Under Floor Heating in a Timber Frame

yop

Lads
We have the TF up now and our initial decision was to install UFH upstairs, now I know it has been hot and that the last few days but the heat upstairs is mad, now I am re considering putting in the UFH upstairs at all,

what are your opinions?

Cheers

patrido

i wouldn't rule it out based on how hot it gets in summer, but on how cold it will get in winter

Am I right in thinking that your logic is this... if the area is so warm, you'll need less heat, so there is less benefit in installing an expensive heating system??

There are many advantages of UFH, and very few of them are negated just because the upstairs is very warm. For example, comfort, efficiency, and wall space (not used by rads) are all still valid, even if the UFH is working at a low level in winter, and not at all in summer.

Also, I think that putting in the best quality insulation you can afford into the roof, having good insulating glass in the windows, and insulating between floors, will make a difference too. The upstairs should remain cooler in summer; and in winter, the upstairs will be heated much more by it's own heating source, and less from air rising from the rooms below.

I know one could argue that in relation to that last point that it's "swings and roundabouts", but it's more efficient to keep heat contained in the room for which it was intended, especially in areas that are zoned and have differing/intermittent heating cycles.

Also... because ufh systems tend to be better controlled (better than a standard rad system), you might find that your house is MORE uncomfortably warm with radiators. The answer to this might be to put in a radiator system, with each room/zone fed from a central manifold, controlled by thermostats in the rooms and actuators on the manifold. But, of course, then costs start rising towards that of a ufh system.

yop

Thanks for the reply, tbh the cost is not an issue as I am doing it myself and we have good insulation all over the house to aid in keeping the costs down, I suppose really now is not a good time to find out if the house is warm or not, but to wait for winter.

UFH will be better controlled and is more suited to the GEO we are installing.

Thanks

Macy

I can only go on the in laws, who've converted the attic (in a timber frame house), but haven't put in the heating yet. Roasting all summer, freezing in winter, so I'd leave the UFH in if I were you. If it's controlled by thermostats shouldn't matter anyway, if the initial costs aren't the issue?