First house, want to retrofit Underfloor Heating. Many Questions

[OnlyHumanHere]

Hi there,


So first things first, just bought myself my first house . 1920's build in Wiltshire. Should have the keys to it next week, can't wait.


Floor plan




First problem is, no gas mains in the village. This means it currently has an immersion heater to supply hot water , storage heaters for heat and the oven/hob connected to gas bottles stored outside on the side of the house.


So, after doing a bit of research and planning with my wife, we want to scrap the storage heaters and go for water UFH with a free floating 8mm laminate flooring Something on the lines of this . Looking around, I think prowarm seem to do a good job with supplying all the parts we need, being bought from Theunderfloorheatingstore (regarded fairly highly online and seemed very helpful on the phone).


Now, my main concern is what to do with the heating element. I've spoken to a few specialists and I've been told either keep the immersion heater for the sink/bath water and get something like a 'Slim Jim' electric boiler for the UFH. Obviously the guy that recommended that was the website that sells it. However, again it's reviewed rather well and it'd be nice to keep all the product coming from one place.


Another plumber I spoke to recommended to scrap the immersion heater and get a combi boiler. He did say that if it was him, he would probably look at LPG combi boilers over an electric boiler for the long term cost saving (did a bit of research and yes, lpg is much cheaper than electric). However, when it comes to boilers, I'm completely lost as to what I need.


So my questions are...


* Keep the immersion tank or scrap it?
* Get an LPG combi boiler, electric combi boiler or just a stand along boiler for the UFH and keep the immersion tank.
* If I was to take the immersion tank out, should I put the new boiler in it's place? If so, would I need 1 or 2 UFH manifolds for each floor?
* I was thinking about putting the whole system (manifold and boiler) under the stairs, would that make sense?
* Apart from the kitchen (which is tiled) and the reception (which is original parquet), the rest of the house is carpeted, is it relatively straight forward to just rip the carpet up, lay down the floating floor, insert piping, cover and just throw the laminate on top?
* One guy I spoke to said I would probably need to manifolds, 1 for each floor. Is that right?
* rippiing up the Parquet and tiles in the kitchen, is there anything I should know before doing so?


I plan to try and get most the humping and dumping, laying the insulation for the piping, the piping and laminating myself, however I will be getting professional help for the installation and testing of the equipment.




Final Question, with multizone UFH...is the NEST thermostat (Gen 2) still a good option?






I hope I haven't made things too complicated.












TL: DR....Want to install UFH, in the UK, what is a recommended brand? Should I scrap my Immersion heater for an electric or LPG combi heater? Is it all worth it?

 

[davesparks]

I'd go for a gas combi boiler over the electric option.
Boiler location will depend on where the flue, discharge, condensate and gas supply can be sensibly located. There are rules about clear access required in front of the boiler.
As far as insulation goes the more of the floor you can dig out and fill with insulation the better, but you'll need to get professional help to know what can or can't be done without affecting damp proofing etc etc

 

[Darkwood]

Welcome to the forum.
I approved your post for general forum although you maybe given access to the DIY section and thread relocated when admin is next on line unless you can tell us your Electrical background and qualifications.

Please note when installing underfloor heating, it will require a series of tests at different stages of the install, not doing this with make the warranty invalid to the company you sourced it from and also to the Electrician who connects and signs it off.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Air source heat pump could be worth considering.

 

[OnlyHumanHere]

Welcome to the forum.
I approved your post for general forum although you maybe given access to the DIY section and thread relocated when admin is next on line unless you can tell us your Electrical background and qualifications.

Please note when installing underfloor heating, it will require a series of tests at different stages of the install, not doing this with make the warranty invalid to the company you sourced it from and also to the Electrician who connects and signs it off.

Ye, I'm aware it all needs to be certified. I plan to get most of the stuff in position and fitted, then get someone in the local area to wire it all up and test it all. Multizoned UFH requires a of wiring from thermostats to actuators on the manifold etc...well beyond my expertise.

 

[telectrix]

or conside electric ufh as opposed to wet.

 

[OnlyHumanHere]

Air source heat pump could be worth considering.

As far as I'm aware, it's well out of my price range though. Where as replacing my immersion heater with a new combi boiler should/could be reletively easy as the pipes and wiring as already in place.

 

[OnlyHumanHere]

I'd go for a gas combi boiler over the electric option.
Boiler location will depend on where the flue, discharge, condensate and gas supply can be sensibly located. There are rules about clear access required in front of the boiler.
As far as insulation goes the more of the floor you can dig out and fill with insulation the better, but you'll need to get professional help to know what can or can't be done without affecting damp proofing etc etc

There's no mains gas in the village So that's out of the question unfortunately. That's why it's a ---- up between 'maybe' LPG combi or Electric combi.

