I've always lived in houses with radiators, so when I moved into a home with underfloor heating, I was excited to say goodbye to my cold wooden flooring in favour of something cosier underfoot.
While there's so much I love about having underfloor heating – like its energy efficiency and the extra wall space it frees up – there were a few things that surprised me and that I wish I'd known beforehand.
If you're thinking about installing underfloor heating (UFH) at home, here's a debrief on my experience and the four surprises I ran into.
1. It takes a while to heat up
Depending on the type of system, insulation and flooring you have, underfloor heating can take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours to warm up, according to Tom Edmunds, heating expert and general manager at Wunda Group.
I loved sitting beside my toasty radiators on a cold winter's day and enjoying the near-instant boost of warmth they gave me, so the wait was definitely something I had to get used to over time.
While it can sometimes be tempting to whack up the thermostat to get faster results, Tom says this isn't sustainable or affordable, and it won't actually make things any quicker. That's why choosing the right type of UFH and flooring is important – electric is generally the quickest to warm up when paired with tiles, although it's worth noting that this type of system will be more expensive to run than a wet system and is generally better suited to smaller spaces such as a bathroom.
If I'm desperate for a quick boost of warmth, I reach for this smart portable heater by Dimplex. It looks modern, runs quietly and keeps me cosy at the tap of a button.
Tom has been the general manager at underfloor heating specialists Wunda Group for over 15 years, overseeing product development for the brand and becoming an expert on the heating industry in the UK in the process.
2. You have to plan your heating schedule
Since underfloor heating takes longer to warm up than radiators, you'll need to plan your heating schedule in advance to ensure it reaches your desired temperature at the right time.
Unlike my radiators, which I turned on as and when I needed them, my UFH follows a set schedule, so I wake up to cosy floors in the mornings and come home to them in the evenings without having to wait around for them to warm up. Even if your radiators currently follow a schedule, you may need to plan further ahead with underfloor heating, as it can take longer to warm up, which a thermostat will help with.
This battery-powered thermostat gives me total control over my underfloor heating, letting me set four different temperatures at various times of the day.
3. The floor isn't as warm as I expected underfoot
While my flooring is definitely warmer than in the old house, it's not as hot as I'd initially imagined it would be. In fact, I barely even notice that it's heated up.
The sensation will obviously depend on the type of flooring, the room's temperature and the system's temperature, but in my experience, it's a little underwhelming compared with what I'd heard. I still like to wear socks with the heating turned on, and the warmth is very subtle and gradual.
Your thermostat isn't measuring the temperature of the floor, but rather, the temperature at the location of the sensor.
4. I had to rethink my favourite clothes-drying spot
I didn't realise how much I'd miss my radiators as a handy place to dry my laundry quickly in winter. While heated clothes airers do the trick, they take up extra floor space in a way my radiators didn't, which isn't ideal in smaller rooms.
Setting up a separate airer is also more of a hassle for small items, like tea towels and cloths, which are perfect for chucking over the top of a rad when you're in a hurry and don't want to get the airer out.
Thankfully, there are plenty of other good ways to dry clothes indoors, like installing a pully rack and pairing it with one of the best dehumidifiers for laundry (we recommend Meaco's DD8L model after testing).
Cheap to run and compact to store, this heated airer will dry your clothes quickly and features a timer for customisable drying cycles.
This Victorian-style pulley rack is perfect for drying clothes while freeing up floor space, and comes with four slats to hang items on.
While there are a few things I miss about my radiators (the quick boost of warmth being top of the list), the pros of underfloor heating outweigh the negatives. I much prefer having even, consistent warmth, no cold spots and more freedom with my wall space.
For more advice, our experts highlight the underfloor heating mistakes you'll want to avoid and how much underfloor heating costs.
