Home & Garden Improvements

Using underfloor heating thermal insulation

The heat from an installed electric underfloor heating system travels in two directions: up and down. While one is desirable to heat your floor and room, the other is a waste of valuable energy, with cement floors serving as a heat sink, absorbing energy, and causing the heating system to work harder to do less. This means loss of heat, and an additional drain on your wallet via increased electricity bills.

The quickest and most-efficient way to stop this drag on performance, and your pocketbook, is to install underfloor heating thermal insulation. Working as a barrier between the heat source and the sub-floor, underfloor heating thermal insulation speeds up initial warm-up times and decreases overall heat loss. This means your room gets warmer faster and stays warmer longer.

Cutting electric underfloor heating system mats

The first rule of thumb when using an electric underfloor heating mat system is never cut the cable. This ruins the mat and invalidates the manufacturer’s guarantee. The only part of a mat system that can be cut is the mesh.

Also, when cutting your mat, remember that the heating cable itself should never sit closer than 50 mm from the walls or any other fixed elements within the room, such as baths, shower stalls, kitchen or bath storage units. Never try to hide or bury the cable. If need be, scrap your work and start again. If you have ordered the wrong size, and the mat has not been cut, you can usually exchange it.