How Does Underfloor Heating Work?
Underfloor heating works so efficiently because it starts heating the room right from the floor level up and so less heat is wasted than with radiator systems, which do not start heating until about two feet above floor level. Heat rises, so with radiator systems the floor level of the house is always going to be cold, which reduces the overall temperature in the room. This, in turn, means that the homeowner has to turn the thermostat up higher than should actually be necessary to achieve the optimum room temperature required.
When you use an underfloor heating system you are heating the whole room, from the ground up, which means that there is no cold air left to drive the overall temperature down. This means that you can use lower temperatures to create the optimum room conditions, which results in you saving money and perhaps more important, burning less electricity.
There are two widely used systems of underfloor heating; the first uses hot water in a series of pipes that have been buried in the floor and the second is by using electric underfloor heating elements, either in the form of a heat mat or in the form of a heating cable element that is laid in a snake pattern across the floor. Whichever you choose, both will require lower temperatures to achieve a comfortable room, which is something we are all looking for. Sadly, we cannot take all the credit for this system, as underfloor heating was actually a Roman invention.
