If you are building a new home of your very own, or even if you are upgrading an old one, the question over which type of heating arrangement you install will make all the difference to your future comfort.

Although the modern smart home is faced with many options in indoor heating solutions, these tend to be limited to traditional heating systems. We are here to offer up underfloor heating as a viable alternative for whole-home-heat. Could it be the answer you are looking for to rid yourself of nasty looking radiators? Let’s compare notes.

What is Underfloor Heating?

Underfloor heating is a system of warming your home which relies upon underfloor wiring and elements to heat your home. As you expect from the name, these elements are under the actual floorboards of your house. This lets you put heating throughout the home without any unsightly radiators.

There are many benefits to underfloor heating such as a reduction in droughts, less cold patches around the house, and a comfortable, sustained indoor air temperature. Let’s discuss how it works.

How Does it Work?

To get underfloor heating, pipes and heating elements are laid under the floorboards of your home, alongside various smart thermostats to monitor the temperature. There are generally two types. One uses electricity to heat your house, the other works more like a traditional heating system in that it provides heated water which is piped around the home to provide the heat.

Pros of Underfloor Heating

If you take care of your underfloor heating system, it could last as long as fifty years. This is for a water-based model. Electrical underfloor heating lasts for around 25 years. Regular maintenance will help prolong the shelf life of your new heating system.

Underfloor heating is energy-efficient, provides whole-house-warmth, and saves you space in every room of the home.

Cons of Underfloor Heating

When you choose an underfloor heating system, you will receive a massive overhaul to your home. This is why most people chose to do it when the rooms are fresh or during the construction phase. The original setup is disruptive, but once it is in place it is far more reliable and long-lasting than a boiler based heating system.

What are Traditional Boiler Heating Systems?

Traditional boiler and radiator systems are what you are probably used to. This system pipes heated water around your home using either gas or electricity. This heated water travels the pipes in your walls towards your radiators, the centralised locations which emit heat.

How Does it Work?

By piping that hot water around the different rooms of your house, you can effectively heat the rooms. This can force out stale air and condensation, and indoor heating is a necessary tool in the modern home. However, it does come with both good and bad aspects.

Pros of Traditional Boiler Heating Systems

Traditional boiler heating systems are less disruptive to install than underfloor heating is. You can control the temperature of each room individually. You are probably used to this system already and don’t need to learn how it works.

Cons of Traditional Boiler Heating Systems

The centralised release of hot air means your home is filled with cold spots and droughts. You also have the added issue of radiators taking up space and requiring maintenance.

What is Best for Your Home or New Build?

Ultimately the choice is yours. Do you want ultra-modern, fully heated and comfortable rooms? Or do you not mind the space radiators take up? We think every home could benefit from underfloor heating… All you need is know-how.