Until recently, wall hung radiators and central heating were the standard
systems for heating the home, however underfloor heating is stealing a march on competitor products to become a popular choice amongst UK homeowners. Neil Young, indoor climate applications manager for Uponor, the UK’s underfloor heating market leader, talks about this growing market.
“Underfloor heating is no longer for the affluent on high specification houses – it has become much more accessible with many home owners reaping the benefits that this system has to offer. Compared to traditional radiators, underfloor heating requires less energy to heat, reducing energy costs on average between 15% and 40%. The fact that
they are so cost effective to run is the reason many home owners are opting for
them, which, in the current economic climate, is becoming even more important.
“On an aesthetics front, underfloor heating also facilitates flexibility of design in a room. The position of radiators impacts on where furniture has to be placed however underfloor heating allows greater freedom with room layouts and consequently, helps free up space.
“More importantly however, underfloor heating is a healthy choice. It hardly raises any dust, and is the perfect heating system for people suffering from allergies. What’s more, the gentle radiant heat provided by underfloor heating systems acts directly on the body without the intermediate stage of first warming the room air. The result? The same comfort level, but with a 2° C lower room temperature. This is beneficial to health because warm feet and a cool head is exactly what the human body requires.
“We have recognised the growing popularity of this market and as a result, have launched a brand new underfloor heating concept that can cut the time taken to install by 50 per cent, while drastically reducing installers’ overheads in the process.
“Our brand new Self Attaching System which is equipped with exclusive self-attaching technology offers a tool-free and hassle-free approach to underfloor heating allowing one individual installer to lay a complete system from start to finish in half the time of traditional systems.
“We are really excited about this new product. We have invested greatly in researching and developing a system that will help installers save both time and money and we genuinely believe this will revolutionise the installation process.
“Indeed, we have such faith in this new system that we are confident users will be able to fit it in just three easy steps, as follows:
- Firstly, attach edging strip around the perimeter of the room to reduce thermal
bridging. Our polyethylene with a self-adhesive backing and PE skirt comes on a roll, which makes it incredibly easy to fix. - Next it’s time to lay the insulation which is quick and easy to do as it just rolls
into place to provide thermal and step noise insulation. Joints should be taped
if using a flow screed however, it won’t require a slip membrane as this has
already been built into the insulation. - Finally, walk the pipe into position by just placing your foot on the pipe and guiding it into the correct position. The hook and loop system holds the pipe in
position with no special tools needed at this stage. Installers can even walk
freely across the panels during all stages of the installation and depending on
the shape of the room, or the need to avoid any obstacles, they can choose the
best path for the loop. If the pattern isn’t quite right, it can be changed
simply as the pipe can be lifted up and relocated into an alternative position.
It really is as easy as 1,2,3!
“The key element to our Self Attaching System is a unique band which is wound in a spiral around our oxygen tight PEX pipe. This band allows one installer to quickly, safely and securely fix the pipe to laminated installation boards which are also quick and easy to position.
“It offers complete flexibility in terms of pipe laying patterns and complete security and peace of mind, the result is a sophisticated underfloor heating system that is fast, easy to lay and modify and can be installed from start to finish by just one person saving labour time and money.
“This system removes any stress from installation as the pipe position can be repeatedly adjusted without damaging the insulation or pipe. There are no extra components such as clips, rails or staples and no fixing holes are required meaning the membrane completely retains its integrity.
“We are confident that the new system will be well received by the market as it offers the ideal combination of both time and cost savings and productivity.”
For more information about Uponor click on www.uponor.co.uk, email enquiries.uk@uponor.com or call 01455 550355.