Help with RetroFit UFH

[engineer21]

Hi, first time poster here so be gentle!

Background, im not a plumber but very competent DIYer a ships engineer which basically means i do plumbing and boilers on a rather large scale! so i have decent know how.
But i also know my limits as well.

So basically we have bought a 4 bed bungalow which currently has electric storage heaters (we haven't moved in yet but they are Rubbish)
Ideal thing is to retrofit the house with UFH.
Now we are just starting with the renovation, new kitchen, flooring etc
I have access to the full underneath of the house from a basement, although its not full height i can get everywhere, and there are lights etc there, the under floor is not insulated yet

the debate im having with myself is do i go Overlay UFH or fit from below with aluminum plate like the Clippa Plate from Nu-Heat, this means no height buildup and i can do it at my leisure (for want of a better way to put it)

has anyone installed UFH from below and how has it worked out??

also due to funds i may do the main living spaces with it now and fit rads in bedrooms until i do everything later does this seem silly or like an ok idea?

most likely going for an oil fired boiler (no mains gas etc) or possibly air source heat pump but my knowledge of these are limited and would have a plumber install either and commission the whole system

house is not bad for insulation and id be insulating under the floor anyway regardless of UFH or not

anyway thanks in advance for any advice

Cheers

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Overlay system

Remove all the flooring
Install ply in between the joists so you don't increase your overalll height that much
And insulation on the underside of the ply to save wasted heat
Then fit your ufh overboards and sort your flooring out etc

It's best to do the whole job in one and not piece by piece

 

[engineer21]

Hi thanks for reply,
I don't think it would be possible to remove 200m2 of chipboard when I have full access underneath it?
What's wrong with installing from below??
Alu plate, ufh pipe, 100mm glass wool and 50mm kingspan then support wood.

Was hoping to space the pipes at 150mm

Cheers

 

[ShaunCorbs]

It's not the best heat dissipation and your heat times will suffer

 

[engineer21]

Ok yeah that is a concern of mine. So the overlay build up of 15mm system would give a much better heat output to room or just quicker warm up?

Then I'd have to skin the bedrooms I was just putting rads in to level up the floors

Cheers

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Yes as there's not much on top

 

[engineer21]

so if i go with an overlay with min build up, can i route the pipes two and from each zone under the sub floor, just well insulated?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

You can airing will take slightly longer but nothing negative about doing that

 

[engineer21]

Ok thanks for that, think maybe overlay will work better, engineered wood flooring over the top and i will still insulate below the chipboard floor.
Any other tips? or the best systems if you have any recomendations
cheers