ᐅ Underfloor Heating in Vacation Homes: Pros and Cons

Hello dear forum,

We are planning to build a house in our home country. We really don’t want to cut any corners and aim to build everything to a very good European standard so that we can enjoy it for a long time. We are considering possibly moving there from Germany in a few years.

The only issue that concerns us a lot is the underfloor heating. Do you think it’s safe to install underfloor heating in a house that will be used for a maximum of 2 months per year? If yes, what should we pay attention to?

Can anything happen to the water in the pipes during periods of absence?

When starting it up again, is there anything specific we need to consider?

I would really appreciate your answers.

Best regards

Where will the house be built?
Our underfloor heating is off all summer. That’s not a problem.

The location of the house is already quite important. In a region where heating is necessary, you should generally consider heating the house to prevent it from becoming cold and damp.
So where is the house going to be located, and why do you want to install underfloor heating for such a short period of use per year? What energy standard applies in the destination country? Will the house also be rented out as a holiday home at times? Who will take care of the house during the remaining 10 months, or would a broken water pipe only be noticed after several months of non-use?

Holiday homes from Norway to Spain are often heated or cooled using air-to-air heat pumps (split air conditioning systems). Reasons for this include
- it can never freeze
- no risk of water damage
- fast response time

You are overlooking the issue of later emigration.

In any case, it is important to first know where the house will be located.

- In Bari, I would be more tolerant – a split air conditioning system would really be the better solution there.
- In Tromsø, the situation looks completely different.
- Are there local contacts who can oversee the house during the other 10 months until emigration?

Hello. First of all, thank you for the many responses.
The house will be located in Kosovo, specifically in a village on the outskirts of the capital city (Prishtina).
It will be a bungalow with a total living area of 200 square meters (2,153 square feet).
There will be 4 bedrooms, 1 main bathroom, a utility room that will house the boiler, heating system, and washing machine, and one of the bedrooms will also have its own ensuite bathroom with a walk-in closet.
Regarding the use of the house: we will definitely occupy the house every 2 months. In total, it will be inhabited for 2 to 3 months per year. So, we will be flying down from time to time. As a result, the house will never be completely unoccupied for longer than 2 months.
The yard and property will be looked after, but no one else will have access to anything inside the house except us.
Currently, the house is mostly used for longer stays during the warmer months.
The main concern is for when we might emigrate here later. We are worried that we might regret not installing certain features. For example, in our house in Germany, we decided against underfloor heating during a renovation and still regret that decision today.