Hello.
I've sized rads before using some of the online calculators. I know they are by no means perfect but I tend to 'take a conservative estimate' of the various calculators results. So far - no disasters.
In our new kitchen I am having electric mat UFH installed under tiles of over about 16m squared area. Its primary role is 'under foot' cosyness but at 150w/m squared rating I also would expect it to do some heating duties. Electric was chosen by the way as we are on a build budget.
From what I have read it seems that as its primary role is not room heating I would only be getting a floor thermostat and not a floor and air one.
I'm not familiar with this type of heating at all so have some questions please
1) I'm assuming that its doesn't turn on or off at all quickly in terms of its room warming affect?
1a) What about tile warmth...Is that quick to come on once powered up?
2) Do people tend to leave it on a background low setting pretty much all the time with just switching off at night... and in the summer?
3) Is 150Watts too high for background comfort and should I be looking at 100Watts?
4) If I imagine that we use it has 'always on' background heating with the floor thermostat keeping the floor at a regular temp then how do I calc rad size?
Again I imagine that I calculate room heat loss, UFH output and do some calculation to get the remaining required BTU's to be supplied by the rads?
Is there a way to work out BTU of UFH from the Watts/m sqaured? That way I could dedecut that value from the total required.
Its not rocket science and its not life or death but I do want to get the sizing somewhere in the right ball park and also to understand how people use these things.
Any help welcome!! Best Regards, Scott
I've sized rads before using some of the online calculators. I know they are by no means perfect but I tend to 'take a conservative estimate' of the various calculators results. So far - no disasters.
In our new kitchen I am having electric mat UFH installed under tiles of over about 16m squared area. Its primary role is 'under foot' cosyness but at 150w/m squared rating I also would expect it to do some heating duties. Electric was chosen by the way as we are on a build budget.
From what I have read it seems that as its primary role is not room heating I would only be getting a floor thermostat and not a floor and air one.
I'm not familiar with this type of heating at all so have some questions please
1) I'm assuming that its doesn't turn on or off at all quickly in terms of its room warming affect?
1a) What about tile warmth...Is that quick to come on once powered up?
2) Do people tend to leave it on a background low setting pretty much all the time with just switching off at night... and in the summer?
3) Is 150Watts too high for background comfort and should I be looking at 100Watts?
4) If I imagine that we use it has 'always on' background heating with the floor thermostat keeping the floor at a regular temp then how do I calc rad size?
Again I imagine that I calculate room heat loss, UFH output and do some calculation to get the remaining required BTU's to be supplied by the rads?
Is there a way to work out BTU of UFH from the Watts/m sqaured? That way I could dedecut that value from the total required.
Its not rocket science and its not life or death but I do want to get the sizing somewhere in the right ball park and also to understand how people use these things.
Any help welcome!! Best Regards, Scott