ᐅ Warm / not cold floor – underfloor heating?

Created on: 1 Jul 2019 13:54
A
atomic2000
A
atomic2000
1 Jul 2019 13:54
Hello,
I recently bought a townhouse and am currently planning the renovation.
Just to mention upfront, I am a complete beginner in this area.

On the ground floor (living and dining rooms), there are currently tiles. Since I want the floor to be warm for my children, I am looking for a cost-effective way to achieve this.

Here are some details: The building was constructed in 1986, the living and dining area is about 30m² (323ft²), and below are partly heated basement rooms.
According to the building specifications: "Reinforced concrete ceilings according to structural engineering, vapor barrier, 36/30 insulation, vapor barrier, 4cm (1.6 inch) screed."
For the floor covering, I was considering either PVC-free click-design flooring (because of access to the terrace) or click-lock parquet flooring.

All the suppliers I contacted recommend the milling method.

However, do I really need underfloor heating to avoid having a cold floor for the children?

Attached is the floor plan. I have marked the radiators on the ground floor and basement in red in the attached image.

Floor plan of a house with bedroom, living room, kitchen, hallway, bathroom, guest toilet, basement.
L
Lumpi_LE
1 Jul 2019 14:01
With vinyl or parquet flooring, underfloor heating is not urgently necessary. The floor is basically as warm as the room; it’s more about how the surface feels due to heat transfer. Tiles feel cold, wood feels warmer.
K
Kekse
1 Jul 2019 14:19
If the only reason is the children playing on the floor, I would suggest a carpet or a play mat. At most, consider changing the flooring to wood or cork (be aware that cork fades quite quickly in the sun and then looks worn out. However, there are also carrier materials with more durable finishes available).

Completely replacing the entire heating system seems excessive to me. I say this as a fan of underfloor heating. If you actually all want one, that’s a different matter, but it doesn’t sound like that’s the case here…
A
atomic2000
1 Jul 2019 14:36
Thank you for the replies,

my wife also doesn’t want cold feet. Neither of us has any experience, and I don’t mind. The heating in the kitchen is inconvenient, so we will remove it without replacement. The living room heater next to the window is somewhat poorly placed. But spending 5,000 to change that? No way.

PS. We also have a fireplace.
N
Niloa
1 Jul 2019 14:37
If you want to keep the radiators, I also think it’s excessive to completely overhaul the entire heating system just for playing. Tiles feel colder than wood, but as mentioned, there are also carpets and thick socks. If there are heated rooms below, it shouldn’t get that cold anyway.
A
atomic2000
1 Jul 2019 14:43
No, the solution would be either underfloor heating on the ground floor or conventional radiators. But after reading your replies, I’m now leaning more toward conventional radiators.