The key to any heating system effectively and efficiently heating a room or property is insulation. The more heat you are able to retain in a property and for longer will mean spending less of energy to create heat.
In looking at heating systems such as underfloor heating, the topic of insulation will be upper most. As a far gentler and subtler heat, you need to retain as much of this as possible thus, asking how much insulation do I need for underfloor heating is the very first question you should be asking.
Floor construction
Heat is lost from a property in all kinds of ways. The most common and well-known is poor loft insulation, draughty windows and ill-fitting doors.
With this kind of heating system, there is another consideration – the floor. And then there is a question of balance: a floor that is too heavily insulated will lead to loss of heat in a room because the heat will have to fight its way through layers of insulation to heat the room above.
Flor construction is important – possibly the most important factor – when considering underfloor heating.
- Concrete floors
With concrete floors, the screed acts to diffuse the heat across the surface, contributing to an even temperature at floor level.
Depending on the floor, there are various methods for construction but by insulation the floor beneath and around the edges, the heat is not lost and effectively it has nowhere else to go but to rise into the room.
- Timber floors
Wood does not conduct heat as effectively as screed or concrete floors so which can lead to a lower heat output. That said, the correct construction and layers on insulation at floor level, you will still have an effective heating system underfoot.
Other types of insulation
We all know how important insulation our homes and properties is. So much so, there are various schemes that help people to buy into the most basic of insulation to improve the energy efficiency of their home.
An energy efficient property is key for any home, but is even more important, in some ways, when fitting an underfloor heating system When it comes to understanding how much insulation do I need for underfloor heating, it means understanding how underfloor heating works.
Lower temperature heat
Underfloor heating, unlike radiators, does not belch out heat, it provides a gentler, subtler, background heat that is far more pleasant and comfortable to love with. However, to gain the most from the system, the property needs to hold on to as much of this heat as possible.
- Double glazed windows and doors – it goes without saying that any property which is a serious contender for an underfloor heating system will need to be double glazed, both windows and doors. Double glazing units can be relatively cheap now but, this doesn’t mean they are the most energy efficient units. Choose the best product at the price you can afford.
Top Tip – there are some manufacturers who are now offering the highest level of energy efficient glass that ‘traps’ the heat from the sun into a room. This will make an enormous contribution to decreasing your energy bills as your home will feel far warmer.
- Cavity wall or solid wall insulation – you may not lose mases of heat through your walls but the addition of wall insulation at your property instantly makes it far warmer and able to hold on to heat. This also minimises draughts and homeowners who have invested in wall insulation have noted an immediate improvement to how warm their house feels – without turning up the heat.
- Loft insulation – current regulations suggest that loft insulation needs to be at least 270mm thick. Again, people who have upgraded on invested in new loft insulation have noted an immediate impact on how warm and cosy their house feels.
Identify areas of your home that ‘leak’ heat
Even with the latest steps in home insulation, there are smaller areas of your home that can be a real problem when it comes to leaking heat.
- Seal around pipes as they enter your home as these small gaps can be allowing heat to escape and cold air in
- With some doors, if there a gap beneath them, add insulation buffers that help to stop draughts
- Curtains and blinds also play their part in keeping heat in and cold out, making a room snug and cosy.
With underfloor heating, the gentle heat becomes a more effective heat in a well-insulated home.
