Underfloor Running Costs

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Discuss Underfloor Running Costs in the Tiling on Underfloor Heating area at TilersForums.com.

Chris_32

Chris_32

TF
2
113
Maidstone
Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone knew roughly the cost of running electric underfloor heating? I am aware that different systems will be slightly different but just a general estimate from peoples experience.

I am asking as was building an extension in our house and weighing up the cost of underfloor as opposed to having radiators installed as they would be difficult to place in the layout we want.

Floor area will be roughly 16-20sqm and about 130 watt system but am open to advice on this.

Thanks.
 
S

Spare Tool

Chris_32 said:
Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone knew roughly the cost of running electric underfloor heating? I am aware that different systems will be slightly different but just a general estimate from peoples experience.

I am asking as was building an extension in our house and weighing up the cost of underfloor as opposed to having radiators installed as they would be difficult to place in the layout we want.

Floor area will be roughly 16-20sqm and about 130 watt system but am open to advice on this.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
A twenty sqm matt at 200watts per sqm uses 4kilowatts...roughly the same as a small fan heater.
Smaller the watts of the matt longer time it takes to get up to temperature.
 
O

Old Mod

Chris_32 said:
I was leaning towards electric as I could install that myself and would save the cost of installation. I also wasn't aware that you could do single room wet systems.
Click to expand...
You can do all the donkey work yourself before the screed goes in, just fixing pipes to the insulation isn't difficult and you would bring the tails to where the manifold is to be fitted. Then you have an heating engineer connect it up. Obviously seek advice from those who know first in respect of how and where to run the pipework. But you can do it.
 
Chalker

Chalker

TF
Arms
628
1,058
Tadcaster
What sort of heating system have you got?
Much better to run it of your boiler. It will need a new zone connecting into the main heating pipework and running to a manifold. This then reduces the water temperature and feeds pipework clipped down to the insulation/ vapour barrier amd then screeded over. A room thermostat will control this.
If you can't do it all yourself, get a plumber yo connect in and run the pipes to the manifold and do the rest yourself. A good sized extension should only take two to three hours to install. I use Wundafloor, they are decent quality and cheap.
 
T

Time's Ran Out

These new 'smart meters' show how much the electric UFH costs to run. We did a small kitchen end of last year with 3sq mts of Ufh and when I put it on to test it cost almost 10p an hour!
I was always under the impression it was 1/2p per metre per hour i.e. 3sq mts = 1 & 1/2 p per hour . Doesn't seem much 10sq mts = 5p for 6 hours = 30p x 30 days = £9.00 a month = £108 a year for 1 floor !!
Do careful use is needed.
 
Chris_32

Chris_32

TF
2
113
Maidstone
DavidP-TUFHS said:
20m2 can easily be done on a single circuit pump (if it's in the same room) you probably wouldn't even need a manifold. If you have a drawing of your extension I would be happy to do a pipe layout and a quote for you.
Click to expand...

Hi David. I have some drawings of existing heating layout and proposed extension that I can email you over for a quote if thats ok. What is your email address?
 
M

Myatix

Hi Chris, We thought about having electrical underfloor heating mats put in our extension but after we spoke to a consultant it made a lot of sense to use wet underfloor heating. There is a lot more to it than just how many watts the mat draws. You also need to take into consideration insulation and heat loss calculations. IE: The type and number of windows you have in the house the thickness of the walls etc etc... All of this will have a huge impact on your electricity bill.
Also the chances of an electrical heat mat going wrong over a 10 year period is alot greater than a wet underfloor heating system having issues and wet underfloor heating systems tend to be a lot easier to fix. (Not very easy to pull up an electrical mat and change it if it short circuits or malfunctions.)
Most water based underfloor heating systems have a 25 to 50 year guarantee on pipe so definitely something to consider.

Good luck with the project! :)
 
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Dan

Dan

Admin
Staff member
5,039
1,323
Staffordshire, UK
Myatix said:
Hi Chris, We thought about having electrical underfloor heating mats put in our extension but after we spoke to a consultant it made a lot of sense to use wet underfloor heating. There is a lot more to it than just how many watts the mat draws. You also need to take into consideration insulation and heat loss calculations. IE: The type and number of windows you have in the house the thickness of the walls etc etc... All of this will have a huge impact on your electricity bill.
Also the chances of an electrical heat mat going wrong over a 10 year period is alot greater than a wet underfloor heating system having issues and wet underfloor heating systems tend to be a lot easier to fix. (Not very easy to pull up an electrical mat and change it if it short circuits or malfunctions.)
Most water based underfloor heating systems have a 25 to 50 year guarantee on pipe so definitely something to consider.
Good luck with the project! :)
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And your connection with them is?
 
