BACKPOSTED ON: MAY 22, 2023 9:30 AM
CATEGORISED IN: NEWS
Electric underfloor heating is fast becoming one of the most popular heating systems across Australia, and we are confident you’ll love our versatile floor heating systems.
Underfloor heating has been around for a long time but it has been viewed as a luxury addition or not able to heat whole rooms compared with other conventional heating systems. Because of this, people believe that having underfloor heating at home comes at a steep cost, for installation with a lot of concern about the ongoing running costs . This is not in fact true because underfloor heating is one of the most efficient sources of heating available, and using clever programming and zoning, this system matches and could cost even less than the cost of alternative heating methods.
We will breakdown the total cost of having underfloor heating so you are able to make easy comparisons and to be better able to select heating for you and your family’s needs.
WHAT IS UNDERFLOOR HEATING?
Speedheat has developed an innovative, electric underfloor solution that is revolutionising the way that your home can be warmed. This system uses radiant heat technology that regulates the temperature in homes, with warmth emanating from a fixed point, being across the floor. This way, the warmth is evenly distributed, and the floor acts as one giant radiator.From a technical perspective, Speedheat has engineered two products to suit different flooring types. The first product involves technology where heat is distributed through a cable that has been formed into optimum patterns for heat distribution under flooring. This design lies below the tiles, stick-down floorboards or even vinyl.The second product involves heat being distributed through thin wires enclosed in foil. This design lies underneath the carpet or floating floorboards.Both products are connected to a thermostat located on a wall or in a cupboard, meaning there is no interior or exterior unit required like a heat pump.
ELECTRIC FLOOR HEATING OPTIONS
Speedheat offers several heating options for your home: floor heating under ceramic tiles, natural stone, timber, laminate, and polished concrete. We also provide mirror demisters, carpet heating and if you have already got your floors done but want to experience the wonders of underfloor heating we have rug heaters and heated mats.Our team has engineered versatile and tailor-made products to suit your home’s space and is among the best in the market. Rather than supplying our customers with a collection of different options, we have dedicated the time to engineer two world-class products that work throughout the home.
RUNNING COSTS
One of the first things to consider when comparing heating options for your home is the projected cost of running the system. How much will operating it on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis cost?If you are looking at underfloor heating for your home, there are a range of options that vary depending on the size and floor covering inside of the room. Speedheat products range in wattage from the smallest at approximately 175 watts right up to 1,500 watts.The average cost is generated by the temperature chosen by the you and set on the thermostat as the heater will run at total capacity in the first hour to reach the chosen temperature and then drops to a 30% duty cycle to maintain the selected temperature.
It is important to note that overall costs are dependent on current electricity rates, the capacity of the heater, the area of the room, daily usage and the quality of the insulation in the home.
For example, if you are running one of the larger 1,500-watt heaters that will consume 1.5 kilowatts per hour, if the electricity rate is 25 cents per kilowatt hour, and the room is 8 square metres, running on an average of six hours a day, you could expect to pay as little as $1.50-$2.00 per day.
After the initial warm-up phase when the set temperature reached, the heater will move onto a 30-50 percent run cycle. The calculation will then change to the heater consuming approximately .5 kilowatts per hour.
| Area | Room Size | Heating Type | Usage (Per day) | Estimated Electricity Rate | Estimated Cost Per Day |
| Bedroom | 8sqm | Speedheat Under Carpet Heating | 4hrs | 25c | From $1.12 |
| Bathroom | 9sqm | Speedheat Under Tile Heating | 4hrs | 25c | From $1.35 |
| Living Room | 20sqm | Speedheat Under Timber Flooring | 6hrs | 25c | From $4.20 |
INSTALLATION COSTS
Underfloor heating installation is relatively low-cost and pays off long-term as one of the most competitively economical heating systems to run. Speedheat uses a 1.5mm thick design that can be installed during the building of a new home or retrofitted to an existing floor. When looking at the price for installation, it is essential to research what product best suits your needs and space limitations including taking into consideration if the desired heater impacts floor levels
One such consideration is the wattage necessary for your desired space and how many heaters are required to maximise quality. For some of the larger living areas, four or five heaters may need to be connected to cover that particular area, which is when the installation cost may increase.
SOME EXAMPLES OF INSTALLATION COSTS ARE:
If you are searching for ‘bathroom underfloor heating costs’ the following information can help act as a guide on what can be expected in terms of pricing.
