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We now spend an increased amount of time indoors. The majority of the population now spends at least 22 of every 24 hours in some kind of artificial climate.
 
 
Underfloor heating is far from a new concept, it was first used by the Romans. Their dwellings were constructed with voids through which air, warmed by an open fire, would pass, thus heating the structure.
 
 
Underfloor heating is not a new concept in this country either. In the past electric heating elements were buried within floor screeds. These were heated over night using 'cheap rate' electricity. The main fault was the uncontrollability, the building would over heat during the day but in the evening, when heat is generally required, no further heat was available.
 
With today's modern plastic pipes, control systems and high efficiency boilers the underfloor heating systems of today are extremely comfortable and controllable.

No longer will unsightly radiators take up room space create hot and cold spots in the house and circulate dust.
 
Underfloor heating from the whole floor area of the house gently warms the air above, eliminating cold spots. The warm air convects from the floor surface losing approximately 2 degrees centigrade at 2.0 meters above the floor, which makes the system ideal for all ceiling heights.
 
 
Independent tests reveal that the most acceptable indoor climate is one in which the floor temperature ranges between 19-29°C and the air temperature at head level ranges between 20 and 24°C.
 
 
With radiator or convector heating systems a vertical temperature gradient is produced; colder at foot level than at the head.
 
 
A modern indoor climate surely demands a heating system which will match the required conditions for human thermal comfort with the principal heating effect being evenly distributed at ground level and not above head level.
 
Modern building techniques including improved levels of insulation, double glazing etc., have improved the heat loss characteristic. The U-valve (the measurement for a buildings heat loss) has improved dramatically for our buildings.
 
 

Heat source technology has also taken a leap forward with the introduction of heat pumps, condensing boilers, solar panels, nigh storage systems etc. It is worth noting that all these innovations operate at higher levels of efficiency when linked to a low temperature water distribution system.

 
 
Underfloor heating has made it possible to reduce energy consumption by using low water temperatures. These systems, based on the development of complex and very high quality plastic pipe, such as the Henco multi-layer pipe, now account for over 60% of some European heating markets.