Underfloor Heating

[RussellBa]

Hello all

Just found this site and very good it is to, just hoping it can answer my query.

I have a small bathroom with about 1.8m2 of floor space. I am going to tile it and would like to be able to warm them when its cold. Rather than installing electric underfloor heating I was thinking of extending the CH pipe work by doubling it back on itself before taking it to the radiatorand laying the pipework in insulation then tiling over the top. Has anyone tried anything similar or is there a problem with this idea.

Thanks for any suggestions
RussellBa

 

[Trev B]

Never tried it but have installed underfloor with a plastic flexible pipe, (not like hep2o), and the method was to fix it tight under the boards with first fix type clips and insulate beneath the pipes to direct the heat upwards.

Have often thought about doing what you are thinking of with copper tube but not sure of the expansion aspect, spose it depends on how many times you're doubling back on yourself.

if you do it and it works let us know.

 

[JPC]

likewise...
not sure if it would work or not....seems you would creat alot of resistance for the ch water....
dunno is the answer..
i did my bathroom with electric ufh. works a treat and its independant from the ch...ie in the summer the floor is still roasty-toasty

 

[RussellBa]

Thanks for the replies.

I wondered about resistance, I was going to use plastc pipework as in the rest of my system. However, have just found a similar question and the concern there was the temperature of the water in flowing under the floor, a bit too hot.

Think i'll go the electric way.

Thanks
RussellBa

 

[Chris_R]

In Austria, underfloor heating is very common, it's terrific to walk on warm terracotta tiles when it's -20 degrees outside. But you are correct, underfloor heating is generally at a lower water temp (normally 40 to 60 C). We have radiators in the rooms with wood floors and underfloor in the tiled rooms. An electrically controlled mixer valve drops the water temp for the floor heating.

If you only need to heat 1.8m then probably electrical is the easiest, though more expensive on the running costs. Depending on your setup, you might just try running the normal CH pipe under the floor!

 

[chrishutt]

Danfoss make valves for use with very small underfloor heating set ups. they're a bit like TRVs but respond to return temperature in pipe, so regulate flow and temperature in underfloor section to acceptable limits. Also more expensive than TRV, but much cheaper than normal underfloor control system with pump and mixing valve.