Underfloor Heating Advice: The Do’s and Don’ts

Building or renovating a house can cost you a fortune and a lot of your time. During this process, many homeowners tend to devote themselves to the colours, finishes and furnishings of the house. However, they rarely pay enough attention to the underfloor heating system hidden beneath the house. 

This heating technology offers numerous advantages to its users, but it can only result in low performance of the system or bring disaster if it is not properly installed. Therefore, it is advisable to adhere to the manual instructions for installation and maintenance.

This article has also summarised the do’s and don’ts guidelines, so you can minimise the potential troubles that may occur from improper installation and usage.

Underfloor Heating Know-How

Do’s

• Before laying underfloor heating, make sure you have thoroughly read and understand the instructions from the manufacturer. The procedures are intended to assist in getting the job done correctly the first time you set up the heating unit, instead of being used only as a reference when you encounter problems.
• Peel off the protective layer to expose the adhesive on the heater mesh. This allows the backing to stick firmly to the subfloor. When laying out the system, you can first position the electrical mats loosely with the plastic still on, so you can easily adjust their placement to cover the floor evenly. Once you’re happy with the layout, remove the plastic film and press the mesh down so it bonds securely to the subfloor.
• To guarantee consistent heat throughout the room, you need to make sure that all the thermal wires and cold tail network of the underfloor heating are completely enclosed in a coating of elastic cement-based adhesive for tiles or levelling compound.
• In order to prevent damage to the heater wire, positionthe underfloor heating thermostat installation cable facing downward. If you put it in a moist environment, make sure it meets the required IP rating and is installed in accordance with local electrical safety standards.
• Ensure that your underfloor heating isolator switch is secured by the appropriate residual current device (RCD).
• Utilise the included mat sensor to warn you of any harm to cables when you install or lay the heating unit on the floor.
• Check whether your existing floor is suitable for installing radiant floor heating. You should also check whether it will be safe to set the highest temperature, particularly for soft flooring materials like carpet or wood laminate.
• If you hire an expert in installing underfloor heating, make sure that the customer handover form has been completed after finishing the setup. This document can be utilised to proceed with the online warranty application after 60 days of the heater being put in place.
• Confirm that every electrical task related to the installation of the underfloor heating is completed by a skilled electrician. It is also crucial to make sure that all inspections are conducted and properly reported following the installation procedure. It is important to conduct all testing and final wiring with their expertise.
• If you’re using multiple mats, make sure the total load of all heating elements stays within the thermostat’s maximum capacity. If the combined load exceeds that limit, the mats should be connected through a suitable contactor (relay) controlled by the thermostat. Always include an appropriate underfloor heating isolator switch so the system can be safely disconnected for maintenance.

Don’ts

• Never cut or split the wires in your radiant heating system. This often happens by mistake or because they misunderstand how the system works. The heat comes from a resistive element inside the cable, and altering it changes the resistance. This can potentially start a fire.
• Don’t hide any extra heating cable behind cabinet outlets or inside the wall. Instead, secure any surplus firmly into an additional layer of flexible tile adhesive.
• Don’t let the heater wires to be placed overlap.
• Don’t set the fitting of the underfloor heating mats in series. They should be connected in parallel.
• Never test-run or switch on underfloor heating until it’s properly installed and covered. Therefore, how to do underfloor heating correctly is to hire a qualified electrician to run several tests on the system before the system is configured according to the manufacturer’s manual.
• Do not stretch or bind the cold tail joints.
• Do not keep your mat sensor on while not in use. It will only drain the battery, and the heating appliance will stop working.
• Heating wires should not be spaced less than 50 mm apart.
• You shouldn’t put fixed or built-in objects directly over the area where the underfloor heating is installed.

Conclusion

Installing a radiant floor heating system can increase your property’s market value. It also frees up space in your home since it doesn’t require bulky radiators or visible heating units. However, it is crucial to pay attention to the do’s and don’ts to make sure that you can maximise the advantage of this technology.

Hopefully, with this article, you are able to discover the appropriate strategies on how to do underfloor heating and to efficiently use it in your house. Whether for electric or underfloor hydronic heating, make sure to follow the manufacturer’s procedure for its installation. 

It is in everyone’s best interest to ask for assistance from an electrical expert. Other than having a good comprehension of how to install underfloor heating, they have the responsibility and capacity to guarantee that the installation already meets all the latest applicable laws related to safety, electricity, and building.