Underfloor heating questions.....and others

[bradhawkins7]

1) I have a ground floor cupboard which currently has the electrical consumer unit, gas mains supply and some water and heating pipe risers between the ground and 1st floors. Can I position my underfloor heating manifold in this cupboard?

2) What is involved in connecting up a electrical fused spur to run the underfloor heating? Can I do this myself? What are the regs relating to this?

3) Why is it not possible to have central heating on without hot water? Surley the 2 port motorised valve can direct water to the central heating without sending water through the hot water tank?

4) Can I connect my towel radiator to the underfloor heating loop for the bathroom (50 degrees C) or do I need a dedicated central heating line just for this towel radiator?

All help is greatly appreciated.

 

[charliechaplinspants]

1) I have a ground floor cupboard which currently has the electrical consumer unit, gas mains supply and some water and heating pipe risers between the ground and 1st floors. Can I position my underfloor heating manifold in this cupboard?

Yes, but don`t forget you will need enough space to get your flow/return pipework to the manifold. Depending on how many zones you have you will also have to get all your flow/return pipework from your underlfloor into the manifolds, gonna get quite busy in there.

2) What is involved in connecting up a electrical fused spur to run the underfloor heating? Can I do this myself? What are the regs relating to this?

Your underfloor heating is run from your boiler and stats in each zone, not from a spur.

3) Why is it not possible to have central heating on without hot water? Surley the 2 port motorised valve can direct water to the central heating without sending water through the hot water tank?

A 2 port valve only works in 2 positions. open to heating or closed, because your flow pipe to your cylinder is before your 2 port you can have hot water/heating or hot water only by closing down 2 port. You can add another 2 port on the flow pipe to your cylinder or change your pipework configuration to fit a 3 port valve which wil give you the choice of heating only, hot water only or heating and hot water together.

4) Can I connect my towel radiator to the underfloor heating loop for the bathroom (50 degrees C) or do I need a dedicated central heating line just for this towel radiator?

You will need to tee of the flow pipe to your manifold to feed the towel rad, take your return and tie it in to the return pipe to your boiler, make sure your cylinder return is the last connection before boiler otherwise you may get reverse circulation, (hot water going up your heating pipe when heating is supposed to be off), if this is the only rad you are putting in. If you already have existing rads, tie in to nearest return.

You may find it a better idea to take your flow pipes to the manifold in 28mm, depending on how far the manifold is from the boiler, depends on your whole setup, are you having rads as well as underfloor heating? etc.
Polypipe are quite helpful regarding these matters and will do all drawings etc ,free of charge, and advise you on the install. I found them excellent.

(This is advice given purely through my own personal experience, it is not to be taken as the Word of God & further professional advice should be sought).