Are you using this power guzzler in your home?
We are often asked what is the most efficient form of electric heating and the answer is of course the reverse cycle air conditioner or heat pump. Today I want to tell you about the least efficient form of electric heating, and that is floor heating. Traditional floor heating is an element, a cable attached to the reinforcing mesh and burined in the concrete when the slab is poured.
The main problem with floor heat is the lack of insulation between the concrete slab and the ground. A lot of the heat is drained away into the ground. Floor heat may have ben ok back when power prices were cheap, but today, even on off-peak tariff floor heat is very expensive to run and it won’t provide sufficient heat on its own. You’re going to need some additional heating.
Floor heating is very slow to warm up from cold. It can take a few days, which makes it quite inflexible. If you come home to a cold house you can’t just flick on the floor heat and be warm in a few minutes.
There is a way to use floor heat to provide some luxurious warmth without breaking the bank. Modern floor heating is laid on top of the concrete slab, usually under tiles and is ideal for a small area such as a bathroom. Using a timer to turn it on just before you get out of bed means the floor will be nice and warm when you are ready to use the bathroom.
For a small tiled area it can be quite an affordable luxury. For advice on all forms of electric heating, please give us a call, check out our website www.manceelectrical.com.au like us on facebook and leave a comment or question on the blog.
