Do you long for toasty feet but fear that it isn’t safe to install underfloor heating in conjunction with carpet? You might be surprised to learn that this combination is actually quite safe, providing you have selected the correct materials and had them professionally installed. In this blog, we have outlined some of the important factors of using this type of heating with carpet.
Choose low thermal resistance underlay and hessian backed carpet
In between the floor and the carpet is laid a fabric known as an underlay; in this scenario, it should have a low thermal resistance. A felt one should be avoided at all costs, as it could create a thermal blocker that actually hinders the performance of the system. The carpet you select should have a hessian backing, as this will promote efficient operation of the heating.
Adhere to a maximum temperature of 27 degrees Celsius
Once your underfloor heating has been installed and is ready to be used, it is important that you ensure the floor temperature never exceeds 27 degrees Celsius. If it does, the underlay and carpet could become too hot and the risk of burning or even a fire is greatly increased. A thermostat can be used to ensure that this doesn’t occur.
Pay attention to limit values for effective heat transfer
When using an underfloor system in conjunction with carpet, care must be taken to ensure effective performance. Everything above the heating (such as the underlay and final floor finish) needs to be within set limits. Typically, carpet is 1.0 to 2.0 tog, but you should always double check with the manufacturer to ensure that the overall value doesn’t exceed 2.5.
If the correct limits are not met, it is recommended that you don’t install such a system in your home. This is because the performance of the heating may be hindered, which could result in it not working as desired. The tog value should not exceed 2.5; the R (resistance) value should not exceed 0.25; and the U-value should not be less than 4.0.
Insulation matters, so pay attention when choosing yours
In order for your system to be efficient, the subfloor needs to be properly insulated. This means that the concrete base on which the underfloor heating is installed should have additional insulation. Warmup insulation boards or warmup insulated underlay are designed to provide the system with the best chance of allowing heat to pass through into the room beyond.