Living in Orange is amazing, but I won't lie, the winters can be TOUGH! It's super cold here for around 6 months of the year which is why it was super important for us to create a home that was comfortable all year round.
Obviously we didn't really have any idea where to start in the beginning, but after spending many a late night Googling our options, it was clear that hydronic under floor heating (UFH) would be the best the best option for us.
We sought help from the experts at Rehau who specialise in UFH and after receiving so many questions after my Insta-stories showing the installation I thought we should cover some of the main questions. David Cole from Rehau had all the answers!
Why is UFH better than any other form of heating?
UFH really does create the most comfortable environment for the family- especially those with concrete or tiled floors (which can often be cold and uninviting in the depths of Winter). It also reduces the spread of allergens and dust mites in the home, which is common with reverse cycle or radiator heating. And it's also super efficient and good for the environment.
What are the benefits of UFH?
UFH really does create the most comfortable environment for the family- especially those with concrete or tiled floors (which can often be cold and uninviting in the depths of Winter). It also reduces the spread of allergens and dust mites in the home, which is common with reverse cycle or radiator heating. And it's also super efficient and good for the environment.
What are the benefits of UFH?
1. Comfort and convenience; when the floor is heated (the lowest the lowest point in the home), it avoids overheating at head height and creates the ideal room temperature. All other forms of heat rise to the ceiling and can often result in a room being too cold or too stuffy.
It's easy to keep clean as there are no tricky surfaces to collect dust like vents or wall connections. The floor also heating maintains constant temperature throughout the winter avoiding over/under heating during startup.
It's easy to keep clean as there are no tricky surfaces to collect dust like vents or wall connections. The floor also heating maintains constant temperature throughout the winter avoiding over/under heating during startup.
2. Energy efficiency; The temperature profile (warm feet, cool head) minimises wasted heat that can be lost to the ceiling space and the use of renewable energy sources (solar, geothermal) significantly reduces carbon footprint and energy bills. Our system also has a self-regulating heating system which means the system stops heating when its warm outside.
At what point do you need to install UFH?
It should be installed at the very beginning of the project. In residential applications it is usually installed within the structural slab in the very early stages of the build. It is important to let your architect or builder know that you'll be using UFH so they can accommodate it in the design stage. For example the slab should be well insulated because that is the cheapest and most effective way to ensure home running costs are kept to a minimum.
Almost any floor coverings can be used with UFH, the pipe spacings and water flow temperatures are designed accordingly based on the chosen floor covering to get the best result.
Where is the best place to start looking into UFH for your own build?
Your architect, builder or plumber can advise on the best course of action and type of systems available. If you're yet to engage an architect there are good resources online - look for credible underfloor heating specialist in your local region. Underfloor heating is a very specialized trade in Australia which should be carried out by an experienced professional. Shop around, but remember you often get what you pay for. REHAU can provide home owners and architects a list of experienced UFH installers in their area, who have been trained by REHAU and use REHAU quality UFH components.