5 Things to Consider When Attempting to Do-it-Yourself Underfloor Heating
Underfloor heating can be a very cost-effective and environmentally friendly method of heating your home. An underfloor heating system uses tubes that carry heated water throughout the floor of a house, so heat transfers into the floor, and from there radiates into the airspace of the house. It is more energy-efficient than other heating systems because all the warm air stays close to the floor, and cools before it has a chance to collect near the ceiling. It is environmentally friendly because it uses less total energy to heat the house, and does not release any dangerous chemicals into the atmosphere. Because underfloor heating systems involve extensive excavation of the floor of the house, they can be rather time consuming and costly to install, but they can save money over time by reducing the heating bill.
The first thing to consider before you decide to install an electric underfloor heating system in your home is how long you plan to stay at that house. It may not be a good idea to install an underfloor heating system if you only plan to live in the house you install it in for a few years, because it usually takes many years for the reduced heat bills to cancel out the initial costs of installation.
Another thing to consider is what kind of floor you want in your home. Underfloor heating systems can only work with a concrete mass under the floor to house the water-tubes, and in order for the heat energy to transfer most efficiently from the floor to the air, another hard, stone-like surface such as concrete or tile is needed for the floor surface. Wooden floors or carpet is not recommended, because wood and carpet do not absorb or release heat as efficiently, so they will not work as well to heat the house.
The third thing to think about before you try to install an underfloor heating system is how much floor space you have in your home. If you have a very large house, you will need much more tubing, concrete, and other materials for the installation, and it will also be a lot more work to complete the installation.
The fourth thing to think about when you are about to install an underfloor heating system in your house is how many floors you have, and whether you want underfloor heating in your upper-levels. It is more difficult to install underfloor heating in the second or third floor of a house, and the concrete required may add a significant amount of weight to the upper floors. Make sure your house can support that much weight in its upper levels before you try to install underfloor heating.
Finally before you attempt DIY underfloor heating in your house, consider how long you plan to be working on this project, and how long you are willing to go without most of your floor space. You will have to lift up your whole floor, lay down concrete and tubing, and possibly lay down tile or some other hard surface over that. This project will take some time, and during that time you will have no floor in the places where you are installing underfloor heating.
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