Built-in heating for the floor

Press, 13 April 1978, Page 10

Built-in heating for the floor

There are now several methods of electric heating where the elements are built in, or incorporated with construction, and these are proving very populr and efficient.

Their main advantage is that they are completely invisible yet give a controlled environment to just the desired comfort level in the various zones of the home.

In-floor electric heating is another method of

using off-peak electricity to warm the home.

In-floor heating uses the whole concrete floor of the house like a huge storage heater — the concrete absorbs heat by night and lets it out gradually throughout the day. So every corner of the home is pleasantly warm first thing in the morning and all day long. In-floor heating has many advantages. You can feel it, but you cannot see it. It provides gentle, even heat over the whole floor

area, so you can arrange furniture as you like, move from room to room

comfortably, use all the living space.

In-floor heating is clean, completely autbmatic, and will last as long as the house itself if it is properly installed, with no maintenance needed.

The cost is quite reasonable, in fact building a home with a concrete floor can give a substansavings over the conventional wooden construction and heating can be installed as a bonus with cash to spare. With in-floor heating,' the makers’' recommendations should be adhered to:

Domestic: Lounge, 15-20 watts per sq ft; kitchen,

dinette. 12-15 watts per sq ft; bedrooms, passage, etc, 12 watts per sq ft.

Commercial: Offices. 20 watts per sq ft; workshops, etc, 15 watts per sq ft.

Plaster Sheet: A recently developed form of heating involves the erection of fibrous plaster ceiling sheets.

Fine elements are cast in the gypsum plaster sheets at manufacture. An Bft by sft sheet has a heating element of 500

watts and for satisfactory comfort level, 10 watts per sq. ft. of total floor area should be allowed. As a result of recent research, it has been found that this type of heating has very attractive characteristics. The sheets are maintained at a temperature of about 38 degrees C (100 degrees F) and at this low temperature they give out a radiation wavelength that results in a benign, exhilarating environment.

The heat is distrubted evenly over the whole room and there is little to no temperature difference between floor and ceiling. The temperature, which is maintained by thermostats in each room, is very stable and this system is very economical on power. Woven element: Another

method of ceiling heating is by means of a newly developed product which is placed on top of the ceiling panels. Upward losses are prevented by using thermal insulation. This method has the advantage that it can be installed in existing houses provided the ceiling sheets are plaster or some similar material. The element is a woven glass cloth, impregnated with a conducting silicon rubber and made in strips of such a width that they can lie between the ceiling joists.

When operating, the ceiling temperature is very similar to the first method, so for plaster, the radiant wavelength is the same, and all the advantages apply to this method also.

Under floor units: Fan controlled under-floor electric space heating units are now available in a variety of types and models. These are simple to install and are proving very popular. The unit is completely concealed under the floor, the only sign you see of it are unobtrusive air vents.

Some types have one vent — the incoming air going in round tne edges and the warm air coming out from the middle. Others have two vents with an underfloor duct between them. One duct takes the cold air from one side of the toom, the fan drives it through a heating element and deliv» ers it at the chosen tem-

perature to the other side of the room. In a few minutes the entire room is warm because the warm air circulates throughout every corner. The units are quite small and fit snugly under the floor. They are moderate in price and easy to install.

Air conditioners: The height of comfort is provided by air conditioning because the air is thoroughly conditioned. Besides filtering the air it is delivered at just the right temperature and humidity. Several types of compact room air conditioners are now available. Some are mounted either into a window frame or through a wall.

Others are of the consol type. Room air condi» tioners are basically a' type of refrigerator designed to cool in summer and provide heating in winter.

Some have built in electric elements while others get their heating from reverse cycle operation. This latter method derives heat from the refrigeration process which is the most efficient and economical method available of heating.

While the initial outlay is higher than for con ventional heating, they have the dual function of heating and cooling. Their use in the home is quite common and they are particularly suitable for commercial premises. Manu« facturers will supply all relevant data.