For a standard-size bathroom in Australia, which is approximately 3 metres x 2 metres, with a mid-range heater, you are looking at a total cost of as little as $800-$1,000 installed, inclusive of a thermostat.
For a standard-size bedroom in Australia, which is approximately 3 metres x 3 metres, with a mid-range heater, you are looking at a total cost of as little as $1,100-$1,300 installed, inclusive of a thermostat.
You will need to work with your electrician on ensuring there are electrical circuits in place to connect the heating to.
It is important to note that polished concrete floor heating costs, and installation of the product in different areas of the home will vary depending on size, requirements, and floor covering and preparation required.
HOW TO MANAGE UNDERFLOOR HEATING COSTS
There are a few things that you can do to ensure they are receiving maximum efficiency from your underfloor heating; these are:
- Have your heating system at a set temperature by a particular time, then set it to turn down at a specific time, to match when you are actually going to be using that area of your home. By placing parameters on time usage on your thermostat, the system will work less to maintain a set temperature and be more cost-effective. There is no point in heating rooms when you are not using them.
- Invest in providing your home with good insulation. Research the different internal insulation options for your walls, floors, and ceiling; and consider double-glazed windows to retain the heat. This will help reduce your heating costs.
- Decide which areas would be most beneficial to install an underfloor heating system. You may select only one or two high-traffic areas in the house, which are commonly the bathroom and family room. Delegating heaters to certain areas, compared to all or a significant portion of the home, will reduce costs comparatively.
- Speedheat offers kits for those looking to reduce the cost of installation that you can then coordinate with your qualified electrician to install. This option contains everything you need to install the heater, comprehensive instructions and ongoing technical support throughout preparation and installation.
WHY CHOOSE ELECTRIC UNDERFLOOR HEATING?
Electric underfloor heating is steadily becoming one of Australia’s most reliable and efficient products. Compared to alternative heating systems in the market, Speedheat designs are engineered with safety in mind, with waterproof, earthed and self-correcting products. Our products distribute heat evenly throughout the home dust free with no air movement, have thermostatic control, and require no maintenance. Our discrete and eco-friendly heating solution is ideal for homeowners looking to live comfortably and economically. These are only some of the reasons Australians are turning towards Speedheat as their primary heating solutions company.
For help and advice on moving to underfloor heating, contact one of our friendly team members today or visit our website.
FAQS:
IS UNDERFLOOR HEATING CHEAPER TO RUN?
We have designed Speedheat heating products to be affordable, if not more cost-effective than other alternative forms of heating. For example, a split system will cycle the same volume of cool air from below into the unit and push the same volume of warm air out a few times to warm the air in the room.
One of the reasons that this system is more affordable is that it does not rely on recirculating the air in the room. It warms from the ground up, which means the air only needs to be heated once and is more efficient to run. If you are searching for ‘floor heating costs’, this is an affordable option worth considering.
WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE TO UNDERFLOOR HEATING?
There are many different options when it comes to heating your home, all with their own set of benefits and considerations. Alternatives to this system include hydronic heating, Geothermal Heat Pumps, and solar heating, to name a few. We recommend researching all of the available products in the market to find the one that best suits your needs.
WHICH IS CHEAPER, UNDERFLOOR HEATING OR RADIATORS?
Underfloor heating is a more energy efficient and cost-effective solution long-term for your home than a radiator. Underfloor heating is spread across the whole floor so the heat is evenly spread in the room so you don’t need to rely on fans or other items to circulate the warn air.
Underfloor heating works at maximum capacity for the first hour to reach the set temperature, and then move into a 30-50 percent duty cycle, thus using less energy to maintain the temperature of the space.
SHOULD YOU TURN OFF UNDERFLOOR HEATING IN SUMMER?
Our underfloor heating products come with a thermostat, which means the system comes on and turns off at your discretion. You are able to set the thermostat to just warm the floor or to warm the room. If you find that your home is warm enough in the summer months without the need for underfloor heating, you can simply leave it off.
CAN YOU TILE OVER TILES WITH UNDERFLOOR HEATING?
Although this can be done, we do not recommend it. By adding another layer of tiles you are increasing the distance from the heater to the room which means it will take longer to warm up therefore using more electricity than it would otherwise need. It all depends on the thickness of the tiles that are already laid and how thick are the new tiles.