Some may wonder if it is a good idea to install underfloor heating in view of our rapidly warming climate. However, the reality is there will still be several months in which its benefits will be invaluable.
With the country now experiencing its third heatwave of the summer and the possibility of more to come, now may seem like a strange time to be thinking about new heating systems.
However, if your old heating system is showing its age, or you simply like the idea of having heat rise up through the floor to keep your feet warm, you should definitely consider having it installed.
Why Get Underfloor Heating Installed In Summer?
The first reason is that now is a convenient time to get it done, because:
• Engineers won’t be busy fixing boilers in an emergency in summer, so it is easier to book them in to do the work at a convenient time
• The work can be done while you don’t need the heating on
• The flow screed (cement) will set quicker when it is warm
These are all good reasons for having the work done in summer, but, just as importantly, choosing to get the heating installed in the first place is still worth doing despite the changing climate.
Yes, the summers are getting hotter and the winters are milder than they used to be. But do not be deceived by the current weather into forgetting how chilly it can get in winter.
For example, the latest data on frost days in London (defined as days on which the average temperature dropped below 2 degrees C for air frost, 0 C for a light frost and -2 C for a hard frost) showed that:
• The average latest air frost day in Spring is April 10th and the first one in autumn will be November 7th
• For a light frost, the relevant days are March 13th and November 26th
• Hard frosts can occur between December 8th and February 13th
Although these figures are based on a long-term average from 1960 to 2023 and the number of frost days will have fallen, the fact is that the typical winter temperature in the capital is still around four degrees, which is more than cold enough to get the heating on.
What Does Roman London Tell Us About The Benefits Of Underfloor Heating?
If there were any further doubts, you may also consider the situation when London’s first underfloor heating systems were installed, back when the city was founded by the Romans.
This period, when hypocaust systems were heated using hot air channelled from furnaces, was also notable for its warm weather.
This situation, known as the Roman Warm Period, lasted from 250 BC to 400 AD and is occasionally used as an argument against the evidence of anthropocentric climate change in the present day, although there is no evidence that the world as a whole was warmer.
Nonetheless, Britain was a degree hotter in summer on average than it was in the 20th century.
However, a warmer Britain didn’t mean there weren’t cold days in winter and the many hypocausts used around Britain, including London, highlighted the need for them.
Underfloor heating won’t be needed in the summer heat, but it can provide much-needed warmth when winter returns.
