What are the disadvantages of underfloor heating?

Underfloor heating is a very popular method of heating buildings, including single-family homes. Underfloor heating has several advantages such as even distribution of heat throughout the room, no need for radiator installation, allowing for better space utilization, and lower operating costs. Additionally, underfloor heating is invisible, does not occupy wall space, and does not pose obstacles to interior design. However, it's important to remember that, as is usually the case with technology, in heating systems, every solution has both advantages and disadvantages. If you want to find out what the disadvantages of underfloor heating are and in which cases it is not a good choice, be sure to read the article below. Enjoy your reading.

Installation Costs of Underfloor Heating

Installation costs of underfloor heating are higher compared to traditional radiators. Underfloor heating requires the installation of special heating pipes under the floor, which entails additional costs associated with construction work. Additionally, the underfloor heating system requires proper insulation of the substrate (under the pipes) to ensure efficient heat distribution.

For comparison, traditional radiators are easier to install and do not require additional construction work. However, despite the high initial installation costs, underfloor heating offers many benefits, such as even heat distribution and greater thermal comfort in rooms. With properly designed and implemented installation, underfloor heating can also be more economical to operate compared to traditional radiators, due to lower supply temperatures. It all depends on the building and the heat source.

Difficulties in Repairs in Case of Underfloor Heating Failure

It should be noted that despite the high reliability of underfloor heating systems, in case of problems with the heating pipes located in the floor, repair can be more difficult and costly than in the case of traditional radiators. It may be necessary to dismantle the floor to reach the damaged elements. Fortunately, this happens rarely, and few people know someone who has had similar experiences. Leaking elements or air entrapment - are more often associated with radiators.

Inertia, or the Inertia of Underfloor Heating - What Is It and When Is It Troublesome?

Inertia, or the inertia of underfloor heating, is a phenomenon that can be troublesome in some situations. It involves the fact that the underfloor heating system needs time to heat up and reach the desired temperature. Raising the floor temperature from 15 to 28 °C can take up to 12 hours, and in this aspect lies the advantage of radiators. However, this situation only occurs if we turn on the heating in a cooled house, which had to be left without heating in the middle of the season. In practice, this problem does not occur in inhabited buildings for obvious reasons.

Similarly, when we want to cool the room, we also have to wait for the floor to cool down. That's why underfloor heating inertia can be troublesome, especially in situations where we need to quickly change the room temperature. Most often, underfloor heating is turned on in autumn and turned off in spring, controlling only its operating temperature. Due to the high inertia, underfloor heating is not used for heating rooms - for example, in summer.

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Difficulties in Precise Temperature Regulation with Underfloor Heating - Truth or Myth?

Sometimes you hear that it's difficult to set the optimal temperature in specific rooms in a house with underfloor heating. This is not true. Thanks to the presence of a manifold for underfloor heating in the underfloor heating system, it's possible to smoothly control the temperature in all rooms of the building (manifolds can even be 12-section, meaning that we can set different temperatures in twelve rooms).

The mentioned temperature problems may result from improperly designed underfloor heating (incorrect calculations or their total absence), low-quality materials and components, or careless installation and incorrect settings of individual parameters of the heating system (pump, flow meters, supply and return temperatures).

Low Efficiency of Underfloor Heating with Poor Room Insulation

In the case of poor room insulation or the presence of many elements through which the building loses heat, such as windows, gates, doors, there may be a problem with the efficiency of underfloor heating. Poor insulation of walls, roof, and floor causes heat to quickly escape from the rooms. If these elements are not taken into account during the installation of underfloor heating, we cannot expect that only underfloor heating will suffice to heat a building with disproportionately high heat loss compared to the heat generated by the underfloor heating.

In the case of older poorly insulated houses, the heat demand is approximately 170-200 W/m2. In the case of new, energy-efficient constructions with good insulation, this value drops to 30-60 W/m2. Meanwhile, the efficiency of underfloor heating is maximally 80 W/m2. This value should not be exceeded due to limitations regarding the maximum temperature reached by the floor (29°C). This temperature is reached at around 80 W/m2 (differences may result from disparities in materials used to make the floor).

As you can see, in the case of old constructions with high heat demand, we may have too low efficiency of underfloor heating, which results from the fact of excessive heat loss due to ineffective insulation, not from the malfunction of the underfloor heating system.

Underfloor Heating and Interior Design Logistics

If you opt for underfloor heating, you must consider it during the design and layout of furniture in the rooms. Some furniture may restrict the flow of heat and affect the system's efficiency. It is necessary to find the optimal placement of furniture to ensure even heat distribution and avoid blocking access to underfloor heating. Placing furniture on the floor with underfloor heating will not only result in heat loss and consequently, money loss but may also lead to furniture damage.

Negative Impact of Underfloor Heating on Health

If you have the following questions:

• Is underfloor heating healthy?;
• Does underfloor heating negatively affect the circulatory system?;
• Can I get rheumatism from underfloor heating?;
• What impact does underfloor heating have on joints?;

read the following paragraph to learn more about the impact of underfloor heating on health.

Is underfloor heating healthy and how does it affect the circulatory system?

Indeed, underfloor heating can be healthy and comfortable, as long as it is properly installed and maintained. Another crucial aspect in this matter is whether underfloor heating is used in moderation, namely the supply temperatures set for underfloor heating. All heating devices - even ordinary radiators, can be unhealthy if not used properly.

Regarding underfloor heating - excessively high floor temperature can cause overheating of the feet, which is particularly important for people with circulatory diseases or varicose veins (in such cases, legs may swell). Overly hot flooring can further exacerbate the problem for people with excessive foot sweating.

The key here is the term "excessively high." Correctly set underfloor heating should not generate any health problems (the floor temperature should not exceed 29°C except for the bathroom, where the permissible temperature is even 32-34°C). Furthermore, people with excessive foot sweating with properly set underfloor heating may walk around the house barefoot more often, significantly increasing their comfort and reducing the problem of excessive sweating.

Can I get rheumatism from underfloor heating?

No, underfloor heating is not the cause of rheumatism. Rheumatism is a term referring to various inflammatory diseases of the musculoskeletal system, such as lupus erythematosus, psoriatic arthritis, or rheumatoid arthritis (RA) characterized by muscle pain or stiffness, joint inflammation, and bone pain. These diseases result from autoimmune and genetic processes and other factors such as infections. Properly designed, implemented, and used underfloor heating is not a factor increasing the risk of rheumatism.

What impact does underfloor heating have on joints?

Underfloor heating can create a more even and pleasant temperature in rooms, which may help reduce discomfort associated with cold. For some people, especially those suffering from joint pain, warm flooring may be more comfortable compared to traditional radiator heating. According to currently available knowledge, properly regulated underfloor heating has no negative impact on joints. In some cases, it may even alleviate pain symptoms and reduce stiffness.