Central heating choice on New build

[malraff]

hi all

I am currently building a new house (bungalow), and until now we where always going to have part of the house with underfloor heating and the rest of the rooms with radiators. Until the Contractor asked us, why do we want radiators at all! (the contractor is a good reputable guy, so I have no reason to doubt his expertise) and I don't really have a reason other than listening to various scare monger stories such as under ground heating will never heat your house, you will use more oil, john doe ended up having to dig up his floor to put radiators in etc etc yet research/theory of underfloor suggests the opposite ?

I guess I am just a little nervous about having no alternative if the underfloor proves in efficient, the house is being very well insulated, but does have a lot of large floor to roof level windows (so the space savings of no radiators would be brilliant as well) so is there anything really for me to fear?

and is there any tips you would give me for underfloor heating that would help make it suitable down the line for alternative heat sources? such as ground source ? (eg I have been told make the underfloor pipes layout a lot tighter?

if we do go for 100% underfloor heating, we will have 100% of the room floors tiled to maximise heat through put

apologies for what I presume is a pretty ignorant question! but any advice appreciated

thanks

mal

 

[oz-plumber]

If the UFH is designed and installed properly, you will have no issues.

The only problem you will have is when the weather changes suddenly and the UFH is not responsive enough.

If you have large windows, you may want to run perimeter circuits at closer pipe spacing, and even at a higher water temperature, to accommodate the heatloss.

As said, get someone who knows what they are doing and you will have very minimal problems if any

 

[snowhead]

Full underfloor anytime.

I'd go for a well designed and possibly slightly over specced underfloor pipe layout as above extra cover for the windows.

Underfloor beats rads for overall comfort as it's a more even temperature.

The only issue is nowhere to dry washing (and create condensation).
Towel radiator in the Bathroom and maybe the Kitchen.

 

[malraff]

thanks folks for advice, will definitely look into over specing it. iv been searching for a benefit of radiators over under ground and all I can find is what you say snowhead - is nowhere to dry washing (and create condensation).

 

[Worcester]

Full underfloor heating and an air source heat pump; simples Well designed an ASHP is cheaper than gas to run, cheaper than oil to install, and if the house is for you to live in (self/custom build) the government will give you up to £9k towards the installation costs.

 

[Worcester]

p.s. it should be designed from day 1 for either a ground or air source heat pump, refer to the CIBSE guide for ufh design and the MCS heat emitter guide. Also make sure it's installed as a snail layout bot serpentine, it's far more efficient and gives less cold spots, and for a good ufh installer takes no longer at all.

As an aside I'd never let a builder design or install a heating system.- it's guaranteed to give problems.

 

[Gray0689]

Full underfloor heating and an air source heat pump; simples Well designed an ASHP is cheaper than gas to run, cheaper than oil to install, and if the house is for you to live in (self/custom build) the government will give you up to £9k towards the installation costs.

How you work out a air source heat pump is cheaper to install than oil

 

[PlumbBobBob]

How you work out a air source heat pump is cheaper to install than oil

presumably because of the upto £9k you get back?

 

[Gray0689]

presumably because of the upto £9k you get back?

That's the only way it's cheaper

 

[Worcester]

No tank etc , and if using a monobloc ashp from the likes of Samsung...simples, we've been cheaper on two closed bids twice recently..

 

[quality]

ASHP may not be the cheapest to install but if your building from scratch especially with full underfloor it will the most efficient system to run compared any gas or oil