Water Underfloor Heating: The Complete Guide In 2022

Water underfloor heating, also known as wet or hydronic, is a popular alternative for renovations and new builds. Because the system heats using water, it can be connected to practically any heat source. From a traditional boiler to more sustainable solutions like solar energy or heat pumps, you can connect it with all. 

A water-based underfloor heating system distributes hot water to heat the area around the floor. This is done via a network of pipes linked to a boiler. An underfloor heating system distributes heat more uniformly than a single radiator. It utilises water at a reduced temperature. As a result, it's a more cost-effective way to heat your house. However, the installation of water underfloor heating costs can be more than an electric installation.

Nowadays, water underfloor heating is becoming more popular and standard in newly built houses. And, it can also be retrofitted in old properties. 

Let's look at some of the advantages of water underfloor heating.

Water and electric systems are undoubtedly more efficient than conventional radiators. Underfloor heating only has to be heated to approximately 29 degrees based on the kind of floor. In contrast, radiators have to be heated to around 65-75 degrees Celsius.

Radiators only heat the area immediately surrounding them. As a result, the rooms are left with cold patches. However, underfloor heating has no cold patches since it heats the whole flooring area.

In most cases, once installed, underfloor heating usually requires little upkeep. And most systems offer a lifetime guarantee.

In addition, almost every system comes with a smart thermostat or a wireless smart thermostat. It allows you to control when the heating is turned on and off. Furthermore, most smart thermostat manufacturers like tado°, offer a tado˚ app. You can use the app on your iPhone or Android smartphone to control your heating even while you are not at home.

As you begin your journey home from the office, turn on the heat!

You may enjoy your entire space without the need for radiators on the wall with underfloor heating systems. Consider the design flexibility you can have with heated flooring. You may decorate the walls to create a statement or create a minimalist appearance. With this, you can adopt whichever style you like without having to figure out about radiators.

Underfloor heating allows you to build your house as you want, taking advantage of every inch of wall and floor area. You may still pick the type of flooring you want because floor heating operates with carpet, marble, tiles, hardwood, laminate and more.

Installing underfloor heating (UFH) systems isn't as difficult as you would assume. These systems may be installed in a room in 1-2 days, depending on the size of your project. They are suitable both for new-build projects as well as home renovations. All floor heating installations must get done by a qualified installer who has previously worked with UFH.

Once you have underfloor heating, you don't have to be concerned about sharp corners or scorching radiator areas. The heating system gets neatly placed along the path and will not get too hot to touch.

Radiant heat also improves the air quality in space by keeping the air fresh and oxygen-rich. Conversely, high temperatures generated by radiators induce uneasiness and lower oxygen levels.

A network of pipes linked to your boiler circulates warm water around the floor to heat the room, with a water underfloor heating system. You may also connect the underfloor water pipes to a solar water heater, an air-source heat pump, or a ground-source heat pump. 

A manifold (basically a central system that allows all the pipes to operate together) will link the pipes to your source of heat. The more extensive the network, the more pipes, and the manifold will become more complicated. The system will also come with a programmable thermostat or wireless room thermostat.

Underfloor heating does not warm the air around them, unlike radiators. Instead, it generates radiant heat that leaves you feeling warm. Radiators warm the cold air around them, which rises to the roof and warms the air. The air will begin to cool until it reaches the floor level, when it will be warmed by the radiator once more. It creates a circulation that produces heat. 

Underfloor heating enables equal heat distribution compared to traditional heating systems. It offers a uniform distribution of warmth to the floor level.

One wired thermostat is generally used to manage water-based underfloor heating systems in each room. These current room thermostats may be replaceable with tado° Wired Smart Thermostats. If you have underfloor heating in many rooms, you'll need one Wired Smart Thermostat for every room if you want to manage with tado°.

You may improve this configuration by adding a tado° Wireless Receiver to operate the boiler as an add-on.

