Thermaskirt vs. wet/dry UFH vs. heated glass

[RedLeicester]

Any thoughts chaps? My brain is melting down on this one. House is largeish 50s/60s construction, cavity wall, but ground floor is SOLID concrete (not even screen, SOLID)so the only way to get either wet or leccy UFH in there would be with jackhammers and a whole lot of mess.

Alternatives would be Thermaskirt, but I'm yet to be convinced on the efficacy of that, or heated glass (9m x 2.2m of glass in kitchen, 4m x 2.2 in playroom, 5m x 2.2 plus 5m x 1.6 in lounge) which seems like a fab idea but vaguest indications of prices are a little on the terrifying side...

Oh, oil fired central heating, ancient boiler due to be replaced with newer condensing one or G/S probably with solar panels for tepid water....

Any and all thoughts appreciated...

[RedLeicester]

[Simpo Two]

I have this crazy idea that if you pump air at room temperature into the cavity, the inside of the house cannot then lose heat and will stay at the temperature of the cavity; indeed rise due to cooking, body heat etc. There will be a sharper heat loss from the cavity to the outside air, but the volume of air to be heated is a tiny fraction.

Let's use your house as a test-bed

[RedLeicester]

[lost in espace]

I suspect wet UFH will be more efficient than any other form of heating, and will cost far less than the Thermaskirt. Get some Poles to dig your concrete out on the cheap.

[RedLeicester]

Even on the cheap it's going to be a heck of a lot of concrete!

[d50cyx]

Or just raise the floor by an inch in the rooms you want to have UFH? Leave the hallway so you don't have to mess around with adjusting the stairs? Just a thought...

[Harry Flashman]

Exactly. Just have a false floor. Insulating layer, electric UFH, engineered wood/tile/whatever laid on top.

Job done, and when it's done you won't even notice.

[satans worm]

d50cyx said:

Or just raise the floor by an inch in the rooms you want to have UFH? Leave the hallway so you don't have to mess around with adjusting the stairs? Just a thought...

You will need at least 4inches of insulation first though!

Hope you have high ceilings( and door ways!!)

[Laurel Green]

Not sure I understand the problem. What is wrong with existing radiators, or is it that you no longer want them and, would prefer unseen heating. If the latter, would say, go with the Thermaskirt. I believe one can have a blown-air under kitchen unit heater, if there is not a sufficient run for Thermaskirt in the kitchen.

[RedLeicester]

Laurel Green said:

Not sure I understand the problem. What is wrong with existing radiators, or is it that you no longer want them and, would prefer unseen heating. If the latter, would say, go with the Thermaskirt. I believe one can have a blown-air under kitchen unit heater, if there is not a sufficient run for Thermaskirt in the kitchen.

Rads are 60 years old and tired, as is the plumbing, as is the boiler, so it's all coming out. There's no "problem" as such, I'm simply trying to understand more about my options.

[RedLeicester]

satans worm said:

d50cyx said:

Or just raise the floor by an inch in the rooms you want to have UFH? Leave the hallway so you don't have to mess around with adjusting the stairs? Just a thought...

You will need at least 4inches of insulation first though!

Hope you have high ceilings( and door ways!!)

That's seems to be the issue with UFH - all very well laying it on top of concrete, but without decent insulation below it appears all we'll be doing is heating the cellar, and we're currently trying to establish how far we could dare to excavate down. Come what may, if it does come to that, it's a heck of a lot to hammer out!

[Harry Flashman]

RedLeicester said:

satans worm said:

d50cyx said:

Or just raise the floor by an inch in the rooms you want to have UFH? Leave the hallway so you don't have to mess around with adjusting the stairs? Just a thought...

You will need at least 4inches of insulation first though!

Hope you have high ceilings( and door ways!!)

That's seems to be the issue with UFH - all very well laying it on top of concrete, but without decent insulation below it appears all we'll be doing is heating the cellar, and we're currently trying to establish how far we could dare to excavate down. Come what may, if it does come to that, it's a heck of a lot to hammer out!

Oh, you can get good insulation an inch thick, but it's pricey. Less pricey and less hassle than digging out a conctrete floor though, I'd wager.

[RedLeicester]

What stuff? Where from? I'd still need to dig out and inch, but that's erm.... doable ish.

[RedLeicester]

Hmmm. Well haven't found any fancy insulation, and boiler engineery types who appeared this morning were still demanding 6" minimum excavation. Also haven't found anyone with a single conclusive happy word to say about that Thermaskirt stuff, so looks like that's out too.


Damnation, back full circle to goddamned radiators

[Plotloss]

Radiators need not be the standard Wimpy fit efforts.

There are some tres cool ones out there now.

[satans worm]

Harry Flashman said:

RedLeicester said:

satans worm said:

d50cyx said:

Or just raise the floor by an inch in the rooms you want to have UFH? Leave the hallway so you don't have to mess around with adjusting the stairs? Just a thought...

You will need at least 4inches of insulation first though!

Hope you have high ceilings( and door ways!!)

That's seems to be the issue with UFH - all very well laying it on top of concrete, but without decent insulation below it appears all we'll be doing is heating the cellar, and we're currently trying to establish how far we could dare to excavate down. Come what may, if it does come to that, it's a heck of a lot to hammer out!

Oh, you can get good insulation an inch thick, but it's pricey. Less pricey and less hassle than digging out a conctrete floor though, I'd wager.

Is it building reg compliant though?

[RedLeicester]

Plotloss said:

Radiators need not be the standard Wimpy fit efforts.

There are some tres cool ones out there now.

Still look either dull and icky or silly and poncy though

Edited by RedLeicester on Monday 5th July 15:59