If you happen to live in the UK, you will be all too familiar with the harshness of a cold floor, and fortunately, there are underfloor heating systems that make walking a pleasure, even on the coldest of winter mornings. Technology is always providing solutions that make living more comfortable, and with a concrete floor that has either a wet or dry heating system laid just under the surface, cold feet are a thing of the past.
Concrete Flooring
The best way to provide a warm floor in the winter is to have the heating system added when the wet mix is poured, and it sits just below the surface. Typically, the concrete floor is laid first, and when this sets, a thick layer of screed is applied, and inside this, sits the underfloor heating system. Modern concrete comes ready mixed, and your local supplier would have an extensive colour chart, along with a wide spectrum of finishing styles, which allows you to select something unique that complements the home. If you are already convinced, there is affordable underfloor heating screed in Birmingham from a supplier that has a wealth of experience with underfloor heating systems.
Wet Underfloor Heating
This is similar to central heating, in as much as a series of narrow pipes carry hot water to every corner of the floor, and it would be connected to your existing water central heating system, which uses a boiler and pump to ensure the hot water reaches all areas of the floor. This type is more expensive than its dry counterpart, and is best suited for a home that is well-insulated. Many people actually leave the system on at all times during the cold months, and it can be an effective solution to heat the home, as warm air rises, which will raise the temperature a few degrees.
Dry Electrical Underfloor Heating
This type of underfloor heating is cheaper that the wet solution, and it involves laying a special mesh of electrical wires under the final layer of screed. The underfloor storage heaters can run on night time electricity, which helps keep running costs to a minimum, and with an extra thick layer of screed, your flooring will always be warm to the touch. The general consensus of opinion is that dry underfloor heating is more expensive to run, but with the use of off-peak power, there is very little difference. Underfloor heating tends to give a more even temperature around the house, as the warmth rises from the floor, heating as it goes.
If you would like to know more about underfloor heating, any established concrete supplier would likely offer this service, and providing you have a basic knowledge of building techniques, it is a straightforward job to install. Failing that, you can always call in a floor specialist, who can install the system and then level the final layer of screed. Underfloor heating can be used with a suspended floor, but ideally, it would accompany a thick layer of screeding on a concrete floor.
