Underfloor Heating and Sustainable Living 

Living a more sustainable life means recognising how the choices we make impact our planet and making small changes for the betterment of our environment. These changes could take the form of being more conscious of the manufacturing processes of the things you buy or upgrading your home’s technology to lower your carbon footprint. In this guide, we’ll explore how Warmup’s collection of underfloor heating systems are perfectly aligned with an eco-friendly lifestyle. You’ll discover: 

• How floor heating offers a more sustainable way to heat a home 
• The compatibility of underfloor heating and solar power 
• How heat pump-powered floor heating systems reduce carbon emissions  
• The benefits of using Smart heat controls to save energy 
• How Warmup are committed to sustainable business practices 

How does underfloor heating help to conserve energy? 

Heating homes takes a lot of energy and produces high levels of carbon emissions too, with some estimates stating that up to 40% of the UK’s emissions come from our domestic spaces. Underfloor heating is a cleaner, smarter way to heat a home and installing a Warmup system in your property is a great way to help you live a more sustainable life.  

Floor heating utilises radiant heat technology to warm a room from the ground up and directly into the objects and people in the space, as opposed to central heating which just focuses on heating the air of a space. This process uses less energy whilst achieving the same feeling of warmth with lower air temperatures required. Water floor heating systems operate at lower temperatures than radiator-based systems whilst electric floor heaters facilitate 100% efficient direct electric heating, with no energy wastage. And our collection of Smart multi-zone thermostats provide accurate control and allow automatic heat functionality, helping to save even more energy for your home.     

The combined efficiency from lower operating temperatures and the radiant effect of underfloor heating can reduce energy use in your home by up to 35%. And with the increased energy-efficiency of UFH, lower long-term running costs can be achieved too.  

Find out more about the sustainability of underfloor heating in our expert article.

Is a floor heating system suitable for my home? 

Whether you want to improve the energy performance of your current property or are looking for a more sustainable heating solution for a new-build home, we offer systems suitable for almost all projects.  

Underfloor heating systems are perfect for use as the primary source of heat for your whole house, offering you the chance to enjoy low-carbon warmth for many years to come whilst future-proofing your property against uncertain environmental factors as well as rising energy costs. A hybrid solution, using a combination of both electric and water systems, often provides an ideal solution for larger, multi-storey homes. If you’re interested in building a carbon-neutral property, with a low impact on the environment, our range of UFH systems are also becoming increasingly popular for use in Passive Houses. Read our  guide to learn more about the benefits of floor heating in passive housing. 

You can also install floor heating in just one or two rooms in your home, to work alongside your existing heating system. Electric floor heaters are a popular choice to bring energy-efficient warmth to cold bathrooms for instance whilst our VLo line of low-profile water floor heating systems have been specifically designed for larger and smaller-scale renovation projects. Use our innovative online quoting tool to find the perfect heating solution for your home today. Simply enter a few details of your project and we’ll show you the best heating system for your needs as well as letting you know exactly how much it will cost to purchase.   

Can I use solar panels with underfloor heating? 

Floor heating systems are compatible with renewables-based heat sources such as solar panels and heat pumps. Renewable energy is the future of home heating and the wider adoption of these heat sources will dramatically reduce global carbon emissions.  

Solar energy is a great way to improve your home’s sustainability and the DCM-PRO Low Wattage System is ideal for fitting with a solar PV system. This electric floor heater has been designed for use in well insulated properties with low load supplies and using it with solar panels and batteries means that you could enjoy the benefits of zero-carbon, self-generated electric warmth with no need to purchase energy from the national grid. Discover more about powering your new floor heating system with solar energy in our in-depth article.  

Are water underfloor heating systems compatible with heat pumps? 

Yes, they are. Ground and air-source heat pumps are a very sustainable way to heat your home, drawing natural warmth from the air (for air-source heat pumps) or the ground (for ground-source heat pumps) and converting this into energy that can heat your home and they are perfect for installing with a water UFH system. Heat pumps operate best at producing lower temperature water than traditional heat sources and Warmup’s water floor heating systems also utilise lower temperatures than radiator systems whilst providing the same level of comfort.  

The Ultra-12 Low Build System is a great choice for installing with heat pumps. This water system features in-built insulation and aluminium heat spreading plates to distribute the heat evenly across the floor’s surface. The Ultra-12 can also be installed ‘dry’ with no need for screeding, making it perfect for use in home refurbishment projects. Find out more about the compatibility of Warmup’s floor heating solutions and heat pumps in our informative blog post. 

How do Smart heating controls reduce my energy usage? 

Warmup’s range of Smart Controls can dramatically improve the energy performance of your heating system.  

Installing floor heating systems across your home alongside their connected controls facilitates a zoned heating function – whereby different areas of the property can be heated independently to each other, allowing you to only heat the spaces you need and ensure that you are not wasting energy. All Warmup Smart thermostats also utilise SmartGeo™ technology which can automatically set the most comfortable and efficient temperature for your home based on your location, resulting in even greater energy conservation. And our specialised Smartcare heating support service can help you assess your home’s energy usage and in turn, maximize on your home’s sustainability levels too. 

Does Warmup invest in sustainable business practices? 

Warmup systems help your home become as sustainable as possible and as such, we want to ensure our business model has the same objective. As the world’s best-selling floor heating brand, Warmup want to ensure that every aspect of our business is working in harmony with the natural world. We are proud to be aligned with the SME Climate Hub global initiative and the United Nation’s Race to Zero campaign and we have also been awarded a bronze medal sustainability rating from EcoVadis, putting us in the top 24% of the construction industry.   

Discover more about our sustainable business practices in our introductory guide.