UNDERFLOOR HEATING: ARE UNDERFLOOR HEATING MORE EFFICIENT?
It's a complex heating system with structural implications, but it guarantees excellent thermal comfort. Clarify all your doubts about underfloor heating.
In a house built from scratch or in a renovation project, the energy efficiency of the heating is a point that can influence all other decisions. Underfloor heating can be one of the most comfortable solutions, but it's also one of the most expensive.
Do you know exactly how underfloor heating works? And in what situations can they be installed? Clear up all your doubts about this system.
WHAT IS UNDERFLOOR HEATING?
Underfloor heating is a complex system of pipes that releases heat and is installed under the floor covering. It usually covers an entire room, or even the whole house, and can be combined with the external covering that best suits the needs of the room in question.
HOW DOES UNDERFLOOR HEATING WORK?
There are two systems on the market: electric and hydraulic. The first is a mesh of electric resistors and can be a suitable solution for the winter, as it only heats. The hydraulic option, which consists of water passing through very thin tubes, can also be convenient in summer. Some systems offer the chance to cool the water as well as heat it.
In any case, the system works with a thermostat - a temperature regulator that allows you to choose the ideal temperature for the room.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF UNDERFLOOR HEATING?
In terms of the feeling of comfort, underfloor heating is far superior to other heating systems: it is laid throughout a room and distributes heat evenly, while radiators and air conditioning systems create hot air spots near appliances.
With underfloor heating, it's not just the surface of the floor that heats up, as the warm air rises and heats the whole space evenly - plus there's not as much heat loss through the ceilings and walls. You'll get the most out of this system if the house in question has good thermal insulation in the doors and windows, with PVC frames of higher energy classes.
Unlike radiators and air conditioning units, underfloor heating doesn't take up any space. It's completely hidden and, what's more, the maintenance that might need to be done is on the machine that feeds the pipes - a gas or pellet boiler, for example. The mesh hidden in the floor is maintenance-free, although hydraulic systems require more maintenance than electrical systems.
WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES?
The disadvantage of underfloor heating is its price. This is a more expensive system than other heating solutions. Despite this, in the case of hydronic underfloor heating, there are greater savings on electricity bills compared to electric ones, since it is enough to have the water circulating at a constant temperature of around 30º - wall radiators have to be at higher temperatures (around 60º), which means more energy. This can mean savings of around 30 per cent.
HOW TO CHOOSE BETWEEN ELECTRIC AND HYDRAULIC UNDERFLOOR HEATING?
Electric underfloor heating can cost less to install than hydronic underfloor heating. What's more, they don't need a kind of engine room (for boilers, tanks or heat pumps) and the heating can be programmed on the thermostat in each room. On the other hand, their operating costs tend to be higher than hydronic systems and this means that they are a better option if they are used occasionally and not in very cold climates.
Hydronic systems also have the advantage of being able to cool the environment when combined with boilers or reversible heat pumps. At this point, however, the effectiveness of this system is not comparable to alternatives such as air conditioning - air conditioning units require less investment, no major interventions are needed, and there are more efficient and environmentally friendly options.
On the other hand, hydronic underfloor heating maintains thermal comfort in winter and, when combined with the right floor covering, is more energy efficient. In summer, underfloor heating has the advantage of also cooling the floor.
WHAT IS THE BEST FLOORING FOR UNDERFLOOR HEATING?
Granite and terracotta tiles are the best coverings to combine with underfloor heating from an energy efficiency point of view. Their high thermal conductivity means that they heat up quickly and retain heat. The same can be said of polished cements, which have good thermal inertia.
It's also possible to use laminates (which include floating floors) and wood with underfloor heating - the thinner these coverings are, the quicker they heat up. In the case of wood, you need to pay attention to the specific properties of each wood: some can block heat.
WHAT IS THE PRICE OF UNDERFLOOR HEATING?
Cost, as we've already seen, is the major disadvantage of underfloor heating. Both installation (which is often time-consuming) and maintenance are expensive. There is no reference price per square metre, there are many factors to take into account: which heating system, which heat-supply system, thermal insulation and even the coils.
CAN IT BE INSTALLED IN ANY ROOM?
Yes, all interiors can have underfloor heating. The system is usually installed throughout the house, from the common areas to the bedrooms.
AND IN EVERY HOUSE?
In theory, yes. Few recent buildings already have underfloor heating and it is easier to install it from scratch. When renovating, you have to bear in mind that installing underfloor heating means raising the floor by at least a centimetre and a half (insulation boards have to be installed under the coils to prevent energy loss). This makes the whole process even more expensive.
Although there are fairly compact solutions (such as radiant hydraulics with aluminium diffusers, which is lightweight and requires no structural work), more complicated cases may require removing concrete or cutting doors.
WHICH COATING IS BEST SUITED TO UNDERFLOOR HEATING?
The key to preventing energy loss through the floor is to ensure that it is insulated - which is usually done by laying the insulation over the slab. From here, floors such as natural wood or floating floors can give a feeling of greater thermal (and even acoustic) comfort, especially in the winter months.
Materials such as tiles, ceramics and cement are highly conductive to temperatures and get cold easily in cold weather. Wood and laminate, however, cannot compete with the resistance of these materials and the ease with which they can be cleaned.
The thermal comfort of a home is not just about heating in winter. In summer, the house needs to be cooled on the hottest days. And in any season, in the absence of underfloor heating, air conditioning can be a versatile and advantageous choice, with options between fixed and portable units - you just need to know the differences, advantages and disadvantages.
Whatever the heating system, the important thing will always be to weigh up the cost-benefit ratio between the energy consumed and the fulfilment of your needs.
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