Underfloor Heating - all over or just ground floor?

Quack13 · 05-05-2009 10:15AM #1

I'm about to start a new build and intend on putting in a UFH system (geothermal) with HRV and hopefully have an airtight build too.

I had initially intended to get the Underfloor Heating on both the ground floor and first floor, however a few people have suggested to me that I should consider only getting it on ground floor and get Rads put in upstairs.

Reason being that we would not be upstairs all the time, save for going to bed and bathroom, and that a quick blast of heat from rads would suffice.
I'm wondering with HRV, good insulation, concrete 1st floor and UFH downstairs would this work?

Has anyone here any experience on this?
Would be curious to hear peoples opinion.

Sparky78 · 05-05-2009 11:08AM

I dont think geothermal goes well with rads due to the lower heat generated by this system(around 35 c).Rads need a higher temperature to operate correctly.
The geothermal could heat the temperature to this level but the esb cost would be much higher.
You could think about using aluminum rads or the rads with fans which work at a lower temperature.

Quack13 · 05-05-2009 11:11AM

Sparky78 wrote: »

I dont think geothermal goes well with rads due to the lower heat generated by this system(around 35 c).Rads need a higher temperature to operate correctly.
The geothermal could heat the temperature to this level but the esb cost would be much higher.
You could think about using aluminum rads or the rads with fans which work at a lower temperature.

Ah yeah it wouldn't be regular rads. One of the energy suppliers we spoke to mentioned 'low-temp'(?) rads...basically rads that are built to work specially with Geothermal.

Juantorena · 05-05-2009 01:09PM

I'm going with ASHP running underfloor on the GF and have prepp'ed (i.e. put in the pipework) for alu rads upstairs. If not needed we'll box the pipes into the skirting. Have also a dual-energy towel rad in upstairs bathroom.

Like yourself, I am aiming for good insulation and airtightness - both of which I hope will either negate the need for rads and/or will allow the hrv to warm upstairs satisfactorily. We have a double-height hallway which may allow some transfer of heat from underfloor to 1st floor...remains to be seen.

MicktheMan · 05-05-2009 11:49PM

Quack13 wrote: »

I'm about to start a new build and intend on putting in a UFH system (geothermal) with HRV and hopefully have an airtight build too.

I had initially intended to get the Underfloor Heating on both the ground floor and first floor, however a few people have suggested to me that I should consider only getting it on ground floor and get Rads put in upstairs.

Reason being that we would not be upstairs all the time, save for going to bed and bathroom, and that a quick blast of heat from rads would suffice.
I'm wondering with HRV, good insulation, concrete 1st floor and UFH downstairs would this work?

Has anyone here any experience on this?
Would be curious to hear peoples opinion.

Have you had a heat load calc done on the specs? This, imo, is the starting point of figuring out how to heat a house.

Quack13 · 06-05-2009 09:42AM

MicktheMan wrote: »

Have you had a heat load calc done on the specs? This, imo, is the starting point of figuring out how to heat a house.

Thanks Mick,
who would I approach to get of these done?

Underfloor Heating - all over or just ground floor?

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