Whilst we didn’t all have the summer that we were hoping for, it’s very apparent that winter is well on its way with the darker evenings and cooler temperatures setting in quite quickly now. If you’ve recently had your underfloor heating installed, or you’ve turned it off for the summer months, you’re probably looking forward to feeling that warm, ambient temperature through your property.

If used correctly, your underfloor heating system will give you many years of trouble-free operation and provide a high level of comfort, perfect for those warm, cosy nights ahead. However, there are a few maintenance checks to consider before you switch on.

Setting your underfloor heating system up correctly

Once the underfloor heating system has been turned on, very little is required for the operation. The water temperature through the underfloor heating pipes is controlled by one of several methods of blending, for example, a MERCURY Control pack, 3 or 4 port blending or a manual 3 port mixing valve. This will have been adjusted to the correct temperature at the time of commissioning by one of our engineers and should never be touched.

The rule of thumb with regard to the blended temperature at the manifold is 45°c for screeded floors and 55°c for timber suspended floors. As with all flooring, especially natural wood, you should always follow the manufacturer’s instructions as sustained temperatures beyond the system design settings may cause damage to your beautiful new flooring.

Underfloor Heating is a very efficient form of heating (compared to radiators) and once initial heat-up has been achieved it should prove more beneficial to operate the system for longer periods rather than switching on and off 2 or 3 times a day via the thermostat as you might do for a radiator system.

A feature of the underfloor installation is to allow an economy set-back control of the system. Each room thermostat can be automatically reduced by 4°c by means of a separate timer. It’s important to remember that this timer does not switch off the system, it only automates a set-back period overnight, or during periods of no occupancy, or to suit your requirements. Your general heating thermostat may allow separate control of the underfloor heating whilst still allowing multi-settings for the hot water system. Alternatively, you may have a simple on/off summer/winter switch for the underfloor heating, ensuring that efficient operation of the system is available through the heating season.

Underfloor heating system maintenance

An underfloor heating system is virtually maintenance-free, with MERCURY underfloor heating pipe having an operating lifespan of 60+ years. Equipment such as pumps, valves and any electrical or mechanical components are all subject to wear and failure after prolonged use and we recommend that you have an annual service of the underfloor heating by one of our qualified engineers, as you would give your car an annual MOT.

These annual checks not only help to keep your system running smoothly and efficiently but can also highlight any problems that may have occurred since the installation. Our comprehensive Service & Maintenance programme exists because although underfloor heating is largely maintenance-free, we are aware that things can go wrong and common problems can occur such as…

• Trapped air
• unbalanced flow rates
• blockages and malfunctioning pumps that can lead to inconsistent heat output
• rooms not heating up properly and potentially higher heating bills

Underfloor heating troubleshooting

Once you’ve turned your system on, in the event that your underfloor heating does not work as expected, first check the following:

ROOM THERMOSTAT – Check that the room thermostat is set to the required comfort level and has not been adjusted to a level too low to call the system to operate, i.e below the current temperature.

SET-BACK TIMER – Check the time periods for set-back are correct and that the current time is correct.

BOILER – Check to see that the boiler is firing correctly and has not locked out for any reason such as overheating. In the event of failure please contact your plumbing & heating contractor.

PRIMARY HEAT PUMP – This pump is located by the boiler and pumps water to the whole heating system. In the event of the primary heating pump by the boiler failing, please contact your Plumbing & heating contractor.

We want you to enjoy the benefits of your underfloor heating system. If you would like to speak to one of our experts about looking after your system for the winter, get in touch with our Customer Support team and one of our Engineers will be happy to help.

Call us on 01202 894976, email service@ufhn.co.uk or contact us via the website.