Regulating the climate within your space is one of the most important factors to live a happy and healthy life and underfloor heating offers just that. While there are a number of temperature regulation mechanisms on the market nowadays, none are quite as energy-efficient and non-intrusivte as heated floors. 

Underfloor heating in Malta is a relatively new concept but there is a myriad of benefits that come with having heated floors in Malta. Whether it’s for a home, a restaurant, a hotel, a gym, a school, a factory or even a church, there’s nothing like underfloor heating and cooling to keep the environment at an optional temperature.

What is underfloor heating?

Underfloor heating has been around since ancient times with records dating back to Roman times where such systems, historically known as hypocausts, were used to warm up Roma villas and bath houses. Nowadays underfloor heating has become much more accessible and easy to install thanks to the major advancements in technology which have reduced the underground heated caverns to almost paper-thin mats.

These mats contain a network of conduits or wires that radiate heat from the ground up, making it extremely comfortable to walk barefoot around the house even on extremely frosty days. However, since hot air rises, the heat won’t simply affect the floor, it will slowly warm up the entire space it covers evenly and consistently. 

There are two types of underfloor heating, the traditional wet underfloor heating and the more recent electric floor heating which we’ll delve deeper into later on. While the energy supply is different, both types of underfloor heating can be fitted easily under any kind of flooring though the type of flooring can have an influence on which type is best for you.

Electrical underfloor heating

Electric underfloor heating is the thinnest and more easily installed type of underfloor heating, serving as the ideal heated floor solution for renovation projects. As the name implies it works via electricity with wires running across the entire mat and the heat they emit can be regulated through a separate underfloor heating thermostat. Alternatively, it can be activated by gadgets like timers, motion sensors, light relays, and hot water sensors to maximise efficiency.

The optimum locations for electric underfloor heating are typically areas which are limited in space and commonly have hard floorings like tiles and marble for example bathrooms and kitchens. This is due to the fact that certain types of carpet and wooden floors may limit the effectiveness of heat radiation from the electric floor heating system.

One core advantage that electric floor heating has over the more traditional wet underfloor heating systems is that it heats up more quickly and is fitted closer to the flooring’s surface. This means that it can be switched off when not using the room it's installed in and back on when needed since it uses quite a bit of energy to operate which means it is not ideal for large, common areas that are used a lot like living rooms.

Wet underfloor heating

Where electrical floor heating lacks, wet underfloor heating shines. This system is typically less favoured than its electrical alternative due to the higher upfront costs and somewhat complicated installation. However, is the perfect investment for the long term due to its high amortisation rates which turn into incredible savings once the initial costs have been covered.

Wet underfloor heating

This is due to the fact that wet underfloor heating uses less energy to heat up your space compared to electrical underfloor heating, even when covering large areas. Wet underfloor heating is made up of a system of pipes through which hot water at around 35⁰C flows and gradually warms up the flooring. Therefore, you won’t spend much money on heat like other heating systems which require temperatures up to 60⁰C to work efficiently. 

These pipes are generally connected to a boiler or heat pump but can also be linked to a solar water heating system for even bigger savings. It can be concluded that wet underfloor heating is the better investment, especially for new constructions where the flooring is still being laid since it is somewhat more difficult to install than electrical floor heating. Another advantage to wet underfloor heating systems is that they can also be used for cooling.

Why choose underfloor heating?

Underfloor heating has an upper hand when compared to other thermal systems like air conditions which tend to only warm up the area in their proximity, especially in large open spaces. When using underfloor heating, the entire floor becomes the heating mechanism, meaning that the heat will be evenly spread across the entire space. 

Another major advantage that heated floors offer is that they relieve the areas where they are installed from unsightly units as everything is hidden underground. This gives your space a cleaner look and leaves more room for your creativity to run free without having to sacrifice functionality.

Aside from offering optimal heating solutions, underfloor heating is also excellent at regulating humidity levels which is a major plus considering Malta’s climate. As the air in the area where the underfloor heating is installed warms up, it naturally starts holding more water particles which drastically reduces humidity levels. 

On top of this, underfloor heating also improves air quality. Most temperature regulation systems like air conditioners use fans to circulate the air within the space which increases the level of dust particles in the air. With underfloor heating, the air isn’t being moved at all, thus reducing the amount of dust in the air and making it much easier to rid your space of it.

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