DIY tips

The last thing you want to do on a cold morning is get out of bed. But imagine if you could step out onto a warm carpet...
Relax in a room with an underfloor heating system. Photo: PA Photo/www.AskForUnderfloor.org.ukRelax in a room with an underfloor heating system. Photo: PA Photo/www.AskForUnderfloor.org.uk
Relax in a room with an underfloor heating system. Photo: PA Photo/www.AskForUnderfloor.org.uk

Sounds blissful doesn’t it? Well, many people dream of having underfloor heating, according to a new campaign, Ask for Underfloor (www.askforunderfloor.org.uk).

There are two types of underfloor heating, electric and wet or hydronic, which circulate warm water between pipes under the floor and the boiler.

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If, like me, you thought the pipes have to be laid in a new concrete floor, you’d be wrong.

Most types of floorcovering are suitable for underfloor heating, including carpet, tiles, vinyl, laminate and wood, although it should be insulated underneath to prevent excessive heat loss.

While it’s perfectly possible to have underfloor heating in some rooms and radiators in others, the former is more energy efficient.

As wet underfloor heating systems are connected to your home’s boiler or heat pump, they can be cheaper to run than electric versions. They also come with room (or zone) controls, so you can have some rooms (or zones, such as the ground floor) hotter than others, again potentially saving you money.

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Another advantage of underfloor heating is that it’s space saving – some rooms, especially in small homes, are short of wall space for radiators, but this clearly isn’t a problem if the heating’s under the floor. What’s more, underfloor heating is increasingly popular in children’s bedrooms, as a safer alternative to radiators.