Practical advice: garden room heating solutions

Forget radiators, underfloor heating is the way forward in a garden room or orangery

Garden Rooms are highly insulated buildings due to their solid structure and high-tech glazing but there is one thing that we at Westbury see as essential to the design of a new glazed extension; that is the inclusion of wet underfloor heating.

Underfloor heating is not new technology. In fact rich Romans created underfloor space by raising the floors of their villas on top of piles of stone. Slaves would then keep a fire blazing and channel the hot air it created through the spaces beneath the floor and between walls to provide the first form of central heating.

In homes and conservatories of days gone by, radiators were placed beneath windows to stop the cold air, caused by low tech glass in windows, from displacing the warm air.

Though glass roofs and walls will never be as robust as tiled roofs and solid walls, with modern, high spec glass, there are no longer draughts of cold air or a need for unsightly radiators.

Instead, underfloor heating can provide a much more even temperature in a room, and because there is no air displacement, the warmth stays where it should be; on the ground with the people rather than in the apex of the glass roof.

Underfloor heating is compatible with a variety of floor-coverings but most people opt for a tiled or timber floor which not only looks stylish but is pleasant when barefoot.

When using tiles, we would recommend using Ditra matting buy hydrocodone online safe which allows for some movement in the concrete beneath whilst preventing cracking in the tiles. If you prefer wooden flooring, we recommend using engineered timber (such as that available at Andrew Banks) because it will remain stable under changing temperatures.

Another benefit of underfloor heating is that the running costs are lower. Because the heat is more evenly dispersed in the space, it is generally sufficient at a temperature 20% lower than traditional radiator heating, meaning you use less energy, and have reduced bills.

A garden room with underfloor heating will often help retain heat in the rest of your home too because, essentially, it is a large, insulated porch creating further protection from the elements.

The biggest challenge when installing underfloor heating is returning the new pipework to the boiler. It is more work than connecting a new radiator to an existing heating system but we are always more than satisfied that the benefits outweigh the extra labour.

Despite the super efficiency of underfloor heating, from time to time we build a garden room with a real fireplace which gives the room a specific purpose. Though this can take some extra planning to make sure it meets building regulations, what better way to warm the atmosphere than with a crackling log burner?

If you need more information on underfloor heating, or would like some expert advice on what would work best for your home, please get in touch.