Extension

With more of us than ever before extending our homes, Heat Mat is the perfect partner to help you realise your dreams by incorporating a modern energy efficient underfloor heating system into your new rooms.
 
 
Why choose electric underfloor heating for your extension?

  • Regardless of the types of rooms you are creating in your extension, our underfloor heating will provide you with cosy and controllable warmth and won’t restrict where you can place your furniture.
  • Whatever your floor construction, Heat Mat has a system that is suitable for your requirements and can fit in with your build height requirements, with some systems adding no additional build height at all.
  • One of the most common types of extension is to enlarge an existing kitchen to create a large open plan kitchen/diner. The insulation value of the old and new floors is likely to be different due to when the original building was constructed. Using thermal insulation boards on the entire floor before laying your underfloor heating equalises the insulation value of the floor making sure the area heats up evenly and works in an energy efficient manner.
  • The gentle heat the underfloor heating provides minimises air movement and thus prevents draughts and helps to create a low dust and allergen environment. By distributing this warmth around the room, underfloor heating avoids the excessive radiant heat that radiators can create.
  • Operating at nearly 100% efficiency and with fast heating up times, each of our electric underfloor heating ranges operates at a far lower temperature than a conventional heating system, helping to reduce energy usage and therefore the costs of heating your rooms. Most Heat Mat systems are supplied with a Lifetime Warranty and they are sure to outlast the floor covering above them.
  • Choosing a Heat Mat system futureproofs you against rises in gas prices as the UK inevitably turns away from natural gas to electricity to meet its climate obligations.

 

What else should you consider when heating your extension?

  • Your extension is likely to be well insulated and up to the latest building regulations which means it probably only requires a low power system of around 110W/sqm to heat it. Most people choose a more powerful system though as this reduces the heating up time by making the system faster reacting and allowing it to run more energy efficiently (as long as it is controlled by a Heat Mat intelligent controller).
  • By using an electric underfloor heating system in your extension, you avoid the potentially high costs of extending your existing pipework and radiator system as well as uprating your boiler.
  • If you are not using an in-screed heating system then it is worth considering adding thermal insulation boards on top of your sub floor. The insulation enables the room to warm up faster saving you energy and money and benefiting the environment at the same time while also equalising the heating up time between areas if there are different sub floors.
  • If you have a PV system at home generating your own electricity you can opt to install a deep screed heating system which allows you to charge up your floor during the day when you are producing free energy, to then release the heat in the evening and overnight when you need it.

 

Which electric underfloor heating system is most suitable?

  • Heating mat systems are our most commonly used option for extensions, and they are particularly relevant when a new room includes part of your existing home as well as your new extension. Heat Mat insulation board can be used to equalise the heat profiles and floor height of the sub floor (so that both sections of the extended room heat with the same rapidity) and the mats can be installed to provide a continuous floor heating system. Four outputs of heating mat are available to choose and they can be used beneath virtually any floor covering. If you have not chosen your finished floor you can cover the heating mats with a 12mm levelling compound or latex screed and nearly any floor covering can be laid on top.
  • In-screed heating cables are another commonly used system in the ground floor of extensions where they can be incorporated into the 55mm screed. They are incredibly low cost for the materials and the installation time and can be used beneath virtually any floor covering. They offer an incredibly stable temperature and are particularly useful if you have a PV system installed as they can be used to charge up the screed bed during the day before releasing the heat in the evening, working as a giant storage heater enabling you to make the most of your self-generated electricity.
  • If you have chosen laminate or engineered board flooring our fast-to-fit Combymat may be the best option for your new rooms. The system is laid onto a 6mm soft insulation board which, as well as preventing downward heat loss, also provides step insulation properties. You only need to allow 6mm for the total build height of the system and you can replace the floor covering on top of it in the future if desired. If you have chosen carpet or luxury vinyl tiles you can add overlay boards on top of the Combymat to allow these floor coverings to be installed.
  • 3mm cables are more suited to small or complicated rooms where they offer slightly more flexibility than heating mats. They are a great choice for use beneath tiles or stone and can be installed beneath a latex screed or flexible levelling compound to allow nearly any other floor covering to be installed above them. Although it is unlikely in a new extension, if you are concerned about movement in the sub floor the cables can be installed onto Heat Mat’s Decoupling membrane. The membrane prevents sub-floor movement transferring through to the finished floor surface and also speeds up the cable installation process.