Home Garden

The Most Efficient Way to Use Underfloor Heating

If your home is located in an area which requires heating, you are faced with quite a few options for how exactly you accomplish this. Many homes in North America utilize forced air systems which have been proven to be less energy efficient than others. Underfloor heating is on the rise. Not only does it make the floor warm and comfortable to walk on, but it is also more energy efficient and will result in lower heating bills in the winter. There are a few things to keep in mind when installing such a system to maximize benefits however.

Things You'll Need

  • Underfloor heating system
  • Measuring tape
  • Condensing boiler
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Instructions

    • 1

      Determine the floor plan of the area you wish to install your underfloor heating system. Clearly define where wall structures, permanent counter tops and large furniture pieces will likely be located. It is essential to define these spaces to avoid laying heating pipes under them as heating such spaces would be inefficient and could also potentially damage certain wooden objects over time.

    • 2

      Design your heating loop coils so that they are evenly spaced from each other and from walls or other permanent objects mentioned in step one so that they are spaced 7 to 10 inches apart from each other, measured from the center of the tube, to the center of the adjacent tube.

    • 3

      Utilize a condensing boiler system to heat the glycol solution that is pumped through underfloor heating systems. Condensing boilers are the current most efficient means of providing heat to underfloor systems.

    • 4

      Minimize the amount of insulating materials on the heated floor's surfaces. Too many carpets, underlays, or other insulating materials on the floor will resist the heat flow coming from the tube system. Try to utilize only what is needed without compromising heat flow.