|Home| Info| Community| Business| Beaches| What to do?| Rentals| News| Forum| Blogs| Finance| History| FAQ| Contact|
Underfloor Heating
Underfloor Heating
WE have noticed an increasing number of New Builds with underfloor heating installed in preference to aircon.
It is something we are considering for our project.
What experience does anyone out there have .
Have spent a few winter breaks we know how cold it can get in the winter as as we intend to spend some time in the vila when finished it ceratinly has its attractions.
It is something we are considering for our project.
What experience does anyone out there have .
Have spent a few winter breaks we know how cold it can get in the winter as as we intend to spend some time in the vila when finished it ceratinly has its attractions.
Hi tbbr,
Our villa is 5 years old and was built with underfloor heating. The most important rooms to lay the underfloor pipes in are bathrooms and hallways. Our system is linked to the solar panels and a back up gas boiler. It does not include individual room thermostats so it's either on or off, depending upon the outside air temperature. Room thermostats would give more control. The lounge and dining room have a fireplace and the bedrooms aircon which can heat and dehumidify as well as cool, so underfloor heating would be overkill.
Overall it works well & is quite economical. I expect more sophisticated systems are available now so you should do better particlarly on the temperature control.
Our villa is 5 years old and was built with underfloor heating. The most important rooms to lay the underfloor pipes in are bathrooms and hallways. Our system is linked to the solar panels and a back up gas boiler. It does not include individual room thermostats so it's either on or off, depending upon the outside air temperature. Room thermostats would give more control. The lounge and dining room have a fireplace and the bedrooms aircon which can heat and dehumidify as well as cool, so underfloor heating would be overkill.
Overall it works well & is quite economical. I expect more sophisticated systems are available now so you should do better particlarly on the temperature control.
Many thanks WIDGE for your comments, particularly about " zone " controls.
We are looking at an electric system as we do not have access to gas .This system in theory allows us to isolate rooms if wanted.
Does this constant heating reduce winter damp and all its associated symptons.
PS bet we have been on the Bristol flight with you at times ,we live south of you.
We are looking at an electric system as we do not have access to gas .This system in theory allows us to isolate rooms if wanted.
Does this constant heating reduce winter damp and all its associated symptons.
PS bet we have been on the Bristol flight with you at times ,we live south of you.
Hi tbbr,
Can't be sure about that. We have never experienced the damp problem but not sure if this is down to the heating alone. We have someone come to the house nearly every day and she opens doors and things, also dehumidifies when necessary.
Logic says that the heating should help but i'm no expert. It certainly makes the house habitable all year round at an economical cost and i would think it will add value to your finished project.
Can't be sure about that. We have never experienced the damp problem but not sure if this is down to the heating alone. We have someone come to the house nearly every day and she opens doors and things, also dehumidifies when necessary.
Logic says that the heating should help but i'm no expert. It certainly makes the house habitable all year round at an economical cost and i would think it will add value to your finished project.
Just remember electric is very expensive in Portugal. 
We are a family of 4 living here full time, we have solar panels for water, no airconditioning and cook by gas. We have a wood burning fire but the bedrooms and bathrooms have electric heaters(low wattage) but in the winter months Nov to March our electric bills are 130 € amonth without the standing charge. Hope this may help. in your costing.
Merry Christmas everyone
We are a family of 4 living here full time, we have solar panels for water, no airconditioning and cook by gas. We have a wood burning fire but the bedrooms and bathrooms have electric heaters(low wattage) but in the winter months Nov to March our electric bills are 130 € amonth without the standing charge. Hope this may help. in your costing.
Merry Christmas everyone
Underfloor heating
We are also considering electric underfloor heating. Installation seems very reasonable - around 3000 euros for a 3 bedroom villa - but we are also concerned about running costs - we were quoted about 100 pounds a month for approx 4 months. Has anyway got solar photovoltaic cells for electricity? i understand you can sell any excess to the electric co.
There are underfloor systems which use hot water to provide the heat. My neighbour has one which is powered by an oil fired boiler and he says that it is economical to run. Alternative power sources are gas or one I looked at where an electric heat pump like a swimming pool heat pump heats the water. Although it uses electricity you get the multiplying effect of the compressor ie more output per unit than with an electric element system. The pump can also be linked to hot/cold air splits to provide air con as well as underfloor heating.
I saw the system in operation and it was effective but with a back up gas boiler to cover the situations where the temperature is too low for the heat pump to work at full efficiency I found it too expensive.
We use air con with electric underfloor systems in the bathrooms and they work well but obviously can run up big bills if you leave them on high.
I saw the system in operation and it was effective but with a back up gas boiler to cover the situations where the temperature is too low for the heat pump to work at full efficiency I found it too expensive.
We use air con with electric underfloor systems in the bathrooms and they work well but obviously can run up big bills if you leave them on high.
THanks for all your comments. we too were quoted around 3000euros.
Our thoughts are t use the underfloor heating to " take the chill off " rather than as our main scource.
From experience it is the winter eveneings when heating is needed and hoefully the fire can provide this as there will be vents in the chimney column allowing heat from the fire to warm the upper floor.
We have friends in Sweden ( where it is much colder ) who have this system ( given their houses are much better insulated ).
WE do have insulating panels in the wall cavity which I understand is not that common in Portugal.
Our thoughts are t use the underfloor heating to " take the chill off " rather than as our main scource.
From experience it is the winter eveneings when heating is needed and hoefully the fire can provide this as there will be vents in the chimney column allowing heat from the fire to warm the upper floor.
We have friends in Sweden ( where it is much colder ) who have this system ( given their houses are much better insulated ).
WE do have insulating panels in the wall cavity which I understand is not that common in Portugal.
We have a villa in CVO built about 7 yrs ago with electric underfloor heating. We usually go to the villa end Oct and leave the thermostats set at 11 degrees in most rooms. The heating goes right into the wardrobes and we have had no damp problems.
When out in January (just returned) we turned the thermostats up but it does take a day or so to get to temperature. We have a small electric fan heater for back up as, for some reason, we have no heating in the kitchen, and found the villa was very cosy with all of this. We checked the electric and yes we shall have a decent sized bill but there again, we would have one at home too. Swings and roundabout situation. By the time the villa is used again in March maybe we won't need the heating.
Whatever system you use you have to pay and it is only for a short period of the year as we hope for sunshine the rest of the year!!
When out in January (just returned) we turned the thermostats up but it does take a day or so to get to temperature. We have a small electric fan heater for back up as, for some reason, we have no heating in the kitchen, and found the villa was very cosy with all of this. We checked the electric and yes we shall have a decent sized bill but there again, we would have one at home too. Swings and roundabout situation. By the time the villa is used again in March maybe we won't need the heating.
Whatever system you use you have to pay and it is only for a short period of the year as we hope for sunshine the rest of the year!!