The Role of Insulation in Underfloor Heating

Whether you’re curious if a floor heating system would be suitable for your upcoming project or you’re ready to install a new system, understanding the importance of insulation with underfloor heating is important. In this in-depth article, we’ll look at the many reasons why you should install high-quality floor insulation with UFH. You’ll discover:

• How insulation reduces heat loss in your home 
• The ways in which insulation enhances the efficiency of floor heating 
• How floor insulation can help save you money on your energy bills 
• The ease of installing Warmup insulation 
• How to buy floor insulation with your new heating system

What are the main benefits of installing insulation with floor heating?

Insulation is always recommended for installation with a new underfloor heating system as it helps to improve its performance in three key ways: helping to prevent heat loss in a property, enhancing the efficiency of the system and helping to save money on energy bills.  

We offer a range of insulation solutions for both water and electric systems. Electric floor heaters can be fitted directly onto our electric UFH insulation boards. Whereas our water floor heating solutions can be split into those which feature in-built insulation and those which are installed onto separate water UFH insulation panels.

How insulation prevents heat loss

Just like the insulation within your walls and ceiling, floor insulation can prevent heat from escaping a home. Put simply, insulation keeps the heat produced by the floor heating system within the room. Without adequate insulation, the radiant warmth of underfloor heating can be lost downward into the ground or the space below the floor – meaning that the system will have to work harder and consume more energy to achieve your ideal room temperature. 

Find out more about the ways to reduce heat loss in your home in our expert article.

The ways that insulation enhances the efficiency of underfloor heating

Good quality insulation helps to improve the responsiveness of your floor heating system. It can assist in producing faster heat-up times– allowing the system to reach the desired room temperature quicker and with more precision. Insulation also helps to maintain an even surface temperature across the floor, providing a more consistent and comfortable experience throughout the room, with no hot and cold spots. And, since your underfloor heating system doesn’t have to work as hard or operate as long to achieve an optimal heat output, it can experience less strain – helping to extend its lifespan too.

How insulation can save you money on your heating bills

By reducing heat loss in your home and improving a floor heating system’s performance, insulation helps keep your energy costs down. A well-insulated home won’t need its heating to be on as long or operate at as high a temperature as spaces featuring lower levels of insulation.  

Our Ultralight UFH Board is ideal for use with many of our electric and water systems. It provides 50% more even heating and 30% faster heat up times than standard insulation boards, helping to dramatically reduce energy usage. It has been engineered with a four-layer construction method with an aluminium heat spreading layer and decoupling attributes for increased performance whilst also featuring soundproofing qualities. Using Ultralight with underfloor heating could save you up to £16.50 m/2 per year on your heating costs.   

Want to find out more about reducing the running costs of your home? Read our blog post to discover everything you need to know.  

Is UFH insulation worth it?

Yes. Without proper insulation, your new underfloor heating system won’t perform at its best. The system will need to be on for longer periods of time to reach the desired temperature, increasing your energy usage and running costs. You could also experience more uneven heating – leaving certain areas of the floor warmer than others. 

It’s worth noting that the thicker the insulation, the better the heat retention but deeper layers of insulation can also raise the floor level, so you should calculate these dimensions during the planning stage of your project to make sure it won’t interfere with existing door levels, skirting boards and other fixed objects.

What kind of insulation material is best for my new heating system?

Warmup’s range of insulation products provide a hassle-free installation by those qualified to work with underfloor heating.  

Most of our electric systems are recommended to be installed alongside the Ultralight UFH Boards or the Cement-coated Insulation Boards. If you’re specifying electric heating for softer floor finishes, then the Foil Heater is a great choice and should be fitted with a layer of Insulated Underlay.  

If you’re installing water underfloor heating that requires installation within a layer of screed, the system’s pipework can be fixed onto accompanying insulation panels before being screeded over. Warmup’s hydronic insulation can be specified in a range of thicknesses (from 25mm to 100mm) and is available in both EPS and PIR construction variants; both materials improving the system’s performance.  

Some of our lower-profile, panel-based water systems can be used with Ultralight and some feature in-built insulation. Our VLo Ultra-12 Low Build System includes a layer of high-quality insulation and offers a screedless installation, making it ideal for home renovations. Meanwhile, the Nexxa System can be personalised for your project’s requirements through its multiple system options including the Nexxa Insulating and Acoustic System which features a layer of incorporated insulation with soundproofing qualities. Installing a water system with suspended timber floors? Insulation is still recommended in these circumstances. The VLo Econna-12 is a water floor heating system that has been designed for use over both battened and joisted floors, leaving the void between them free for insulation material

How do I buy Warmup insulation?

Ready to purchase underfloor heating? Our easy-to-use quoting tool will select the best system for your needs and suggest which insulation solution is right for you too.  You can purchase water systems with accompanying insulation from Warmup directly whilst our electric floor heaters and their accompanying insulation boards can be bought at one of our many retail partners.  

By installing insulation with your new heating system, you’ll ensure that it works at its most efficient whilst helping to reduce the cost of a property’s energy bills and providing a consistent sense of comfort throughout the space.