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If you are planning to renovate your bathroom and install new floor tiles, it’s an excellent opportunity to consider the benefits of installing underfloor heating. While this may increase the cost of the project, it can pay off in the long run with greater energy efficiency, lower fuel bills, and added value to your home.
Here are some of the key reasons to combine tile flooring and underfloor heating.
Traditional heating systems such as radiators circulate air around the room, which distributes dust and allergens, leading to worse air quality. This can make certain medical conditions worse, such as asthma, eczema, and pet allergies. It can also lead to more rapid circulation of pathogens and airborne viruses.
Underfloor heating significantly reduces the amount of air circulating in the room. When combined with tiles, it improves the hygiene of the room to a greater degree by minimising the dust, dirt and allergens that can be trapped in carpet. Tiles are easy to clean and maintain , leading to a safer and healthier environment.
Underfloor heating systems eliminate the need for bulky radiators, so they are an excellent choice for small bathrooms or other rooms where space is at a premium. It can free up wall space for storage systems or other furniture, or allow for a more aesthetically pleasing design and layout of the room.
When combined with tiled floors, the extra floor space can be showcased with a striking tile pattern or colour if you wish, or combined with any choice of material to complement the rest of the interior design.
Underfloor heating creates a wonderfully pleasant warm surface underfoot, which is particularly welcome in a bathroom where you are likely to be barefoot. The heat is distributed evenly around the room, creating a consistent and comfortable air temperature, with no cooler spots that are common with traditional convection systems.
Furthermore, tiles have excellent thermal conductivity and will absorb and retain the heat easily, helping to enhance the efficiency and comfort of the underfloor heating.
Underfloor heating systems are usually more energy efficient than conventional radiators, because the heat is more evenly distributed and therefore it can be set at lower temperatures to achieve the same level of comfort. The heat is retained for a long time after the heat source is switched off, particularly on tile floors.
This means that you will have a very efficient heating system that is highly likely to reduce your energy costs and also lower carbon emissions. Furthermore, if you are having underfloor heating installed in multiple rooms, each one can be fitted with a thermostat so that empty rooms can be unheated or heated to the exact requirements of the occupant.
If your underfloor heating system is appropriate for your property and flooring type and is installed by a qualified professional, it should require very little maintenance and have a long lifespan of 25 years or more.
Most underfloor heating systems are compatible with modern renewable energy sources such as ground source heat pumps and solar panels, which is not only a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly option, but will also future-proof your home. It is likely that within the next decade, traditional gas and oil boilers will be phased out.
Underfloor heating is compatible with most flooring types, although tiles are one of the most effective and efficient options as we have learnt. The type and material of tiles does not limit your options, so you can use different combinations of tile in your bathroom, hallway, kitchen, living room and so on.
You can choose ceramic or porcelain tiles for example, which are affordable, durable and low maintenance. However the heating system is also compatible with natural stone tiles, concrete, or luxury vinyl tiles.
Traditional heating systems can be noisy, particularly radiators which are prone to tapping, hissing and other random noises, even during the night when the heating is switched off. This can be annoying and also a very difficult problem to solve. Underfloor heating systems operate silently so you can enjoy a more peaceful living environment.
Over time, the benefits you reap from your underfloor heating system will make it a very worthwhile investment.