Underfloor Heating - Electric or Conventional?

Water-based and electric underfloor heating give the same comfort: they heat from the large surface of the floor, evenly and invisibly. The difference is in the heat generation. A water-based system needs a boiler or another heat source and a pipe network built into the floor; electric, heating-film underfloor heating warms directly with electricity, without a separate heat source, and can be installed under almost any floor covering, in a new house and in a renovation.

Why do so many people choose underfloor heating?

Underfloor heating is one of the most comfortable ways of heating. It is not visible, because it is under the floor covering, and it is in direct contact with the "thermostat of our body", our feet. Whether it is a water-based or an electric system, the shared advantages of underfloor heating are:

• it radiates heat from up to the entire floor area, so it warms the home evenly;
• it takes up no space and does not tie down furnishing;
• because of the large heating surface, it gives pleasant warmth even at a low temperature;
• it is comfortable to walk in socks or barefoot, which is especially advantageous for families with small children.

How does conventional, water-based underfloor heating work?

Water-based underfloor heating works on a principle similar to radiator heating, with the difference that the heated water circulates not in radiators but in a pipe system built under the flooring, and so warms the floor. The water can be heated by a gas boiler, a wood-fired boiler, or even an electric water heater or boiler.

Besides the pipes, the system therefore also needs a heat source, circulation and control. The pipes typically go into the screed, so water-based underfloor heating comes into question mainly in new construction or a renovation involving complete replacement of the floor.

How does electric, heating-film underfloor heating work?

With heating-film underfloor heating, a thin heating film laid under the floor covering converts electricity directly into heat and radiates it from the surface of the floor. When this article was published in 2023, we recommended underfloor heating built with 3rd-generation intelligent heating film; today we install 4th-generation heating film. Its characteristics:

• thanks to radiant heat, the warmth is felt quickly;
• no boiler, water heater, pipe network or circulation is needed;
• more convenient to use than a wood-fired system: no fuel, ash or lighting;
• can be done both when building a new house and in a renovation;
• can be installed under almost any floor covering;
• can be controlled with a separate thermostat for each room.

Comparison point by point

According to the provider's information, the discounted H tariff in Hungary can be used for heat-pump heating, but not for direct electric heating - for example an infrared panel or an electric radiator. The electricity cost of heating-film underfloor heating is therefore best calculated with the general tariff.

Which pays off better?

There is no single right answer: the investment, the heating cost and the comfort decide together, and all three are most influenced by the insulation of the building. A few considerations for the decision:

• Is there already a heat source in the house? If underfloor heating has to be built for an existing boiler or heat pump, the water-based system is the obvious choice. If there is none, with heating film the investment in a heat source is avoided.
• A new house or a renovation? In a renovation, installing heating film is simpler, because no pipe network and boiler have to be built.
• How well insulated is the building? In a well-insulated house the heating demand is smaller, so the cost of electricity-based heating is also smaller.
• How important is room-by-room control? In the electric system every room is an independent heating circuit.

You will find a numerical comparison of investment and running costs in the latest cost comparison of heat pumps and infrared heating. You can read more about the types of electric heating and about heating film underfloor heating on our pillar pages.

Request a quote

If underfloor heating, and within it infrared heating, has caught your interest, click here to request a quote, or contact us using the details below (installation is available in Hungary):

Phone: +36 20 400 7400
Email: info@futofolia.hu
Website: www.futofolia.hu

Wishing you a pleasant day,
Tamás Tóth
and the Intelligens Fűtőfólia team