Types of underfloor heating manifolds and how they work

If you're planning to implement underfloor heating in your home or business, read the article below. You'll learn everything you need to know about a key component of a heating system that uses underfloor heating, namely the manifold. Read about the types of underfloor heating manifolds available on the market. We hope that after reading the following blog post, you'll be able to decide which model is right for you. Enjoy reading and exploring our offer.

Division of Underfloor Heating Manifolds Based on Heating Devices

Underfloor heating manifolds can be divided based on the thermal demand of the building and the functioning of the heating system. In buildings with low thermal demand, underfloor heating alone can be applied. However, in buildings with high demand, such as old buildings, underfloor heating alone may not be sufficient to heat the entire area - a mixed system with radiators may be optimal. This means that in such cases, you should consider hybrid heating - underfloor heating with radiators - for which you need to choose the appropriate manifold or separate manifolds for underfloor heating and radiators.

Below, we'll explain when it's worth opting for underfloor heating alone and when a hybrid solution may be necessary.

Panel Underfloor Heating Manifolds

In the case of buildings with low thermal demand (low rooms, small area, few windows, no large glazed areas, good floor (crucial), wall, and roof insulation), it's possible to heat the building solely with underfloor heating. In such cases, the so-called panel underfloor heating manifold (standard models available in our offer) will be responsible for evenly distributing heat across the floor surface throughout the building.

Hybrid Underfloor Heating-Radiator Manifolds

In the case of large or poorly thermally insulated buildings of old construction, underfloor heating alone may be insufficient. If the building requires a mixed underfloor heating-radiator heating system, it will be necessary to choose a hybrid underfloor heating manifold.

In the described scenario, the manifold will need to be equipped with an appropriate number of mixing and regulating valves to ensure optimal temperature in each room (the more rooms, the more circuits the manifold should handle, at least in theory).

When combining underfloor heating with radiators, the manifold is equipped with additional valves and controllers responsible for regulating the flow of hot water to the respective heating devices.

Thanks to the proper selection of underfloor heating manifolds, you can ensure optimal temperature in each room and increase user comfort. In case of any doubts about which manifold is suitable for a specific building, it's always worth consulting with a professional. Improper selection of the heating installation or even its components - such as the manifold - can result in unsatisfactory effects like insufficient heating of the building.

One Manifold for Underfloor Heating and Radiators - or Two Separate Ones for Each Type of Heating?

Many installers recommend using two separate manifolds instead of one for underfloor heating and radiators, each dedicated separately to underfloor heating circuits and radiator circuits. This approach makes sense. The main argument is that these circuits require completely different temperature supplies. Underfloor heating loops should be supplied with temperatures around 30-35°C, while radiators usually require temperatures of 45-55°C. Therefore, a good solution might be to set the heat source supply to a higher temperature, which will feed the entire system, mainly the radiators. Then, before the underfloor heating manifold, an additional thermostatic valve can be installed to mix the water in such a way that it reaches the desired lower temperature for underfloor heating. Supplying radiators with too low a temperature is not feasible (inefficient), while supplying underfloor heating with a temperature higher than 35-40°C is also not recommended - for health and comfort reasons. In this situation, installing separate manifolds also makes sense and is worth considering.

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Underfloor Heating Manifolds - Division Based on Size, i.e., Beam Diameter

The manifold beam in the underfloor heating system is used to control and distribute the heating medium (usually water) to individual loops or sections of the underfloor heating system. It can come in several sizes: 3/4", 1", 5/4", 3/2", or even 2".

Among the mentioned sizes, beams of 1" are by far the most commonly used (larger models are mostly found in industrial or large-area buildings). The size of the manifold beam affects several important aspects of the underfloor heating system. Here are a few of them:

• Flow of heating medium: Depending on the size of the manifold beam, the amount of heating medium that can flow through the underfloor heating system will differ. The larger the manifold beam, the greater the flow of medium, which may be important for larger rooms or buildings.
• Uniformity of heating: Properly designed and sized manifold beams can help maintain even floor heating. If the beam is too small, it may lead to uneven distribution of heat in the room.
• System efficiency: The size of the manifold beam affects the overall efficiency of the underfloor heating system. Improperly chosen beams may lead to inefficient energy consumption or heating problems.

Division of Underfloor Heating Manifolds Based on the Material They Are Made of

• Brass underfloor heating manifolds - devices made of brass are characterized by high durability, great resistance to corrosion, and mechanical wear (this is the material most commonly used for water fittings).
• Stainless steel underfloor heating manifolds - steel devices also exhibit good properties, including high corrosion resistance. This material is less commonly used due to higher production costs, which do not translate into benefits compared to brass (manifolds operate in a less aggressive water environment - without extreme temperatures or the presence of air, resulting in no concerns about corrosion).
• Plastic manifolds - the least common solution, slowly being phased out of the market.