Once you’ve made the decision to heat your home with energy-efficient, underfloor heating, you need to make the next choice, electric or water based underfloor heating system.
Both options can be used in almost any home, but certain factors of your project may mean one option may be better suited to your home than the other.
How Does an Underfloor Heating System Work?
There are two kinds of underfloor heating system that you use to heat your home, water or electric.
Both systems use radiant heat technology to gently heat your room from the ground up, as opposed to central heating systems which try to heat the air of a room, which results in greater energy waste.
Energy efficiency is one benefit of underfloor heating, but design freedom is another.
You don’t need to worry about visible radiators and heating pipes, everything will be hidden away under the floor, offering you much more design freedom when it comes to decorating.
Electric Underfloor Heating
How does it work: Electric wires, or heating mats, are connected to the mains electricity supply.
Project type: Electric underfloor heating is ideal for us in renovation projects and single rooms.
Installation costs: Cheaper to install than a water system.
Installation time: Relatively quick to install, some systems can be fitted in as little as 30 minutes.
Running cost: more expensive than water systems, due to changing electricity prices.
Water Underfloor Heating
How does it work: Heating pipes run under the floor, pumping warm water through to heat the room. This water is heated by your boiler, so it is usually gas powered.
Project type: Recommended for new-build houses and larger spaces.
Installation costs: More expensive to install than electric, but the savings on running costs offset this.
Installation time: Takes much longer to install than electric underfloor heating.
Running costs: Lower, long-term running costs than electric systems.
