Underfloor
Heating With Heat Pumps
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A
match made in heaven!
Below is an example of how heat spreads within
a room when heated via different means. As
you can see the underfloor heating gives
us a far more desirable spread.
Our feet are warm but we are able to ‘keep a cool head!’ It is this
spread of heat that increases comfort, scientific tests have shown that overall;
room temperature can actually be 2°C - 3°C lower whilst still achieving
the same levels of comfort! |
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Due
to their large surface area output underfloor
heating systems are quite happy running at
much lower temperatures, as low as 35°C,
where as traditional radiator systems could
have flow temperatures as high as 82°C.
Some manufactures claim underfloor systems
to be as much as 40% more efficient. The fact
we don’t need to heat our rooms up quite
as much and the fact we can do this with less
energy, with low flow temperatures, means the
underfloor system is perfect for heat pumps.
Air Source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps
make for the ideal partner when coupled with an
underfloor heating system, not only does the duo
provide a more comfortable outcome, they also require
far less energy input, which means they are far
cheaper to run.
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This
is due to the increased efficiency of the pair
working together:
 The underfloor system requires a lower overall
room temperature to keep us comfortable, due to
the efficient spread of heat.
The underfloor system will happily run at low flow
temperatures, due to its large surface area
The heat pump (ground source or air source) can
be up to 450% more efficient than a new condensing
boiler.
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The heat pump is at its most efficient when running at lower temperatures for
longer periods. This is what the underfloor system likes. The concealed pipe
work gently heats up its mass and then releases that heat slowly over a prolonged
period. The type of floor covering can add to this and aid the system, see
floor finishes.
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| Both
ground source heat pumps and air source heat
pumps are becoming far more popular due to rising
energy costs and the fact that they are better
at being efficient! At least 4 times better! |
