UFH is it worthwhile ?

[Rotor]

Hi , thanks in advance for taking the time to read my post.

I’m currently about to start renovating my kitchen / dining room, I am looking at the idea of putting 1 zone UFH in .The construction is a suspended timber floor on dwarf walls. I was looking at the metal spreader plate with the celotex underneath.
Q1 what do you guys think of UFH
Q2 is the spreader plate a good method
Q3 if looked into it a little and do you think a combination of UFH and a radiator in the room is a good idea.

TIA for any

 

[Ric2013]

1. It's quite a nice way of heating. Will dry spills quickly and prevent cold feet when cooking. Because you will not be heating under your cupboards, though, it may not be enough to heat the kitchen on its own. Heat outputs per sq m are limited. You need to give consideration to what surface you apply over the UFH to avoid insulating the heat from the room.
2. It gives you faster response time than pipes in screed. The heat starts to come through in around half an hour using spreader plates if leaving bare boards and will stop more quickly when there are other sources of heat eg oven thus reducing overheating. Plates work best if they are a tight fit onto the pipes.
3. No no, that's 'wrong'! However if you look into it carefully and can work out how you are control the UFH and radiator, then I would not rule this approach out. If you need a radiator to increase the heat output or dry tea towels, this approach may be 'wrong' but it isn't necessarily stupid.

 

[Rotor]

Thank you Ric2013 what a great in-depth reply
Q4. Does it work well with laminate over it ?

 

[exedon2]

Simple answer underfloor is great to live with having done loads on customers properties and new build finally did it at home couple of years ago.
Similar to you we had suspended timber floors ripped them out oversite concrete 150mm kingspan then 80mm screed . Used polypipe system in kitchen used 100mm pipe spacings get correct heat output
Would also add knocked gas bills down by around 20% with constant heat unlike up and down with rads.