Electrical under floor heating mats

bazman

Hay anyone experience with electrical underfloor heating mats, such as the ones provided here: http://www.underfloorheating.ie

I'm thinking of installing these in the living area of an apartment underneed a tiled floor.

Any advice for me? Any other providers in Ireland?
Help appreciated - thanks

Hoagy

Widely used in bathrooms, very straightforward.

Devi would probably be the most popular.

bazman

One question: Do I need construction/insulation boards to be underneath? I guess you would normally, but this is an apartment which I would assume already has some insulation. Apt is on the 2nd floor ...

Problem is it costs almost twice the price if I get these - I will leave one radiator in the living area, so it won't be the only heat source.

Hoagy

It doesn't make any difference to the underfloor system, but if you don't put insulation under the mats the warm up time will be a lot longer and the running costs correspondingly higher.
Have you looked at running costs for this system?
If you're using full rate electricity it could work out very expensive to run.

Stoner

Hoagy wrote: »

Widely used in bathrooms, very straightforward.

Devi would probably be the most popular.

I agree, people seem to get these for apartments where the rooms are so small that dropping a rad gains space, people also just dont like the look of rads, they are not a cost effective option IMO, but they have good application uses

vestanpance

These really should only be used as a secondary heat source. They don't really do much more than heat the floor as opposed to the room and has been mentioned before they are expensive to run. There only good use is in a bathroom which already has a radiator/heated towel rail.

fishdog

If they are under tiles they are fantastic!! Not as good under carpet and a waste of time under wood IMHO.

My concern is that the mat will fail under the tiles and then you are in trouble. This happened in my own house and it was not possible to find where the fault was, or repair it.

Most of the controllers are ugly and not user friendly. There is a new one out that looks great and is very user friendly. You can buy it from Hot Foot in Kilcoole Industrial Estate, Co. Wicklow. It will switch 16 amps. It has been pre programed with a sensible programe and has a trendy blue back light.

blackiebest

I have used these mats a number of times. They are great on one hand but expensive to run, easy to install and great that they dont change floor levels by much.

Oilrig

I've got Flexel mats under the tiles in my bathrooms, they won't replace rads, at 170W they are tile warmers only, work well, controller's are relatively discreet, economical to use.

Installed over std ply floors

Got mine in Tubs & Tiles. (not meant to be a plug)