Underfloor radiator pipes as tile heaters?

[Steve2000]

Hi there...

I am having my bathroom fully tiled later this week and before it happens I wondered if it would be an idea to run the central heating piping around the central area of the room to warm the tiles a bit when the heating comes on.

The bathroom is small, so it would not be extensive. The pipe work would be under the floorboards, backing board and porcelain tiles, so hopefully this would act as a damper to prevent the floor getting too hot.

I'd also put insulation and reflective panels underneath it to try and make the most of the heat.

This is basically a rudimentary underfloor wet heating, with the only intension being that the floor isn't ice cold all winter.

Has anyone ever done/seen anything like this?

Thanks,

Steve

 

[flameport]

No.

There will be no control over it at all, the heating pipes will be far too hot, the floor will overheat, the tiles will crack and fail.

If you want underfloor heating, the only way is to buy the proper equipment - most of the cost being the blending valve and circulator.

Don't bother with electric UFH either - it's useless and costs a fortune.

 

[Steve2000]

Fair enough... will leave it be.

Thanks.

 

[efficiencyman]

Yes I have a similar set up no problems for 12 years all tiles etc. fine and warm all winter, keep the pipes close to tiles, use flexible grout & insulate under pipes (on top of floor boards).
Easy and not expensive to install but do use a mixing / blending valve too set the temp, i.e. not too hot if on Gas CH ( I also use a Hybrid heat pump ) also works very well.
Agree with Flameport Electric UHF is expensive to buy & RUN !

 

[SimonH2]

There will be no control over it at all

Actually one way round that would be to use the return tail from the bathroom rad - provided it has a thermostatic valve. Though under light heating load, that means the floor will be barely (if any) above room temp.
It's something I've contemplated myself - have rads for primary heating (rapid response), but the secondary UFH primarily for "foot comfort".

the heating pipes will be far too hot, the floor will overheat, the tiles will crack and fail.

That could be dealt with with a TMV configured to divert around the UFH loop if the tailings are too hot. Depending on the system design (mainly rad sizing relative to load) that does mean you lose out on UFH when you most want it. Or have a secondary TMV which throttles the flow through the rad if the tailings are too warm - that reduces rad heat output but may be effective if the UFH is a significant element of the room heating. Either might work if your rad sizing is right.

EDIT: Having compared the unheated floor in our shower room (vinyl tiles on concrete) with the heated floor in my brother's house (old slate slabs) - I know which I'd rather have