Underfloor Heating Installation Sydney

What is Underfloor Heating?

Underfloor heating provides a controlled level of warmth in a room from the floor up. It’s installed beneath the floor’s surface and is controlled by a thermostat and a timer. 

The Benefits of Underfloor Heating

From the obvious (no more cold feet) to the not-so-obvious, like energy efficiency, there are significant benefits to installing underfloor heating.

No More Cold Feet

Ok, let’s start with the main reason. In winter, cement or timber floors can feel like walking on slabs of ice. By heating the floor before you get out of bed, the ‘shock’ of getting up is no longer present. This is especially effective in the bathroom; moving from a hot shower to freezing tiles isn’t anybody’s idea of a happy morning routine.

Heats the Room Better

You’ve heard the term, heat rises, right? What better place to heat the entire room than from the floor up? Traditional heaters heat the room from the middle of the room and up, leaving the lower parts, especially the floor, permanently cold. 

Also, fan heaters can produce a stuffy, almost humid feeling. Natural heat from the floor warms the room gradually and more comfortably.

It’s Healthier

Underfloor heating is better for you and your family’s health. Underfloor heating doubles as a water dryer. This is especially helpful in bathrooms and kitchens where water spills onto the ground. 

The warm floor dries the water much faster, eliminating the possibility of mould or harmful bacteria forming. It further works as a hazard-preventer as the quicker drying reduces the risk of slipping over.

Furthermore, underfloor heating doesn’t blow warm air into the room; therefore, no dust particles are being moved around. People with sensitive lungs, especially people with asthma, will benefit the most. 

Low Running Costs

The cost of underfloor heating can be calculated like this:

Let’s say you have a 200W system installed in your standard-sized bathroom (3m²). Based on an electricity tariff of 35c/kWh, it will cost 5c per m² to run. So per hour, it’s only 15c. If a family of four has two showers a day, let’s use 4 hours a day of heating as a benchmark. 

Device or appliance	Watts Used	Cost over 4 hours
Underfloor heating	600W	$0.60
Microwave oven	1000W	$1.38
Clothes dryer	1500W	$2.06
Air conditioner	2500W	$3.44

As you can see, heating a bathroom with underfloor heating is almost six times cheaper compared to using an air-conditioner in heat mode.

More Energy Efficient

As you’ve seen from the table above, underfloor heating is more cost-effective, as it uses fewer watts. Underfloor heating is operated on a timer; you only have it operating when you need it. In most cases, it’s not running all night, so there are times when it’s not costing anything.

It Looks Better

What we mean by this is that you can’t ‘see’ the underfloor heating apparatus. This means your floors, walls and ceilings no longer have unsightly heaters or air conditioners taking up space and interfering with your design aesthetic. 

Low Maintenance

Underfloor heating is one of those devices that you set and forget. It doesn’t need to be cleaned or maintained. All you need to be responsible for is adjusting the thermostat and timer as the home temperature changes during the seasons.

Increases Your Home’s Value

An underfloor heating system can improve the value of your home from a selling point of view. Like an upgraded switchboard or the move to underground cables, additions like this form of heating are a viable sales point of difference for many eager home buyers.

How We Install the Different Types of Underfloor Heating

There are three different ways we can provide underfloor heating to your home; it all comes down to your existing flooring.

Mats

Heatable mats are a popular choice and are the most straightforward option. Firstly, we prepare a screed (a concrete and sand mix), place the mats on top and connect them with draw wires. Next, we create a groove and lay the cables, which connect to the mats. Finally, we cover it all with waterproofing.

The challenge with heating mats is that nothing should be placed on top of them. So you’ll need to rearrange your furniture accordingly.

Loose Wire 

The loose wire option makes a savvy choice for bathrooms or other rooms with tile or concrete floors. This type of installation requires slightly more work.

Once again, we’ll need to create a screed. We lay the mat on the existing floor and then build a screed over it. The significant difference to standard mats is that we only use one length of cable instead of draw wires.

Foil Heating

We’ll install foil heaters for bedrooms or living rooms with carpet or timber floors. This installation requires the most work, and you may want to consider placing a layer of insulation first. 

Foil heaters are laminated with foil and are placed directly beneath the timber floor or between the carpet and the underlay.

Other Installation Requirements

Once the heating material has been installed, we’ll also need to place a thermostat in the room. This is for you to set the temperature and the timer. We recommend 22° as the optimum setting.

It’s a legal requirement that a certificate of compliance for electrical work (CCEW) is issued after any type of electrical work. Your energy provider and the Department of Fair Trading will need this document. It’s part of our process to action this for you.

Are you ready to make your home more comfortable for you and your family in winter? Contact us at North Shore Electricians today, and we’ll provide you with a quote and advice on the best underfloor heating system for you.