Optimising the benefits of underfloor heating

Recently developed manifolds and control centres enable installers of underfloor heating systems to provide homeowners with even greater control of their heating. Michelle Fleming from Thermoboard, Wavin's Underfloor Heating Division, explains more.

Underfloor heating has increased in popularity over the past 15 years thanks to its many benefits, including its energy efficiency, the increased level of comfort provided by the radiant heat it emits and the flexibility of interior design it offers homeowners. But the greater level of controllability it offers is a lesser-known benefit and one that can only be enjoyed if the installer is able to fully optimise the system at the commissioning stage.

Optimisation of a system is achieved by selecting and integrating appropriate thermostats, control centre(s) and manifolds, ensuring that each component is able to operate at its most efficient when combined with the other elements of the system. Equally, understanding the customer's current control requirements at every step of the process will allow installers to offer the most appropriate system, whilst delivering a system flexible enough to cope with a change in control needs in the future.

In the zone

Once the UFH system is installed, a homeowner can accurately specify the temperature for each heating zone. A zone might be a single room, combination of rooms or region of a large open plan space. Real accuracy is achieved with the controls I is Lifestyles change, the controllability of commonly supplied with UFH as they respond to an

individual room thermostat which accurately measures the air and/or the floor temperature - to within 0.2'C in the case of our own systems. This level of accuracy contrasts sharply with the vague temperature adjustment achievable with most thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) and every additional 1C of heat generated will lead to an additional heat loss of around 10%.

As UFH systems are designed with multiple individual circuits of heating pipes, the system response to the individual thermostats is specific - the manifold will only allow more heated water through the circuits which require more heat, not the entire system. Importantly, this reduces energy wastage as the heated water only travels as far as it needs to, not losing heat unnecessarily on return to the manifold. As it begins its next pass round the circuit, the amount of additional heat necessary for the water to reach the required temperature is minimised, achieving a high level of efficiency.

Networked systems

All modern thermostats can be altered easily and quickly, often incorporating a holiday mode or boost button to simplify a significant temperature requirement change. As lifestyles change, the controllability offered by UFH systems really comes into its own, especially with owners of larger properties or holiday homes seeking to control all thermostats centrally, rather than individually. In these cases a networked system is recommended, which saves time when choosing to lower the overall temperature of their second home before leaving or when lowering the temperature of a number of zones in a larger property. Networked systems can also control the heating system from s PC if desired. This can incorporate control of the radiator system and hot water too if combined with the UPH system in a single control centre.

A homeowner's needs may change over time, as unused bedrooms become regularly used or children grow up and leave home. Rooms maybe divided or open plan areas created, which may mean the homeowner would like to reconfigure heating zones. Wherever an individual in-floor pipe Circuit corresponds to the homeowner's newly desired heating zone, this can be easily achieved, but the secret is for the installer to anticipate possible future living configurations at the system design stage.

No wires

Using wireless thermostats is a further step to allowing the arrangement to be altered at any time, as they can be simply repositioned and re-enrolled to the control centre by following a simple procedure. In addition, if the right control centre and manifold are installed the homeowner has the option to add further circuits in the future if they refurbish additional rooms or add an extension - flexibility is key to the UFH offering.

Our Composite Manifold is entirely modular and new ports to connect new circuits can be added with a simple twist of the hand. The new ports can be added facing up or down, so the installer can accommodate the homeowners' requirements for a new circuit, wherever it is located iii the dwelling, using the existing manifold.

Planning ahead

So, how are all of these different options achieved successfully by the installer? In short, the entire system should be planned and specified together to maximize its effectiveness.

As a manufacturer offering all these system components, we design all of them to work to the utmost efficiency when combined in a single system. For example, our recently introduced Composite Manifold has been designed to work in conjunction with our mixer unit to control a larger flow rate of water; ensuring floor temperatures are more even.

Two serious concerns that installers face when commissioning a new UFH system is ensuring thermostats are not crosswired and that balancing of the system is commissioned correctly at the manifold.

Our hard wired thermostats are all connected back to the same two terminals on the control centre at first fix stage and then synchronised with the relevant circuit(s) during commissioning This eliminates the chance of cross-wiring thermostats and circuits. An alternative option is to use wireless controls, which obviously removes the need for unsightly cables or chasing, thereby eliminating the cost of wiring and the risk of cross-wiring.

In the balance

A manifold allows the fine tuning of heat outputs while preventing a floor surface from overheating, ensuring the entire system runs as efficiently as possible. However, that only works properly when the manifold is balanced correctly. Our new Composite Manifold is designed to provide installers with a fast and effective way to balance a UFH system during installation. Use of a new ‘Memory Ring' feature allows the circuits to be isolated at the twist of a hand and balanced just as quickly during commissioning.

UFH is here to stay, and with consumers now seeing it as an expectation rather than a luxury in the home, it's time that installers gained greater control - not only of the heating systems but also their revenues

 

Source :- http://www.phamnews.co.uk/

 

Posted Date: 01st Oct 2010