Underfloor Heating Systems.

[phabpixs]

Hello to all...

Right pleasantries over and down to business.

I have never installed an Electric underfloor system before and have a client looking at them. Naturally being a spark I'd prefer to get the job rather than a plumber so was hoping to get some guidance/advice.

• What are the pro's and con's of an electric underfloor system?
• If there's one golden nugget of advice you could give about electric underfloor systems - what would it be?
• Are there better brands to install or are they alll pretty similar?

Thank you for your feedback everyone - I look forward to reading through it.

regards
James

 

[malcolmsanford]

Well as it's down to business hi .................

If this is any good the only ones I have done was about 5 yrs ago. These were basically in bathrooms and warmed the tiles up on a cold morning, my lass still uses ours and loves it.

The modern ones are designed for actually heating and we have it in the conservatory and again they are good. They are quite inexpensive to run as they are a constant low load so you leave them on constantly. They do though take a while to warm an area up. IMO they are not as good as convential CH or Fires, but they do definately take the chill off. But I'm an old tradionalist at heart. I'm sure if some other guys have worked on more modern ones they could persaude me different.

I'm still worried though about what happens if it ever breaks down, digging my tiles up to repair it is not my idea of fun and so it would be left and you would buy some other form of heating, until perhaps the time you do dig the tiles up.

 

[bugsy]

Verious types available mats and wires, we usually use warm up ( warmup.co.uk ) contact them they have a very good techy department and they will give you all the advice and help you need

 

[ian]

I use warmup too. Always try to use the loose wire, I hate the mats to fiddly when cutting round toilets, units etc.

ian

 

[pennywise]

Test and test again! with the customer present or atlest get them to sign a results sheet confirming that the mat was fine when you laid it prior to tiling etc. As once it's in it's in and if it's got damaged, the finger of blame will start wagging. The instructions usually give you a resistance reading for a correctly functioning mat.

 

[Johno]

As mentioned before, if it is the sole source of heating then I think it's 200W per m2, but if it's only a warmer then I think it's 125W per m2.

The progrmmers generally manage 16A (I think), so if it's a large area then it may require a contactor switching a couple of circuits which may make it not worth doing.

 

[cbw]

I install Ambient underfloor stuff, both mats and wires, their profesional kits have a really good glue spray, sticks like poo! and you get 2 thermostats to install under the tiles, that way if 1 goes wrong you dont need to dig the tiles up. I prefer the profesional wire kits to the mats, just takes a lot longer to lay with less margin for error on measurements.

Good customer support and tech help also.

 

[Amp David]

Thought it was 'sticks like poo'?

 

[cbw]

Thats what I wrote................Honest no editing has gone on....much

 

[Amp David]

I;ll let you off this time