Bathroom Design Ideas

Whether you have an underfloor heating system installed professionally or you want to undertake a DIY underfloor heating project, there are numerous ways that you will benefit from having this type of heating system installed.  The four primary benefits of underfloor heating include the following:

Aesthetics – Whether it is an electric underfloor heating system or a water underfloor heating system, they are not visible and do not detract from the appearance of the home’s interior.  There is no valuable wall space taken up with unsightly equipment.  In public settings this is a benefit as there are no dangerous hot and/or sharp edges that can cause injuries.

Dust Control – There is a huge benefit to asthma sufferers and individuals who have dust allergies because the amount of dust and dust mites that become airborne are greatly reduced.

Energy Efficiency – Compared to traditional forced-air systems, heat loss is reduced significantly with underfloor heating systems.  Additionally, these systems typically produce efficient heat and are set at lower temperatures, meaning that they are more energy-efficient than other types of systems.

Thermal Comfort – Conventional heating systems use buoyant warm air that rises up to the ceiling, so the upper part of the room is usually warmer than the lower part.  Conversely, with underfloor systems, the lower part of the room is considerably warmer.

Considering all of the above, an underfloor heating system is not only healthier, but it saves you money and is considerably better for the interior environment of one’s home.

No matter what type of building you want to heat in winter, underfloor heating systems are considerably more cost-effective, efficient, and are better for the environment than the conventional heating methods such as forced air systems.  In some European countries, up to 70% of new heating system installations now involve underfloor heating systems.  These systems are ideally suited for use in conjunction with energy efficient sources of heat such as ground source heat pumps.

For the most part, electric underfloor heating and hot water underfloor heating systems are quicker and easier to install, especially if you are considering making this a DIY underfloor heating project.  There is less maintenance involved and they can provide heat no matter what type of residence or structure is concerned.  These heating systems can be installed in homes, offices, restaurants, and even schools should you desire to do so.

Additionally, you can install a separate underfloor heating thermostat in every room so that you can heat up only those rooms that are being used.  You’ll just need to decide whether you want an electric underfloor heating or hot water underfloor heating system.  Either way, you are going to save money over the long haul where your utility bills are concerned and be environmentally friendlier in the process.

Finally, you want to consider the benefits of installing an underfloor heating system over a conventional system because:

- Dust and dust mite circulation is minimised
- Heat is more evenly distributed
- There is little or no maintenance required
- They are clean and hygienic
- They are easy to install
- They are vandal-proof

Underfloor electric heating systems are fairly complex systems using a combination of modern technology and engineering ingenuity. There are various wires and leads running throughout the heating mesh, as well as other cables and the wiring for the underfloor heating thermostat. Not only is it important that none of the wires and leads cross each other, potentially to short-out the entire floor heating system, but it is also essential that the underfloor heating thermostat is placed in the proper position so that it can regulate the temperature of the floor as efficiently as possible and avoid cold/hot waves. The concept is that the entire floor should be one uniform temperature, not have cold and hot areas.

Most DIY underfloor heating systems sold at local home improvement stores will include a factory-standard mesh with the cables already running throughout this in the proper fashion. The only installation worries that the homeowner needs to concern themselves with is making sure that the leads from the heating mat are run properly to the electrical outlet and wired correctly. In addition, the thermostat must be placed in the appropriate position and wired in carefully.

If working with electricity is something you prefer to leave to the professionals, simply hire a qualified electrician to install your underfloor electric heating system to industry specifications. In addition, a qualified electrician should always make the final connection of the thermostat as well as testing the system prior to use.  This is now required by law in the UK for all new electrical installations.

Underfloor heating systems can drastically reduce your monthly heating costs and reduce the amount of energy that you use each day.  These floor heating systems are suitable for just about any floor covering, but it is important to understand how each floor type is affected by underfloor heating. 

The floor covering you select for your home will inevitably become part of the floor heating system and will affect its overall efficiency.  Just as with any material, different floor coverings will have different levels of thermal resistance.  Let’s take a look at the most common household floor covering types including tile, wood, laminate, vinyl, and carpet.

