Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
Advantages of underfloor heating and tips to keep in mind
A simple search in Google quickly reveals a certain controversy or, at least, a certain degree of confusion among users, about the benefits and advantages of underfloor heating face the limitations of one of the preferred heating systems in Nordic countries, such as Sweden or Denmark. We refer to electric underfloor heating, an option of air conditioning which is already the preferred by many of our colleagues in the profession; architects, builders and different technicians in the sector.
Although the concept and design of electric underfloor heating systems can include sheets and information sheets, we do want to clarify some points that must be understood compared to other systems that with a similar cost have important shortcomings.
What is thermal comfort?
It is when people do not experience a sensation of heat or cold, there is a balance; that is, when the conditions of humidity, temperature and air movements are favorable to the activity we practice, be it resting at home or working in our office.
To clarify the concept of thermal comfort, we can deduce that it is la feeling of "Comfort temperature", that the human body perceives, is not the one that can be measured with a thermometer that will measure the ambient temperature in a space, but the arithmetic mean between the ambient temperature and the average temperature of the surfaces that surround the body.
This allows us to verify that the human body perceives a feeling of comfort, with an ambient temperature of 19 ° C, when in reality 21 ° C would be necessary to obtain the same comfort through other heating systems (radiators, hot air, etc.). This is where the main advantage of theunderfloor heating.
To clarify a little more. In the following image we can appreciate the behavior of the different temperatures - stratification - within a room and the convection and radiation currents of each of the systems (Also more information here). Where the «Ideal heating» is figure 1.
Undoubtedly, heating by means of underfloor heating it is the one that has the behavior that most closely resembles "ideal heating".
Types of underfloor heating
Although technique and technology advance day by day, in general terms we can identify and distinguish three main types:
- The one that works by Hot water.
- Through electric radiant heating.
- For carbon fiber.
1.- Underfloor heating by water
Possibly the type of underfloor heating that most people know and that we will have seen as a coil when they place it. The system of radiant heating water they are literally pipes buried under our feet.
2.- Electric underfloor heating
Here, it is the electricity that is responsible for heating the system that is under the pavement, which transmits and produces the heat in the room.
An example of the parts that compose it:
3.- Carbon fiber underfloor heating
We can say that this system is the most modern, where the heat is transmitted by carbon fiber filaments installed under the ground.
Before the different types of underfloor heating two important points to remember:
- The systems that work by radiation they are more efficient than those based on air convection.
- As the distribution of heat occurs from the ground that provides greater comfort. The heat is distributed evenly throughout the rooms, not accumulating in specific areas such as the typical radiators or, in the case of the different types of air conditioning systems, I echo you, in specific areas.
We must also remember that before proceeding with any installation, always ask a professional in the sector to answer any questions.
What flooring is best for a house with underfloor heating?
Actually, you can use both ceramic and wood laminate flooring. Strictly ceramic floors always have better performance compared to typical wooden flooring as they have a better conductivity coefficient. In the case of using wooden pavements and floors, they will have to have special characteristics. It is best to ask in the store and see the technical characteristics of the product.
Advantages underfloor heating and breaking myths
When we talk about markets and competition, the atmosphere becomes rarefied and a kind of “anything goes” acts in which hoaxes and false beliefs are put into circulation with the aim of promoting -or sinking- products and services on the world of slab or radiant pavements.
Advantages of underfloor heating directly:
- Greater thermal comfort is achieved as we have initially indicated.
- When we install underfloor heating, we can save between 20 and 10% compared to a conventional heating system.
- It is a healthier installation mainly because it does not produce air currents that move dust, it also avoids dryness and the low humidity allows to avoid the appearance of mites.
- This type of installation allows the water to be heated by other systems such as boilers, solar energy or heat pumps, among others.
- It has the ability to both cool in summer and heat in winter.
- It is a constant installation during working hours, being useful for buildings and houses with high occupancies.
- We must not forget that it does not take up space like typical radiators or affect aesthetics.
- Respect for the environment by having a lower consumption.
In the case of this heating typology, and especially that ofelectric underfloor heating, something similar happened and misconceptions were created that became myths. However, professionals in the HVAC and energy efficiency sector have spoken. With them, we will dismantle the 4 most widespread myths and see their advantages.
Does the underfloor heating use a lot of energy?
The underfloor heating advantage It is based on the distribution of heat from the bottom up, emulating the ideal heating (increasingly upwards) achieving very important energy savings.
From the following two graphs that we identify; the first is the cost and investment ratio compared to other systems and the second, the percentage savings in consumption compared to other equipment:
It is quite possible that when you think of an installation of radiant floors in larger surface we associate a higher energy expenditure. However, the reality is far from this approach.In this process, almost half of the energy is emitted in the form of low-temperature radiant heat, which is distributed evenly.. In addition, if we use aerothermal equipment they also help to save.
The savings come precisely from the low temperature emission and the proportion of the emitting body surface, which achieves an optimal feeling of warmth and comfort using much less energy and, therefore, cutting the bill by up to 20%. (See article of tips to save electricity in heating from here, with more than 30 tips)
Is underfloor heating expensive?
A priori, it may seem that opting for this system over other heating systems is choosing the option with the highest cost. However, the proven energy savings that we pointed out in the previous point makes us amortize the investment year after year thanks to the cut in our bills.
It must be remembered that the implementation is simple, although we could say that one of the disadvantages of underfloor heating is that you have to be very precise in the concrete dimensions in the floors and precautions with the timely staking of the partition.
But being realistic, this is actually transferable to any job and operation on a construction site, being professionals at work is a must.
Does underfloor heating cause varicose veins and is it harmful to health?
Nothing could be further from reality! … And it is that among the advantages and disadvantages underfloor heating Its utility and efficiency are more premium, in addition, it is the only one recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
It has been believed that, by radiating heat from the pavement, radiant heating could be harmful to the circulatory system (favoring the appearance of varicose veins), but the truth is that it is harmless if it is well regulated; that is, if it does not exceed 24 ° C or 25 ° C. On the other hand, thanks to the uniform heat convection, does not move air and, therefore, considerably reduces the proliferation of mites and the typical and annoying tearing, sneezing and redness of the eyes and throat caused by conventional heating.
Is the installation of the underfloor heating very complicated?
The specialist technicians and installers ensure that the installation of this heating system is not complex, it adapts to any soil type (parquet, marble, ceramic …) and it is installed quickly without specific work.
The companies that market it offer a wide range of cable and mesh solutions that adapt to any surface, also including alternatives so as not to increase the height of the ground.
As we have seen, information is essential. Therefore, when choosing a heating system for our home, it is recommended that we allow ourselves to be advised by experts in air conditioning, who will know how to assess the technical requirements of our home to achieve the greatest comfort with the minimum expense.
Information extracted from the IDAE and the interesting portal Ducasa.com
If you liked this article, share it!
