FAQ

Hydronic heating for heating the floor is characterized by plastic pipes through which

• water or a
• fluid heated by a gas boiler or heat pump can pass.

Instead, electric heating uses a kind of electric cable (consisting of metal-plastic conductive materials) to heat the floor from below.

There are many differences between these two types of underfloor heating: before deciding which method you prefer it is advisable to learn about them in detail, to avoid choices that could be detrimental in the future.

Hydronic underfloor heating systems are usually installed to heat new buildings and to heat the whole house. Based on type, they required a boiler, heat pump and gas lines, which should ideally be present before installing a hydronic underfloor heating system. We must point out that a hydronic system requires relatively long installation times.

A hydronic heating system costs around 100 €/m2, to which we must add the cost of the boiler or heat pump.

Other costs to be considered are the cost of the annual boiler service, flue gas analysis and periodic maintenance of the plastic pipes through which the liquid flows.

As it is the boiler or heat pump that heats the water, it must be borne in mind that the efficiency of the system is subject to continuous fluctuations. In fact, temperatures often drop below freezing point in winter. This means that the efficiency of the system is reduced by around 20% compared to normal values, consuming more energy to heat the water.

Hydroponic systems are difficult to repair as it is impossible to pinpoint the exact position of any leaks, and are much more fragile than an electric system.

Furthermore, these systems take much longer to heat the same surface area compared to an electric system.

Electric underfloor heating is the ideal solution for any type of building and any application. It is suitable both:

• for renovations, where due to its limited thickness, it can be installed under any type of flooring, greatly limiting the total thickness (a total of 2 cm considering insulation, heating and finished floor);
• for new buildings, where the system will be sized according to the building’s actual energy requirements. This is reflected in the consumption, which will be lower as the system will be tailored to the specific heat requirements of the house.

Electric underfloor heating systems are easy to install.. They can be connected to an existing electrical system, without requiring to make changes to the plant.

This makes them very simple to use in renovation projects.

The price for the supply and installation of a radiant electric underfloor system is around 40-60 €/m2.

Unlike a hydronic system, an electric system is not subject to loss of efficiency due to the temperature, and does not require any specific maintenance.

What’s more, this system is easy to repair, as damage can be pinpointed with a video camera. This means that in case of damage (which can occur during building works) it is not necessary to remove the whole floor to pinpoint and solve the problem.

Finally, electric underfloor heating systems heat up rapidly, with greater energy efficiency.

Customers are often concerned about how much an underfloor heating system will consume.

Are you curious to find out how much you would spend in your home?

Here is a practical simulator that compares the running costs of an electric heating system with those of a hydroponic heating system.

Absolutely not! To install electric underfloor heating the existing floor can be used as a supporting surface.
In fact, during renovations it is not always possible to remove the existing floor, as this would be very costly. Thanks to the Warmset Heating System, a light insulating layer (6 mm) can be provided, the heating ribbon (5 mm) can be laid on this and the finished flooring or floating flooring can then be glued over it.

Warmset electric heating can be installed under any type of flooring. It can be embedded in the screed, glued on top of tiles, porcelain stoneware or wood. It can also be installed under a floating floor.

When electric heating is mentioned, people often worry about the safety of the system. They are afraid that the electrical resistors could catch fire, and that those living in a home with this type of system are in constant danger.

In actual fact, this is not true.

An electric heating system is much safer than any other heating system. This type of heating system is totally safe and provided with certifications.

In the event of a malfunction occurring, the system stops working only in the area concerned, triggering the differential switches in the electric panel. This prevents damage to the building and to the system. Therefore, it is a much safer system than any boiler, which to all intents and purposes is a potential “bomb”! In fact, in the event of malfunction, it could explode, causing incalculable damage.

The Warmset heating system has obtained various product certifications. In particular, tests carried out to obtain Nemko certification (the certification of reference for electric heating) revealed that the electromagnetic emissions produced by our heating system are close to zero (0.03 μT).

To compare this value, it is important to be aware that everyday electrical appliances have electromagnetic fields; for example, a microwave emits 20 μT and a dishwasher emits 2 μT.

The value produced by Warmset is very low: around 10% lower than conventional heating cables.

In most cases the answer is yes. In fact, electric heating performs the same function as hydronic heating. The only case in which underfloor heating alone might not suffice is in homes with very poor insulation. In these situations, it is advantageous to install a pellet stove as primary heat source and, to enjoy more comfort in the home, Warmset heating as secondary heat source.

It depends on the type of system purchased and on how many square metres require to be heated. Generally, Warmset underfloor heating systems cost between 40 and 70 €/m2.

These prices include installation of the system by skilled operators. However, it would also be possible to install the system yourself, for example choosing loose ribbon instead of mats. In this way the system will cost even less. Another important element to bear in mind is the number of metres to be heated: the larger the surface is, the larger the discount offered for supply of the product will be.