Bathroom underfloor heating instead of storage heater? (economy 7 content)

[daveyclayton]

We live in a village with no gas, and have no vehicle access to the back of the house to get oil delivered, so we are essentially stuck with electric heating + woodburner.

I'm about to start renovating the bathroom, which currently has a storage heater in, on its own circuit off an economy 7 consumer unit. My understanding of how storage heaters work is "tin box full of masonry with a heater in". It occurred to me that underfloor heating is essentially the same thing, and that it might be possible to install that instead, with the added benefits of not having a big ugly storage heater on the wall and a nice warm floor.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Does it sound like a reasonable/silly idea in principle? Would it be possible to put it on the existing circuit and run on economy 7? If so would it be legal for me to install myself? I read somewhere that underfloor heating on an existing circuit would be "minor works" but in the bathroom would require certification.

Any help/views/opinions welcome!

 

[Seb101]

What is under the floor in question? If it's ground-floor concrete you will need a significant layer of insulation to get near the efficiency of the storage heater - as the masonry in the storage heater is radiating it all back out into your room, but the under floor will conduct half of it into the ground.

 

[mwatsonxx]

Stick with the storage heater and buy a thick fluffy rug.

 

[daveyclayton]

It's ground floor, in a converted outbuilding so there will be concreted underneath but I guess not very deep. I understand that if this is to be an effective solution it will require a considerable amount of insulation.

 

[daveyclayton]

Stick with the storage heater and buy a thick fluffy rug.

A nice rug thrown over it would indeed solve the problem of having a big unsightly grey box on the wall. Won't it set on fire in the middle of the night though?

 

[mwatsonxx]

You think I suggested throwing the rug over the heater? You are beyond help.

 

[daveyclayton]

I suppose I can take it off the heater before I go to bed. That way I can stand on it while I brush my teeth. Win/win

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

We live in a village with no gas, and have no vehicle access to the back of the house to get oil delivered, so we are essentially stuck with electric heating + woodburner.

I suppose you do know that they don't have to drive the tanker into the garden, they just have a very long pipe?

 

[daveyclayton]

I suppose you do know that they don't have to drive the tanker into the garden, they just have a very long pipe?

Yes, but it would need to go in the front door and all the way through my house. I live in a mid terrace house with a park behind.

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

- just asking!

 

[JohnW2]

Yes, but it would need to go in the front door and all the way through my house.

Indeed - but I've seen that done, both with oil and LPG.

Kind Regards, John

 

[daveyclayton]

- just asking!

There are other things that make it problematic, such as legal min distance to fuel tank etc., (which actually nobody really seems to be bothered about), and where the actual boiler would be located

 

[daveyclayton]

Anyway! I take it nobody thinks my underfloor heating idea's a winner then!?

 

[Seb101]

Anyway! I take it nobody thinks my underfloor heating idea's a winner then!?

Ultimately it's personal preference! I doubt it's going to save you any money, possibly cost you very slightly more, but the feeling of walking around on a heated floor is psychologically very comforting and warming and might be better for you regardless.

 

[mwatsonxx]

Anyway! I take it nobody thinks my underfloor heating idea's a winner then!?

Its a great idea go for it