Insulation boards a good idea for underfloor heating?

[newbieneedshelp]

Hi guys, Im having a matted underfloor heating kit fitted in our new kitchen/diner extension in the next week. Its a concrete base floor and measures approx 6.3m by 4.6m.

My question is; would it be a good investment to specify/supply either some 6 or 10mm insulation boards to sit between the concrete floor and the heat matting?

Ive read all the so called positives on the manufacturers websites but is it marketing bull OR does it really mean the heat will be coming through far more efficiently (one site quoted 20 mins with the boards instead of 2-3 hours without!)

Any help would be greatly appreciated as I'd like to order them today if need be to save holding the builders up but they arent cheap hence my question.

Thanks in advance,

Lee

 

[WoodYouLike]

Think you better ask your question on Ebuild, plenty more advice and experience there than here on the subject of underfloor heating systems.

 

[bathstyle]

A concrete floor must have some sort of insulation board on it.

The extruded foam type (Aquapanel thermal, Wedi ,Marmox etc) work well, although standard Aquapanel can be used.

Boards should be glued down using a cement based tile adhesive, contact the manufacturer for specific details.

 

[Richard C]

To get the most from an under floor heating system it’s important to have an insulation barrier under the heating element. With no insulation a large % of the initial heat energy will go to heating up the floor slab below & if there is no insulation under the slab, it’s even worse. An insulation barrier under the element reflects most of the heat upwards & results in a much quicker warm up & response times from the heating system. The boards aren’t cheap your right but I have them in our conservatory & they do make a difference; IMO they are a worthwhile additional expense.

 

[bathstyle]

I forgot to ask, what are you covering the floor with?

 

[newbieneedshelp]

I forgot to ask, what are you covering the floor with?

Ceramic tiles.

Thanks to all for the responses. I ordered the insulation (10mm version) this evening.

Lee