Have you ever considered installing electric heating under the floor?

Installing electric heating under the floor, removes the need for unsightly radiators. They bring a luxurious warmth to any room and floor.

If thinking of renovating or replacing existing floor tiles, installing electric heating is something you should consider. Hopefully, this article will give you all the information you will need, including

• What mat size should I purchase?
• Installation of the heating
• The benefits of heating under Tiles
• Is electric heating expensive?
• What Mat Size Should I Purchase?

First thing to do is measure the width and length of the room. Unlike loose cables, it is not recommended to heat wall-to-wall with 150w or 200w heat mats.

Lets give you an example

You want to heat a square-shaped Conservatory, measuring 4.2m x 4.2m, totaling 17.6sqm. As there are no other forms of heating being installed, the 200w option would be the recommendation (Primary Heat).

The key thing to bear in mind, is that at least 80% of the floor would need to be covered. However, the more percentage achieved, the quicker and more efficient the heating will be. In most cases, you would not be able to cover 100% of the floor with a mat, this can only be achieved with a loose cable. When using electric heating as a primary heat source, insulation boards should always be installed directly beneath the heat mats or loose cables.

When using a heat mat, the area covered is restricted by the number of 0.5m runs and then turns that can be run into the room. This particular room is perfectly sized for a heat mat, as 4m x 4m (16 sqm) could comfortably be installed. This would leave a 100mm unheated border, equating to over 90% heat coverage. Unfortunately, not all rooms will allow this percentage. That is where the loose cable may be a better option. The loose cable enables 100% floor coverage. It is certainly a better option than the mat, in awkward and smaller shaped rooms, like Bathrooms and Wet Rooms.

Is electric heating expensive?

The common misconception, is that electric heating is costly to run. Electric heating, as mentioned above, initially is far cheaper to purchase, than water-based underfloor heating. Of course, if set to excessively high temperatures and left on for long periods, the running costs would be noticeable on your bills. However, electric heating is not designed to be run this way, it is very efficient when controlled correctly.

Electric heating is generally very responsive, set temperatures can be achieved far quicker than radiators or water underfloor heating. This means, effectively the heating is on less than other forms of heat.

With ever-increasing gas charges and the eventual switch for everything to be powered electrically or by solar, electric heating is the future, which is increasing in popularity by the day.