floor heating thermostat height

[opps]

Hi there

Most manufacturers recommend a minimum height of 1.5m for an electric floor heating stat. Some also suggest avoiding drafts (top of stairs) and dead air spots.

Why?

I want to fit one for a loose cable heating coil in my tiny bathroom but would prefer to have it at skirting height next to the fused rcd (behind a chest of draws in the adjoining bedroom).

I am never going to adjust the heat on it, when it has been set up, so why is height an issue. If it is then the only logical place to put it is in the hall at the top of the stairs. But stairwells have air flow. Why is that an issue anyway, its is measuring the probe temperature and not the ambient air?

Thanks in advance

 

[EdwardCurrent]

Bypass the thermostat.


Elec underfloor heating is pants.
Sorry but the plumber should have talked you into fitting a wet system, either of which you would benefit from.
M&S do a nice 'slipper' range.
Ed

 

[opps]

The heat required is only supposed to be minimal/ambient/secondary.

Too late for wet systems.

Thanks for the answer but it doesn't help much/at all...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The heat required is only supposed to be minimal/ambient/secondary.

So what does it do then?

 

[mikeyd]

Opps,

This is how I understand it:

All electric UFH stats control the temperature of the floor. There is a sensor buried between the wires connected back to the stat so it will keep the floor temperature constant.

Some stats also have a built in sensor in the stat itself so if the room air temperature gets above your preferred room temperature setting it will turn off the heating no matter how hot the floor is. If you are putting the stat outside the room then it is obvious you don't need/want this feature. If you are wanting to control the room temperature then it has to go in the bathroom and be at a sensible height and away from drafts.

I am a fan of electric underfloor heating, but I only use it to warm the floor tiles up. It's good for drying splashes and is very welcome to step on to when getting out of the shower in winter (compared with non heated tiles). I have a towel rail in my on-suite and and a radiator in my bathroom plumbed in to the wet central heating to actually heat the room.

What kind of stat will you have? if it is anything like mine I would not want to be moving furniture or lying on the floor every time I wanted to adjust the settings. I put the one for my on-suite outside the door at normal light switch height (with the fused switch directly below it above the skirting) and the one in my bathroom is in the airing cupboard.

 

[opps]

Thanks Mike

I too just want the floor to be able to dry faster.

I shall ensure that the stat oonly monitors the floor probe.

Thanks for the clarification

 

[ban-all-sheds]

 

[mikeyd]

BAS:

That's a nice mat.

How often do you have to hang it up to dry, or launder it?
Looks a bit dry-clean-only

 

[ban-all-sheds]

 

[opps]

BAS- you really should take more care when shaving your legs

 

[ban-all-sheds]

How about a trompe l'oeil floor for interest?

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

BAS- you really should take more care when shaving your legs

what makes you so sure it was his legs? ooh-err matron

 

[ericmark]

Congratulations for Photoshop pictures very well done.

Returning to underfloor heating as already stated there is a sensor under tiles which controls floor temperature, but not room temperature, and when I fitted a thermostat it was placed outside the wet-room as it was not of a type suitable for fitting inside the wet-room, but the wall was thin and the backing box was attached to the wet-room skin so it would sense the temperature inside the wet-room.

As to height I did have words with the LABC over the height as he said it was too low. My mother is in a wheel chair so it was fitted at her eye height but Part M of building regulations want it to be fitted at over 1200mm so eye height for most people. A switch 750mm to 1200mm but controls that need close vision are located between 1200mm and 1400mm. So since the thermostat falls under both it should be 1200mm from floor.

However non of these heights comply with the 1500mm you say the manufacture recommends so there must be a misprint with manufactures data as it seems odd to recommend a height that would not comply with Part M.

Once the reason to mount low was pointed out to the LABC he backed down and allowed use to mount lower than regulations required. The regulations are normally considered only valid for new build however it was pointed out the wet-room was new and there was no height common throughout the house so selecting a height in keeping with rest of the house could not be sited as a reason for not complying with Part M.

Hence if not complying with Part M you need to have answers ready as to why.

Of course the higher the sensor is the hotter it will read and it seems common now where radio controlled thermostats are used to mount them in a cage or on Velcro so they can be removed to set then replaced.

In our case the whole idea of under floor electric heating was to dry floor. My Mother would not benefit from warm floor for her feet as no feeling in false leg. However it did not work. Although the floor was just below the temperature one could walk on before going for a shower once finished in shower it had cooled down and it still took half an hour to dry floor after shower was completed which resulted in my Mother still walking on a wet floor.

As a result the heating is not any longer used. As to heating the room, it will not keep the room warm without the additional heat from the water heated towel rail. And any hotter it would burn peoples feet.

As in all a complete dead loss and waist of money.

I am sure if you give the LABC a good reason for the height there will not be a problem. However do ensure you have paperwork for the heating wire or matt as the LABC do want to check to ensure it is suitable for use in bathrooms. It has to have either a built in earth screen or have an earthed metallic mat above it. Lucky I had written to manufactures asking if suitable for bathrooms and was able to show the LABC the email I had printed out.

Because it will be also controlled by Part P the LABC has to be involved so I would ensure you state in your application exactly what you intend to do so any points are raised before you start. That would include thermostat heights.

If you are using a scheme member electrician then it is up to him what he will accept and likely he will want to follow Part M or Manufactures recommendations and you will have to try to persuade him to do as you want.

I am rather surprised that the other posts have not made reference to regulations and have instead considered it all as a big joke. In some ways it is since it does not work. But sharp intakes of breath to me is not very helpful.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Congratulations for Photoshop pictures very well done.

I can't take credit for that, unfortunately.

It's good fun though.

 

[opps]

Thanks for the heads up Ericmark