Electric floor heating systems have very low installation cost for smaller spaces (1-5 rooms) because they are easy to install and have a very low start-up cost (a thermostat is all that is required and costs only about $100-$200). Although electric floor heating systems work well as a primary heat source, most systems are installed in the bathroom to add comfort and warmth to cold tile.
Electric floor heating systems are also typically installed in kitchens, bathrooms or in rooms that require additional heat (such as a cold basement, an addition or a kids' playroom, low voltage electric systems are suitable for entire home installations. Rooms can be zoned with their own thermostat and programmed around the schedule of the inhabitant, this can add efficiency to an entire homes energy consumption.
Another advantage of electric underfloor heating over a warm-water system is the floor build up/height. Floor build up can be as little as 1 mm. The electric cables are usually installed onto an insulation board or directly onto the subfloor or padding (under carpet or laminate); then the floor covering is placed directly over the heating system or thinset.
Electric underfloor heating also benefits from faster installation times, with a typical installation only taking half day to a day depending on size to install. Also warm up times are generally a lot quicker than "wet" systems because the cables are installed directly below the finished flooring making it a direct acting heat source rather than a storage heater.
Electric system are supplied in several different forms. They can be one long continuous length of cable with the consumer having to weave the cable up and down the floor at a pre-determined spacing and making a return loop to complete the circuit, or they can be provided in mat form, where the heating element is pre-formed in a mat that rolls out onto the floor. Most high voltage cables have a built in return, meaning that you have one end to connect. Most low voltage technologies consist of a loop with a start and end. With the introduction of the built in return came the “cable mat”. Cable mats have added to the ease of installing a floor heating system by having the heating cable already pre-spaced on to a nylon mesh. Cable mats however can cause issues for odd shaped spaces where a free rolled cable may be able to cover in a more custom pattern. Also to take into account is longevity of a system considering high voltage and low voltage technologies.
One technique is to lay the heating cable directly onto an insulated concrete floor and then apply tile on top of it. Where time-of-use electricity metering is available, this type of system can be turned on at night when electricity rates are low, and then allowed to warm the house during the day by relying on the heat energy held within the thermal mass of the concrete.
Sometimes, in order to minimize floor buildup, a low voltage bronze screen or a carbon film heating element is used. Carbon film systems are normally installed onto a thin insulation underlay (approx 6mm) to reduce thermal loss to the sub-floor. Carbon film is used under various floor finishes, traditionally laminate flooring or engineered wood. Vinyls, carpets and other "soft" floor finishes can be heated using carbon film elements or low voltage bronze screen elements, provided a suitable overboarding system is used.
In comparison to combustion/hydronic systems, electric systems can be more efficient, if only the efficiency of the equipment in the building is considered. However, as discussed in the article on electric heating, the efficiency of generating electricity from fossil fuels is low. Electric systems however are either on or off and do not require idling times. Electric systems also have the advantage of needing no maintenance and can more easily be controlled to run when and where they are needed. However, electric underfloor heating systems cannot provide cooling in summer.
Conservatory Heating - using electric underfloor heating
Conservatories are a very popular home improvement because they provide high levels of natural light, offer views into the garden and provide an additional living space into the home. While a glass construction offers passive, free heating via a solar gain it equally looses heat on cold, overcast days and nights.
With no floor insulation, heat loss (and cold gain) through the concrete slab can be considerable, creating a floor that will radiate cold into the conservatory; hence the cold tiles. Equally, heated floors can work in reverse radiating warmth into the room but can be very inefficient if installed with no insulation: thermal energy will travel down into the slab!
A high quality, thermal insulating barrier between the electric under floor heating and the concrete slab can make a significant difference to the overall performance, slowing the process of heat loss into the slab. Alternatively, for new build constructions, floor insulation is incorporated into the base; this configuration will produce the best overall performance for the floor heating system.
Using underfloor heating to heat your conservatory can prove to be a very efficient and invisible way to provide a comfortable heat source, allowing you the freedom to design your interior and furniture layout the way you want.
Having made a relatively small investment in your conservatory electric under floor heating you can now sit and relax in the warmth of a heated tile floor any time of the year and enjoy the pleasure of warm tiles all year round.
