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Wind power for electric underfloor heating?

  • 17-11-2024 11:43AM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12


    Hi. Im renovating an old house extension. There's limited headroom, existing concrete floor, probably without insulation. Heating system completely unusable.

    I'm considering electric underfloor heating for the whole apartment, 15 m2 living room, 9 m2 bedroom and 4m2 bathroom. Does anyone have this in an apartment?

    I've read it's expensive to run, but would it be possible to hook it up to a windmill, Free power?



Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,315 ✭✭✭CelticRambler


    Possible? Yes.

    Worth it? Probably not.

    You're dealing with two different questions there:

    • (1) is an electric underfloor heating system appropriate for the space; and
    • (2) is it feasible to install a turbine that'll provide enough power to run a electric heating system (of any kind).

    The answer the second part is "probably not" unless you're living in an isolated area and have several thousands of euros to spare just to get the right-sized turbine installed.

    The answer to the first part is "it depends" and you haven't provided anywhere near enough info to get useful replies. That said, I'll be adding an electric UFH system to a cottage renovation that'll be about the same size as yours (two heating zones "bed-sit" and "kitchen-bathroom". All being well, it'll be powered by solar rather than wind, and I've been careful to max out the insulation on all six sides of the living space.



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 7,102 Mod ✭✭✭✭graememk


    Possible of course, if you have enough space and throw enough money at it.

    Actually feasible? Short answer: No.

    Electric underfloor is no cheaper than storage heaters or electric radiators.

    You could model the heat loss in the likes of heat punk and get a sort of idea of how much power each room would need.

    You'd actually be better off with a large solar array, export during the summer and use that credit in the winter.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12 Nootdutch


    Thank you for your reply. Sorry I didn't give enough info, what else would you need to know? I'm intrigued that you are going the electric underfloor heating route, would like to know more about it. The limited info available seems to suggest that solar isn't a great match to power this, with poor returns in winter months?

    On the insulation side, what do you use for floor insulation? I have 60 mm warm board on the walls, 200 mm Rockwool in the attic...



  • Posts: 2,768 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    A heat pump would be a better option. Depending on the layout, an air to air heat pump might suit. They're cheap, reliable and 3-4 times more efficient than underfloor electric.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,315 ✭✭✭CelticRambler


    The limited info available seems to suggest that solar isn't a great match to power this, with poor returns in winter months?

    Again, you're conflating two different topics: the (best?) choice of heating for the project, and your options for generating electricity. Underfloor heating is, as graemek points out, essentially a large, flat storage heater, with all the advantages and disadvantages that that entails. It's great, really great, for large empty spaces that don't need to be too hot; as soon as you start adding furniture, rugs, dog baskets, under-bed storage boxes, bags of shopping, etc - things that don't need to be heated from underneath and reduce the effective heating area; or if you want to have near-instant control of the temperature in the room(s), it loses a lot of its advantages.

    A wet system is undeniably far more cost-effective in the long term than a tiled-over electric heat mat, and allows you to choose the most economical energy source to get the water hot, and change it if a more attractive alternative comes along. That's why my project also has a wet system (with four heat zones). However, I live in a part of the world where the sun shines a more than it does in Ireland (especially in the winter!), our electricty is cheaper, and I have other "lifestyle related" reasons for not wanting the wet system to be always on, so a supplementary electric installation makes sense for me.

    If you're interested in reducing your overall energy costs, and especially if you're looking at producing your own, tying it into your space heating from the outset is a bad strategy.

    In any case, if you haven't already found it, there's a whole thread on domestic wind turbines buried here : https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058269147/micro-wind-turbines



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 791 ✭✭✭conor_mc


    Specifically re feasibility of wind, the answer is almost always that it’s not worth it. See below for more info.

    In terms of heating options, an air-to-air heat pump is probably the most efficient option for that size of space imo.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12 Nootdutch


    Hi Conor _mc thank you for your message.. Yes, air to air heat exchangers look like a good option, I'm going to look into this.

    I like the principle of wind power, but didn't consider the limits and problems associated with it.



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