Underfloor heating question

KhalJimbo

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Hi all

Got a quick question about underfloor heating, I have been looking online for prices but cant seem to find any prices, basically want to see if a member can help me out.

How much would I be looking at to put in underfloor heating in my lving room and dining room. Living room is about 3.5 x 4 m and the dining room is about the same dimensions.

I want to lay tiles down but dont really want to do it unless there is underfloor heating.
 
I highly recommend underfloor heating (once you have it, you'll wonder why houses were ever heated by radiators under windows!).

However, it's a little bit difficult to answer your question as there are both electric and hot water-pumped systems that vary massively in price, depending on installation, etc.

The larger area would be best served with a hot water system but this really depends on your floor construction, access to hot water system, etc.

You will also need to consider the position of a manifold (which controls the flow of water to a given "zone" and contains the pumps) and position of thermostats to set the temperature in the room (which feedback on/off control to the manifold valves).

It's quite a big job to install a wet system - as it requires you to lift the floor, lay an insulation grid to hold the pipes and then run the pipes then cover in a layer of concrete screed, etc.

My understanding is that electric systems, although easier to install, are only really economic in smaller areas like bathrooms and kitchens but I am not an expert.

There is a company called Warmafloor that specialises in this area, btw: http://www.warmafloor.co.uk/

Good luck

PC
 
Jim

Oh how I wish you`d have posted this question a few weeks ago, I dumped a load of pipe I had left over from my house build, it was offered on here free of charge as well to anyone who wanted it, more than enough for what you need :(

I would def go for an hot water system, do you have a radiator in the rooms now? if so much easier to do.

As Phil says you need to be able to control it with thermostats to each zone but thats quite easy, also you will need a manifold but I wonder if you can get away with a motorised temp zone valve to each circuit. I aren`t a plumber but don`t see why not.

Floor heights are also something to think about, when we built this house that was took into consideration and each room was given an extra course of brick to accomodate this.

If you want to take a look back in my build thread its all in their mate but I`ll help as much as I can if you need it.

PM me and we`ll talk via phone as its easier than typing.

BTW it was the first time I`d ever laid it and its a doddle mate trust me, approx 6 x 6 mtr square room consisting of 2 circuits takes about an hour to lay so don`t let anyone tell any different.

cheers Al
 
Thanks Al,

Sounds like a good idea for the water one, there are radiators in the rooms so I can get a hot water one in, I've been reading and the electric ones look extremely expensive to run. I'd most likely get the pros in to set it all up though, too bad I missed out on the piping you had.

When you were talking about the extra layer of bricks did you mean after the piping is laid another layer of bricks needs to go ontop of the piping before I can lay the tiles?
 
hi jim,

came across these guys at the national homebuilding and renovation show...

prices are very competitive...

Home

Andy.
 
When you were talking about the extra layer of bricks did you mean after the piping is laid another layer of bricks needs to go ontop of the piping before I can lay the tiles?

No Mate

the extra course of bricks was to give each floor an extra 75mm of height, this was due to the make up on pipe and screed to each floor level.

If you live in an older property Jim with high ceilings then you haven`t a problem, but bear in mind this mate.

If you only do the 2 rooms on your ground floor level you`ll end up with a difference in floor heights on the same level unless you`re prepared to screed all that level.

Also think about door openings mate as well as they will be approx 65 mm less in height.

This is the way we did ours Jim......

On fitting the floor joists at 400 mm centres we put 50mm kingspan between them which came flush to the top of the joists.

Then we overboarded the joists with 12mm ply to form a floor to walk and also to fix the pipe to.

The pipe has 200mm centres with 100mm distance from the walls, at this point no circuit has to be longer than 100mts as well.

Its all then screeded with semi wet fibre mix at 65mm hence the 75 mm extra course of brickwork to maintain ceiling height.

Ask me if we like it.............................

