2 min read
Before diving into underfloor heating (UFH) in Cardiff, potential buyers may find merit in familiarising themselves with the steps they can take to achieve cost savings. In this article, we’ll reveal some of those steps, whilst sharing professional tips and insights.
1) Conduct a Home Energy Assessment
During this type of assessment, an appointed assessor will inspect doors, windows and floors to build a comprehensive understanding of the property's thermal mass. More importantly, by carrying out these steps, assessors can not only reveal to occupants how well their property retains heat but also pinpoint the source of any inefficiencies to minimise future heat loss.
2) Evaluate Floor Structure
In the absence of major floor refurbishment, homes constructed during certain decades often possess similar floor structures. Below is an outline of some of those homes, along with their era-defining characteristics.
1840-1930: Properties like the Victorian variety were constructed with subfloors containing a mixture of brick, timber and various other woods. Generally, these underlying areas lacked any form of significant insulation.
1930-1990: Post-war buildings and other homes built during this period typically relied on concrete, with minimal insulation existing underfoot. Again, timber subfloors can also be found in some of these properties.
1990-2025: More contemporary homes possess concrete floors, supported by adequate insulation and damp-proof membranes (DPM). Generally, modern builds have greater insulative value than their figurative forebears, due to stricter building regulations and technological developments.
Pro Tip: Where non-insulated or floating subfloors exist, overfloor heating (OFH) offers strong practical applications. However, for properties with concrete floors, UFH is often ideal as the mass of the new concrete (or screed) can itself be used to transmit/radiate heat.
3) Choose an Appropriate Heating Source
The operating cost of any given UFH system is heavily influenced by the heating source it is paired with. When choosing the right heating source, potential buyers should consider answering these three key questions:
• Is the building air-tight?
• Does the property have two or less bathrooms?
• Is the structure well insulated?
Pro Tip: For air-tight homes that are well insulated, heat pumps are the new go-to choice. More specifically, in buildings with two or less bathrooms, combination boilers are a safe bet as these homes are less likely to have multiple baths/showers running at the same time. Alternatively, for properties with three or more bathrooms, unvented systems with heat-only boilers are the industry standard.
4) Find a Reputable Installer
Start by looking for installers who have built up a strong reputation locally. In an industry where consumer protections are relatively scarce, it definitely pays dividends to spend ample time finding the right specialist. When reaching out to any installers, be sure to ask them:
• Have they done work on similar heating systems in your local area?
• Do they have customer references potential clients can readily view?
• Are they able to help with integrating smart control features?
• Do they provide customer service after the installation is complete?
Pro Tip: It’s a good idea to get the final quotation in writing, don’t settle for just verbal-only, where there’s less assurances and accountability.
5) Check for Grant Eligibility
Lastly, don’t forget to apply early for applicable funding or loan schemes, such as:
• Nest Warm Homes Programme
• Boiler Upgrade Scheme
• Green Homes Wales
Looking for underfloor heating installers who can help you enjoy cost savings?
Get in touch with the specialists @ floorheat
T: 029 20 025 779 | E: info@floorheat.co.uk
AUTHOR BIO
This article was written by Jon Sainsbury, one of Cardiff's leading experts in home building and improvement services. With the support of his team, Jon is determined to reinforce customer centric practices across the South Wales home service industry.
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