Underfloor heating - Worth it?

[Gary_H]

Hey folks

Just about to renovate my bathroom, and am looking at underfloor heating. Basically has anyone installed it? I've only 3sqm of actual floor to cover with it, and am thinking it's prob not worth the cost. But if it produces good heat, and generally does warm up the room, I might just get it.

Anyone else had it installed and can swear by it?

Gary

[Mr Brush]

We don't need it, as we installed zoned in-slab heating throughout the house when we built, which runs on off-peak electric only. A warm floor is nice, and is a relatively cheap way to provide background heat. Note the reference to off-peak power.........:D

However, a neighbour has one of the retrofit floor heating things installed in his bathroom (the kind that is installed just under the tiles rather than in the slab). His is a large bathroom, and he was running the floor heating continuously (controlled by a thermostat). These things use a LOT of juice - his was drawing a total of 1kW or so, and he was silly enough to have it always on 24/7. As a general rule, they draw approx 100W per square meter !! Needless to say, a few power bills later, he now hardly uses the thing......

So.........just be aware that they use a lot of power, and have the thing on a timer and thermostat so that it runs for as short a period as possible.

[Gary_H]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking, It's a tiny area, so it's prob not worth it.
Would like to hear from other people though.

Thanks mate.

When i eventually build my own house, it will be inslab all the way!

Although, does it take long to cool down?

[Frank&Earnest]

Lived for three years in an apartment in Milan that had it. It was sometimes installed up until the 50's, then it fell out of fashion, mainly because of health issues: it tends to swell the legs. If you are using it only for the short time you are in the bathroom that would not be a problem, but then it would be hard to justify economically and ecologically.

[Bob38S]

Have not really found a need for it in Qld but, in winter, my wife does use the heated lights, light, fan combo we have in the ceiling of the en-suite. Not sure what they cost to run but as they are not on for hours it shouldn't be that much - I probably use more when I start up the toys in my shed.

Hope it helps,
Bob

[Pulpo]

In slab heating is good.

I'm building a house at present and just installed the hydronic pex in the slab.

However a few moons ago had a share in a ski lodge with the heated floor throughout, it was magic in the bathrooms but the electric bill was extreme.

Difficult to control people turning the system off, during winter it ran 24/7.

For 3 square metres add some timers and thermostats.

yes I would.