You may be considering Underfloor Heating for your home or bathroom and wondering if it is a new concept or something that has been around for years. If its new you may feel a little hesitant, after all no one wants to put something into their home before it is fully tried and tested.
Well you may be surprised to know that the concept of Underfloor Heating dates back as early as 5000 BC. Let us take you through some of the key developments to show you how well-developed Underfloor Heating has become today.
The earliest evidence
The first trace of Underfloor Heating can be found in Korea as far back as 5000 BC. This was achieved by having the floor raised on pillars and heating the space below with hot air through the use of a fire know as an ondol. This would have been a long and demanding process to achieve the Underfloor Heating.
The use of the ondol continued to develop and the spread around the world including through Asia and Europe.
The Romans then developed the Hypocaust system which was used to heated the walls as well as the floor.
The nineteenth century
The process of using ondol’s was about to be changed, studies were occurring on how to use water boilers and pipes for Underfloor Heating. Whilst little progress was made to the actual heating system, a German scientist by the name of Hans von Pechmann discovered polymethylene which would become the product that is still used for making heating pipes today.
Twentieth Century
In the 1930s the first water pipes were used to heat and cool homes. This continued into the 1940s where hydronic heating was used in large developments intended for the soldiers returning home from World War Two.
During the 1980s the first standards for Underfloor Heating were developed in Europe and it became an increasingly common way to heat residential buildings.
In the later 1900’s the first Electric Underfloor Heating systems were starting to make there way to the market. With distinctive advantages and differences over hydronic systems, electric systems became increasingly popular and made heating an affordable option as well as an option for smaller areas.
Since then electric systems have continued to develop with improvements such as mat systems, single ended systems and different wattage systems. Today there is a wide range of both electric and hydronic systems available on the market, both offered in a way that makes Underfloor Heating one of the most suitable ways to heat an area.
As you can see, the history of Underfloor Heating goes back a long way and it’s a testament to the comfort and warmth that you experience. Throughout the years it has been a long and hard process to construct the system and to operate, but with time this has changed to bring you an easy and affordable Underfloor Heating system today.
You can have the confidence that Underfloor Heating is certainly no new concept, but also that today you can have it in a way where you can heat your home at the touch of a button. You can also be assured that it is an affordable option for bringing warmth and comfort to your home.