Products: SlimFix®-25, TileFix®-18, SUPERFlex™ 12 and 16mm pipe
When a previous customer of Continal Underfloor Heating was asked to quote for the installation of underfloor heating (UFH) for a major refurbishment project in Colwyn Bay, Wales, he got in touch with us for support.
The project involved the full refurbishment of a two-bedroom bungalow, with both front and rear extensions being added to the existing building. UFH had been requested throughout the building, which involved navigating different floor levels throughout. An added complication is that the step from one floor level to another fell centrally in the property, so we needed to find a solution that would make the floor heights level for the customer.
Technical Expert Isabel Nicholls worked with the installer to create a bespoke solution that combined our SlimFix®-25 and TileFix®-18 products, offering two different depth boards that would not only suit the desired final floor finish, but would also make the floor heights level for the customer.
SlimFix® is a low-profile system consisting of high-compressive strength composite panels, each with an inbuilt heat-dissipation layer to maximise heat output. It is designed so that wood and laminate floors can be laid directly on top, while carpets and vinyls can be fitted with a suitable cover board such as DriDEK™.
The panels can measure just 18mm thin, keeping floor build-up heights to a minimum, and come with built-in return panels to make installation quick and easy. In this instance, however, to make sure the overall floor heights were levelled we used the 25mm boards, with SUPERflex™ pipes pressed into the pre-routed pipe channels.
This was then combined with our TileFix®-18 panels. These 18mm thick panels provide the same fast-response heat output and high-compressive strength as SlimFix®, but can be tiled directly onto using a flexible tile adhesive. This meant our customer could place the tiles straight onto the TileFix® panels without having to first lay a board that would increase the build-up height.
Before supplying the quote, Isabel also gained a full understanding of exactly how the pipework needed to be laid, and how they planned to run feed pipe to and from the manifold using different board sizes and both 12mm and 16mm pipework. Then, she was able to create a full CAD design that would help the installer ensure the pipework was laid.
correctly first time. We were also able to supply an appropriate number of highway panels to make the installation much easier.
Because this is such a large project the renovation is being done in stages, so we supplied our customer with a manifold large enough to heat additional rooms further down the line, but with blanking caps that would blank off the zones for the time being until they were needed.
“I’ve used Continal before for our underfloor heating projects and always found their customer service second to none. That’s why, when we were asked to work on quite a complex system, I knew they would be able to give us the support we needed.”
Continal has been a leading UK design and supply specialist for energy-efficient warm-water UFH for more than 25 years. The company’s full range of UFH systems for solid floors, overfloor applications and joisted floors, as well as a full portfolio of controls and accessories, can be found at www.continal.co.uk.
