Electric underfloor heating

The basic principle of all types of underfloor heating is the same. To warm the floor thereby creating a low temperature heat source with a large surface area.

Instead of one small piping hot radiator on the wall the entire floor becomes a "warmth radiator" under your feet.

Electric underfloor heating first appeared in the Sixties when electrical heating elements were buried within floor screeds. These were heated overnight using cheap rate electricity, but this method was expensive to run, unreliable and not particularly practical. The heat wasn't very controllable and rooms would often overheat during the day and then cool during the evening, when heat was generally required.

The eletric underfloor heating systems sold today are a different kettle of fish altogether. They are efficient, economical and effective, and give the user full control over heat 24 hours a day.

Electric floor heating is more popular in areas where there is no mains gas supply and is usually cheaper to install that wet systems. It also usually takes up less depth - important where head height is a consideration - and because of this is easier to install in an existing house than the warm water system.

Electric underfloor heating offers the user greater flexibility. A house can be zoned and run along the same lines as the warm water underfloor heating system. Alternatively any individual room, such as a bathroom, kitchen or conservatory, can be heated by an electric underfloor system which is ideal at warming otherwise cold floor coverings such as tiles, stone or marble.

Electric under floor heating is provided as either cable mats which have the cable secured to a mesh for hassle free laying or as a roll of cable which can be used in any room irrespective of its shape and size.

The type of flooring will determine the cable needed, with timber floors requiring less output that concrete ones. Electric underfloor heating systems make an ideal DIY project, but for safety's sake always employ a qualified electrician to connect it to your electrical supply.

Once only of interest to a small minority, green is the new black as far as self-building is concerned.

With the effects of global warming becoming increasingly apparent, more and more people are seeking greener ways to provide the energy needed to run a home.

Whether it's solar panels, heat pumps, high specification glazing or eco-friendly wool insulation in the loft space, there is little doubt that it is self-builders who are setting the standards for a greener future for the building industry and the way we live our lives.

Underfloor heating for example, has been available for years but, by and large, the self build market has been the industry's bread and butter - with large scale property developers still opting for standard, less efficient radiators.

But it's not all about saving the planet. Incorporating green ideas into a home can lead to reduced running costs and save you money in the medium to long term too. And when you come to sell your home in the future, you can guarantee that the greener it is the more attractive it will be to prospective buyers.

There is a greater sense of purpose from the government to promote green alternatives too with a stick and carrot approach in place.

Building regulations now demand far better energy efficiency while government grants are available for loft insulation right through to solar panels, heat pumps, wind turbines and other microgeneration technologies.

Self-builders are leading the way as far as greener homes are concerned and greenselfbuild.co.uk will be with you every step of the way towards a greener future for you, your family and the wider community.