UFH - Overlay/Retrofit

[hgrdkx]

Hi,

I am struggling to find many reviews from people who have installed overlay underfloor heating systems. Would be interested to hear thoughts of how people who have it installed and whether they rate it?

I have a 115sq/m bungalow that I am looking to install UFH into. Floor is concrete with no insulation in the slab. It would be primary source of heating, getting rid of a old single line central heating system.

I've had quotes off UFHstore.com (Prowarm system), Nu-heat (lopromax & lopro10 systems) & UFH1 so far.

Some difference in between quoted prices with what I'm beginning to find are similar systems essentially, either XPS board/gypsum board and different pipe size / and or spacing ultimately affects what Wattage/per sqmtr will be achieved.

Any recommendations/views would be much appreciated. As said very little in terms of information on the overlay systems, we have looked at excavating and installing a conventional UFH system but have ultimately decided against it. We would probably look to take off the top layer 40mm or so of screed to allow the install height of the overlay system to remain roughly the same.

Thanks in advance.

 

[hgrdkx]

Bump

 

[muggles]

I've fitted a lot of NuHeat LoPro Max and have many happy customers as a result

 

[Crezzer]

I use www.bhiveunderfloor.co.uk for all my underfloor gear, speak to will and he'll sort you out.

 

[Notch7]

Floor is concrete with no insulation in the slab. It would be primary source of heating

I dotn think those 2 go together.

UFH works great as an inscreed system over 100mm insulation.

It doesnt work great over uninsulated concrete.

How would you take off 40mm of screed?

 

[muggles]

I dotn think those 2 go together.

UFH works great as an inscreed system over 100mm insulation.

It doesnt work great over uninsulated concrete.

How would you take off 40mm of screed?

They do go together if you use the correct system. LoPro Max is designed to be laid directly onto the existing floor with no digging

 

[roboughton]

I am thinking of doing similar have you found a good supplier yet? I have wet UFH in my extension but now I am renovating the older side of the house I want to add a retrofit system in. There isn't much info out there on it and how well it performs. I think I may just go with the same brand i used last time with XPS boards and a overlay board as advised, I will add two pipe drops in the walls just in case I have to go back to rads if it doesn't work out

 

[mileycooper]

Any updates on these systems. Looking at the wunda rapid response

 

[hgrdkx]

Went with UFH1. It was an awful lot of work to install as we needed to remove the top layer of screed to ensure it matched the remaining floor level after installation. We went with just the master + ensuite to trial after finishing the installation. Floor covering was engineered wood and tiles in the ensuite.

Works great as a system, used heatmiser stats/controls and nice app, however it definitely wasn't worth the effort and we decided not to install in the rest of the house as planned as we didn't rate it vs the trade off of a simple radiator install. If you were going overfloor it would be easier but the screeding and copious bags of self levelling compound to level off the floor is something I have no desire to do again any time soon!

Pros:
Feet warm on the ensuite is nice.
Zonal control is nice.
Residual heat from it seems to last some time in the floor.
Would probably be nice in a room that didn't have many large objects in it (sofas/bed). Conservatory/hallway/bathroom.

Cons (relating mainly to a large master bedroom with wood flooring):
Takes an age to warm up in comparison to rads. By the time you want it the requirement has normally gone, it needs to be well-timed to be effective.
Not sure how effective the residual heat from it is, floor feels warm, room not so much.
Doesn't feel as warm in the room in comparison to one with a rad in it, the overall heat output is just lower and slower.
Installing it in the bedroom is a bad idea. Heat stays trapped under the bed, makes the bed hot and uncomfortable to sleep in. You also can't really store anything under the bed because of the heat. Subsequently, we rarely use it at night even when it's cold because of this.