Warmth from below,
not from the wall
Underfloor heating warms through the whole floor area, so it needs water at a far lower temperature than radiators do. That's why it pairs so well with a heat pump — and why the floor feels warm underfoot even at 22 °C in the room.
Two situations
Building new,
or refurbishing?
New build
Pipe is laid over insulation and covered in anhydrite or concrete screed. There is enough depth, so the spacing can follow the heat loss of each room.
New build: detail
Tighter loops near windows where most heat is lost, movement joints on large areas, and a curing period — the screed must mature before the first heat-up.
Refurbishment
In an older building there may be only a few centimetres. Low-profile systems in grooved boards take minimal depth and heat up faster.
Refurbishment: detail
Thresholds and door heights have to be worked out, and insulation under the pipe is essential — without it you heat the ceiling of the flat below.
Part of a flat only
It can be done in one room — typically the bathroom and kitchen — tied into the existing heating through a small manifold.
Floor coverings
Tile is ideal. Vinyl and laminate must be rated for heated floors, and solid timber is usually a poor match. We say so before you buy.
What is included
More than pipe
in the floor
The quality of an underfloor system shows up in use — whether it is evenly warm everywhere and whether individual rooms can actually be controlled.
- Manifold in a cabinet — the heart of the system. Every loop has its own flow meter, so it can be balanced properly rather than by eye.
- Room-by-room control — a thermostat in the bedroom can hold a different temperature from the living room. Without it the whole flat runs at one setting.
- Mixing unit — keeps hot boiler water out of the floor. An overheated floor cracks.
- Pressure test and record — loops stay pressurised through the screed pour. If anyone damages one, it shows immediately rather than after it is buried.
When it's finished you get a drawing of where the loops run. The day you drill into that floor, you'll be glad of it.
FAQ
About underfloor heating
Can it be done in the bathroom only?
Yes, and it's the most common request in a flat refurbishment. The bathroom ties into the existing heating through a small manifold. Bear in mind the floor alone may not heat the room through a whole winter — which is why a heated towel rail often stays as well.
What if a pipe in the floor fails?
A loop is laid in one continuous length from the manifold and back, so there is no joint under the floor to give way. Failures come almost entirely from mechanical damage — drilling, typically. If it happens, we locate it with a thermal camera and open up only that spot.
When can it first be heated?
Once the screed has matured — with anhydrite and concrete alike that's weeks, not days. Then it follows a warm-up schedule: the temperature rises gradually rather than in one step. Rushing the first heat-up is the most common cause of cracks in the floor. We'll give you the dates in advance so you can plan around them.
Will your
floor take it?
We will come and measure what depth there is and propose a build-up. Survey and quote are free.