Wet Underfloor Heating
At Gondwana Green Heat, we have supplying, designing, installing, repairing and commissioning underfloor heating systems in the UK for more than 20 years now, and we are happy to say most new or major refurbishment projects we work on include wet underfloor heating: but why and how does it work?
Wet underfloor heating is simply pipes laid underneath the surface of the floor, through which warm central heating water is pumped. This warm water heats the floor which in turn keeps your room at the desired temperature.
What is Wet Underfloor Heating?
Wet underfloor heating is simply pipes laid underneath the surface of the floor, through which warm central heating water is pumped. This warm water heats the floor which in turn keeps your room at the desired temperature.
So what are the advantages of Wet Underfloor Heating?
- First and foremost improved comfort levels, warm toasty toes and happy dogs.
- Lower running costs compared to a conventional heat emitter, due to the fact underfloor heating runs at a reduced temperature.
- The heat in the room is evenly distributed, unlike traditional radiators. The heat raises from the floor evenly meaning no cold spots.
- No radiators, meaning more wall space for furniture or pictures etc.
- Quiet and minimal maintenance.
- Excellent for commercial installations where large spaces can be
- heated evenly.
- Underfloor heating works well with all renewable technologies as well as conventional gas and oil boilers.
- Luxurious, can add value to your property.
Types Of Floor Construction and Build up options
We are regularly asked, what is best floor construction for wet underfloor heating ? covered in concrete ? in between timber joists ?
The answer is always the same , pipe emended in a solid mass eg concrete is always best. That’s not to say it needs to be in a solid floor screed. Timber suspended floors make up most of the uk floors either new build or retrofit, therefor fitting wet underfloor into suspended timber floor is not new, we have been doing it for 20 years, there are 3 main systems (the last one is the best).
Suspended timber options
- overlay insulated products,usually used in retrofit as you go over the existing floor. This involves a insulation ( normally pir with a foil coating) with a groove cut out for the pipe to sit into, you then lay the new timber or gypsum flooring on top.
- insulation is fitted between the joists, then a aluminium plate with grooves is fitted to the joists with pipes fitted into the grooves with the aluminium sheets. Flooring is then laid on top, timber or gypsum .
- insulation is fitted between the joists, pipe is fitted on top of the insulation with clips, then a thin screed of sand cement is laid over the pipes to spread the heat. A gypsum or timber floor is then laid on top ( this is our favorite option)
Solid floors
There are a few options here, but the norm is, insulation is laid onto the concrete floor, this can be a structural concrete floor or sometimes the pipe is included with the structural concrete floor to save on concrete and reduce the build up hight. Either way the pipes are clipped to the insulation or a light weld mesh ( my favorite) is spread across the floor and pipes clipped to this. The floor is then poured in the desired material, this can be standard concrete hand mixed or by a batching plant, decorative concrete, calcium sulphate screeds ( fast drying and anti bacterial) or various other cement based liquid pumped screeds.
The options above are not exhaustive, every project is unique and different, customers have different wants and desires, some may want insulation that is breathable others have specific U value target. Then some want very low build up depths, its all possible.
To find out how we can help pls get in help.
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