This article focuses mostly on wet (water-based) underfloor heating. Electric underfloor heating is a lot simpler to fix, because it usually comes down to whether the heating circuit is intact and the control gear is working.
Why wet systems are more complex
Wet underfloor heating relies on moving parts such as actuators, pumps and thermostatic mixing valves. Parts that don’t move, such as the control gear (thermostats, wiring centres or junction boxes, and wiring), can also be at fault, but they vary much less in how well they work.
Add the fact that a wet underfloor heating system needs a boiler or other heat source, and you can see how the complexity grows, along with the range of problems you can have.
The most common cause: water quality
Over the years, we have found that the number one cause of problems is usually a decline in the quality of the water running through the system. This can cause premature breakdowns of mechanical parts, such as the valves on the manifold, as well as partial blockages in the pipes.
Related
- Underfloor heating vs radiators
- Heat pumps and underfloor heating
- Nest underfloor heating
- Inhibitor testing
- HA39NS underfloor heating case study
Migrated from the original hub.myboiler.com Underfloor Heating Repairs page (2017).