UFH is an efficient way to heat a home that also frees up wall space and makes every floor covering feel luxurious. The big bonus for you, the tradesperson fitting the underfloor heating, is that UFH can be easily installed in a wide range of projects – whether new build, renovation, extension or conversion, meaning more opportunities to grow your business.
Being able to offer your customers UFH is a big win for your business and learning the ropes is far easier than you might think – just follow our 6 tips for new underfloor heating fitters:
1. Choose the right supplier
Fitting UFH is simple when you start by choosing the right supplier; one that will support both you and your customer – before, during and after you have fitted the UFH. Shop around until you find a supplier that not only offers quality products but also great service and dedicated technical support – you need to be confident that you can call on them if you need help. Look for independent reviews and ask your supplier how they will help you to choose the right system for the job.
2. Don’t be afraid to ask for help
If this is your first time fitting underfloor heating, it can be reassuring to meet an expert on site to discuss installation options, and make sure you are providing the right heating solution for your customer. A good UFH supplier will offer new underfloor heating fitters a free site visit and consultation, enabling you to benefit from their experience and product knowledge, and helping you to feel confident that you are fitting the right UFH system for the property. Take the opportunity to ask any questions you might have, and ask to see product samples so that you can familiarise yourself with the components and how they are fitted.
It could also be worth booking onto your supplier’s UFH training course, as this will give you first-hand experience of fitting popular UFH systems under the watchful eye of an experienced trainer who can offer hints and tips to make the process even easier for you.
3. Take the guesswork out of fitting UFH with a tailored design
What could be easier than installing a UFH system that has been designed to be a perfect fit for the space it is to be installed in? Opting for a bespoke system means that every manifold location, pipe layout and flow temperature has been designed for you, using room-by-room heat-loss calculations to guarantee system performance. This means that you can leave the details to your supplier and just focus on fitting the UFH.
4. Save time with a complete system
Don’t waste time and energy painstakingly ordering and checking off individual components – choose a complete UFH system that includes everything you need. Your UFH supplier will be able to identify and deliver the correct amount of tube, the right manifold setup with the correct number of ports, and all the fixings you need to quickly and easily fit the underfloor heating. All you need to do is take delivery and get installing!
5. Designs to make fitting UFH simple
Step-by-step installation manuals, detailed CAD drawings and comprehensive user guides really do make installing and using UFH as simple as painting by numbers – if you follow the instructions, you can’t go wrong. Look for a UFH supplier who sets out every stage of the plumbing and electrical installation processes in a clear and straightforward way, saving you the time, money and confusion of trying to work out everything yourself.
6. Insist on support for your customer
It’s really important to make sure that your customer will be supported to use the system once you have fitted the UFH – the last thing you want is a call back where the customer is concerned the system isn’t working because they don’t know how to use it! Make sure your supplier will provide a full customer handover pack for their reference, as well as offer them free, technical support for the lifetime of the system – freeing you up to take on other jobs and continue to grow your business.
Grow your business by fitting UFH
If you’re thinking about fitting underfloor heating, we’d love to help. You can reach our trade team on 01404 549770, or email info@nu-heat.co.uk
