Does underfloor heating work with carpets? That is one of the most common questions plumbers and builders are asked (along with "which carpet is best for underfloor heating") and we are then asked, by people that want the luxury and efficiency of a warm water underfloor heating system.
The assumption is that because a carpet insulates, it will prevent an underfloor heating system from adequately heating a room, and while wood engineered floors are all the rage, lots of people still like the comfort under their feet that a carpet provides in a bedroom.
So then you end up with a system that has underfloor heating downstairs, and maybe on the first floor in the bathroom, and radiators in the bedrooms, taking up space, and making the whole heating system a lot more complicated.
So in answer to the question...
"Can underfloor heating work with carpets?" The answer is simply, "yes", with a "but".
- Make sure your underfloor heating supplier knows which rooms will be carpeted – it makes a difference to the calculations they need to perform, and a reputable company that is a member of the national trade association will advise you if UFH is not going to provide enough heat.
- Beware the underfloor heating cowboy companies that bury a disclaimer in their small print, putting the liability onto you, the plumber, for checking, and if you buy online make sure you really are getting what you need, rather than what looks like a cheap price.
- The combined TOG value of the carpet and underlay should not exceed 2 tog. In some cases the underfloor heating supplier may be happy with 2.5tog, but again make sure you are talking to people that know what they are talking about.
And that’s it - yes it works, yes people can have all the benefits of warm water underfloor heating in their carpeted rooms, for example bedrooms. And yes they can benefit from the luxury and efficiency it brings.
If you have a project that involves carpets, and you want to chat with people who know what they are talking about, get in touch with one of our Technical Sales Advisers. With over 25 years designing and supplying underfloor heating systems to the trade, and as full members of the national trade association, you’ll be certain to get good advice.
Providing unique and top quality customer service is part of what we offer at Continal Underfloor, from our sales advisers to our underfloor heating designers. You can contact us or call us on 01566 772 322 or click here to get a quote. To keep up-to-date with all the our goings on, you can sign up to our newsletter, or find us over on Facebook.