Its blooooooming maaaarvellous and cheap to run :thumbsup:
 
what is the current foor construction? If it is joisted the best way would be to remove them and hardcore then lay 4" concrete then 75mm kingspan then you uf heating in a sceed
 
what is the current foor construction? If it is joisted the best way would be to remove them and hardcore then lay 4" concrete then 75mm kingspan then you uf heating in a sceed

If it's joisted all you need to do is fit 2x1" slate lath on the inside faces of each joist, wedge strips of kingspan down between the joists so that it sits on the laths.

You can then staple the ufh straght onto the kingspan and just notch the joists where the ufh pipe has to cross it.

work it out so that the tops of the pipes are 10-20mm lower than the top surface of the joists and then fill with a 'biscuit-mix' of 6 parts sand to 1 of cement.

Its easy to level as you just drag a straight edge over the tops of the joists.

Doing this adds thermal mass and helps spread the heat more evenly across the floor.

Miles less work,much cheaper and much less mess than taking joists out and ferrying tons of hardcore into the house.

This method also means that you are not adding to the height of the room and therefore dont need to be altering architrave, doors etc.

Andy
 
would that work on a second floor of a town house, would the weight of the 'biscuit mix' be too much for the existing beams?
 
diesel i agree your way is much better. I was ust going buy the 65mm screed. From memory i think you can use diffuser plates instead of screed aswell
 
would that work on a second floor of a town house, would the weight of the 'biscuit mix' be too much for the existing beams?

No mate. I've got the engineers calcs to prove it and an actual building who's first floor is constructed this way, (er it hasn't fallen down yet:eek:)

Dean - Diffuser plates are quicker and do much the same job but cost a good deal more than sand and cement.

To balance that though using plates does save carrying hundreds of buckets of screed into the house and ending up with arms like a gorilla:D
 
Did i mention it's a Barratts house LoL - I have spent most of my weekends lately pulling up carpets and screwing down the chipboards where the nails are coming lose and creaking like hell. - why o why can't they just screw them? off topic i know but would like to know if there was an actual reason other than being cheap Barstewards :thumbsdow

Good too know for the future though, thanks!
 
far quicker to nail than screw, thats the only reason.

Much quicker and better still is glue. I glue all mine down and there is never a squeak
 
Thanks for all the replys guys, but I've been crunching the numbers and well underfloor heating is just going to cost to much to get it put in and because my floor is solid concrete it would mean I need to raise the two floors that it is going to be in so it just wont be a pratical solution for me.
 
Hi, i am sure i read on here somewhere that you can have the heating in the skirting boards, well the system goes around the room to look like skirting boards - Maybe this would be a solution for you?
 
Hi -

Forget water systems for a renovation project, use electric, we have done our kitchen diner and also living room with it -

For under tiles like we have, we used some 10mm tile backer insulation boards, and then a cable mat that is 150w a square metre, we looked into water and electric, and allthough electric might cost a few quidd more to run it was really easy to install and its a stand alone heating system, and we didnt have to mess about with the boiler, we bought our kit from here http://www.warmfloorsonline.com

hope this helps.
 
Hi, how much a square meter did it work out?
 
The heating kit worked out at £30 per square metre, then the insulation was on top. The thing to look out for is you may also need some tile adhesive to stick the insulation boards to the floor and then some latex compound to cover the cables before tiling, unless you tile directly onto the cables, and these arent part of the kit its something you will be buy separatly.
 
Ouch, thats £600 for me :eek: - Ikea slippers seem the best choice for me at the moment :D i had £300 max for a budget
 
Ouch, thats £600 for me :eek: - Ikea slippers seem the best choice for me at the moment :D i had £300 max for a budget

Really recommend rayotec underfloor heating. Electric ribbon based technology.

Will cost about £600 but really worth it.

As Dansk said for a renovation project electric is the way to go.

You will not have the chance to do it again without digging up the tiles !



Any new house should be underfloor heated.
 

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