In addition, tado° control multi-room heating setups. It combines with radiators and water-based underfloor heating. A room thermostat generally controls the water-based underfloor heating. And a radiator thermostat directly controls the radiators in homes with this heating system.

You may replace the old thermostat with a Smart Thermostat to manage those rooms separately. Also, you can have a smart radiator thermostat or Smart AC Control instead of traditional radiators thermostats.

Moreover, tado°devices can also control heating zones. The pipe system that transports hot water from the boiler to your rooms and back to the boiler is called a Heating Zone. You can also recognise it as “a heating circuit.”

The tado° devices may interact with one another to turn on the heating only when it is required. It enables smart heating management and thereby enhances the productivity of your heating system.

The Zone Controller is the tado° device that serves as the central controller for a Heating Zone. A Smart Thermostat, a tado° Wireless Receiver, or an Extension Kit can all be used. Other tado° devices can also interact with the Zone Controller to heat. For instance, Smart Radiator Thermostats or a wireless temperature sensor.

Overall, tado° devices can control traditional thermostats and underfloor heating systems efficiently. As a result, you can have a smart home integration.

Varying kinds of heat are emitted in different quantities by different heat emitters. We think that the "radiator" simply means that it emits radiant heat. But, this is a misconception. Radiators are 70% convected heat and 30% radiant heat, while UFH is 60% radiant and 40% convected heat.

UFH contains more radiant heat. So, it distributes heat more evenly throughout the space, whereas heat energy from radiators reaches the top of the room first.  That is why radiator-heated rooms might seem hot at the top yet cooler as you get closer to the floor.

One of the significant reasons UFH is most efficient is because of its heat profile generated as a heat emitter. It is remarkably similar to a space's optimal heat profile. UFH heats you only when you need it. In this way, it keeps you considerably more comfortable. It reduces the likelihood that you will turn up the heat to attempt to obtain that sense of warmth all across your body instead of your head.

All in all, we can say that water underfloor heating is generally more energy-efficient than radiators. So, you have lower operating costs. In addition, the heat generated by an underfloor system is spread more uniformly than heat emitted by a single radiator. Therefore, the system may utilise water at a low temperature. 

But this isn't always the case, and neither is the amount of money you'll save on your energy costs over time. It will also get determined by several other criteria. For instance, the energy efficiency of your house, the heating system and how you are using your central heating.

Some people are constantly freezing, whereas others sweat at any temperature. There is no such thing as the ideal underfloor heating temperature. It's up to you to determine what makes you feel most at ease and your feeling of a comfortable home. 

However, it is wise that each room in the house is set to a different temperature. For example, most people prefer a warm bathroom, so try setting your underfloor heating to 32°C and see if you like it. At 28°C, the living spaces are the most comfortable. By the way, don't be concerned about the cost: underfloor heating uses up to 15% less energy compared to typical heating systems.

There are primarily two types of underfloor heating systems.

They are:

Both dry and wet underfloor heating systems have advantages and disadvantages.

Let's have a detailed look at both systems.

A complete heating system is an electric underfloor heating system. You won’t need any additional heat sources in the rooms where these are installed. Electric underfloor heating is particularly well suited to renovations and expansion. Compared to other heating systems that invade more, it is a simple, quick, inexpensive, and insulated option. A network of electric wires is put beneath or inside your flooring to heat the area or room.

Electric systems are typically small and easy to install. They can be easier and less time consuming to set up in an existing room than a wet heating system. The latter requires considerable space for pipes and may necessitate raising the floor.

Underfloor heating systems using hydronic technology give a soft, pleasant, and steady heat. Warm water is pumped through a closed circuit of complex plumbing beneath the floor surface, done by a clever design. 

In addition to solar energy, the system may get fueled by various heat sources, including gas boilers and heat pumps. A high-quality boiler thermostat is the brain of a hydronic system. It helps to heat different rooms and flooring types independently.