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M

Myatix

Hi Dan,

Sorry I don't know what you mean? We had our underfloor heating installed in 2016. I was just trying to point Chris to someone we found to be very helpful in advising us when we installed our underfloor heating. No one here seems to have mentioned that "heat loss calculations" are the key to calculating and installing an effective underfloor heating system.
 
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Dan

Dan

Admin
Staff member
5,039
1,323
Staffordshire, UK
Myatix said:
Hi Dan,

Sorry I don't know what you mean? We had our underfloor heating installed in 2016 by EcoHeatCool. I was just trying to point Chris to someone we found to be very helpful in advising us when we installed our underfloor heating. No one here seems to have mentioned that "heat loss calculations" are the key to calculating and installing an effective underfloor heating system.
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So you arrived on our forum, registered, came straight to this thread, to tell us about heat loss and to link to your supplier?

Fair enough.

No more links though please.

Note that we have a paying sponsor, uHeat, who have been running for a very long time and know their stuff.

Also note that heat loss would be the same whether water or UFH (Insulation type dependent) so your argument to have water over electric because of heat loss in null and void.

Also note that uHeat have a LIFETIME guarantee on electric. Very few have 10 years. And I've never known electric UFH fail ever. It's always the stat or probe or somebody physically damaging the cable.

I'd also give it some time before you say your supplier is brilliant because their system hasn't even done one full four seasons. The floor still has time to fail.

That company seems quite new what actual make did they sell you?
 
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Dan

Dan

Admin
Staff member
5,039
1,323
Staffordshire, UK
Myatix said:
If you don't like links perhaps you should remove the possibility of creating links in the forum?

I spend a lot of time writing forum posts because I think it is fun to help people having built an extension myself. Anyway I'm sorry if I offended you by providing what we found to be a helpful resource, during our self build.
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I don't mind genuine people linking. Just not suppliers leaving false positive feedback to link build.

I literally do this all day. Carry on. :)
 
M

Myatix

They existed for over 30 years as stated on their about us page. We used them for a project when I worked for on the Mary Rose exibition for heating and cooling the environment to ensure the boat didn't decay anymore and remained in a perfect state of restoration.
So I was pretty confident they knew what they were doing, having worked on a heritage site and on a Lottery funded project! :)
I don't know who told you that about electrical floor mats, but your information isn't correct. I am sure most people would feel happier about having a water based system with a pvc pipe running through a solid concrete floor or similar rather than an electrical device that is more than likely to go wrong. But by all means don't take my word, just google problems after installing underfloor heating electrical mats.
Anyway I just wanted to give Chris some helpful advice. Good luck with your project, which ever solution you choose.
 
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S

Spare Tool

Myatix said:
has existed for over 30 years as stated on their about us page. We used them for a project when I worked for on the Mary Rose exibition for heating and cooling the environment to ensure the boat didn't decay anymore and remained in a perfect state of restoration.
So I was pretty confident they knew what they were doing, having worked on a heritage site and on a Lottery funded project! :)
I don't know who told you that about electrical floor mats, but your information isn't correct. I am sure most people would feel happier about having a water based system with a pvc pipe running through a solid concrete floor or similar rather than an electrical device that is more than likely to go wrong. But by all means don't take my word, just google problems after installing underfloor heating electrical mats.
Anyway I just wanted to give Chris some helpful advice. Good luck with your project, which ever solution you choose.
Click to expand...
I've been fitting electric ufh mats for over ten years and have never ever heard of one I've fitted failing...wet has there place, so do electric :)
 
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Dan

Dan

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Staffordshire, UK
Google problems with water UFH and you will find some. That's a poor argument.

I can spot a link builder a mile off.

We literally have over 100,000 electricians and plumbers and 10,000 Tilers. The exact three trades to fit and cover up electric and water UFH lol

I've fitted miles of the stuff from about 2001 onwards, not one has failed.
 
Lou

Lou

Admin
Staff member
Esteemed
866
1,473
Staffordshire

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