Is Heating Film Better?

Film heating is not better in every house, but in many cases it is advantageous: it can be a smaller investment than a wet central heating system, it is finished quickly, it is invisible, and it works as floor, wall or ceiling heating. Whether it is the better choice in your house depends on the thermal insulation, the existing heating and the quality of the film – the latter more than you might first think.

What should we decide on?

When planning heating, it matters a great deal which solution we choose. It is worth looking for answers to three questions: what kind of building it is (new house, renovation, flat, holiday home), what the system costs to build, and what it costs per year to run and maintain. The best solution is the one that is most favourable in terms of the combined sum of the investment, the energy cost of the heating season and regular maintenance – and is comfortable at the same time.

The most common heating systems in Hungary

• Gas combi boiler, gas boiler: a central boiler heats water, which a circulation pump carries through pipes to radiators or wet underfloor heating, where the water gives off its heat. A new system today typically gets a condensing boiler, which also recovers part of the heat of the flue gas.
• Solid-fuel boiler: common mainly where there is no gas network; it can burn wood, briquettes or coal. A more modern version is the wood-gasification boiler: in its two combustion chambers the wood first burns incompletely, and then the resulting gases, containing carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, also burn. A combined-fuel boiler can run on solid fuel and on gas.
• Electric heating: electric radiator, panel heater or electric boiler. An electric boiler is also available for residential use; however, the preferential H tariff in Hungary cannot be used for it, nor for infrared panels and electric radiators.
• Infrared heating: the electricity becomes infrared radiation, which, like the sun's rays, warms objects and surfaces. It can be achieved with infrared panels mounted on the ceiling or wall, or with heating film built into the floor, which gives underfloor heating.
• Heat pump: it collects the heat of air, ground or water, and raises it to heating temperature by compressing and evaporating a refrigerant. In the ground-source (geothermal) version the probes are typically drilled 60-100 metres deep, which can require a permit.

What can make film heating better?

• Investment: no boiler, chimney, pipework or radiators are needed, so in many cases the build-out costs less than a wet central system. The exact sum depends on the flooring work and the number of rooms; you can also find information on our page on heating film.
• Quick installation: laying the film is done in 1 day in most cases; the time for flooring or plasterboarding is added to this.
• Versatile: it can be used as floor, wall and ceiling heating, and with a suitable design even outdoors.
• Floor covering: with the correct layer structure, laminate flooring and hard coverings can both go over it.
• Maintenance: no combustion and no moving parts, so it needs no regular service.

Where it is weaker: electricity is typically a more expensive energy than gas bought in the discounted band, and a heat pump also uses the heat of the environment, so it consumes much less electricity for the same amount of heat than direct electric heating. In a poorly insulated house the running cost can therefore be high. You will find a detailed comparison of heating methods in our point-by-point comparison.

Why does it matter which film you choose?

Heating film is available in several qualities in Hungary, and the difference does not show only at the time of purchase. The "better film" is the one that gives off heat evenly and reliably, has a durable contact, and fits the planned layer structure. Before buying it is worth asking:

• which generation the film is, and what certificates it has;
• for what layer structure and floor covering it is recommended;
• who designs and who carries out the installation, and what warranty comes with it;
• how it can be controlled room by room, with what thermostat.

Today we install 4th-generation heating film, in which a full-width contact band runs between the carbon paste and the copper strip. We give a 15.5-year warranty on 4th-generation heating film if we carry out the installation.

Ask for professional help

There are several heating solutions to choose from, and even the cheapest is a serious sum to build, so it is worth weighing carefully. A professional not only designs the system but also helps estimate the expected running cost and payback. Request a technical proposal and a quote. Installation is available in Hungary.