Low floor heights make a great first impression

Products: TileFix®-18

Many homeowners are now looking to upgrade their existing properties rather than incur the costs and inconvenience associated with moving house. Major renovations such as extensions, or simply upgrading a property that needs a bit of TLC, often come with a desire to upgrade the heating system, remove old radiators and replace them with a modern, energy efficiency underfloor heating (UFH) system.

One of the continuing myths surrounding the installation of UFH in existing buildings is the issue of raising floor heights, which some still believe are a barrier to a successful installation unless the homeowner is prepared to dig up an existing floor to create the additional space, but this is simply not the case.

Modern UFH systems are freely available that are specifically designed to raise floor heights by minimal amounts, making it possible to install UFH on top of existing floors in most properties.

A recent installation in a bungalow in Nottingham dealt with precisely this issue. The homeowner wanted UFH installed, but the ceiling heights were such that he was concerned the UFH would raise the floor height too much. He also wanted a tiled floor finish, which he was worried might further raise the floor height due to the perceived need to lay a sub-base on top of the UFH system.

After speaking with the installer to understand the project requirements, we were able to offer a solution that addressed all the homeowner’s concerns. We worked closely with the installer, Chris Gregory from First Impression Projects, to design a system that would keep the costs down, and would give the homeowner the efficient UFH he wanted without having to dig the floor up, or even lay a sub-base beneath the floor tiles.

Instead, our Technical Expert, Ben Willmott, recommended TileFix®-18 – an ultra-thin UFH system that has an extremely low profile of just 18mm, so it can be installed almost anywhere without raising the floor height.

As well as its low profile, our TileFix® panels provide a fast heat response and are the only UFH system available on the UK market that you can tile directly onto using a flexible tile adhesive. This means installers can place floor tiles straight onto the TileFix® panels without the need to lay a board that would increase the build-up height.

Instead, the system is designed to accept ceramic, porcelain, marble and stone tiles, using a suitable tile adhesive. The universal TileFix® panels provide pipe routing for return loops and distribution, ensuring simple installation and saving the installer time on site.

The UFH was being installed in the kitchen, with a small island due to be sited in the middle of the floor space, so we also made sure to design the system with that in mind.

Thanks to our ability to answer our customer’s questions promptly and allay his concerns, as well as the fast system design and delivery service we provide as standard, First Impression Projects placed the order quickly and we were able to get the components delivered to site without delay.