We’re in the middle of a bit of a cold snap at the moment. You know what it’s like… Off goes the alarm but the air outside the comfort of your snuggly bed feels a few degrees cooler. You shuffle into the bathroom and are hit by the cold tiles on your toes. The kitchen’s no better either – that draught’s still coming through the back door. And to compound the problem, the radiators could do with a bleed – they just aren’t getting as warm as they should be.
Now picture this scene.
You walk into the bathroom and your toes are toasty. The room feels nice and warm and suddenly you feel more awake, ready to take on whatever the day has in store. More of the same in the kitchen. A lovely temperature, a happy cat snoozing in the corner and the smell of a fresh cup of coffee your other half has just made for you.
I know which I’d prefer!
Our friends on the continent have been avid users of underfloor heating for years. The Romans actually invented the first systems way back in the 1st century BC. Once the Roman Empire crumbled they took the systems with them, but thankfully they’re now experiencing a renaissance and it’s not difficult to see why.
Here’s five reasons why you need them in your life:
Radiant Heat
I won’t bore you with too much science, but the heat from underfloor heating (UFH from now on) is what’s know as radiant. Unlike radiators which blast heat from one part of the room and have to wait for the air to circulate, UFH warms the entire floor and this radiant heat creates consistent warm air throughout the room. This means no more cold spots in your rooms. Strange as it sounds, if you ask anyone who’s had UFH installed, they’ll tell you that it’s a far nicer heat than standard central heating systems.
Space Saving
Let’s face it, most radiators are a bit of an eyesore. Granted the great Edwardian cast iron affairs are beautiful to look at, but they are about as efficient as solar panels in winter in the arctic circle (i.e. not very). And moreover radiators take up valuable wall space.
With UFH, you’ll no longer need to worry about not being able to put your sofa on the wall you wanted as there’s nothing to go on the wall! All of the workings (pipes if it’s a wet system and cables if its electric) are hidden under the floor. So all of your furniture from beds and sofas to tables and wardrobes can live wherever you want them to live.
Practicality
Ever tried to brush your treeth right after someone’s been in the shower? In my house, that only means one thing – wet socks.
Besides being toasty on your feet, one very useful by product of heat through the floor is that it dries water up quickly. So no more tiptoe-ing around the puddles of water! The same goes for floors that have been freshly mopped. Give the UFH 10 or so minutes and it will magically dry any water left on the surface of the tile.
Easy to use
The timers that come with UFH systems are a doddle to use and are capable of programming 7 separate day cycles. This means you can set it to come on before you get up in the morning and tailor the times to suit your busy life.
The timers also acts as thermostats meaning that once the room has reached your desired ambient temperature, the system will keep it at this level. This efficiency is great for the room, your energy bills and ultimately the planet.
No more cold feet
It’s an obvious one, but it does need emphasising; UFH is great at keeping your feet warm on those cold winter mornings (and if you think slippers are a little bit passe). Not only that, your pets will love the warmth of the tiles under paw. I’m no pet psychologist but my cats certainly seemed happier since the new kitchen floor with UFH was installed!
If you need any advice on underfloor heating, don’t hesitate to give us a call or drop us an email. We can supply electric systems of different wattages to suit bathrooms, kitchens, cloakrooms and living spaces. And trust me, once you’ve lived with UFH you’ll never want to see an ugly radiator ever again!