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Benefits of a good underfloor heating design

Underfloor heating is an efficient, low temperature heating system that is set within the floor – so it’s important to get it right!

Taking the time to understand the property and its heating requirements, which underfloor heating system is the best option and then how it should be designed and installed offers some big benefits.

How our heating designs are different

Peace of mind

A good underfloor heating design will ensure that your home is warm when you need it, achieving the perfect inside temperature when it’s freezing cold outside.
Peace of mind

Maximum efficiency

A detailed design will ensure the perfect balance of heat output by using low water temperatures, maximising efficiency to help keep running costs low.
Eco efficiency

Easy installation

The underfloor heating design process includes detailed tube layout and electrical drawings, giving an easy to follow plan that makes installation simple.
Easy to install

Better controllability

A bespoke design will consider how each room is used, so that every space can be set at a different temperature, and at different times, for complete comfort.
Better control

Minimise wastage

The underfloor heating design process means that we can calculate the exact materials needed during installation, keeping waste to a minimum.
Reduced waste

The risks of a bad underfloor heating design

Once underfloor heating is installed, it’s nearly impossible to make any changes to the system as it’s within the floor. That’s why getting it right first time is critical.

Choosing an undesigned, or poorly designed underfloor heating system, comes with the following risks:

  • A cold home! The underfloor heating may struggle to heat the rooms
  • Cold spots across the floor
  • High running costs
  • Damage to floor coverings by overheating areas
Risks of a bad underfloor heating design

What a good underfloor heating design should cover

A lot of work goes into a good, detailed underfloor heating design. The process can be broken down into three key stages:

1. Room-by-room heat loss calculations

We begin by working out the heat loss of every room. Not all underfloor heating suppliers do this but it’s essential to assess each room separately because they can be completely different – different in size, in number of windows, ceiling heights etc. and this all affects heat loss. A lot of glass in a new build can still cause a high heat loss!

To work out the heat loss, our Designers look at the fabric of each room to see how much heat is lost through the building itself, through the walls, windows, the roof and floor. Ventilation loss, which is heat loss through air changes in a room, is also factored into every Nu-Heat design.

By calculating room-by-room heat loss in this way, we are able to see exactly how much heat any room will lose and then how much heat the underfloor heating will need to provide.

Room-by-room heat loss calculations

2. Setting the underfloor heating output

Now that we know the heat loss for each room, our Designers look at how much heat output the underfloor heating can provide and how to do this efficiently.

To ensure the underfloor heating will work comfortably, we consider several variables. First, what floor construction, or base, is the underfloor heating being installed on? What is the heat source? If this will be a heat pump, this is factored into the design to keep flow temperatures as low as possible.

We then look at setting the optimum pipe spacing, water flow temperature and flow rates to correctly balance the heat output and efficiency of the system in each room. Our designs even consider the preferred floor covering, ensuring no sensitive options like vinyl are ever damaged and that carpet is never a problem.

Underfloor heating designed install

3. Creating the underfloor heating layout

The first two steps give us all of the information we need to start the physical underfloor heating design drawing. Because of the level of detail, our Designers can see how many coils of pipe are needed, what length they should be and the spacing they should be laid out at to achieve the desired heat output.

We discuss the most suitable manifold locations – which should be central to the rooms they serve – and then produce CAD drawings of the underfloor heating.

The tube layout drawing makes installing the underfloor heating as simple as possible – so much so, that some homeowners choose to lay this themselves and just get an installer in to help with the commissioning of the system!

Underfloor heating design

The installation went smoothly as the Nu-Heat design and supporting paperwork was brilliantly comprehensive

Ryan Marshall, Managing Director, Marshall & McCourt

Underfloor Heating Review

Want help finding the right underfloor heating solution?

We would love to speak with you to discuss your project. If you have a question about your existing Nu-Heat system, our technical support team are at hand.

Underfloor heating design FAQs

How is underfloor heating designed?

Nu-Heat’s bespoke designs comprise of room-by-room heat loss calculations, allowing us to both set the heating output to optimal levels and create the underfloor heating tube layout in order to cater for the heating requirements of each room.

How much pipe do I need for underfloor heating?

The amount of pipe needed will vary depending on the level of insulation you have in the room and its heat requirement. Nu-Heat’s bespoke design service will ensure you always have the right amount.

How is underfloor heating output calculated?

Our experts will consider all variables, such as floor structure, flow temperature and floor finishes when calculating the output according to your projects specific heating requirement.

Is underfloor heating warm enough?

Yes, a correctly designed underfloor heating system should be able to cater to all the heating requirements of a room.

How thick should my insulation be before I install underfloor heating?

As a rough guide, we would always recommend that you meet your building regulation requirements for insulation if they apply.

If not, usually 70mm of PIR/PUR insulation is advisable as a minimum, but we would recommend more if possible to further reduce the energy required to heat the home. The exact amount of insulation needed will, of course, vary from project to project so it is always best to confirm this with your Account Manager.

How reliable is underfloor heating?

A well-designed underfloor heating system will be very reliable and should provide all the heat you need!

If you do ever have an issue with your Nu-Heat system, we are always on hand to help. Our Technical Support Team are available Monday – Friday, 8am – 5pm and are here to support you throughout the lifetime of your system.

What temperature should the water be in underfloor heating?

This would depend on the heat supply that the system is paired with. For example, if a system were paired with a boiler, we would typically incorporate a flow temperature of around 55°C into the design. For heat pumps, the temperature would typically be lower as this type of heat source is designed to be at its most efficient when producing a lower flow temperature.