It is a law of nature that heat rises; it is also a fact of human life that our feet are particularly susceptible to feeling the cold. These two facts alone serve to make it seem sensible when warming up our rooms to have the heat coming up from the floor.
This concept has been around for a very long time and archaeological records from the Far East show evidence of primitive underfloor heating as far back as 5000 BC. However the historical concept of big fires spreading their heat through underfloor passages into adjoining rooms would not be considered practical in today’s homes and workplaces.
The Modern Way
Not so long ago, we almost treated electricity as though it was free, our electric bills were affordable and installation of electric devices was simple. We used electricity to heat up wire coils and radiate the heat out into our rooms. This was somewhat hot in close contact and hardly felt on the other side of the room. So, why not put electrically heated coils under our floors and heat the whole room evenly? In terms of heating this was successful but, along came the energy crisis and fears of climate change from green house gases, all of which made electricity became an expensive commodity.
Low installation cost but expensive running costs put this basic form of underfloor heating out of fashion. Today, if we contact heating specialists such as Underfloor Heating in Bolton, they are likely to recommend underfloor heating systems that rely on heat transfer. A fluid is heated away from the room and the hot fluid is then passed through pipes or tubes that run below the floor of the room. The fluid could be water and that could be heated in a traditional boiler before being pumped around the premises.
When looking for Underfloor Heating in Bolton, the advantage of using a specialised contractor is that they can advise you on the whole system. Whether to use water or special fluids as your heat transfer medium: what type of heater, using which type of fuel and what material to use for the pipes? The solutions to all these questions will be available from the likes of Underfloor Heating Bolton who will also advise on the best way to make your system energy efficient.
Check out underfloor heating and other plumbing specialities from M & R Plumbing and Heating Ltd at their Underfloor Heating Bolton website. They have served the plumbing and central heating needs of the Bolton and Wigan area since 1997.