Expert Underfloor Heating Services in Leeds

Underfloor Heating

Eco Gas Care are specialist installers of underfloor heating systems in Leeds and surrounding areas, including all types of boilers or renewable heating systems to be used in conjunction with the underfloor heating system. We also provide expert underfloor heating repair and maintenance services across Leeds for existing underfloor heating systems.

We are your No. 1 Underfloor Heating Design & Installation Specialists

We install two main types of underfloor heating systems, a hydroponic system or wet system, that circulates heated water from the boiler or renewable heating system, such as solar panels or a ground source heat pump and the second type of underfloor heating system is an electric system that runs off of the mains electricity supply to provide heating.

Hydronic Underfloor Heating Systems

Hydronic systems use a mixture of water and anti-freeze as the heat transfer fluid in a closed loop system that circulates between the floor and the boiler. Each room has its own pipe circuit that is connected to a manifold with regulating valves enabling each room circuit to be controlled individually with a thermostat. When a room reaches the pre-set temperature a signal is sent to the manifold from the room thermostat to turn off that room’s circuit. The manifold feeds each room circuit with hot water from your boiler at between 35-60°C which heats the floor to between 18-29°C.

Electric Underfloor Heating Systems

Electric systems use non-corrosive, flexible heating elements and use fewer components than hydronic systems and are simpler to install. Typically electric systems are used as carpet heaters, portable under rug heaters, under laminate/tile/wood floor heating and floor warming systems e.g. under shower floors.

Both the hydronic and electric under floor heating systems can either be cast into a concrete floor slab, placed under a floor covering or attached to a wood sub floor.

Underfloor Heating Insulation

Underfloor heating systems require a properly insulated floor and for permanent solid floor systems the insulated floor must conform to building regulations.

Underfloor heating is only worthwhile if your floor is insulated properly as floors that are not insulated will allow heat to be lost through them and result in high heating bills. Underfloor heating takes time to heat up and cool down, about 24 hours, and so is not an ideal choice for properties where the heating is occasional used. Because it takes so long to come to temperature underfloor heating does not respond quickly to temperature changes and so homes that are not adequately insulated will take time to reach their optimum desired temperature. With fully insulated floors underfloor heating systems will have an easier job and may not have to come on often helping to keep heating bills and carbon emissions down.

Why Choose Underfloor Heating?

  • Fully installed systems are almost maintenance free and are said to last for up to 25 years.
  • An underfloor system can be cheaper to run than a radiator system as underfloor heating runs at a lower temperature of around 50°C rather the 60°C+.
  • It gives an even temperature across the whole floor and heats from the floor to ceiling making the heating more comfortable, unlike radiators which heat from the ceiling down.
  • Without radiators an underfloor heating system frees up valuable wall space where a radiator would be fitted.
    Also the noises associated with radiator systems such as creaks and gurgles are eliminated as underfloor heating systems are silent.
  • There is also no hot radiator to avoid touching or putting objects too close too.
  • Radiators also have strong convection currents which can cause dust particles to be distributed and circulated around the room irritating people with allergies and asthma. Underfloor heating generates a balanced convection and radiant heating that disturbs lees dust particles which is beneficial for people with asthma.
Our highly skilled and qualified engineers can assist with the design through to installation of any underfloor heating system including any boiler or renewable heating system.

Types of Installations

There are 3 main types of underfloor heating installations either solid floor, suspended floor or a floating floor installation which can all be used for either a hydronic or electric systems:

  • Screed floor: This is where the underfloor heating system is a permanent embedded into the buildings concrete or screeded floor. This method is usually employed in new builds or extensions as to fit an underfloor heating in this way into an existing building can be time consuming, costly and disruptive. This is due to the buildings concrete foundations needing to be properly insulated, according to building regulations, and so the floor will need to be completely rebuilt.

  • Over floor: The underfloor heating in this case is inserted between the joists of a floor either from below or above. Timber however is a very good insulator of heat and so this will need to be taken into consideration when fitting an underfloor heating system in this way. There are methods to improve the transfer of heat through timber such as aluminium plates under the floor boards, however this is an expensive option. Also a mortar filler between the pipe/cable and floor boards can be used, although this can be weighty so the strength of the joists needs to be taken into consideration. Clipping the pipe/cable directly under the floor boards can also help but this is not as effective as the other options.

  • Floating floor: The underfloor heating can be installed within a floating floor which lies on top of the existing floor. For hydronic systems the piping is laid into grooves within the insulation of preformed heat emitter plates and topped with wood boarding before the flooring is laid on top.