Floor heating systems for the bathroom
Although the winter months are already here, it’s never too late to keep warm in the bathroom by installing floor heating. No longer considering it a luxury item, an increasing number of people are opting for in-floor heating, and with good reason.
What floor heating systems are available for my bathroom?
Two types of in-floor heating are commonly used in bathrooms. One is installed in the cement screed beneath the floor surface, which is ideal for wet areas. Where no screed is being laid, or the floor level can't be raised, ultra-thin floor heating mats are used instead, installed in the adhesive beneath the tiles.
Both methods have a fast response time, according to Ree Nielsen of Comfort Heat Australia. "It takes about half an hour to an hour to heat a whole bathroom," she says. And with heat from the floor radiating up into the room, the need for any additional heating is eliminated. "You've got to keep your doors closed for it to work efficiently, but it would be sufficient to heat the whole bathroom."
How long will the process take?
Installation takes less than a day if done as part of a bathroom renovation, and is suitable under most floor materials, from wood to tiles or stone.
Most heating systems are regulated by a thermostat, which prevents overheating and any potential damage to your bathroom floor surface, and also keeps running costs down.
Are floor heating systems efficient?
Considering most people only use the heating for a few hours in the morning and night, in-floor heating is also programmable, so you can set it to come on in preparation for your morning shower, preventing that shock when your feet encounter the freezing floor tiles.
It's also one of the safer forms of heating, with no exposed parts or elements. Because radiant heating systems do not generate air movement, it's also great for people with allergies, as there is no dust being circulated around the room.
You can save a little money by laying cables yourself, but a licensed electrician must carry out the electrical installation.
Contact a bathroom renovator in your area to find out how you can get bathroom floor heating in for the winter:
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