Underfloor heating or not?

With us, the controls for the underfloor heating have been taped off for 10 months so that the children cannot adjust them. You don't have to keep fiddling with them all the time ...

We have underfloor heating on the ground floor and radiators upstairs. EUR 6,000 would be too high an extra cost for me. Looks like a deterrent condition.

Hello,
a note on the topic of underfloor heating in new buildings: we have a completely normal KFW70 house with a heat pump. In the basement, ground floor, and bathroom (upper floor) there are tiles everywhere, in the children's rooms and in the bedroom laminate flooring. The floor is always cold during the heating period, even when the room temperature is 22 degrees. Reason: even in subzero temperatures the flow temperature is <30 degrees, at most >30 degrees when it is -20 degrees outside temperature. The surface temperature of the floor is, of course, lower. Since this temperature is significantly below body temperature, the floor always feels cold, even if it is not as cold as without underfloor heating. So without socks quite uncomfortable. But with radiators it would be no different - parquet chosen instead of tiles would also be cool then. At acquaintances (house approx. 20 years old) you can still feel the warmth of the underfloor heating. Reason: higher flow temperature necessary, due to poorer insulation of the house and larger installation distances. In general: we would choose underfloor heating again in the future.
Best regards

Hello,

As mentioned elsewhere, we will build a bungalow. The current idea looks like underfloor heating (additional cost approx. EUR 6,000). Now we get the impression that this might not be such a really good idea for us. I will not repeat all read advantages and disadvantages here, but simply describe what is important to us.

EUR 6,000 at first reads as "a lot," but ultimately it is not, since the bungalow has a larger floor area. Obviously, your currently favored provider still offers the underfloor heating as an extra charge, so they probably have different conditions in this area of house construction.

1. Tiles = cold feet if underfloor heating does not provide the heating. So possibly unpleasant in transitional seasons and summer, especially for the lady of the house.

That is correct and anyone who is quite sensitive to cold will regret it later if they did not install underfloor heating.

2. Parquet / laminate / carpet = generally rather unsuitable for underfloor heating. There are some that bear a "suitable" seal, but it seems clear that heating costs will rise anyway, because the insulation of these coverings is simply good in most cases.

Today there is hardly any type of covering that is not suitable for underfloor heating. This results for manufacturers simply from the requirements of the respective current energy-saving ordinance. Heating costs do not increase with such coverings either, because the back of the respective covering is adapted to the underfloor heating.

3. Additional costs of EUR 6,000 blow me away. Somehow they have to come back through heater savings or residential comfort. Apparently, installing underfloor heating does not cause any really significant extra effort, at least not to the extent called for here.

That is generally not true. If your favored provider, as mentioned above, does not offer underfloor heating as standard, they probably also do not have corresponding purchasing conditions or their standard is rather low. It "could" also be that with the additional costs the balance is brought closer to economic feasibility.

4. The feel-good climate is certainly there in winter when the system is running and you basically don’t have to worry much. However, temporary discomfort cannot be created within a short time by a small turn on the room thermostat, since the inertia of underfloor heating excludes a quick response.

THIS is the biggest mistake almost all owners make. A once set system is NOT changed! And it does not matter if radiator (HK) or underfloor heating! All systems react to outdoor temperature sensors; this also means that the indoor temperature adjusts itself. This is among other reasons why underfloor heating no longer seems so sluggish. Every regulation - whether up or down - literally costs money. In this way: never change a running system ;)

So we now ask ourselves whether we are the right candidates for this or whether we should rather install conventional radiators and provide a return flow for kitchen and bathroom.

What do you think? Are we on the wrong track? Are we overlooking something? Are we letting ourselves be too confused by all the writing?

The primary question for me is why you should do that? As far as I remember, it is quite possible that a later sale of the bungalow is not excluded? Then underfloor heating is certainly more sales-promoting than radiators. On the other hand, you deprive yourselves of space by the radiators, and behind them it is quite difficult to clean, wallpaper, paint... If an allergy is behind the decision for radiators, it is advisable to take a look at the DAAB site. There, for years now, carpet above underfloor heating has been recommended as the best protection against allergy attacks.

Furthermore, if an efficiency house 70 - or lower - is the goal, this will not be so easily achievable with a gas condensing boiler; heating support must in my opinion certainly be purchased additionally, as well as a ventilation system with heat recovery. Whether this is sufficient results from the required calculation for the thermal protection certificate in connection with the soil survey (possibly resulting concrete pillars that negatively affect the wall values).

Modern and therefore more contemporary is always an air-water heat pump and for the comfort aspect a ventilation system (also recommended if the bungalow is left alone during the day, no regular airing ventilation can be ensured in the first two years). An air-water heat pump also saves the cost of the gas connection ;)

Rhenish regards

Tiles are also too cold for my feet, but besides parquet, tiles, and carpet, there are a few other types of flooring. We will install vinyl planks everywhere; they are warm for the feet, suitable for underfloor heating, waterproof, and very important, non-slip. We have pets, and they should not slip around on the floor. Besides, they look good. And depending on the brand, they are very thin, which is partly important here.

Well, PVC in a new building would not be for me, but fortunately tastes differ.

Underfloor heating with tiles would be my first choice.

We will have a mixture of radiators and underfloor heating

Radiators:
- Bedroom
- Dressing room
- Children's room
- Living room
- Office

Underfloor heating:
- all bathrooms
- utility room
- kitchen
- dining area
- hallway

The kitchen, dining, and living room area is open plan and will also have a wood stove in the living room.