Warm water underfloor heating

The basic principle of all types of underfloor heating is the same. To warm the room space by creating a low temperature heat source with a large surface area - the floor. Instead of one small piping hot radiator on the wall the entire floor becomes a "warmth radiator" under your feet.

A warm water underfloor heating system works by pumping relatively low temperature water (typically 50°-55°C) through a series of continuous high quality, polyethylene pipes which are laid under the floor.

As the entire surface area of the floor acts as a radiant heat source, it doesn't have to emit as much heat per square metre as the much smaller wall radiator. So the water temperature can be much lower than when employing a standard central heating system meaning the boiler uses less fuel - good for the environment, not to mention your pocket.

As the heat rises, the room is warmed to a comfortable uniform level.

A water underfloor heating system is ideally suited to gas burning condensing boilers, but can just as easily be used with any other heat source including solar, geothermal or even an existing or new central heating system.

The plastic pipes are placed in the floor construction which can be either a screed of concrete or floorboards. No inaccessible joints are placed under the floor and pipe lengths without any joints are employed throughout. They are then placed with sufficient spacing to ensure a uniform warmth.

Warm water is then pumped into the tubes and around the rooms which can be zoned with individual thermostats.

When the room temperature falls, the thermostat triggers the corresponding electrical actuator on the manifold. Hot water from the boiler is then blended, via a mixing valve, with the warm water returning from the underfloor heating system. This water is then pumped around the zone until the air temperature reaches the desired level and switches the zone off. The process is entirely automatic, providing warmth in an unobtrusive, comfortable and economic way.

Whilst warm water underfloor heating is easiest to install in a new build or complete renovation situations, kits exist which allow the addition of a warm water underfloor heating system in for example a conservatory or new extension. These kits are designed to link up and add to an existing central heating system. They are easy to install and are available in various sizes.

There are three standard ways of installing a warm water underfloor heating system depending on the floor in question:

Solid Floor System Design - where pipes are laid within a solid concrete or screeded floor. Insulation is built into the floor as required by Building Regulations and the heating pipe is simply placed according to the design plan and permanently covered by screed.

Suspended Floor System Design - where the heating pipes are fixed between the joists of a suspended floor, either from above or from below. Alternatively the pipes can be laid between battens above the joists. Standard insulation is then inserted between the joists to prevent heat loss. Standard tongue and groove floor board is laid above the system or

Floating Floor System Design - where underfloor heating is installed in floating floors above an existing solid or timber floor. Here the pipes are generally fixed to panels and floor boards are laid above the system.

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.