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Underfloor heating is definitely the most popular choice of home heating right now. An increasing number of people are choosing to install it in their homes. This is because it confers many advantages, e.g., it frees up space in the room, it provides better heat distribution than radiators, it can be cheaper to run than radiators, etc.

However, before you rush out and buy your new heating system, it's important that you know a few things about it. This will help you to ensure that you get the most out of your new heating setup.

There Are Two Main Systems

Just as radiators have two types of system, central heating and electric, so too does underfloor heating.  It comes in two options:

1. Wet/water underfloor heating

2. Electric underfloor heating

Each system has its own advantages and disadvantages and you will need to research these before you buy your underfloor kit.

You Need the Right Kind of Floor

In order to install underfloor heating and have it work correctly, you need the right type of floor.  If the floor is too thick, the heat will not be able to penetrate through the floor as easily and it will cost you more to heat the room. You must remove as much insulation as you can when you install an underfloor kit.

Most of the manufacturers have detailed guidelines about the appropriateness of different floors. You have to consult these guidelines before making your purchasing decision. Otherwise, you could end up making an expensive mistake.

It Works Better in Rooms with Lower Ceilings

The lower the ceilings are in the room, the more effective you’re heating will be. This isn't something that is particularly reserved for underfloor systems, even with radiators; higher ceilings are more difficult to keep warm. This is just because there is much more air in the space and so the heat cools down much faster.

If you do have high ceilings, and you do want to install an underfloor system, then you have to do as much as you can to ensure that the room is well insulated. For example, make sure that you have thick curtains or blinds that will keep out the cold. Furthermore, if you can install a thick carpet in the room above, this will help to insulate the room too. 

It's More of a Luxury than a Money Saver

Wet/water underfloor systems are generally cheaper to run than central heating systems (although the electric underfloor systems are not). However, because you will have to install the underfloor system, the initial outlay is quite high, costing £1,000s. The savings that you make in running costs are very small, with some estimates being as little as £20 a year. 

As you can appreciate, the cost savings are therefore not particularly significant. If you want to make the case for underfloor heating, then it should be more about the benefits for your lifestyle rather than to your wallet.

I hope that you have found this article useful and informative. Underfloor systems are an excellent choice of home heating, but you need to be informed in order to make the correct decision.