Warm Water Underfloor Heating
Gas, oil, solid fuel, or electric-resistance hot-water condensing combi boilers can be used as the source of heat for any underfloor heating system, as can a number of other technologies. Condensing boilers and ground-coupled heat pumps are particularly well-suited as the operation of underfloor heating systems allows them to operate in their most efficient manner.
How to maximise your savings? www.heatproject.co.uk
Should you want to find out more regarding our underfloor heating system, contact our technical support team at info@hpwarehouse.co.uk
- Concrete floor
- Pipesulation Board 1m x 1m
- Screed 50mm – 75mm
- Floor covers
- Border Insulation
- Underfloor Heating Pipe
About the Underfloor Heating Manifold
Bleed Valve: Removes unwanted air from the system.
Drain Point: Used for filling and testing.
Thermostatic Head: Used to mix the high temperature boiler flow to the correct mixed water temperature as set on the thermostatic head. The sensor slides into the bottom part of the manifold.
Pump: Used to circulate the water in the UFH circuit.
Overheat Sensor: Shuts down the pump when the water temperature goes above 55deg Celsius. This to prevent damage to the floor.
Temperature Gauge: Shows the temperature of the water in the system.
The manifold should be sited as near to the circuits as possible and fixed vertically to the wall with the bottom section approximately 300mm above floor level.
Connecting the pipe to the manifold
- Place nut then ring over pipe
- Push insert into pipe
- Push made up pipe end tightly into return (top) manifold fitting
- Slip ring up pipe until it touches the fitting
- Tighten nut
- Lay pipe onto floor as shown in pipe lay out
- Connect into flow (bottom) manifold, repeat for next circuit
Ensure pipe end has been cut square. Once the pipe has been connected to the return manifold and connected back into the corresponding flow manifold connection, it is now a complete circuit. When all circuits are fitted and secured, take time to check over pipe work and ensure the spacings are correct and there are no kinks in the pipe.
Underfloor Heating Mat with Insulation
You can easily stop wasting energy by using insulated mats (PipeSulation boards) and border insulation. Easy to fit them and enough strong to walk on it.
Underfloor Heating Pipe Layout
When using the pipesulation boards start laying the first board in the corner of the room with both overlaps touching walls. Remember to allow enough pipe to connect from the room to the manifold. It is important to bend the pipe in a “light bulb” shape to avoid kinking if 100mm centres are used.
For more see below
Filling the Underfloor Heating System
Once both circuits are installed the underfloor heating system must be filled and pressure tested.
- Open all valves on the manifold inclusive the thermostatic valve.
- Open de bleeding valve on the manifold.
- Open de filling loop of the boiler and let the system fill.
- When no more air is coming out of the bleeding valve close the filling loop.
- Switch on the pump.
- Let the pump run for a while and open de bleeding valve again.
- Open the filling loop again until de pressure in the boiler is between 1.5 and 2 Bar and no air is coming out of the bleeding valve.
- System is now filled and under pressure.
- Check for leaks and note pressure, pressure may fall slightly due to stabilization and temperature changes-if pressure falls to zero there is a leak.
- Carry out a final check to make sure there are no kinks in the pipe circuit.
- Check pressure after 24 hours.
Study the boiler connection and wiring diagrams, make sure that relevant trades are given the required information.
Switching on the floor heating
The floor heating should not be switched on until the screed has completely set. Start with the lowest possible temperature setting on the manifold.
Set water temperature to low (2/3) on the thermostatic head.
Turn on the power and check that the clock stat is calling for heat and isolating valves are open.
The boiler, pump and manifold pump should all run.
Slowly raise the temperature over a few days (45deg Celsius max.)
Thermostatic valve
This piece of equipment is situated at the manifold and its purpose is to blend down the high temperature water from the boiler to a lower temperature suitable for underfloor heating. The maximum temperature setting for the thermostatic valve is 45°C. Once set this thermostat should not be altered any more.
Underfloor Heating installing and setting up manual.
NOTE: Floor heating is not a quickly responsive form of heating (like a gas fire) and can take some time to reach the desired temperature. The opposite is also true in that it takes a while for the floor to cool down. For example, if you want the room up to temperature by 8am set the higher temperature to 6am if you stop using at 11pm set the lower temperature setting to 9pm.
The Correct Underfloor Heating Pipe Layout
What if the pipe layout is wrong?
To heat the floor equally it is essential that the flow and return pipes are fitted consectively:
HPWarehouse's unique pattern ensures even temperatures throughout the floor area. When the flow and return pipes are situated next to each other, the floor is warmed up equally. This decreases the chances of cracks in the floor tremendously. The water runs through the pipes and releases its heat. The cooled water runs back to the manifold. Our design and planning is like no other in as much pipe centres are all 10cm. This innovative pattern enables lower water temperature circulation throughout the system. Max flow temp needed 35-40°C. This technology gives the most economic floor heating system, which is able to cut your gas bill.
Get your free underfloor heating estimate: here
Free pipe layout drawing: picture
Please remember that it is very important that the pipe is laid as directed, the pipe layout is adhered to and the pipe is free from kinks.
Free pipe laying design!
We design your pipe laying diagram for free. See our example here.
DIY Warm Water Underfloor Heating Kit
What do you need to create your own warm water underfloor heating pack?
First you only need to know the number and size of your room(s).
- Every run of underfloor heating pipe (go to >>), which comes from the manifold must not be more than 120 metres. For 1 square metre area, 10 metres of pipe are needed (see our pipe laying solution above). To create your pack, you need 10 times more pipe per square metre (concrete base).
- The number of ports on the manifold (go to >>) depends on the number of rooms. But each run must be under 120 metres. If the area of the room is bigger than 12 square metres (12 sqm = 120 metres pipe), then another port (new run) has to be used for the same area.
Example: 10 sqm room = 100 metres pipe = 1 port on the manifold or 19 sqm room = 190 metres pipe = 2 ports on the manifold.
- For concrete: This is one of the most popular solutions. We supply the mats with or without insulation, which are called PipeSulation Boards (go to >>). Its dimension is 1 square metre. The quantity of the boards is equal to the squaremetre.
Example: To fit underfloor heating in an 18 sqm room, 18 pipesulation boards are needed.
- For wood joist: PipeClipRail (go to >>) is the best way to fix the underfloor heating pipe between the beams (see picture). The standard distance between the beams is 400mm. We would recommend to lay the PipeClipRails 500mm from each other. This method allows you to use a 2.5 metre long PipeClipRail - cut up into 400mm pieces - on 3.5 metre long.
Example: If the beams are 8 metres long and 400mm is the distance, approximately 3 PipeClipRails are needed between 2 beams ( 1 PipeClipRail is laid 3.5 metres long between the beams).
- There are many different options to control the system. Actuator (go to >>) controls the ports on the manifold. Its number is equal to the number of the ports on the manifold.
- The 2-port motorised valve (go to >>) is connected in parallel with the pump on the manifold. It is also connected to the bolier (see HPW's PDF installation manual).
- Warmth easily can escape through the walls at floor level. Border Insulation (go to >>) stops wasting your energy. Supplied in 25 metre roll.
- Controlling the system is possible either with wired or wireless thermostats (go to >>) . The easiest way when only one room is needed to be regulated by a programmable room thermostat (go to >>). In the case of controlling two or more rooms individually the actuators need to work separately. The wired or wireless wiring centres (go to >>) are able to do this.
- Do you want to save more energy? This is possible by connecting a digital electronic time switch (go to >>) to your wiring centre ( available for two or more rooms ).
For further informations please contact our technical support team at support@hpwarehouse.co.uk
Please note this instruction is a guidance only!
