What insulation should I use under floor heating?

Polystyrene. Polystyrene panels are among the best type of insulation for electric heated floors, with an impressive R value around 5.0 per inch of thickness (compare to 3.0/inch for cork). Polystyrene is also an effective waterproofing material and prevents the growth of mold and mildew.

How do you insulate radiant floor heating?

If you really want to seal your radiant heat in, you can also opt ot use spray foam insulation between your joist spaces. You’ll still want to install the radiant heat pipes, followed by the aluminum fins, then the Smartshield. However, instead of using R-15 insulation to seal it all in, use spray foam insulation.

What do you put under radiant heat?

Radiant Heat in First-Floor Living Spaces



It can go under most existing flooring, including wood, tile, vinyl, and even carpet. Installing radiant floor heating in existing homes begins with aluminum tracks being screwed between the joists, which hold PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) tubing carrying hot water.

Can radiant heat be installed under subfloor?

Electric mat radiant heat can also be used, and it’s great for installing between the subfloor and the actual floor. Hydronic radiant heat, which runs off your home’s water heater, consists of tubes installed under the subfloor.

Do you need to insulate under floor heating?

Why is insulation important for underfloor heating? Insulation is a crucial consideration for UFH. Ideally there should be suitable insulation below the underfloor heating pipe to resist the heat going downwards. As you would expect, you need as much heat as possible to flow upwards and into the room.

Do you need insulation boards for underfloor heating?

Do I need Insulation Boards? Many people wonder if it is worth insulating under floorboards and the answer is that yes, it definitely is. Insulation boards are ideal for use with electric underfloor heating as they prevent the heat from the heating system escaping downwards to the subfloor.

Does radiant heat ruin hardwood floors?

According to Mickey Moore, Technical Director of the National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Association, the temperatures used in floor heating will not damage the wood in any way. Temperature is only a factor when gluing wood directly to a subfloor.

Can you put radiant heating under wood floors?

Can you install radiant heat under wood flooring? The short answer is: absolutely! Warm Your Floor carries only the highest-quality, most reliable products from trusted manufacturers. And most of the radiant floor heating systems we offer, allow for safe installation under wood floors.

How thick can a wood floor be for radiant heat?

The Launstein testing found that quarter-sawn planks up to 7 inches across (when properly installed) can work well with radiant heat systems. The testing also found that hardwood flooring that is three-eighths of an inch thick conducts heat better than thicker floors and resists gapping.

Is it worth insulating under floorboards?

The majority of heat loss occurs through the roof. However, some 10 to 20 percent of heat loss is due to your floor. We do not take it into account the draughts coming up through the floor. So, if you are wondering is it worth insulating under floorboards, the answer is yes.

How thick should insulation be under floor heating?

How Much Insulation is Required? For underfloor heating, a u-value of between 0.13 and 0.25 is typically required to meet current building regs, dependent on the type of construction. To achieve 0.13 u-value performance with a typical rigid foam insulation, it would require approx. 125mm thickness or more.

What thickness of insulation do I need for UFH?

We recommend you use a minimum layer of 50mm Polyurethane insulation. If there is not enough space for 50mm insulation, 30mm can be used.

Can you use Celotex with underfloor heating?

Wet underfloor heating systems may be used with Celotex FI5000. The Celotex insulation is positioned above the concrete slab or floor deck. Compatibility with any given system should be checked with the system manufacturer.

How do you prepare a floor for underfloor heating?

How to prepare your floor for underfloor heating

  1. Clean the area of all debris and dirt.
  2. Fit the insulation boards neatly and stable ideally with all gaps and joints taped. …
  3. If using liquid screed, a membrane of between 500 and 1000 gauge must be laid as crease/fold free as possible with all joints taped and no gaps.

Can you lay underfloor heating on Celotex?

As there are two methods for creating this warm floor, the 1st is to have the heating laid 1st and then the floor screeded then laminate ontop or the 2nd is to have the celotex laid flat and then again screed ontop of that then lay flooring.

Can I lay underfloor heating on floorboards?

Underfloor heating can be placed on top of floorboards, or any other type of subfloor you require. In this case, a modern electric system would be best, as it can simply be laid out across the existing floorboards before the new floor surface is installed on top of it.

Can you put underfloor heating under floorboards?

In short, yes, you can use underfloor heating with wooden flooring — both wet systems and electric underfloor heating. Timber flooring is capable of effectively holding onto heat and releasing it into a room, plus it heats up quickly.