Tile Floors – Tile is an excellent emitter of underfloor heat.  It allows for the rapid transfer of the heat throughout the structure and is one of the most efficient floor covering solutions when dealing with underfloor heating.

Wood & Laminate Floors – Depending on the thickness of the floor covering, wood and laminate floors may slow thermal movement.  This just means that this type of floor covering is less efficient than tile floors.  However, as long as the overall thickness is less than 22 mm, they will work well with most underfloor heating systems.

Vinyl Floors – Because vinyl flooring offers little thermal resistance, they are ideal for underfloor heating systems and can be incredibly efficient. 

Carpeted Floors – Carpeted floors can cause conflict when using underfloor heating systems.  The reason behind this is that carpets and underlays are great insulators which mean that they will not allow for efficient thermal conductivity.  If you prefer to have carpets in your home, look for those with low insulation levels.

Many people install underfloor heating systems to save on energy and money when heating their homes in the cold winter months.  However, others install underfloor heating even when they already have efficient heating sources for added comfort.  Just remember, installing underfloor heating can be costly and time consuming, so be sure before you embark on the task.

One of the most common reasons that homeowners choose underfloor heating kits is to avoid the shock of stepping on the cold tile floor after a hot shower or early in the mornings of the winter season.  In cases such as these, underfloor heating is more of a convenience than a heating necessity.  But there are other advantages to installing either a water or electric underfloor heating system.

Underfloor heating solutions actually reduce the hot circulating air throughout your home.  In turn, it also reduces the germs and bacteria that are circulated with that hot air.  If you or anyone in your household tends to get sick frequently, underfloor heating may be the ideal solution.  Furthermore, there is very little maintenance required to sustain such a floor heating system.

Once installed, underfloor heating systems are incredibly cost efficient and cost just a few cents each day.  Additionally, underfloor electric heating as well as wet underfloor heating are both relatively simple to install, though the water-based method may be slightly more complicated. There are plenty of DIY underfloor heating kits available or you may consult professionals for installation.

As we move closer to winter, many homeowners are starting to review their current heating systems.  Now is the time to ask yourself a few questions regarding your heating system, including:

- How efficient is your current heating system?
- Is the heating system still cost-effective?
- Is your current heating system environmentally friendly?
- Do you think it is as effective as an underfloor heating system?

Installing an electric underfloor heating system or a water underfloor heating system should be considered if you answered “no” to any of the above questions.  If you’re an avid handyman or home remodeler, this makes for a great DIY underfloor heating project.  However, you need to take a few things into consideration when you are contemplating taking a project like this on.

Where overall cost-effectiveness and efficiency are concerned, the key component involved during the installation process is the insulation and the amount of it.  Granted, you can install an underfloor heating system without using insulation, but before it will heat up the room, it will be heating up an even colder sub-floor.  The amount of Marmox insulation that you use is going to depend entirely on the type of building you live in.

Finally, the thicker the layer of insulation that you install, the more cost-effective and efficient your underfloor heating system will be.  It is easier to install thick insulation when the home or structure is being built.  However if it is a DIY underfloor heating project, the thickness of the insulation is going to depend on how high the level of the finished floor is going to be.

Designer radiators give you a great opportunity to bring some style into your bathroom. Let’s face it, a normal radiator isn’t the most attractive item in any room and the typical radiator housing isn’t really suitable for use in a bathroom. The only exception would be where you have a big bathroom and steam has the chance to evaporate quickly.

The downside with designer radiators is that they can be quite expensive. Some represent greater bargains than others, but there is no doubt you need to spend some time shopping around to find the best bargains on designer radiators.

The easiest way to begin is to search online, because you have instant access to all kinds of suppliers and websites such as UK Bathrooms who  have a wide range of designer radiators. Since designer radiators vary widely in style between suppliers, you can expect to find lots of different styles in the course of your search.  Ensure you check all the websites you come across and think about what kind of style of designer radiator you would ideally like to have.

