The UK is increasingly waking up to the concept of underfloor heating, which is already popular throughout the rest of Europe. Wavin Plastics outlines some of the key advantages
Research into the UK's perceptions of underfloor heating, commissioned by water management solutions provider Wavin Plastics recently revealed that more than a third of house buyers would include underfloor heating in their top-five wish list of luxury items when buying a new home.

Findings also showed that, for three in five people, the presence of underfloor heating would make them more likely to consider buying a new property.

Chris Simmons, commercial manager for Osma Underfloor Heating, says: 'Property advisers have said that a shift in the market in terms of people expectations when renting or buying a property has already occurred. Changes in building regulations have led to architects and developers realising that, if a home is equipped with environmentally friendly and sustainable solutions such as underfloor heating, it can increase the value of the property by as much as 10% or 15%.

'We're now seeing this change in perception filter down through the property market with increasing numbers of homeowners choosing underfloor heating.'

Adding value to property is not the only benefit of underfloor heating. Homeowners, once happy with radiators, are now demanding much more from their central-heating systems and have become more style conscious than ever before.

However, while style and design are key issues for the homeowner, cost, comfort, health and safety remain high on the agenda. It is important to assess all of these factors to gain an appreciation of the real benefits of using underfloor heating.

Running costs and resulting savings on fuel bills are major incentives to those considering changing from traditional radiators to underfloor heating.

The majority of radiators are positioned beneath the window in order to counteract the effect of down-draught from the glass, and so radiators lose much more energy through windows. Underfloor heating uses water heated to 40-60ºC, which can be easily generated by solar panels or heat pumps if desired. Radiators, on the other hand, need water at 60-80ºC. Because underfloor heating uses cooler water than radiators, the condensing boiler is operating at its most efficient condensing mode, saving energy and therefore money when it comes to fuel bills - as much as 15%, according to British Gas.

The other cost benefit is that there are no radiators which need cleaning or painting, and it can be less expensive to redecorate a room which does not have any obstructions on the wall.

Comfort is another major factor with any heating installation. Whereas radiators distribute their heat by convection, resulting in a higher temperature at ceiling level, underfloor heating works by radiant heating, distributing it evenly through the room with no floor draughts.
This means warm feet, as well as low running costs and maintenance.

It is estimated that, by not having heaters on the walls, there is 15% more space within a room. This enables homeowners to place furniture in the most convenient or desired place. However, safety and health factors are also crucial as radiators can contain water at 70˚C and carry a risk of contact burns and collision damage. Underfloor heating, by comparison, reaches no more than 29˚C - much safer for young children and the elderly.

For allergy sufferers, there are further benefits. Underfloor heating does not produce a strong convective air movement, so the transfer of fine dust into the air within a room is minimised. This can be a significant benefit for asthmatics.

Underfloor heating has the additional advantage of unhindered room layout. Without the need to plan around a radiator, home owners have more design flexibility - ideal for large televisions, for example.

The six Osma underfloor heating systems from Wavin include Electric Mats, Staples, System Plates, Pocketed Polystyrene, Foiled Polystyrene and Modular Chipboard. These, the company says, offer complete flexibility to suit all buildings and floor constructions. And, branded Genius, the Osma systems use the latest technology but are still simple to understand and easy to install, it says.

The new Osma Underfloor Heating Electric Mat system is the latest addition to this range. Available in 100W/m2 for timber subfloors and 150W/m2 for solid subfloors, the 5mm-thick mats are able to accommodate all floor structures. They are constructed from self-adhesive glass fibre mesh, which can be cut to size. According to Osma, this system is fast and easy to install, and suitable for all room types.

www.wavin.co.uk