Slate/Ceramic Floor & underfloor heating

AW8 · Post by **AW8** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 7:08 pm

As title....

Downstairs cloakroom to be tiled. Small room 18 sq foot max.

New suite here to go in. Considering re-flooring options & have priced cost for underfloor tiled heating @ under £100 to include stat. Can get it fitted for £100.

Do folk with ceramic floors & without underfloor heating find floor too cold in winter & within central heated rooms ?

Aware cost to use same significant but looking to keep stat low &/or use it occasionally.

Once installed adjacent rooms can be added cheaper cost per sq m if using same stat. Typically 1200x600 heated under tiles £17.98 inc vat.

Thoughts on pro's con's appreciated

graemeX5 · Post by **graemeX5** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 7:33 pm

Hi had undertile heating in upstairs bathroom not only warms floor but also the porcelain fittings, and its nice to step out onto in winter esp, and can turn down radiator as also have a heated towel rail.

However didn't fit it in downstairs toilet so tiles very cold and even with a radiator still cold floor, but it stops lingerers -

)

Denis O · Post by **Denis O** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 7:44 pm

Our house in Greece has marble floors throughout and also underfloor heating via warm water pipes. Nice and cool in the summer when the temps are 40c+ and when the heating comes on in the winter it's toasty on you toes.

Freinds houses without underfloor are freezing on you feet in winter. I still walk around with no shoes and socks on in the winter.

Small rooms are not recommended for underfloor as they have small surface area so not big enough to heat the room. Bathrooms a prime example where bath and shower area offer no option for heating so you can only heat the remainder of the floor. We have owel rail rads to supplement in these areas.

AW8 · Post by **AW8** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 8:22 pm

Thanks

I have a heated towel rail to replace the existing rad. Need to get a rad stat if heating floor though, (was going to fit without for cleaner look & when had not consideredheating the floor).

Heated floor will be fitted & seldom used ( to remove floor chill when desired not to heat room), but thinking I will regret if not fitting underfloor heating before flooring tiles done.

Interested to read day to day thoughts from those without undefloor heating on ceramic/slate/tiled floors

Chief1409 · Post by **Chief1409** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 8:59 pm

We've got electric underfloor heating in all our tiled areas (kitchen/utility/bathroom/WC). I love it, step out the shower and the floor is toasty warm and no cold feet. Brilliant in the winter.
A big plus over radiators is the heat is even across the room so you don't end up roasting as you would be if next to the radiator or freezing if at the other side of the room. Because its even its much easier to get temperature of the room correct. Costs more to install than conventional radiator heating but doesn't cost too much to run, especially if you have solar panels and the electric type of underfloor heating.
We're about to move house and the new place requires a big extension at the back and as far as I'm concerned its an absolute no-brainer when it comes to putting underfloor heating in the new extension.

sn0man · Post by **sn0man** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 9:40 pm

Hey there, I have a bathroom installation, plastering and tiling company so I come across this situation/question very often!! In my trusted opinion I would advise having an underfloor heating system installed if it is within your budget.

You will find that all natural stone (slate and alike) will retain the cold in the winter and will be surprisingly cold under foot. Ceramic tiles are not quite cold as natural stone.

In summary, if you decide not to install underfloor you will always wish you had!!

Hope this helped.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 9:48 pm

Obviously, am glad you have never tried walking bare feet in my house but as you know, I have slate downstairs and also in the downstairs loo which I know you have visited (as I have only just managed to unblock it all

) ).

I am not bothered in the slightest about heating the floor, the radiators are fine for me and the only time I walk bare feet is in the summer when I like the cold feeling.

petert · Post by **petert** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 10:49 pm

Have piped hot water system in a new extension in our UK place and put electric underfloor in the en-suites. Highly recommend both!
Peter T

amacman · Post by **amacman** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 4:37 am

There are many thing to consider
Is the floor concrete . Will you fix tiles direct to this or raise level with screed . Former will require low temperature system . Latter can use higher temp system fed from central heating system if you lay pipes under the screed , usually with insulation under . Some heating boilers heat the water to 80 celsius with no way to adjust this you will not be able to stand on the floor . I think the rule says you must not exceed 50 celsius and at that , the pipes need to be a certain depth under the surface . The ground floor of my house is heated by an underfloor piped water system at 35 celcius and is very warm and evenly heated until the outside temp drops way below zero at which point we use additional electric heaters .
You can use the electric matting system directly under the tiles .

Timber construction floors should not be heated more than 35 celsius . The electric matting system using what is basically the heating elements from truck mirrors is best .

shadrack · Post by **shadrack** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 10:20 am

I've installed a lot of the electric mat systems for people and for the cost as you say around £100 ould definatly fit it, on the systems I've installed its come with a watts per square metre rating therefor depending on what amount you want to add into additional rooms you may not be able to feed it from the same stat\controller and the controller is fed from a 13A fused spur, but the biggest problem I cound see to feeding 2\3 rooms out of one stat would be how tight it is to get the cables in the back, also remember that the temp sensor would be in the first room, so would be hard to control, I would recommend it but if additional rooms are required I would just put a full kit with stat and temp sensor in each room, it puts £30\£40 extra per room done but worth it, hope that makes sense!

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 12:06 pm

Hmm, so the next time I visit you I have to step over a dog as she will have found the hottest spot in the house?

)

Denis O · Post by **Denis O** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 12:11 pm

[quote="amacman"]
There are many thing to consider
Is the floor concrete . Will you fix tiles direct to this or raise level with screed . Former will require low temperature system . Latter can use higher temp system fed from central heating system if you lay pipes under the screed , usually with insulation under . Some heating boilers heat the water to 80 celsius with no way to adjust this you will not be able to stand on the floor . I think the rule says you must not exceed 50 celsius and at that , the pipes need to be a certain depth under the surface . The ground floor of my house is heated by an underfloor piped water system at 35 celcius and is very warm and evenly heated until the outside temp drops way below zero at which point we use additional electric heaters .
You can use the electric matting system directly under the tiles .

Timber construction floors should not be heated more than 35 celsius . The electric matting system using what is basically the heating elements from truck mirrors is best .
[/quote]

Our underfloor is on a concrete floor and then screed with marble on top. That runs at 35C max because, as stated, you wouldn't be able to walk on the floor otherwise.

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 12:22 pm

What is the incremental elec bill?

CondorX5 · Post by **CondorX5** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 1:36 pm

Hmm, we have quite a large bathroom and fitted underfloor heating (wouldn't be without it) but it does seem to add quite substantially to the electric bill.........

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 1:40 pm

I am already classed as the high user with 13000 kw per annum and would not want to my existing bills !

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