How it Works
Electric floor heating works by raising the temperature of a floor using heating elements or wires installed in the flooring material. When the floor gets heated, it in turn heats up the air in contact with it, and then through convention, heats up all the air in a room. All the three forms of heat transfer of conduction, convention, and radiation come into play to produce a uniform level of heat throughout a room.
Variations
Electric floor heating can be found in different variations. These include materials used, conventions, and applications. This form of heating can be applied in all forms of floors including wooden, ceramic, or cemented. The heating sets are available in various forms such as room kits, drive way units, or customized whole building assemblies. Each of these has its own installation requirements which are favourable to it.
Comparison with Conventional Forms of Heating
Traditionally, heating a house involved heating the air then circulating it in the various rooms. This has been with the exception of outdoor heating such as that done on driveways for instance. While electricity has been used as a source of energy, it has not been the only one. Wood and coal are some of the most common fuels while water or steam has been the favoured conduit to circulate the heat. Floor heating has often been done through a maze of pipes installed in the floor and running hot water.
Advantages of Electric Floor Heating
Electricity is possibly the cleanest and most convenient form of energy. It allows for accurate control making it possible to regulate usage to the minimum. It is also possible to concentrate usage to the off-peak periods when it is cheapest. This makes it cost effective. For maximum comfort, a floor needs to be heated to relatively low temperatures and this makes it possible to bring a room to the desired temperature quite fast. The temperature in the room is uniform and there are no uncomfortable hot or cold spots. Ordinary house heating involves active recirculation of air so as to ensure that all areas are heated evenly. Fans or blowers are usually employed to achieve this but they have an undesirable side effect. The constant draught of air also moves dust from place to place resulting in untidiness when the dust is deposited on all surfaces. This does not happen when one uses electric floor heating. Electrically operated floor heating systems are durable. They can be used for long durations with little or no need for maintenance or repairs.
Requirements for Installing Electric Floor Heating
Electric floor heating is best installed during the construction of a house. However, it can be installed in an already finished house. In this case, the top layer of the floor is removed and the heating components of the system laid down. The floor is refinished and the electrical connections made. The best effect is achieved if the heating elements are not too deep within the floor.
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Graham Poole works for Floor Heating Online, one of the UK’s leading Under Floor Heating Retailers, visit their website today – www.floorheatingonline.com