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Electric underfloor heating specialists - what you need to know

Below you’ll find information to help you understand the different types of underfloor heating systems and the tradespeople who can fit them. Find answers to the most common questions and a guide to costs.

What does underfloor heating involve?

Underfloor heating works by producing radiant heat. The floor’s turned into one big radiating surface, which heats the room up and gets rid of any cold spots. There are two types of systems to choose from – electric and water-based (wet). Plumbers and heating engineers can fit water-based systems, whereas electricians will be able to do your electric underfloor heating installation. You’ll also find that many flooring specialists can fit both types of systems.

What is the cost of installing underfloor heating?

A water-based underfloor heating system will cost you around £100 per square metre, although individual costs will vary once you add on floor preparation, underlay and labour. If you have timber joists, you’ll need aluminium sheets to reflect heat and that’ll add around £10 per sheet to the total cost. Electric system underfloor heating installation will be roughly half the price but it’ll cost more to run.

Ask for an advanced, programmable energy-monitor thermostat (instead of a basic one with an on and off function) to programme your heating settings by different areas. It’ll mean you can set the heating for certain areas in the house and only have it on when you’ll be getting use out of it. The energy monitor function will also show you the electric underfloor heating cost of running the system, helping you to budget and keep costs down.

What’s the difference between a water-based system and an electric system?

Electric system – electricity powers the wire that’s installed underneath the floor level to produce heat. It’s directly underneath the floor covering and doesn’t rely on a central heating system to work, making it a good choice for retrofits, one-room installations or use in rooms where the sub-floor level has already been set. The wire that’s installed is thin (around 3mm), so you won’t normally have to adjust the level of the floor to accommodate it.

Water system – pipes are connected to a boiler or another source of heat to heat up the water. This water then circulates in the pipes beneath the flooring to produce heat. When the system’s installed, it’s fitted to the structural sub-floor and screeded over to help spread the heat, raising the height of the flooring. Because of this, it’s best suited to new-builds or during big refurbishments where the sub-floor can accommodate the pipework and cement screed more easily.

Underfloor heating vs. radiators

Radiators heat you from the head down, whereas underfloor heating works from the ground up. These different techniques mean that heat is more evenly distributed throughout the space with underfloor heating.

If you’re deciding whether to choose underfloor heating or stick with traditional radiators, it’s worth thinking about how much time you’ll spend at home and in different rooms. Underfloor heating can take up to six hours to slowly warm up a room and can be slow to cool down, so a combination of both can sometimes be a better idea instead of having underfloor heating throughout the whole house.

Choosing to have your electric underfloor heating installation on the ground floor and keep radiators upstairs could give you the benefits of an evenly heated space downstairs, plus let you have instant heat when you want it upstairs. You’d just need to turn on a bathroom radiator or heated towel rail in the bathroom. It all depends on how much use you’d get out of having heating underfoot upstairs and whether you’d want the room to cool down quickly if you decided to sleep.

From an interior design perspective, you could have more freedom with underfloor heating downstairs, as you won’t have to incorporate the positioning of radiators and plug sockets when making decisions on décor and the layout of the room.

How do I know if the system’s working properly?

One of the biggest misconceptions about underfloor heating is that you’ll feel it underneath your feet. The truth is the marker of a well-functioning system is that you won’t be able to feel it. The floor won’t be cold, but it won’t be obviously warm. Because of that, it’s worth having the system checked once a year by a qualified heating engineer to make sure it’s working as it should and not costing you more money to run. Problems are rare but if something should go wrong, engineers can normally use an infra-red camera to check where the issue is and fix it without having to lift the entire floor. 

The best flooring finishes for underfloor heating

Underfloor heating works with all sorts of floor finishes, but the best choices are the ones that transmit the most heat, like tile or stone. Carpet will hold onto some heat but still be effective. If you can, avoid wood, as not only can it expand and move with heat, it’s a natural insulator so you won’t notice enough of a difference to justify spending money on the heating.

The qualifications your tradesperson needs

If you’re having going ahead with your electric underfloor heating installationed, you’ll need a tradesperson who is’s Part P certified to carry out the work. If you’re having a water-based system installed, there are no specific qualifications needed – you’ll just want a plumber or heating engineer who’s handy at connecting pipes and raising floors if needed.

What is Part P?

Part P is a specific part of building regulations which says that if you’re carrying out electrical installation work in a home, you need to design it and install it in a way that protects people from fire and electric shocks. When a tradesperson has this certification, they’re Part P certified. This means they can self-certify that their work complies with building regulations, instead of you needing to report work to your local authority’s building control department for approval.

Insurance for underfloor heating work

There’s no legal requirement for tradespeople to have insurance but it’s good practice for them to have public liability insurance to cover themselves against potential claims for property damage and personal injury.

Building regulations for underfloor heating work

You’ll only need to seek building regulations approval if you choose to have electric underfloor heating installed and your tradesperson isn’t Part P certified.

Questions you should ask your tradesperson

• How long have they been trading for?
• Can they show you examples of underfloor heating they’ve installed for other customers?
• How long does the guarantee last?
• Do they have insurance and what does this cover?
• If you’ve chosen an electric underfloor heating installationthey’re fitting an electric system, do they have a Part P qualification?
• Will they be doing the work by themselves or will they be working with somebody else? If somebody else, can they tell you what experience the person has, any relevant qualifications and whether they’re covered by insurance?