Electric underfloor heating: the pros and cons explained

Discover whether a dry underfloor heating system is the right solution for keeping your floors warm

One tempting choice for heating your home is electric underfloor heating (UFH) is a. Also known as dry underfloor heating, not only is it easy to install and maintain, but it delivers an even spread of warmth across the whole floor surface, cutting out cold spots entirely.

Once considered a luxury, dry underfloor heating is quickly becoming a must-have feature for the bathroom. 'UFH is definitely worth thinking about for this area,' says Sarah Wazir, a marketing executive at Warmup. 'You’ll save a lot on the labour costs if the flooring is being lifted up and changed anyway.' Additionally, electric underfloor heating will also take the chill off the cool surface of your floor tiles.

Products come in an array of heat outputs, depending on the requirements of the space you’re installing UFH in. Higher wattage solutions are available for areas with greater levels of heat loss, too. If you’re unsure what solution will suit your scheme best, it's worth bringing in an expert to advise on the different options and carry out a heat loss survey.

You can choose from loose cable or mat-based electric underfloor heating systems, each of which features a network of wires that heats up when switched on. In turn, this layer of cables warms the floor finish above, transmitting a cosy, radiant heat to the rest of the room.

'Radiant heat enables comfort to be felt sooner, at a lower temperature level,' says Sarah. 'Plus there's next to no air flow, which means the temperature remains even throughout the space.'

Rebecca Foster started her journalism career in Bangkok in 2013, where she worked on the in-house editorial team at a luxury homes magazine. Since then, Rebecca has contributed to numerous property and interiors titles in the UK and Southeast Asia. She re-located to London in 2015 to work at one of the country's leading self-build and home renovation magazines. In 2017, she left her job to split her time between freelance journalism and teaching yoga.

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