If you have made the decision to have underfloor heating in either a house you are building or renovating, then the next choice is to decide whether to install it yourself or get some professionals to do it for you.

Whilst it is possible to install it yourself with no prior experience, it is not really to be recommended, especially with more complex water systems. Using underfloor heating installers will ensure that you get a job well done for you.

When choosing an installer, it is best to ask a number of questions, fully explaining what it is that you want from the system. They will be able to advice you and point you in the direction of what to choose, especially when it comes between electric and water systems. (more...)

There are two types of underfloor heating systems available, and these are water, sometimes known as hydronic, and electric. Each has their advantages, but here we discuss the electric systems.

Electric systems offer a number of advantages. They have a much smaller profile, and this means that if the underfloor space is at a premium, they are ideally suited. In addition, there is no danger of water pipes bursting, and ruining the concrete floor.

One of the huge benefits of an electric system, is that by the use of timers, it is possible to use power when it is at its cheapest. this is normally at night, but check you electricity supplier for more details. (more...)

If you are considering having underfloor heating fitted to either an existing house, or to a new build, then it is important to pay attention to what insulation should be used as well.

Underfloor heating systems are normally laid within a concrete sub floor, or beneath a cement screed. These do no have great insulation properties in themselves, and so some additional insulation would be advisable.

Using a layer of specially designed boards on top of the concrete or screed, but still below the surface of the final flooring, will help in many ways. It will bring the system up to temperature quickly and will also be more efficient in the process. More efficient is the same as cheaper! (more...)

There are many heating systems available to the modern household, ranging from central heating to underfloor heating systems. Here, we talk bout underfloor heating systems, and the advantages that they can bring.

Underfloor systems come in two different categories, which are electrical and water. The water system is also sometimes referred to as a hydronic system. Using an underfloor system means that there are no exposed pipes or radiators in rooms, which enables a room to look more spacious.

Each of the two systems has its benefits. The hydronic system not only warms during the winter months, but can also be used to cool a room during the summer months. Whilst the electric system cannot do this, it does have a smaller profile, meaning less underground floor space is needed. (more...)

Underfloor heating has been known since at least the Roman times, and possibly before that. Methods of underfloor heating from those days mainly involved the movement of smoke from fires beneath the floor of buildings. Today's modern houses have two options of underfloor heating though.

These two types are electrical and water, with the water systems sometimes being addressed as hydronic. There are some differences between the two. The main difference, however, is that a hydronic system can not only warm but can also cool if a room is too hot. An electric system can only warm.

If you were considering the benefits of electric vs water underfloor heating systems, then this would be the main thing to keep in mind. So, if you expected to have to cool your room as well, opt for the hydronic option. However, the electrical system has a lower profile, so if the space under the proposed floor is at a premium, then an electrical system would be the best option. (more...)

When installing underfloor heating, some thought must be given to the type of flooring that will be covering it. Amtico are a company which specializes in quality vinyl floors, and these are durable and hardwearing.

These floorings are ideal for use with underfloor heating systems as they are long lasting and tough. There are a huge range of designs and colours available, meaning that there is something for every conceivable situation. The natural effect tiles are particularly stunning, and really do look just like the real thing.

An Amtico underfloor heating combination really is a match made in heaven. The warmth of the heating seems to soak into the quality vinyl tiles, and it really is a pleasure to walk across barefoot during the winter months. The feeling is hard to describe, and can only really be experienced! (more...)

Today we see the first Pagerank update of the year, with many not having seen another PR update since April 2010. However, what has happened for the last 2 years, Google have been doing Pagerank updates in the first half of the year then they have used the second half of the year to introduce new features and this year we have seen a number of new products focused on reviews and Google Places, with Hotpot and Place reviews being included into the main results.

This is no doubt a causative factor of the Pagerank updates not taking place in the second part of the year, likewise last year the anticipated Google Caffeine infrastructure change had clearly taken its toll on the Googleplex who had no updates from June through to November.

However, in normal times, Google generally do minor updates monthly, these are such tiny shifts that most people do not seem to notice, they are rolled out along side new index updates, so we often see new pages being indexed at the same time that the Pagerank update takes place. Though its normally only an internally visible or visible on sites which are new or where there were fixes on pages which were lacking PR on prior rounds. (more...)