# Under floor gas heating in a flat



## Hawcara (Jun 1, 2009)

We're considering a flat for when we semi-retire. 

Noticed one yesterday with underfloor gas heating and no radiators.

Has anyone experience with this sort of heating as opposed to radiators.

Is it expensive/efficient or just a waste of time. The flat is modern. 

Only looked at it online.

Thank you


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

When I built my house back in 1997 I installed underfloor heating throughout the ground floor with ceramic tiles above, running costs are reasonable. The heating comes on a few hours before you need it, but goes off a few hours before you don't need it, the thermostat on the wall controls the heat, so goes off prior to the heat reaching the ceiling. The final result is warm floor and feet first  

tony


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

The oldest system in the world, based on the roman style.they used water rather than gas.

cabby

sorry but I would be very happy to have that system, but it would mean tearing up all the carpets and digging up the concrete floor.


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## wobby (May 1, 2005)

It's supposed to be cheaper to run because you get warmth rising all around you and can therefore run the heating at a lower room temp. Certainly our previous van had underfloor heating in the living area and it was very cosy.

Wobby


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

I worked on a summer house extension build with a client of mine.

He had poly pipe cemented into an insulated base, this was filled and fed from the radiator system.

To top this up and too cool the building in summer. I installed multi indoor heat pumps that cool it in summer.

The huge room was a joy in all weather.

Here, at home, we have the same heat pump upstairs. 

But downstairs, Mrs. TM talked me into ripping up the carpets and fitting oak flooring to a concrete floor. At the time, I did consider fitting the underfloor wet heating. Then, it was a lot of expense and 4 times the work. So I did not install it.

As I type, I can feel the cold through the floor and my thick boots. Biggest regret. Floor looks nice mind.

Trev


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

We have electric underfloor heating mats under the floors in our kitchen, breakfast room and hall. They sit beneath floor tiles and are very effective at providing a comfortable heat. The thermostatic controllers for each zone have their own timers and you simply set them to say what room temperatures you want at what times. The controller then works out how many hours ahead the heating needs to be switched on in order to achieve that level of room temperature. This obviously isn't the same as a wet system which I imagine the gas one is but the principles are much the same. One drawback of underfloor heating is that it is not as immediate as traditional radiators since you are first having to heat the floor before the heat rises into the room. A friend of mine has a wet system in his house with hot water pipes under the downstairs floors. Whilst they heat up reasonably quickly (the boiler is gas), the heat is uneven as unsurprisingly it rises up from the pipes. You therefore have hot and cooler spots. I therefore suspect that not enough pipes were laid.


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

On an existing floor you are talking about raising the floor approx. 6" 

2" insulation 

1" pipework

2" screed

!" tiles and adhesive

Forget wood, it acts as a barrier to the heat rising 

tony


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

cabby said:


> The oldest system in the world, based on the roman style.they used water rather than gas.


If you are talking about a Hypercaust they used gas - well hot gas really. 
http://www.atlasceramics.co.uk/blog/view_post.asp?id=23

The modern system uses hot water (in pipes). :wink:


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

What I meant was that under floor heating what ever system used, is the oldest method.
But I am sure that the Romans used hot air from fires outside the building.Hot water for their baths.

cabby


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

Hi,

we had a house in Sweden built for us in 2012/2013 and are now happily living in it for almost precisely two years. Standard would have been floor heating (water-based) on ground floor and normal radiators on first floor, but we insisted on having floor heating everywhere. Floors are creamic tiles in the wet rooms and oak parquet in all other rooms.

*The best choice we have ever made!*

The flow temperature is extremely low, it does not exceed about 30 degrees C even when outside temperatures drop below -20 deg C! (It's Sweden, this does happen.) Thus very energy-efficient.

It is very comfortable. No hot or cold spots, it just is comfortably warm. No cold feet, either.

And no ugly radiators! :wink:

However, a caveat: Our house is extremely well insulated, even for Swedish standards. This helps of course keeping the flow temperatures low. And we can, or better have to, room temperatures constant all day and night. Changing temperatures on a daily base simply wouldn't make sense, reaction times are far too long. (Once I accidentally tripped the fuse of the upper floor distribution system, shutting off all heating circuits there. Although it was about -10 to -15 degrees C outside, it took us two days to realize that something was wrong.) Only in rarely used rooms like guest bedroom we keep the temperature low and rise it only if needed.

In a less insulated house flow and therefore floor temperatures might get uncomfortably hot.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## mendit (May 29, 2011)

Built in UK 7 years ago underfloor heating downstairs limestone tiles 1st floor oak boards great system has been already said and you do need good floor insulation underneath ( the cats love it too )


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

We'd have it in a heartbeat if it wasn't for all the upheaval involved to retro fit it,we had it in the last house.

Benefits include no rads on the walls, so more choice of where to put furniture etc.

An all encompassing heat, so not hot/cold spots.

You can have water based via existing boilers or electrical mats, mats brill for bathrooms, just left on low.

Air or ground source heat pumps are the most efficient to run.


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## mendit (May 29, 2011)

one regret not putting a bore hole in and having a heat pump was 25 years pay back time 8 years ago then prices of gas began to rocket pay back time 8 to 10 years with expected life span 25/30 would install if built again


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