As you’re probably aware, it’s becoming quite chilly. The air is colder, our homes are becoming less comfortable to sit in, and the heating is on; wintery weather is upon us! So with the rising costs of heating crippling most homes up and down the country, what can you do to reduce costs or bag yourself a warmer home?
One of the most important factors for heat is a good heating system. There are two main candidates: radiators and underfloor heating. Both offer superb heating capacities and both should keep your family nice and toasty during a typically cold winter. But which is the best? Which system will work best for your family?
Underfloor Heating Analysis
Underfloor heating is the new kid on the block. It’s the 21st century innovation which has been designed to take on the radiator and beat it into the 20th century archives. In reality, this hasn’t happened, and it’s not hard to see why. The trouble with underfloor heating is that it’s bloody tricky to install. If you’re building your house from scratch or doing up every room, it’s not too bad – installation is pretty easy. But if you live in a house which is nicely decorated and you want to install underfloor heating, you’re looking at a lot of trouble and costs.
Another issue with underfloor heating is it’s quite expensive. Typically priced per square foot, if you want every room boasting underfloor heating, you better have an impressive bank balance. Couple that with the fact the systems often take slightly longer to warm a room and you’ve got quite a few reasons why underfloor heating isn’t the way to go.
With that being said, however, there are some perks. Your flooring will be nice and toasty, so you would never experience that horrible, cold feeling you get from most laminate flooring. Alongside this, the systems look great – because you can’t see them! Unlike radiators, the heating is, as the title suggests, under the floor – so you can maximise room space and not have to worry about the bulkier radiators getting in the way.
The underfloor heating systems have been dubbed as a ‘luxurious’ way to heat your home. So if you really fancy splashing out and going that extra mile, underfloor heating is a good option – especially if you’re going for a ‘minimalistic’ theme.
Radiators and Heating
Going from underfloor to radiators and you’re left with the de-facto standard. The flag-bearer for heating your home has been the radiator for decades – and it’s not hard to see why. The radiator system is an effective way of heating your home, and while the slightly bulky radiators may get in your way and potentially cost you a fair amount of space, they remain an incredible source of heat.
The warm-up time is minimal and cost considerably less than the aforementioned underfloor heating option. If you just want to keep your home warm without too much fuss and hassle, the radiator system has been doing its thing for decades and will not disappoint – even in the 21st century!
Sometimes, clichés are the best: if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. If you fancy splashing out and going for something different, then the underfloor heating system is a great way to go, but just remember that the radiator system is a tried and tested unit which will not let you down in the coldest winter days.
This helpful guide has been brought to you by our friends, the Staunch and Flow London Plumbers!
