Hi Ariadna,
Underfloor heating is great and I think most people love it a) because it’s so nice not to ever step on ice cold floor again! And b) the ugly radiator that was making your wall unusable for furniture disappears! Since I work as a project manager for a design and build company in SW London and manage installation of underfloor heating on pretty much 99% of my projects (yes, it’s that popular!) I thought I’d give you some pointers to consider.
First of all, there are two main types you could have: electric and wet. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Electric underfloor heating is generally cheaper to supply and to install, BUT it’s definitely more expensive in terms of running costs (I have once fitted it throughout the house at a client’s request and I’m pretty scared to think what his monthly bill is
) the other thing to consider is that the electric UFH is basically a net of very slim wires (often attached to a mat for ease of installation) and any damage to any circuit will basically make that zone faulty. We have fitted electric ufh under engineered plank but most commonly it’s used for small tiled areas I.e. bathrooms or utility. The major advantage of the electric ufh is that the floor buildup is a lot thinner than with the water based system so if you’re planning it only in one area and not redoing floor levels in the whole house and don’t fancy seeing a change of floor levels in the doorway then you may consider it. Do make sure the base on which the ufh is fitted is very smooth and solid to avoid damage (sometimes it may require evening it out before stick ufh down).
The water underfloor heating is just a system of water filled pipes that your boiler will be servicing (worth checking whether it can cope with running the chosen system on a current set up or whether you would need a cylinder fitted). It’s most popular due to lower running costs but you do have to consider a more expensive installation and thicker floor buildup.
Also consider that with any ufh system what goes on top of it determines how effective it is. A tile will conduct heat much better than a wooden plank (make sure to choose suitable for ufh) but that’s not to say it’s not possible and wasteful to fit it under wooden flooring. You just need to ensure that the planks are suitable.
Have a think as well about where you would like the thermostats for each zone to go, can they be hidden in the cupboard? Below or next to the light switch? How many zones would you require? You don’t want to jus have one thermostat in the coolest/warmest part of the house and stress out that it’s not coming on for the other areas or heating all to tropical climates!
But I guess the number one thing is get somebody to do it right and give you a warranty on the works. Shoddy work will be very, very expensive! If there’s a leak on a pipe or a damage to any of the wires the finishes will have to be stripped back and can get damaged in the process too. Expensive oak flooring? A marble slab or amazing concrete tiles that you’re waited 8 weeks for... yep super important to get the builder or test it BEFORE the finishes go down!
That’s all I can think of from the top of my head, I hope this helps!! If you have any questions just let me know, take care!
