If your underfloor heating performed poorly last winter and spring, summer is a convenient time to get the problem addressed. Whatever the cause of the problem, there are ways in which we can resolve it, ensuring you are warm and cosy when the cold weather returns.

Underfloor heating is an increasingly popular way to heat homes. Unlike radiators or fireplaces, it heats from the floor upwards, so no part of the home misses out, least of all your feet as you enjoy walking on warmer floors.

However, like any form of heating, things can go wrong from time to time. If you had issues with it earlier this year, now is a very convenient time to get these addressed, as engineers will be more freely available in summer with no emergency call-outs.

What Are The Signs That Your Underfloor Heating Is Not Working Properly?

The first thing to understand about underfloor heating is what can go wrong, as this may give you a clue to whether there is a problem and what sort of underfloor heating repairs are needed.

Among the problems an underfloor heating system can manifest are:

•       Cold spots, when one area of the floor stays cold while others are warm, which may have various causes
•       The actuator (which regulates the flow of water in pipe-based underfloor systems) is not working properly
•       Air pockets in pipes that stop the water from flowing properly
•       Excessive pressure in the pipes, often caused by a blockage

Causes of such problems vary. For instance, poor installation or wear and tear can lead to parts of the system failing to function. If it is an electric wire system, there may be an electrical connection problem, while damaged pipes will hamper water-based systems.

On other occasions, the whole system can stop working due to external problems, such as a tripped switch on an electric wire system or a boiler failure, which would mean no hot water for the pipes.

How Will An Engineer Deal With Underfloor Heating System Problems?

If you have had problems, the first thing to do is to report them to us and an engineer will start by inspecting the system and the energy supplies it relies on. If, for instance, the problem lies in a boiler, that will be the appliance that needs repair work or replacement.

Should the whole system have a problem, it is likely there is something preventing it from receiving energy, which means checking the sources of heat transmission for problems.

However, the issue will usually lie in the pipes or wires themselves, caused by damage, a blockage, air pockets or another problem, leading to a localised issue like a cold spot or a broader failure.

If this is the problem, the floor may have to be taken up to access the problem area. This is messy, not least as systems are commonly embedded in concrete known as flow screed.

However, this does at least mean that the engineer can get to the heart of the problem by clearing the blockage, fixing a fault or replacing a damaged or defective part.

The good news is that once this has been done and everything is back in place, you can enjoy the benefits of a fully functioning underfloor heating system. By getting it done in the summer, you can be reassured that you won’t be walking on any cold floors this autumn.

If you think the idea of getting underfloor heating fitted in a North London home is a novel idea, think again.

The first underfloor heating fitted in London dates back to the Romans, who used a system called a hypocaust, piping hot air from furnaces into a cavity below the floor. Archaeologists have found multiple examples in the capital and across England, with Billingsgate Bath House in the City of London being a case in point.

What is not recorded is exactly what time of year the work of installing the hypocausts was undertaken, but it is fair to say the residents of Roman London and other places in this island outpost of the empire will have been very glad to have them fully functioning by the time winter arrived.

If you want to get underfloor heating installed, the same will be true. Summer is the best time of year to get electrical and gas engineers doing big jobs, as they won’t be busy on emergency boiler repairs and similar tasks. Instead, you may find it much easier to find times when they are available.

Just as getting a boiler serviced or replaced in summer will ensure it is ready before you really need its hot water in winter, so it is with underfloor heating. That way, you can have everything done and dusted before you need it.

There is a common misconception that an underfloor heating system might waste energy in the summer by providing heating you don’t need under feet that aren’t cold. In reality, the system runs autonomously (no Roman blacksmiths required), so like a heating system controlled by a thermostat, it only gets going when the temperature drops.

Once you have the system in place, you will feel very glad you did it. What is more, anytime you hear the question “What did the Romans ever do for us?” you will definitely know the answer.

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