Technical information
PEX Pipe
The main component of warm water underfloor heating is its pipe. We use PEX high-density cross-linked polyethylene pipe. The pipe is installed in continuous lengths with no joints in each heating loop.
PEX pipe is specially designed for underfloor heating (UFH) systems and incorporates an oxygen diffusion barrier in the form of five polymeric layers around the outside wall of the pipe.
The barrier layer makes the pipes virtually impervious to oxygen. This means that metal components in UFH systems should not suffer corrosion from oxygen permeation as they might if the system utilised plastic pipes without the oxygen diffusion barrier.
This is particularly important in mixed systems where the radiators and UFH systems are supplied with the same water.
Manifolds
Manifolds are manufactured from dezincification resistant brass. The PEX pipe loops are secured to the manifold
with compression fittings. Manifolds are supplied in pairs – flow and return.
They come in a variety of sizes from 2 port to 12 port. The flow manifold, controls the on off valves to each circuit. An actuator or telestat can be fitted to each loop enabling thermostatic control to separate areas.
The return manifold is fitted with regulating or balancing valves. These valves allow flow rates to be adjusted as
necessary, different pipe lengths require different
resistance.
Insulation
Screed insulation is the key to an economical and efficient underfloor heating system. Care should be taken in ensuring that the correct insulation material is installed prior to any pipes being laid.
Services
Find out about the services we offer for supplying and installing underfloor heating systems.
Underfloor heating types
Details on the different types of underfloor heating available from PRM Solutions Ltd.
Why use underfloor heating?
Benefits
Warm water under floor heating systems can be effectively powered by any heat source, traditional gas or oil powered condensing boilers and wood burning stoves or solar panels and heat pumps (ground source or air to water). Whatever happens in the future to fuel costs or new technological developments, under floor heating can be married to the heat source to provide extra economical comfort.
Hygiene - less dust is circulated and with floors being warm this decreases the amount of dust mites and bacteria allowing a healthier environment for asthma and allergy suffers.
Space - this allows you to have the freedom of design.
Why use water and not electric under floor heating?
With today’s uncertainty about future energy policies and rising energy prices, warm water underfloor heating, is always a safer option. Warm water systems allow you to switch heat sources from say gas, or oil and utilise new technology for instances heat pumps, pellet burners or even solar panel heating.
These options are simply not available if direct acting electric heating is selected.