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In a nutshell, underfloor heating warms a room from the floor up, rather than from the ceiling down, as is the case with most central heating systems. Although there are a number of different types of underfloor heating, they all work according to the same principle, in that a heating element is laid under the floor and surrounded by insulation which both disperses the heat and prevents it from escaping into the ground or the downstairs room.

There are two main types of underfloor heating system ? ?wet? systems which use a network of under-floor pipes connected to the central heating system, and ?dry? systems which use an electric heating element.

Rooms where people are likely to feel the coldness of the floor through their feet, such as bathrooms or kitchens, are obvious candidates for under-floor heating. However, under floor heating can now be installed underneath almost any flooring type, be it carpet, linoleum, laminate, stone or hardwood.

Conservatories and extensions, especially those with stone-floored kitchen-diners in them, are also popular places to install underfloor heating, as if you're getting building work done anyway, it will be cheaper to get it installed while that is going on rather than having to rip up your floorboards after they have been laid.

While underfloor heating can be a wonderful thing, it is not suitable for every home and situation, so before you decide to splash out, it is worth weighing up the pros and cons of the technology in terms of how they relate to your own property and circumstances:

Pros:

Underfloor heating requires little or nothing in the way of floor and wall space, leaving you free to arrange your furniture exactly as you would like without having to worry about blocking off your radiators

You can use a wet system in combination with your central heating system, which means that you can have underfloor heating in some rooms and radiators in the rest

Cons:

Though cheaper to buy and install than wet systems, dry systems are a lot less energy efficient and could end up costing you more in the long run

Some of the less expensive electric systems are unsuitable for wood floors and can cause furniture to warp. However, electric technology is improving all the time, and some of the more sophisticated systems can now be used with any type of flooring, including carpets and hardwood, without significant problems

Wet systems can be very expensive to install in existing properties, as the floors will all need to be taken up

If your home is poorly insulated, then a lot of the heat generated by an underfloor heating system will be lost

Central Heating Systems Diagrams

Most domestic heating systems today are gas central heating which consists of a boiler and a series of radiators to provide heat to individual rooms or areas in the house. The boiler is the heart of a gas central heating system and will pump water to the pipes feeding the radiators, which in turn, radiate heat.

It is common however, for radiators to become clogged or blocked with sludge and debris which can cause a gas central heating system to under perform and subsequently lose heat. Any sludge in a radiator can also cause the boiler itself to become damaged as it may be pumped through the system causing the boilers pump to fail which may prove to be very expensive to remedy.

We must therefore prevent damage to the boiler by regularly maintaining the radiators and ensuring they are functioning correctly. If you are wondering how to know if a radiator has sludge in it then there are some obvious signs like 'cold spots', whereby only parts of the radiator will be hot while others are noticeably cold.

In any case, it is good practice to regularly maintain the system to ensure or prevent any such sludge from building up in the system. There are also a range of additive that you can employ into the water that will assist in keeping your central heating system clean.

Changing A Radiator

Changing a radiator is actually quite easy and as long as you follow the correct procedures, it will not take long to do. You will need to firstly ensure that the water supply to the radiator itself is isolated and this can be achieved by turning the radiator valve all the way down so that the isolating valve is in its closed position. Repeat this for the valve on the other side of the radiator so that both pipes feeding the radiator are now isolated and no water can enter the radiator. Lock shield valves are quite obvious when they have been turned off but with some thermostatic valves, it is not always obvious when they are in their isolated position so double check to ensure that any thermostatic valve is completely isolated.

Once the radiator has been isolated from the system, you can then prepare to drain any water from it. This is done by loosening the nut on the radiator valve that is connected to the radiator. You may need to also use grips alongside your spanner. Before loosening the nut, place a shallow tray beneath the valve to catch any water as it expels from the radiator. You may also want a bucket on hand to transfer the water. Do this for both valves.

Now that the radiator has been drained, you can remove it from the wall and prepare it for maintenance. Take care with this as even without water in, some radiators are very heavy so if you can, have a helper to assist you with this.

Cleaning The Radiator

Take the radiator outside into the garden or yard and turn it upside down. Take a hose and start to flush it out with water until the water is running clear. Badly contaminated radiators may also need the addition of chemical agents which are available from your local plumbers merchants.

Take the radiator back in an position it back onto the brackets on the wall. Connect the valves back as they were and ensure they are securely nipped up with your spanner. Older radiators may also need a couple of turns of pfte tape before tightening.

When valves are nipped up correctly, you can proceed to turn the isolation valve back up so that water will flow back into the radiators. Check closely for any leaks as you do this. You will need to go back to the boiler and add a little water if need be to accommodate the water that was drained earlier. Make sure that the water is in accordance with the manufacturers recommended settings. All you have to do now is go back to the radiator and bleed it for air which can be done with a radiator bleed key which is available form any DIY shop. Bleed the radiator until water flows through the bleed hole at the top side of the radiator. Check the radiator once again for any leaks.

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Both Dave Sabri & Kirk Smith are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Dave Sabri has sinced written about articles on various topics from Family, Home Security and Family. Switch to British Gas' cheapest electricity tariff and save on your electricity. Compare. Dave Sabri's top article generates over 14800 views. Bookmark Dave Sabri to your Favourites.

Kirk Smith has sinced written about articles on various topics from Legal Matters, Family and Home Management. Kirk Smith's company 4K Construction are professional builders from Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom. Please visit 4K Constructions Builders Talk for prof. Kirk Smith's top article generates over 60500 views. Bookmark Kirk Smith to your Favourites.

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