Underfloor Running Costs - TilersForums.com

[Chris_32]

Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone knew roughly the cost of running electric underfloor heating? I am aware that different systems will be slightly different but just a general estimate from peoples experience.

I am asking as was building an extension in our house and weighing up the cost of underfloor as opposed to having radiators installed as they would be difficult to place in the layout we want.

Floor area will be roughly 16-20sqm and about 130 watt system but am open to advice on this.

Thanks.

 

[Old Mod]

Had you not considered wet UFH.
It's not madly expensive to install in one area and it's much more efficient and cost effective.

 

[Spare Tool]

Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone knew roughly the cost of running electric underfloor heating? I am aware that different systems will be slightly different but just a general estimate from peoples experience.

I am asking as was building an extension in our house and weighing up the cost of underfloor as opposed to having radiators installed as they would be difficult to place in the layout we want.

Floor area will be roughly 16-20sqm and about 130 watt system but am open to advice on this.

Thanks.

A twenty sqm matt at 200watts per sqm uses 4kilowatts...roughly the same as a small fan heater.
Smaller the watts of the matt longer time it takes to get up to temperature.

 

[Qwerty]

@Chris_32 ....... try this ...... Floor Heating Cost Calculator | Warmup - http://www.warmup.co.uk/cost-calculator

 

[Chris_32]

Had you not considered wet UFH.
It's not madly expensive to install in one area and it's much more efficient and cost effective.

I was leaning towards electric as I could install that myself and would save the cost of installation. I also wasn't aware that you could do single room wet systems.

 

[Old Mod]

I was leaning towards electric as I could install that myself and would save the cost of installation. I also wasn't aware that you could do single room wet systems.

You can do all the donkey work yourself before the screed goes in, just fixing pipes to the insulation isn't difficult and you would bring the tails to where the manifold is to be fitted. Then you have an heating engineer connect it up. Obviously seek advice from those who know first in respect of how and where to run the pipework. But you can do it.

 

[Ajax123]

if you are not an electrician you would be better with wet underfloor heating.

 

[White Room]

if you are not an electrician you would be better with wet underfloor heating.

That then makes you have to be a plumber...

 

[Chalker]

What sort of heating system have you got?
Much better to run it of your boiler. It will need a new zone connecting into the main heating pipework and running to a manifold. This then reduces the water temperature and feeds pipework clipped down to the insulation/ vapour barrier amd then screeded over. A room thermostat will control this.
If you can't do it all yourself, get a plumber yo connect in and run the pipes to the manifold and do the rest yourself. A good sized extension should only take two to three hours to install. I use Wundafloor, they are decent quality and cheap.

 

[SJPurdy]

If installing electric under tile heating then make sure it is installed over insulation boards not direct onto concrete/screed otherwise spending money and time (slow response) heating up the screed.

gas is about a third of the cost of electricity per kW/hr so will be much cheaper to run while gas is available!

 

[Chris_32]

Thanks for your help everyone, I will look into the wet system now as it seems much more economical and easier to install than I thought.

 

[Chris_32]

That then makes you have to be a plumber...

I thought the same thing

 

[Time's Ran Out]

These new 'smart meters' show how much the electric UFH costs to run. We did a small kitchen end of last year with 3sq mts of Ufh and when I put it on to test it cost almost 10p an hour!
I was always under the impression it was 1/2p per metre per hour i.e. 3sq mts = 1 & 1/2 p per hour . Doesn't seem much 10sq mts = 5p for 6 hours = 30p x 30 days = £9.00 a month = £108 a year for 1 floor !!
Do careful use is needed.

 

[J Sid]

yes John, but it's not on the 24 hours a day. Correctly set up it kicks in and out to maintain the required temp. Higher morning and evening when at home and lower at night when not needed, as you well know

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Somewhere in my calculations I based it on 6 hours use a day.