An effective underfloor heating system is vital to ensure that the system is enough for the space that needs heating. The proper distance between the heating pipes is the key to achieving an efficient underfloor heating system.
However, how far is the underfloor heating pipes should be? Wonder no more! We did plenty of research about this concern, and here's the answer we've found!
In general, it depends on the floor area you're working with and the pipe size you use. Nevertheless, the ideal underfloor heating pipe spacing is around 100–300 millimeters apart or 12 inches.
Sound simple, right? Read even more because, further below, we will teach you which pipe is best for this setting.
We will also address some basic queries relating to this topic below. With that said, let's dive in!
What Pipe Is Best For An Underfloor Heating System?
Sometimes, choosing the appropriate pipes for the underfloor heating system is quite challenging since the underfloor heating system requires specific pipes that can resist damaging elements in this type of installation.
You will find various underfloor heating system pipes available in the market today. This includes PEX, PEX-AL-PEX, and PERT. These pipes' material is mostly polyethylene, making it best to work against corrosive elements.
Check this durable PEX pipe on Amazon.
In addition, these pipes can also withstand excessive tensile strength, which makes them ideal for your underfloor heating system.
Why Is Pipe Size Important For A Heating System?
Selecting the proper pipe size is crucial for system performance and household comfort. That's because the pipe's diameter size can heavily influence the hot flow rate of water and its overall heat generation.
Larger tubes provide more heat per square foot of your floor than smaller pipes as they supply more hot water during the process.
How Big Should A Pipe Be For Underfloor Heating?
Determining the correct pipe size is very critical and essential. This guarantees that the space where the heating system runs adequately receives heat. Knowing the ideal pipe size also determines its maximum run length.
Below are the proper pipe's diameter size and the maximum length you can follow:
- 1/2 - inch of pipe diameter is enough for 300 feet.
- 5/8 - inch for 500 feet.
- 3/4 - inch for 500 feet or higher.
Moreover, smaller pipes' max length is shorter than their wide-diameter equivalents with higher capacities.
As a result, an ample space could need a broader pipe to guarantee full coverage of your floor area.
What Are The Types Of Underfloor Heating Systems?
There are three common types of radiant heating systems. This includes the air heating radiant floors system, electric radiant floors, and hydronic radiant floors.
Air Heating Radiant Floors
Radiant air heating floors are rarely used in residential settings since they are expensive to construct and cannot effectively store vast amounts of heat.
Solar heating is also applicable in this setup but still unfit during the night.
Electric Heated Radiant Floors
Usually, electric heating cables that are integrated into the floor make up electric radiant flooring.
There are alternative systems with electrical matting on the subfloor beneath a floor covering like a tile.
Electric radiant systems are typically only practical if they have a large thermal mass, like a thick concrete floor.
Hydronic Radiant Floors
Hydronic systems are the most common and efficient radiant heating systems for climates where heating is a significant factor. Systems with hydronic radiant floors circulate hot water in a pattern beneath the floor through pipes.
This process needs a boiler to drive the hot water to spread under your floors.
In some systems, zoning valves, pumps, and thermostats are essential to control sufficient hot water flows into each tubular loop.
These systems have two types of classification, mainly the wet and dry types of installation. The wet type utilizes the heat produced by a solid concrete surface.
Is Underfloor Heating More Efficient Than A Radiator?
Adopting an underfloor heating system rather than radiators benefits household and business settings.
The main advantage of using an underfloor heating system is that it uses less energy than radiators.
In contrast, radiators are significantly tiny units and require more excellent hotter water to achieve as underfloor heating effectively does. Radiators send heat toward the ceiling, which cools and returns to the surface.
As a result, it makes cool patches and heats empty ceiling space, which is not strictly necessary.
Using an underfloor heating system serves heating demand evenly. Besides, you can also save 15% on power bills yearly.
How Many Ports Do I Need For Underfloor Heating?
Well, it always depends on the size of the floor area you're working in if you're constructing a single room or a small project.
Then, you'll need 12 ports in your manifolds for your underfloor heating (UFH) system.
Usually, the UFH system has a manifold consisting of two to 12 ports. It attaches to a pipe for flow and returns function. This is to regulate the warm water's circulation on the entire floor of UFH zones.
Manifolds also help speed up installation because they only need fewer fittings to connect the piping.
How Do You Make The Underfloor Heating Installation Efficient And Effective?
Every project requires several factors to attain efficiency and quality of the job, and underfloor heating installation is no different.
It's always critical to consider and address these factors right upon the installation to avoid costly repair.
Follow the best tips we've provided below to obtain optimal system efficiency:
Follow Proper Floor Base Insulation
Ensure the insulation is spread over the floor's subfloor before installing the manifold or pipes. The system must be insulated to prevent heat loss and ensure efficient operation.
The Building Regulations mandate that insulation used in new construction be at least 100mm thick.
Strategize Where To Install The Manifold
Any UFH system's positioning of the manifold is crucial. Putting it under the kitchen cabinet or beneath the bathroom's basin is strongly advised.
However, installing the manifolds in the middle of the house is also a great choice. The overall required length of the pipes is less, which reduces the amount of time and material needed for installation.
Furthermore, cutting back on pipe lengths makes your boiler unit run efficiently. Resulting in your house having an equal distribution of heat all night long.
Adhere To Your Manufacturing Guidelines
Following the manufacturer's recommendation and instructions will always be your most excellent guideline. Mind that the company didn't set proper underfloor heating system installation for nothing.
Avoid Installing The Pipe First
The ideal method is to install the manifold first. Then, route each circuit from the flow to the return of the manifold one by one.
Labeling each line on the manifold is also imperative to determine which area the circuit leads to.
Avoid Airlocks
After installing the pipes, you must pressurize the system and check the piping before laying the screed. This ensures no air bubbles are left flowing through the system's pipe.
Another good tip is installing an Auto Air Vent (AAV) on the manifold to help clear and prevent air from accumulating in the system.
Add Anti-Freezing Solution
During the winter, your UFH's piping system could ice up if the piping is left out in the cold. As a result, the pipe may weaken and crack or leak sooner.
As such, this could be a disaster, so it's best to prevent any possible issues from happening rather than feeling sorry later. Propylene glycol is a non-toxic solution that prevents ice up your UFH system. So use it accordingly.
See this Propylene Glycol on Amazon.
To Finish
Proper spacing between underfloor heating system pipes can help the system perform effectively and efficiently.
In addition, this simple yet significant practice will prevent severe problems from occurring in the long run.
This post has discussed ideal pipes to employ in your UFH system. You also learned the proper pipe diameter size requirements in a specific space, as we have shared with you some tips to optimize your UFH system.
Made it this far? Please read our other posts below!
How Long Does Radiant Floor Heating Last?
Radiant Floor Heating Not Working In One Room—What Could Be Wrong?