|
|
|
|
The future is on the floor! |
 by Pieter Jansens, chief executive, Speedheat International
Everybody is feeling the pinch. Rocketing energy costs, the global credit crunch and a housing market in crisis are hitting us all. The predicted 40 per cent rise in heating bills this winter is enough to make you consider turning off the heating and donning an extra sweater or two.
Except that none of us want to go back to the bad old cold days. So how can we reduce the impact of keeping warm on our pockets and effect on the environment?
The future is at our feet – and it’s electric!
Underfloor heating isn’t new. The Romans were famous for it but it was costly in labour and energy and disappeared when their empire crumbled.
But the theory was sound. Architects and engineers know that warmth has to come from the ground up, because heat rises. When the concept re-emerged after World War II, only the wealthy could afford these oil or coal-fired hot water systems that were still very inefficient.
The fuel had to be burned to heat the water to pump through the system until eventually you got some heat in the room. And it really was under the floor, or embedded in the sub floor that meant the concrete had to heat up before anything rose to the surface.
So we doggedly stuck to radiators usually run on natural gas – until now. Advances in electrical engineering have created a new generation of controllable, super efficient systems, which are less underfloor and more radiant surface heating, like an electric blanket nestling just under your chosen floor finish.
The performance is phenomenal, taking as little as 20 minutes before you feel comfortably warm, reducing energy consumption tremendously. A hot water system can take 3-5 hours to get the same result.
If a whole house switched to electrical radiant floor heating, energy consumption could be reduced by as much as 60-70 per cent. That’s huge and would more than cancel out the current price difference between electricity and other fuels.
Politicians focus on ‘stop loss’ of energy, giving grants for insulation. That should always be the first step. But they should also help with acquiring efficient heating. Prevention is always better than cure!
Health is another issue. Check the top of your radiators and the top of your walls and see the dirt and dust that gets swirled around by the ‘convection’ from radiators - people are inhaling this! No wonder respiratory and dry skin problems are on the increase.
Today’s electrical systems are more part of the flooring industry than plumbing and heating and a growing number of flooring contractors are discovering it ‘s a great add-on for their business.
Quick to install, systems are available for all types of floor coverings, from wood and vinyl, stone to ceramic and carpet. There are good quality, ‘plug and go’ DIY products that anybody can lay under the odd rug or carpet. A bigger project is best carried out by a professional who can ensure it meets optimum comfort requirements as well as safety and installation regulations.
It’s all about performance. With electricity, you only pay when you receive what you use, so the faster you heat, the cheaper the cost. Together with increasing ‘green’ electricity generation, it’s good for you and good for the planet!
|
Speedheat & Amtico.
The perfect combination.
Renovation and new build.
Great with stone, tiles or
wood.
Superb in conservatories.
Use them all year round.
|
