There are two types of radiant floor heating electric and water based systems.
Best water underfloor heating system.
The best underfloor heating is going to depend on your personal project and what type of heat source you are going to use to power the underfloor heating.
The system uses water for heating so it can be linked to virtually any heat source from a standard boiler to newer sustainable technologies such as solar thermal energy or heat pumps.
In basic terms a wet underfloor heating system features pipes filled by warm water and powered by a boiler or heat pump concealed within the floor and typically embedded within a screed.
By the 1930s hot water had replaced steam in many systems as the water could hold its high temperatures for longer periods of time.
Water also called wet or hydronic underfloor heating systems are a popular choice for extensions and new constructions.
Underfloor heating can be either a wet system that pumps warm water through pipes under the floor or dry system of electric coils placed under the floor which heat up when the system is.
With a water based underfloor heating system a series of pipes connected to a boiler via a manifold it circulates warm water throughout the floor to heat the space.
Read our expert guide for all you need to know about electric underfloor heating and water underfloor heating how they both work how to install them plus how much underfloor heating costs.
With a water based underfloor heating system a series of pipes connected to your boiler circulate warm water throughout the floor to heat the space similar to radiators.
Alternatively you can connect the underfloor water pipes to a solar water heating system air source or ground source heat pump.
Because the heat emitted from an underfloor system is more evenly distributed than a single radiator the system can use water at a lower temperature.
Wet water underfloor heating water underfloor heating systems tend to be best suited to new build and partial renovations projects like a new extension or a new floor slab.
He installed radiant heating systems in many of his most famous creations helping to normalize their use.
This diagram shows a typical build up on a concrete subfloor image credit.
Radiatec recommends that you use a regular water heater the same one that provides hot water to your home instead of a boiler to heat the water for your underfloor system.