Insulation acts as a barrier to heat flow and is essential for keeping your home warm in winter and cool in summer. A well-insulated and well-designed home provides year-round comfort, cutting cooling and heating bills by up to half.
Did you know that trapped air which cannot move is the best insulator? That’s why birds puff up their feathers to enable them to trap air between their feathers and keep them warm. In the same way Econoboard insulation boards trap air creating an active barrier against heat going down into your substrate and therefore pushing it back up into the room where it is needed.
We all know that hot air rises, however heat travels equally in every direction meaning when using underfloor heating in your home as much heat is lost downwards as comes up through your floor finish unless you insulate beneath the floor heating to stop the downward heat loss. In addition, a layer of insulation stops cold coming up from the substrate and allows your heating system to be more efficient and responsive. A layer of Econoboard insulation will reduce running costs by up to 50% and will mean your floor heats at least 40% faster than without insulation.
So how do I tell if I need insulation under my floor heating system?
All floor heating systems no matter the brand or type will be more efficient and benefit from having a layer of insulation between the substrate and the heating.
Which insulation is right for my floor?
- If you have a concrete substrate the best way to insulate is using Econoboard uncoated insulation boards on top of the concrete before laying the floor heating. This is glued to the slab using a flexible tile adhesive and can go above or below your waterproofing.
- If you have a timber floor or a floor on bearers and joists the best form of insulation is to use the Econoboard coated insulation boards over the flooring before the heating. This can be screwed to the substrate using screws and washers providing you have not yet waterproofed or can be glued to the floor using flexible tile adhesive. An alternative especially if you have height issues would be to insulate from underneath using batts or polystyrene insulation.
- When using Thermofoil heating under a floating timber floor use Econosoft underlay insulation boards loose laid over the substrate.
- With carpeted floors the heating is laid over the underlay and you need to ask the floor layer for a underlay with a high tog rating to help insulate the floor.
- Always use the thickest insulation you can allow for in your height build up for maximum insulation. The Econoboard boards come in 6mm and 10mm thicknesses and are moisture resistant and rot proof.
Econoboard insulation boards are the best way to boot the efficiency and reduce the heat up times of an electric underfloor heating system.
For more information on Econoboard insulation options click here