UFH & Conventional radiators

[LankyPaddy]

I'm currently doing up a 1950's semi. I'm planning on replacing my existing boiler with a condensing combi. Existing radiators will be replaced on the ground floor except for the kitchen where a wet underfloor system is desirable. First floor radiators will also be replaced except for the bathroom where a towel rail will be installed together with wet underfloor heating.

What are the problems associated with such a mixed design?

In particular, how do I manage the earlier warm-up requirement of rooms using underfloor heating to compensate for the thermal lag of such systems especially when it it is common practice to use the cooler CH return to the boiler to drive the underfloor system?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[LankyPaddy]

Sorry to dump my own thread, but has anyone had any experience with mixed systems such as this?

Thanks
Paddy

 

[jj4091]

Not from a professional point of view, but my BIL has such a system which is completely hopeless. Sorry cannot give you details other than he had UFH installed in an extension & says it was a complete waste of money.

 

[LankyPaddy]

Hmm, that's disappointing. I guess I could install electric UFH instead, although I always thought the running costs were quite high.

 

[ianniann]

Done properly it works. Done badly you have a huge job to fix it. You also have a big learning curve getting used to how the UFH works which is quite different to radiators. It is important to get the right controls so you can have the two types of system on and off independently and at the right times.

 

[LankyPaddy]

I'll get onto some UFH companies then and see what they can design/spec out for me.

Thanks for the replies