ᐅ Replacing Radiant Floor Heating with a Different Underfloor Heating System – Is It Worthwhile?
Created on: 4 Oct 2018 10:49
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Oliver12Hello everyone,
We will be moving into our new home on 01.02.19. As part of the renovation/refurbishment, we plan to remove and replace all the flooring.
Since the floor will be taken out, I am now wondering if it makes sense to mill in underfloor heating into the screed. The existing heating system, like the house itself, dates back to 1989. The area to be renovated is 100m² (1,076 sq ft).
(Laying the heating system on top of the existing floor is not desired because it would lower the kitchen floor even more, and I assume it would cause problems with the windows and the front door.)
Does this change actually make sense, given that the underfloor heating is already quite old?
What about the kitchen? Do I need to remove the kitchen units, or is it enough to lay the heating pipes along the cabinets?
What costs should I expect? We have a current quote of about 3,200 € for milling and connection. Are there any additional costs I should plan for?
Looking forward to some advice and opinions.
Thanks in advance!!
We will be moving into our new home on 01.02.19. As part of the renovation/refurbishment, we plan to remove and replace all the flooring.
Since the floor will be taken out, I am now wondering if it makes sense to mill in underfloor heating into the screed. The existing heating system, like the house itself, dates back to 1989. The area to be renovated is 100m² (1,076 sq ft).
(Laying the heating system on top of the existing floor is not desired because it would lower the kitchen floor even more, and I assume it would cause problems with the windows and the front door.)
Does this change actually make sense, given that the underfloor heating is already quite old?
What about the kitchen? Do I need to remove the kitchen units, or is it enough to lay the heating pipes along the cabinets?
What costs should I expect? We have a current quote of about 3,200 € for milling and connection. Are there any additional costs I should plan for?
Looking forward to some advice and opinions.
Thanks in advance!!
In southern countries, where people are not as meticulous as Germans, the covering in front of the kitchen cabinets is simply stopped. The very thought of it horrifies me...
What exactly is underfloor heating supposed to be? Whether it works or not depends on several conditions that a heating engineer or planner should first examine.
What exactly is underfloor heating supposed to be? Whether it works or not depends on several conditions that a heating engineer or planner should first examine.
For me, the question is more whether it makes sense. Since the supply temperature of underfloor heating is much more efficient than a radiator system, that’s what matters to me. If it’s not very useful, I’ll save the money and time.
What do you mean when you say it makes you shudder? What problems do you think could occur? Mold?
With a radiator system, the return flow pipe is installed in the floor, similar to underfloor heating, so it heats with the residual warmth.
The underfloor heating is completely installed beneath the floor, operates at lower energy, and doesn’t require radiators. (I hope my explanation makes some sense)
What do you mean when you say it makes you shudder? What problems do you think could occur? Mold?
With a radiator system, the return flow pipe is installed in the floor, similar to underfloor heating, so it heats with the residual warmth.
The underfloor heating is completely installed beneath the floor, operates at lower energy, and doesn’t require radiators. (I hope my explanation makes some sense)
What speaks against removing the radiators and using the existing pipes at the appropriate temperature?
Depending on what else is being renovated (windows, external walls, floor ceiling, basement ceiling), the heating demand should decrease, so that the remaining heating surface in the floor is sufficient. It would be helpful to have planning documents for this.
You should definitely dismantle the kitchen first. Initially to remove the covering, and also because otherwise you will never get the dust from milling out of there again.
Depending on what else is being renovated (windows, external walls, floor ceiling, basement ceiling), the heating demand should decrease, so that the remaining heating surface in the floor is sufficient. It would be helpful to have planning documents for this.
You should definitely dismantle the kitchen first. Initially to remove the covering, and also because otherwise you will never get the dust from milling out of there again.
You won’t save money with underfloor heating compared to conventional heating. If you have a gas condensing boiler, its efficiency depends on the return water temperature reaching the system (only with heat pumps does the supply temperature play a significant role).
With radiators, under design conditions—for example, at -10°C (14°F) in Aurich—you typically have heating water temperatures of about 50-60°C (122-140°F) in the supply line and 30-50°C (86-122°F) in the return line (a delta T of 20K). The return water temperature is further reduced by 5-10K as it passes through the underfloor pipes. This means you still achieve good condensing efficiency on cold days. Using only underfloor heating without radiators won’t increase the heater’s efficiency.
So if the radiators don’t bother you, keep them and enjoy warm feet anyway. If they are an obstacle, consult a qualified mechanical and electrical engineering (M&E) planner about heating loads and system capacities to see if it’s possible to manage without radiators using the existing pipes. The cost for this should be about ten times lower than installing new piping—and grinding the screed 2 cm (0.8 inches) thinner as well.
With radiators, under design conditions—for example, at -10°C (14°F) in Aurich—you typically have heating water temperatures of about 50-60°C (122-140°F) in the supply line and 30-50°C (86-122°F) in the return line (a delta T of 20K). The return water temperature is further reduced by 5-10K as it passes through the underfloor pipes. This means you still achieve good condensing efficiency on cold days. Using only underfloor heating without radiators won’t increase the heater’s efficiency.
So if the radiators don’t bother you, keep them and enjoy warm feet anyway. If they are an obstacle, consult a qualified mechanical and electrical engineering (M&E) planner about heating loads and system capacities to see if it’s possible to manage without radiators using the existing pipes. The cost for this should be about ten times lower than installing new piping—and grinding the screed 2 cm (0.8 inches) thinner as well.
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