More and more new buildings today are being designed incorporating underfloor heating because of the many advantages it has over a radiator system. Until recently., it was considered that underfloor heating was a luxury specification and suitable only for high-end properties. As a result, developers often opted for a radiator system for the affordable housing element of a project. However, if you use underfloor heating in conjunction with a modern liquid screed it can be quick and easy to install and a viable answer for all types of building.
underfloor heating
There are two types of underfloor heating, either electric or water based. Electric is cheaper to install than a water system but is far more expensive to run. For this reason, electric systems are only usually used for small rooms such as a bathroom. They can either use an electric heating cable or a cable installed in a heating mat. which is simply rolled out on to the tanking membrane on top of the insulation boards.
A water-based system uses a series of pipes which are laid on top of the tanking membrane and are heated by passing warm water through them which has been heated by a boiler, ground or air heat pump, or even solar panels. It is more expensive to install, but considerably less expensive to run than using electricity, the cost of which is going only one way. So, the savings will go on for the life of the building.
Cost Savings
Compared with radiators, underfloor heating also has benefits of cost savings. The floor itself is heated and will retain heat far better than a radiator which cools down very quickly once turned off, so the heat that has been produced dissipates very quickly.
A very big advantage of underfloor heating is that the room will, or should be, heated totally evenly. So, there will be no cold spots away from the radiators. There is also the benefit that you don’t have radiators taking up space on the walls, so you can push furniture or seating right up against the walls if you wish.
Underfloor heating is also perfect for people who suffer from asthma or other respiratory illnesses because it will not transfer the dreaded dust mites about. In fact, the floor will be too warm and dry for them to flourish, whereas a radiator system works on convection. The floor remains cold and the convection transports dust mites around the room.
Liquid Screed Has Many Advantages
Whichever type of underfloor heating you install, there will usually be some form of insulation, and this must be covered with a tanking membrane with the heating cables or pipes on top. These are then covered using a screed, and the modern choice today for flooring contractors in Northampton, or for that matter anywhere else, is a liquid screed, because of the many advantages that it has over and above a traditional sand and cement screed.
If you use a sand and cement screed it has to be laid and levelled out by a labourer using a hand trowel., which of itself is a lengthy process. It also has to be quite thick, typically an overall depth of at least 70mm and very often quite a lot more.
Liquid Screed
A liquid screed on the other hand can be laid very quickly because it is delivered to site ready mixed. and then a hose and pump is connected to the truck and the screed is simply pumped into position. Being liquid, it is also self-levelling. All that the installation team needs to do is to run over the screed. with a dappling bar to remove any air bubbles and then leave it to dry.
Another big advantage of a liquid screed in Bristol, or wherever the project is,. when used in conjunction with a water-based underfloor heating system is that it will totally envelop the heating pipes. When using a sand and cement screed it is almost impossible to achieve this, which means that there will be gaps and voids in places,. and that in turn means that the heat transfer into the room will not be totally even.
In addition, liquid gypsum screeds have a thermal conductivity which is nearly twice that of sand and cement., so the floor and room will heat up faster, saving even more on energy bills.