For example, do you want a retro style of designer radiator or would something more modern be better suited to your bathroom? Once you have a good idea of the style you want, you can look for designer radiators that fit into the price range you have in mind. You should be prepared to spend a bit more on a designer radiator, but you may be surprised at how cheaply you can buy them if you have a good look around.

If you are thinking of installing an underfloor heating system in your home, you may want to learn a little more about water underfloor heating.  The basic principle underlying the wet underfloor heating solution is quite simple – a series of pipes lies under the floor constantly circulating warm water.  Temperature is controlled by a mixing valve and an underfloor heating thermostat.

In most cases, a 65-75 mm cement screed is required, but water underfloor heating systems can also be installed over timber subfloors.  When you install a wet underfloor heating system in the case of a cement subfloor, the thermal mass will then become a background heat store. The temperature offset can be dealt with during off-peak or overnight times.

With a wet underfloor heating system, it is advisable that the floor heating not be turned off completely during the cooler months.  The reason behind this is that the cement screed would cool down way too much to be efficient when turning it back on.  It could delay room warming for up to two hours!  It is a good idea to select a constant temperature and stick to it, depending on the time of year. This is where your underfloor heating thermostat will be most useful to you.

When compared to traditional radiator heating, wet underfloor heating definitely has its advantages, especially when installing it at the time of construction.  Remember, when the pipe work is incorporated into the flooring, the installation costs are no more than a traditional home heating system.  It is later that you will find the added savings of a water underfloor heating system. 

Underfloor heating systems come in two types: electric and water-based, each having their own benefits. For people looking for ease and quickness of installation, electric underfloor heating is often the best choice.

Standard versus high output heating cable

Most electric cable used in underfloor heating systems comes in one of two wattages: 150w and 200w. Standard output (150w) is suited for most projects. However, in instances where the room suffers high heat loss, like in a conservatory, high output (200w) underfloor heating is a better choice.

Loose heated cable versus heated cable mats

Electric underfloor heating comes as a loose cable or in mat form. Determining which is best depends upon the room you are installing the system into. Small areas like bathrooms, or complicated rooms where the shape or size is not conducive to a mat, are better suited to loose heated cable. In the same vein, underfloor heating mat systems are perfect for larger, more straightforward areas.

Heating large areas

For larger rooms, a combination of two or more mats running in parallel generally works well, as long as it does not exceed a maximum of 3,680 watts, or 16 amps. For even larger areas where only one underfloor heating thermostat is required, a contactor can be used to control up to 22,000 watts, or 96 amps.

Underfloor heating insulation

While not always mandatory, using underfloor heating insulation in conjunction with an underfloor electric heating system will improve the system’s performance and speed up warm-up times. The specific type of insulation to install will depend upon the type of flooring.

Installing electric underfloor heating is a great way to upgrade your home and turn a bathroom, kitchen, conservatory, or other room into a warmer, cosier place to be. While there are a number of good DIY underfloor heating kits out there to choose from, installing a mat system is fairly straightforward, whatever kit you go with.

Measure the portion of the room where the underfloor heating is to be installed. This will help determine what size kit you will need. Remove inward opening doors.

Your mat should always start and finish in the same place, so plan out the heating wire position so that the ends meet near a power supply. Mark the floor accordingly. Never place the matting under kitchen units.

Read the manufacturer’s instructions for trimming guidelines. Mesh DIY underfloor heating kits can usually be trimmed. However, you must be careful not to cut the wires themselves. Do not allow any overlapping.

Near the position where the underfloor heating thermostat is to be installed, cut a groove to hold the sensor. Place the sensor into the conduit, and use sealant to prevent any tile adhesive from setting around the sensor itself.

Apply tile adhesive on the mat, spreading it slightly thicker than normal, and fix the floor tiles. Installing DIY underfloor heating under wood or laminate may also require the use of insulation boards.

Have a qualified electrician or underfloor heating installer like Floor Heating Online come round to check the connection before plugging in to the mains.

Trim inward opening doors to accommodate the increased new floor height.