UFH newbie experiences

[nadimaj]

Our entire open plan lounge/diner/kitchen space has recently been redone and heating is providing by wet UFH. It's an amazing if slightly odd experience...Right now, I'm turning it on at 0530-0700 (room thermostat schedule during this time period goes from 15 to 22 deg C and back to 15). The room continues to warm up to around 24-25 throughout the day into the early afternoon! (At 3pm, with the heating being off for 7 hours, it's like it has just come on). That one boost in the morning lasts the entire day.

My question is what use is a room thermostat giving the concept of residual heat? Residual heat causes the room temperature to pass the "desired" temperature by 3 degrees over 5 hours later. Thoughts?

 

[kidgreen61]

My experience of UFH is that it requires 24hr forethought, you are warming a large thermal mass, which takes ages to warm up. and ages to cool down. Unlike radiators which will warm a room fairly quickly.

The advice therefore is to keep it more or less at at a constant comfy temp.

It sounds as though your thermostat isn't doing what it should, or you may have a faulty zone valve.

Needs investigation by someone who knows.

 

[Exedon]

You should really be operating the underfloor with a maximum of 4 degrees C between desired temperature and backset temperature.

 

[Madrab]

Turn it down, the room stat in an UFH setting should be set back at couple of deg lower than a normal CH setup. It heats you and the space completely differently to normal radiators so needs to be used in a different way.

 

[nadimaj]

Thanks Rob, seems the best way out.

 

[Madrab]

I am finding that a lot of my clients are now asking how to use their systems more effectively/efficiently given the energy crisis. Up to now so many people have never worried about using copious amounts of gas, given it has been so cheap. It has always been, bang it on, turn it up and all walk about like it's the Maldives.

That's all changing and people are now having to consider how to interact with their systems and work smarter to reduce energy use and keep the bills down. It's quite incredible how many people don't realise just how much they need to understand and work with their CH to keep things warm but minimise energy use.

UFH is especially effective when it comes to space heating but it does have to be worked with and understood how it works and heats the space and the people in it.