Hello,
we are planning to build a house but have some questions about building services that we have not yet been able to find solid answers for.
1. Many modern houses tend to feel uncomfortably warm all the time. Why is that?
In our case, the comfortable temperature is around 20-22°C (68-72°F), but some friends of my wife who built houses with underfloor heating in recent years, as well as the experience visiting the Viebrockhaus model home park, report temperatures that feel closer to 24-25°C (75-77°F). What causes this? The answers so far have been: it is normal with underfloor heating; underfloor heating is very difficult to adjust; that is a thing of the past when only one heating circuit was installed for the entire house; it is due to the insulation in modern houses… I don’t think the underfloor heating can be entirely blamed, since it also gets hot in summer (when the heating is presumably off), definitely more than in our rental flat (built in 1997, gas heating with radiators). What are your thoughts?
Personally, I suspect it is more due to the lack of a basement and the large glazing areas combined with the absence of roof overhangs.
2. Is it still common to build houses with radiators today? Radiators seem to have disappeared from catalogs and websites. I understand that heating with radiators nowadays will likely struggle to meet energy-saving regulations. And is it unavoidable to have a mechanical ventilation system? We air out often, so we don’t really see the reason for such a system…
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having no basement?
Okay, less storage space, more noise (because heating and other systems are closer to living areas), probably less cooling effect in summer, and of course it is also a cost issue. But are there any other effects one should keep in mind?
Thank you very much for reading and for your answers.
I am happy to answer any follow-up questions.
we are planning to build a house but have some questions about building services that we have not yet been able to find solid answers for.
1. Many modern houses tend to feel uncomfortably warm all the time. Why is that?
In our case, the comfortable temperature is around 20-22°C (68-72°F), but some friends of my wife who built houses with underfloor heating in recent years, as well as the experience visiting the Viebrockhaus model home park, report temperatures that feel closer to 24-25°C (75-77°F). What causes this? The answers so far have been: it is normal with underfloor heating; underfloor heating is very difficult to adjust; that is a thing of the past when only one heating circuit was installed for the entire house; it is due to the insulation in modern houses… I don’t think the underfloor heating can be entirely blamed, since it also gets hot in summer (when the heating is presumably off), definitely more than in our rental flat (built in 1997, gas heating with radiators). What are your thoughts?
Personally, I suspect it is more due to the lack of a basement and the large glazing areas combined with the absence of roof overhangs.
2. Is it still common to build houses with radiators today? Radiators seem to have disappeared from catalogs and websites. I understand that heating with radiators nowadays will likely struggle to meet energy-saving regulations. And is it unavoidable to have a mechanical ventilation system? We air out often, so we don’t really see the reason for such a system…
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having no basement?
Okay, less storage space, more noise (because heating and other systems are closer to living areas), probably less cooling effect in summer, and of course it is also a cost issue. But are there any other effects one should keep in mind?
Thank you very much for reading and for your answers.
I am happy to answer any follow-up questions.
Yeah, I’m currently experimenting with it, but I always have to wait 1-2 days.
I don’t know the installation spacing; the underfloor heating elements were factory-cast and installed on-site in one piece using the construction crane.
I can’t quickly find any information about this in the scope of work description.
The floor isn’t cold, I just thought it would be more noticeable.
I don’t know the installation spacing; the underfloor heating elements were factory-cast and installed on-site in one piece using the construction crane.
I can’t quickly find any information about this in the scope of work description.
The floor isn’t cold, I just thought it would be more noticeable.
@tomtom79
We don’t really feel the underfloor heating. Only in the areas on the tiles where there is no underfloor heating underneath can you notice that there must be heating in other places. After moving in, I set the heating curve higher to get rid of the construction moisture. You can definitely feel the underfloor heating then, even though the supply temperature is only raised by 2-3°C (4-5°F).
If it gets too warm everywhere, I would recommend lowering the heating curve a bit.
We don’t really feel the underfloor heating. Only in the areas on the tiles where there is no underfloor heating underneath can you notice that there must be heating in other places. After moving in, I set the heating curve higher to get rid of the construction moisture. You can definitely feel the underfloor heating then, even though the supply temperature is only raised by 2-3°C (4-5°F).
If it gets too warm everywhere, I would recommend lowering the heating curve a bit.
EveundGerd26 Jan 2016 13:19Why are the room thermostats set to 23 degrees?
I am not familiar with your heating system; we have a gas condensing boiler, but none of our thermostats are set to 23 degrees.
Are you able to lower the setting on them?
I am not familiar with your heating system; we have a gas condensing boiler, but none of our thermostats are set to 23 degrees.
Are you able to lower the setting on them?
S
Sebastian7926 Jan 2016 13:29It sounds like a hydraulic balancing has not been carried out? You will also need information for the future, such as the length of the heating circuits, and the pipe spacing should be available to you as well.
Were finished panels installed with screed on top, or how should one imagine the construction?
Were finished panels installed with screed on top, or how should one imagine the construction?
EveundGerd27 Jan 2016 00:35The discussions about the settings of the underfloor heating are very interesting.
Today, I found out that I cannot lower the flow temperature of our gas condensing boiler below 30°C (86°F). The flow temperature often measures around 27°C (81°F), but it is not possible to set it lower manually. Our domestic hot water is maintained at 45°C (113°F).
We are generally satisfied with the temperature of the floors and rooms. Two bedrooms still need to be reduced by one or two degrees. They are always about 1.6°C (3°F) warmer than set with ERR. Therefore, the heating engineer will come again to adjust the water flow.
@Tomtom: I will measure the underfloor temperature in various rooms later. I first have to find the device again in the chaos of the garage. Why are men often so untidy in the garage?
Today, I found out that I cannot lower the flow temperature of our gas condensing boiler below 30°C (86°F). The flow temperature often measures around 27°C (81°F), but it is not possible to set it lower manually. Our domestic hot water is maintained at 45°C (113°F).
We are generally satisfied with the temperature of the floors and rooms. Two bedrooms still need to be reduced by one or two degrees. They are always about 1.6°C (3°F) warmer than set with ERR. Therefore, the heating engineer will come again to adjust the water flow.
@Tomtom: I will measure the underfloor temperature in various rooms later. I first have to find the device again in the chaos of the garage. Why are men often so untidy in the garage?
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