I was looking at this stuff as the insulation below the piping it's nice and thick.

My main concern is the upstairs. until i have the keys, i have no idea what is under the carpet, it's a loft conversion as the building used to be a single floor school, I'm guessing it's just joists, which will probably throw a spanner in the works with regards to keeping things simple.

 

[OnlyHumanHere]

or conside electric ufh as opposed to wet.

I've looked into that option but the problem is, from what I've been told, it's far more expensive to keep the house warm. My wife works at home and we have a 5 month old.

 

[davesparks]

Welcome to the forum.
I approved your post for general forum although you maybe given access to the DIY section and thread relocated when admin is next on line unless you can tell us your Electrical background and qualifications.

Please note when installing underfloor heating, it will require a series of tests at different stages of the install, not doing this with make the warranty invalid to the company you sourced it from and also to the Electrician who connects and signs it off.

I've never yet seen plumbers test underfloor heating other than filling it up and seeing where the water ****es out. What tests are you thinking of

 

[LankyWill]

Im with dave, put in a LPG combi boiler the position has varying factors as you cant vent onto a neighbouring property. I would scrap actuators and just use a zone valve for a simple setup. Keep the immersion just as a safety net really and fit a valve to divert the water from the combi to the immersion, or fit a system boiler.

 

[davesparks]

There's no mains gas in the village So that's out of the question unfortunately. That's why it's a ---- up between 'maybe' LPG combi or Electric combi.

I was looking at this stuff as the insulation below the piping it's nice and thick.

My main concern is the upstairs. until i have the keys, i have no idea what is under the carpet, it's a loft conversion as the building used to be a single floor school, I'm guessing it's just joists, which will probably throw a spanner in the works with regards to keeping things simple.

If your comment about lpg was in response to me then all I can say is that LPG is gas!

Under the carpet will be wooden floor on joists. You can buy products designed for installing underfloor in such situations, but as ever you need to put lots of insulation in there

Those panels you've linked to are the kind of thing but you'll need a good depth of insulation under them!

 

[davesparks]

Im with dave, put in a LPG combi boiler the position has varying factors as you cant vent onto a neighbouring property. I would scrap actuators and just use a zone valve for a simple setup. Keep the immersion just as a safety net really and fit a valve to divert the water from the combi to the immersion, or fit a system boiler.

How on earth would they keep an immersion with a combi?

 

[OnlyHumanHere]

If your comment about lpg was in response to me then all I can say is that LPG is gas!

Under the carpet will be wooden floor on joists. You can buy products designed for installing underfloor in such situations, but as ever you need to put lots of insulation in there

Those panels you've linked to are the kind of thing but you'll need a good depth of insulation under them!

Got ya, apologies for the confusion.

Yea, I've seen the joist solution, looks relatively straightforward (famous last words).

 

[Darkwood]

I've never yet seen plumbers test underfloor heating other than filling it up and seeing where the water ****es out. What tests are you thinking of

My Bad scanned the post to approve it, had UFH electric in my head as I just faulted some today lol ...NTS must read prorperly before quoting.

 

[OnlyHumanHere]

I've never yet seen plumbers test underfloor heating other than filling it up and seeing where the water ****es out. What tests are you thinking of

Point taken, however I will be asking them in their forums the same question so I get a good set of responses I can use to make my judgement well advised

 

[LankyWill]

you could pipe a separate diverter/ 2port valve from the standard system to the immersion, it would have to be manually done. Bit heath robinson but could get you out a jam.

 

[davesparks]

you could pipe a separate diverter/ 2port valve from the standard system to the immersion, it would have to be manually done. Bit heath robinson but could get you out a jam.

Do you mean install a diverted in the DHW pipework from the combi and the outlet pipe of the cylinder? That's going to bring a whole host of issues for compliance with water regs I think!

 

[telectrix]

I've looked into that option but the problem is, from what I've been told, it's far more expensive to keep the house warm. My wife works at home and we have a 5 month old.

our government is keen to erect these eyesore windmills al over the land and seascape. see if they'll stick a couple up in your back garden. free leccy for your heating.

 

[OnlyHumanHere]

our government is keen to erect these eyesore windmills al over the land and seascape. see if they'll stick a couple up in your back garden. free leccy for your heating.

I personally don't mind them, thankfully though, we don't have a garden...annoyingly, we're in a preservation area and have been told we're not allowed to install solar panels on our South facing roof....madness.