Hydronic floor heating is an excellent choice for big, open entertaining rooms. Additionally, this system is a popular improvement for various applications. That's especially when combined with a high-efficiency condensing natural gas boiler.  In addition, it adheres nicely to different floor surfaces, including marble, stone, slate, carpet, wood, and other tiles.

So, you've settled on energy-efficient underfloor heating for your house. But how do you pick between an electric and a water-based system? Both systems may be accessible in nearly every situation. However, some aspects of your project may indicate that one suits better for your home than the other.

The following differences between both of are as follows:

When deciding on a system, you need to compare the costs between two factors:

The specifics of your project will determine the one to prefer. The installation cost of UFH is challenging to estimate since it varies based on the size and kind of UFH system built and the area of the home.  Likewise, the cost of underfloor heating per square metre varies based on the best option for the building.

Let's have a more detailed understanding of the costs.

Water underfloor heating systems are usually more expensive to install. But that's when you compare it with the electric underfloor heating systems.

An electric underfloor heating system is easy to install and may be done in as little as 30 minutes. Anyone can lay the system in minutes by following the package instructions. To comply with IEE Edition Part P Regulations, a suitably competent person must attach the product to the mains (voltage 230/240v).

Warm water underfloor heating is a highly efficient heating technology. It is about 25% more economical than radiators when used with a modern condensing boiler. Moreover, it is up to 40% more efficient when used in conjunction with a heat pump.

As a result, operating costs are often lower than those of a standard radiator system and about a third of those of a comparable electric UFH system.

Water Underfloor Heating Systems are an excellent alternative for homeowners and contractors. You can install a Superior Branded water underfloor heating kit. 

Water underfloor heating kits are suitable for integrating water underfloor heating in one room. For example, you can integrate a typical radiator system within a living room. Each kit covers an area in square metres. For example, when the pipes are placed 250 mm apart, the spacing produces 115 watts per square metre. If you need a higher output, go with a high output kit.

New underfloor heating systems must not have any issues if a high-quality system is installed appropriately. However, minor problems might arise from time to time.  Therefore, it is best to be aware of the key problematic areas with your underfloor heating system from the start. It will help you take the best approach to tackle any possible difficulties.

Some common problems with the water underfloor heating system are:

Air in the loops is one of the most prevalent issues with any hot water underfloor heating system. The system must never be filled from the boiler filling loop once it is installed - trust it or not, this may happen. 

While filling the system, each loop must get flushed out separately to ensure that the piping is free of air. Always read your quotation as well as the "installation instructions" that come with every purchase.

Install and attach the system to the heat source, such as a boiler. While doing this, flush via the underfloor heating system's piping. If not done, iron oxides will be pumped into the manifold and pipe system, causing the mixing valve to malfunction. 

Because there might be damage to the pump, a licensed plumber must connect the system. Of course, you may perform the basic installation yourself. But, trained professionals should handle the electrical work and boiler connection.

The pump must be set at speed 3, which is often the factory default. For concrete screeded floors, the mixing valve should be set around 45°C. For wood suspended floors, set it at 55°C.

These are just rough recommendations, but they should give you a good sense. Therefore, the temperature should get adjusted by one degree every day until you attain your necessary setting. As per recommendations, the installation would typically leave the mixing valve at the minimal setting (35°C).

Another issue might emerge when the incorrect room thermostat controls the various actuators. As a result, wrong rooms get configured, wasting time, effort, and energy. This problem can go undiscovered for years, mainly if the thermostats are set at the same temperature. Ensure that the proper room thermostat controls the suitable underfloor heating loop(s).

Sometimes, you may come across a “radiator not working” condition. You can fix those radiators with the process of bleeding radiators. 

tado° offers a range of devices to control your radiators. For example, you can manage a wireless programmable thermostat, digital thermostat, remote thermostat. Likewise, you can control your underfloor heating systems.

The tado˚ app and tado˚ auto assist make your heating schedule easier and smart. Install tado° devices and keep your home at ambient temperatures just with a few taps.