Turn the underfloor heating back on? The expert gives advice: “With the right settings you hardly have to worry” | My guide

Underfloor heating systems are usually equipped with smart, modern thermostats. So you don’t have to do much yourself. “Most thermostats slowly restart the underfloor heating automatically,” explains Van den Eynde. “For example, if the thermostat is set to 22 degrees, the underfloor heating will turn on when that temperature is no longer reached.”

What you still have to do yourself is check the settings. “Make sure the maximum heating temperature does not go above 40 degrees,” says Van den Eynde. “A higher temperature, as with classic radiators, is not necessary at all.”

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It is not necessary to first set the heat to about 18 degrees and then increase the thermostat degree by degree until the desired temperature is reached. “When the thermostat is set to 22 degrees, the boiler automatically switches the underfloor heating back on to bridge the temperature difference.”

When using the boiler and underfloor heating for the first time, work gradually. “This prevents the screed from heating up too quickly,” explains Van den Eynde. “But once the underfloor heating has started up for the first time, there’s no need to repeat the process again.”

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Once the temperature is set, it is best to adjust it as little as possible. “If you want to use underfloor heating efficiently and energy-efficiently this winter, it’s best to regulate the temperature as little as possible,” says Van den Eynde. “With radiators it is better to turn down the heating by a few degrees during the night, but not with underfloor heating. The biggest cost is to heat the screed at the start. Once the screed is at temperature, it is best to keep it warm”.

It is therefore not a good idea to turn off the underfloor heating at night. “Set the night temperature to maximum one degree or one and a half degrees lower. Otherwise, the boiler will have to consume too much energy in the morning to heat the house again,” warns Van den Eynde.

So you start the underfloor heating at the beginning of winter and leave it on until spring arrives. This is the most energy efficient way to keep your home warm this winter with underfloor heating.

Not fiddling with the thermostat is therefore the key to a low energy bill with underfloor heating. But Van den Eynde also gives other energy tips. “If you only use a certain room sporadically, you can partially open that underfloor heating circuit or work with a separate control.” Read here where you can install underfloor heating and where it is better not to.

But the best way to use underfloor heating effectively and efficiently this winter is to set the underfloor heating to only the daytime temperature when you get home from work. “Most people immediately raise their temperature a degree in the morning to prepare for the workday in a hot bath,” says Van den Eynde. “However, it is best done after work. Your home doesn’t need to be heated optimally when you’re away.

If you would like a warmer bath in the morning, an alternative heating device can be provided. “Get an infrared heater or an electric heating system for the bathroom. These devices are now also energy efficient and you will never have to use them for long,” says Van den Eynde.

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Underfloor heating has a higher perceived temperature than radiator heating. “22 degrees with radiators feel the same as 20 degrees with underfloor heating,” says Van den Eynde. “You can then safely set the thermostat with underfloor heating 2 degrees lower, 20 degrees is enough for a comfortable, warm feeling. At night, 19 or 18.5 degrees is ideal.

So you don’t turn off the underfloor heating at night, but you do when you go on holiday. “Turn off the underfloor heating only in winter when you are away from home for a week. You can also program most thermostats to turn the heat back on when you get home. If you’re only going away for a weekend, I recommend simply leaving the underfloor heating on night mode,” concludes Van den Eynde.

Comfortable and energy-efficient living? Ask here free magazine ‘My Energy’ full of tips on how to use energy efficiently.

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