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The popularity of electric underfloor heating is rising fast. So, as the UK’s leading supplier of electric underfloor heating, we thought we’d look at why it has become so popular pairing electric underfloor heating with renewables.
Not only are homeowners looking for the luxury feel it delivers but they are also looking for sustainable alternatives to traditional central heating which burns gas, oil and other harmful fuels.
Renewable, green, sustainable.
Environmentally-friendly energy goes by a few names but essentially means any method of energy production which does not directly contribute to carbon emissions.
Climate change is contributed to by an increasing percentage of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. The greatest cause of this is the use of fossil fuels – gas, oil or coal. These captured carbon from our atmosphere millions of years ago, which is now released as they burn.
The two most common forms of renewable energy are solar and wind.
Solar power turns sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (solar panels) or indirectly using systems which can concentrate solar energy (heat) to drive generators.
This is most commonly seen in the increasing number of solar farms – large numbers of commercial solar panels on disused or waste land – or domestic solar panels on the rooves of homes, offices and other buildings.
Sustainable wind power consists of large wind turbines situated on agricultural land or out to sea in shallow water. The blades of the turbines are turned by the wind which drives an internal generator to produce electricity. Increasingly, farmers, industry and commercial sites also use smaller wind turbines for their own energy production.
Apart from the initial manufacturing and maintenance of solar and wind power equipment, renewable energy does not produce any carbon emission whilst creating electricity. Thus, it is sustainable.
On a sunny and breezy day, the UK can now produce more than 50% of all its energy from renewable sources.
Additional electricity is produced by nuclear energy, which – whilst not regarded as renewable due to issues with nuclear waste – also does not produce carbon emissions.
Electric underfloor heating uses electric heating elements in or beneath the top layer of flooring to produce warmth throughout a room or building.
It has some distinct advantages over traditional central heating using radiators:
produces a more even warmth
heats from the very lowest level upwards
runs at a much lower temperature (typically 35°c compare to 70°c)
avoids radiators for more flexible interior design
Underfloor heating can also be fitted using water filled pipes, pumping warm water from a traditional boiler. However, whilst this has a number of advantages over traditional radiators, it is less sustainable than electric underfloor heating.
In efforts to avoid burning fossil fuels, electric underfloor heating has seen an exponential rise in popularity.
There are two primary ways to pair electric underfloor heating with renewable energy for more sustainable heating – indirectly and directly.
Electric underfloor heating can be indirectly paired with renewables by using mains (national grid) electricity.
As 50% or more of UK electricity is frequently generated from renewable sources, the use of mains electricity is far more sustainable than traditional gas, oil or coal fuelled central heating.
In addition, the cost of electricity has not risen as exponentially as gas following the war in Ukraine, making electric underfloor heating more affordable too.
Domestic and commercial energy users can opt to have a green energy tariff or contract. This ensures that, whilst the electricity they consume still comes from a number of sources, the money they pay contributes only to renewable energy.
Electric underfloor heating can also be directly paired with renewable energy sources within a home or building.
Homeowners and commercial building owners are increasingly using solar panels mounted on rooves to generate electricity.
Going greener is becoming a smart business decision for tradespeople and their suppliers.
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