Latest Designer Bathroom Ideas and How To Guides for your Home

Water or wet underfloor heating is a system of heating using heated water circulating in pipes under the floor. Underfloor heating is a radiant type of heating, which warms rooms gradually using the entire floor as a radiator. It tends to be more cost efficient and longer lasting due to the heat retention properties of the floor, especially if is concrete, stone or tiled.

Installation of water underfloor heating systems, whether done professionally or on a DIY basis using underfloor heating kits, can either use what are known as the open or the closed underfloor heating systems.

The open system uses the central water supply to provide the source water circulating through the underfloor heating water pipes. What this means is that the hot water later used in a bath or sink has passed under the floor first. The open system improves the efficiency of water usage.

The closed system uses one dedicated source of water for the water underfloor heating system. Hot water is circulated and re-circulated through the underfloor system of water pipes in a closed loop. The benefit of this system is that anti-freeze can be added to the water, mitigating the risk of damaged water pipes. Closed systems are common in rural areas that may experience lengthy periods of power cuts in winter. The drawback of the closed system is the double usage of water: one for the domestic usage and one for the underfloor heating system. This limits water use efficiency.