Underfloor heating

Even the most beautiful floor can be made more inviting by adding a little warmth. That's easy to do with underfloor heating systems, which can be installed under most types of flooring.

Quick to install and maintenance free, underfloor heating systems give heated under foot comfort easily and quickly. Greet your day with a warm floor using the simple programmable timer, or use a floor-sensing thermostat to maintain the temperature of your choice for all day comfort.

Enjoy silent, energy-efficient warmth with no maintenance and the added assurance of a full 10 Year Warranty.

Visit Our Underfloor Heating Section For Our Full Range

Under tile, stone, wood or laminate flooring, in the kitchen, bathroom or conservatory your home can be completely enveloped in comfortable warmth. And the real beauty of underfloor heating systems is that you can do it yourself.

Simple - Modern underfloor heating provides many advantages over traditional radiator based systems. Where large warm surfaces such as the floor exist, it is possible to achieve comfortable conditions with a cooler air temperature, making underfloor Heating more energy efficient and comfortable than traditional radiator systems.

This results in a greater feeling of freshness & will result in lower heat loss from the building, consequently lower energy costs.

It is more comfortable to have a constant, evenly distributed temperature of 20-24 degrees, than it is to have a single high temperature heat source such as a radiator in the corner of the room.

Not only that, but the radiant heat from underfloor heating drastically reduces the constant air circulation & resulting cold drafts & dust!

• More comfortable air temperature
• Warmer at your feet than your head
• No maintenance
• No drafts
• Invisible
• No wasted wall space giving you complete freedom to design your room
• Greatly reduces dust circulation

What constitutes ideal "comfort conditions" in your home is a subject which is constantly debated. However, two factors affecting room temperatures are generally accepted. Comfort largely depends on the mean effective temperature which is a function of the ambient air temperature and the average radiant surface temperature.

Where a large warm surface such as the floor exists, it is possible to achieve comfortable conditions with a cooler air temperature by heating that surface. This will result in a feeling of greater freshness and will mean lower building heat losses and savings in energy cost.

It is more comfortable to have a constant evenly distributed lower temperature, of say 20 - 24°C (68-74°F), than it is to have a single high temperature heat source, of say 100°C (212°F), in one corner of a room, this circulates the air and causes the feeling of drafts.

Ideal temperatures are considered to be 22°C (72°F) at floor level and 19°C (66°F) at head level (1.7 m, 5 ft 6 in.).

For ambient design conditions of 20°C (68°F) to 21°C (70°F), floor warming systems are normally designed to achieve a surface temperature between 22°C (72°F) and 25°C (78°F), below the maximum recommended temperature of 27° for walking comfort.

A standard radiator heating system causes large amounts of air movement, the air is constantly rising and falling as it is heated causing cold drafts.

Underfloor heating systems work at much lower temperatures and generate warmth where is is required not at ceiling height.

Under Tile Heating Systems

Which system should I choose?

You will probably be aware that there are many different systems on the market, all making different claims. With modern manufacturing methods, most products on the market are very reliable, however there is a vast difference in performance so it is wise to do your research & chose the product that is right for your project. Some systems on the market have a very low output (from 60watts per sqm) & are designed for use in countries which have far better insulation standards than the UK. We have been actively involved in the design process for the systems we sell & they are tailored specifically to the UK 's requirements.

However a higher output does not mean higher running costs, it simply means that the desired temperature can be achieved much faster. Once the temperature is reached, the sophisticated digital thermostat delivers just enough power to maintain the temperature you have set.

Single or twin core cables?
The second important point to note is that we only supply 'twin core' heating cables. Twin core cables have two heating elements inside which gives two important advantages over 'single core' cables.

Firstly you only have one end to connect to the power supply, which is a big advantage during the installation.

Secondly the EMF (electromagnetic field) which is created in all electrical appliances & wiring is dramatically reduced, to a level where it is almost immeasurable. Whilst this may not be a major concern for you today, there is a lot of research currently being undertaken around the globe into the effects of EMF & it is impossible to predict what findings may occur in the years ahead.

Flexibility
As with many things in life, it is difficult to find a 'one size fits all' product, so in order to cater for all room types, we supply 3 different under tile heating systems, all of which utilise the same high quality cables.

Installation Procedure

Please note: All cable mats come complete with Digital Thermostat, Floor Primer, Roller, Floor Probe and Tape.

Underfloor Heating for Under Wood/Laminate - Fitting Instructions

Carbon heating film - The perfect solution for heating wood or laminate floors.

Electrical Work The electrical provision is made by your local electrician or installer - the photographs show the before & after with a solid wall, but hollow 'plasterboard' walls are usually less work.
	DIY Installation
1	Firstly the highly efficient 6mm Depron insulation is laid out & taped down over your existing sub floor. If possible 2 layers (12mm in total) are recommended in conservatories or un-insulated floors. The Depron effectively replaces the standard underlay required for wood & laminate 'floating floors'.
2	Next the carbon heating film is rolled out in accordance with the plan/drawing supplied with the kit.
3	Next small 'cut outs' are made in the Depron so that the cable connections sit 'flush' with the floor.
4	Then the floor sensor probe is fitted to measure the floor temperature.
5	Next the pre-connected cables are laid around the edge of the room to meet at the connection box point.
6	The cables are then connected together at the junction box which connects to the thermostat & power.
7	Finally you are ready to lay out the plastic moisture sheet (supplied) & your new wood or laminate floor, paying attention to the manufacturers fitting instructions & recommended expansion gaps etc.
8	As soon as the floor is fitted, you may turn on the heating system, no waiting or drying out time needed.

Floor Insulation

In order to maximise the efficiency of any heating system, insulation plays an important role - this is especially important when considering low temperature floor heating. Where new floors are being constructed in new buildings or conservatories, good quality insulation should be incorporated at the design stage, consult with your Architect. However the problem comes when electric underfloor heating is being installed in an existing building where taking up an un-insulated floor is often not a practical option. We then strongly advise using the best form of insulation available within your working constraints:- Tiled floors etc. 1, If your floor height allows we would recommend using a Tile Backer Board such as:- Varme Board , or Depron are all excellent products and offer similar Insulation properties, along with thickness from 6mm to 60mm. Varme Board  and Depron are fixed to your existing floor surface prior to laying the heating cable and tiling. As shown in this example :-   2, If you do not have the room to install Tilebacker Boards, we would recommend using a Insulating Primer such as:- Therma-Coat New and recently developed it is a paint on floor primer containing tiny ceramic spheres to form a thermal barrier. Laminate or Wood floors etc:-   A layer of Depron (2 for greater efficientcy) is laid under the heating film this replaces the std (Bubble) insulation normally supplies with Laminates.

Underfloor Heating for Conservatories