to people with allergies.
Installing underfloor heating is best left to a professional heating expert because the installation process involves working with your house’s plumbing, foundation and insulation systems. There are some companies who have put together do-it-yourself underfloor heating installation packages. These are good for home owners familiar with construction and wiring. If you are inexperienced in these areas, it is better to hire a professional to install the system for you. This way you will make sure that the system is installed correctly and you will not have to worry about mistakes threatening the structural integrity of your home.
Herbert
While “traditional” heating sources like radiators, wall units and other types of forced air are still very popular among residents in the United Kingdom, Underfloor heating is quickly gaining quite a following as well. Underfloor heating is a type of central heating that uses radiant heat as well as heat conduction mechanisms for the distribution of heat instead of a convection heating system like the forced air units that most are used to dealing with. With underfloor heating, the heat can be conducted throughout a home or building via cables, film heaters, mesh or even water!
Underfloor heating might seem like a recent invention but the truth is that it was developed by the Romans two thousand years ago. The Romans’ version of underfloor heating was comprised of a furnace room. Typically the furnace had its own subterranean room. Someone would light the furnace and let the heat from the furnace fill the room. The heat would naturally circulate upward and warm up the rest of the rooms of the Roman house. If the furnace room was not subterranean but on the first floor of a house, a series of pipes connected to the furnace itself and transferred the furnace’s heat throughout the rest of the home via the pipe system.
“Modern” underfloor heating came about in the 1960s when electric resistance cables were put into concrete and then heated via an electrical current during the night. This method did not work well because the temperature could not be controlled, but it did serve as the precursor to the methods for distributing underfloor heat that are used today.
The biggest benefit of underfloor heating is the amount of money it saves on a home’s utility bill. Underfloor heating regulates a room’s temperature. Forced air systems are not able to do this efficiently as the heated air quickly dissipates leaving the room cold.
Underfloor heating also saves space, unlike the radiators and wall units which can take up quite a bit of space in a room. Radiators and wall units are also known for stirring up dust which can be detrimental to people with allergies.
Installing underfloor heating is best left to a professional heating expert because the installation process involves working with your house’s plumbing, foundation and insulation systems. There are some companies who have put together do-it-yourself underfloor heating installation packages. These are good for home owners familiar with construction and wiring. If you are inexperienced in these areas, it is better to hire a professional to install the system for you. This way you will make sure that the system is installed correctly and you will not have to worry about mistakes threatening the structural integrity of your home.
Herbert
