Electric Underfloor Heating; Wooden You Know It!

Guest post by Arthur Tegetmeier

Electric Underfloor Heating; Wooden You Know It!

Underfloor heating is nothing new; archaeological evidence shows rudimentary heating systems beneath the floors of dwellings dating back as much as 7000 years. Thankfully, things have advanced somewhat since then and it’s now no longer necessary to keep a fire burning beneath your living room floor! With these advances have come a continued interest in underfloor heating and an increase in people who want to find out more.

There is much to consider prior to choosing your underfloor heating system; flooring materials, room size and shape, type of room. Previously, having wooden floors was seen by some as a barrier to installing underfloor heating, for example. Suspended wood floors could be problematic to the installation of water underfloor heating, whereas laminate flooring could have a tendency to warp through contact with the heated element. Where bathrooms were concerned (wooden floored or otherwise), electric underfloor heating could even be unsafe, with some forms (for example some carbon film systems) not employing the recommended ‘earth screen’.

Underwood heating mats, or ‘under laminate heating’, come as pre-assembled mats ready to install. With sizes ranging from 1m2 to 24m2 and incredibly thin at 2mm, there is plenty of scope for the size and type of room that is suited to under wood heating. They are ultra-thin allowing use under laminate, engineered wood, glued hardwood and other floating floors, although it is always advisable to find out from your supplier whether your wood or laminate floor is suitable to use with an underfloor heating system.

A major advantage of the under wood heating mats is that they can be cut and folded to suit any given floor area, removing the need for expensive carbon film systems that require bespoke design prior to ordering and installation. These mats are thus far more versatile than the more old fashioned alternatives.

Under wood heating mats can generally be used in any room, including kitchens, conservatories, extensions and bathrooms. The mats themselves are 50cm wide and are earth screened with an aluminium foil covering, which makes them perfect for wet areas such as bathrooms and kitchens, unlike most carbon film systems, which have no earth screen at all.

They are fully compliant with electrical & building regulations; they have a power output of 140w per m2 to regulate floor temperatures specifically to protect the wood from warping, never exceeding 29°c.

The uniform spacing of the heating elements, further backed by the aluminium foil, ensures even heat distribution. Not only does this render the heating system more efficient, it also makes it an ideal companion to wood flooring, leaving floor surfaces free from problems of potentially dangerous ‘Hot-Spots’ or localised heating. Underfloor heating provides heat where required, resulting in optimal heat utilisation and minimal wastage.

Underfloor Heating store supply and install electric underfloor heating and water underfloor heating systems across the United Kingdom. They offer a lifetime guarantee for all cables and mats and the peace of mind that they install only market leading, fully approved systems.