Cold weather and winters can be cruel when there’s no underfloor heating in your house. Stepping on cold floors sends a shiver down the spine. Placing rugs after professional cleaning services isn’t enough for fighting a cold. For overcoming such a situation, the use of underfloor heating has become quite popular. Installation of underfloor heating increases comfort and makes it easier to bear cold seasons.
Does your rug get affected by floor heating? Mostly, people don’t pay attention to the rug type while getting floor heating installed. However, the rug variant plays an important role in increasing or decreasing the comfort of your house. Let’s understand how rugs interact with the under-floor heating system so you can choose the right variant for yourself.
Installation of underfloor heating system is a modern approach to keeping floors warm. It is one popular choice of homeowners in Australia. Installation of a heating system is beneficial for open spaces and large rooms. Underfloor heating system is one innovative way of keeping your rooms warm without ducted heating or use of radiators.
You can find two variants of floor heating- electric and water system. As the name suggests, the electric system uses electricity for keeping the floors warm. On the other hand, a water system involves the usage of pipes spread evenly on the floor. Hot water runs through the pipes that keep the floors warm.
Choosing the right underfloor heating system depends on variables. Installation of electric underfloor heating system is easier in the existing properties. Less disruption is caused in the installation of an electric heating system. However, these systems require minimum floor height for fitting.
Water systems are quite cheaper than electric ones. This system is ideal for large rooms and open spaces. However, these under-floor heating systems are ideal for newly constructed buildings.
Is it ideal to place rugs on underfloor heating system? The efficiency of your under-floor heating system depends on several factors including your rug variant. So, while purchasing the rugs, you need to be more concerned about the ideal flooring material and not just about the décor. In case you make the mistake of purchasing an unsuitable rug, it can cover up the warm floors while being cold. Moreover, some rugs have temperature restrictions that mean they can get damaged from heat or can heat up more than you can tolerate.
Don’t worry, there are several rugs specially designed to go with underfloor heating system. These rugs have low thermal resistance and tend to be thicker. Such rugs help in maintaining a comfortable temperature in the rooms. So, while investing in rugs make sure to go for rugs that minimize the blanket effect.
1. Choose rugs with low thermal resistance so heat can pass through the rugs and make your floorings comfortable.
2. Rugs are rated with thermal overall grade (TOG). Make sure your rug has a score between 1-2. The lower the score the better rugs you have.
3. Rugs with felt back should be avoided. Felt blocks the heat and creates a blanket effect. Go for hessian back rugs as they allow heat to transfer easily.
4. Don’t go for oversized rugs. If your floors remain covered with rugs, the underfloor heating system won’t work with efficiency. So make sure to go for medium to smaller-sized rugs.
5. Rugs made from natural fibers are more ideal for underfloor heating systems. Synthetic materials like nylon can melt and damage the rugs with heat exposure.
How quickly the heat gets transferred through the flooring depends on the material it is made from. So, while getting underfloor heating, you need to consider the material of floorings as well.
Stone and Tile Flooring
Looking at the best option for under-floor heating? Stone and tile flooring always top the list of recommendations. These tile variants have high thermal conductivity. That means your floor will heat up quickly while retaining the heat. Installation of stone or tile flooring can help in boosting the efficiency of the heating system while allowing you to save costs in the long run. Feel free in using a small or medium-sized rug on the tile floor for decoration purposes.
Wooden Flooring
You can find a diverse range of options in wooden floorings. Wooden floors are available in different thicknesses and thermal properties. It is quite obvious to understand that thinner wooden floors allow better transferability of heat and are ideal for underfloor heating systems. Engineered woods are considered the best option for heating system installation.
In the case of timber or hardwood flooring, the under-floor heating doesn’t work efficiently. The heat remains trapped beneath the rugs and reaches beyond the temperature limit. When heat remains trapped beneath the rugs it damages both the rug and flooring. Either of the surfaces can swell up or twist because of heat. In case of humid conditions the risk of floor and rug swelling increases. Heat can de-laminate the layers of engineered wood. Therefore, you need to be immensely careful while placing rugs on wooden flooring and getting under the floor heating system.
Rugs go well with an under floor heating system when you consider these aspects. Just follow the tips and get the right rug for you after getting underfloor heating system installed at your house!
Additionally, it is important to keep your rugs clean irrespective of the weather conditions. Get professional rug cleaning services in Australia. Give us a call now!
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