Everything You Need to Know About Water Underfloor Heating

What is water underfloor heating and how does it work?

Water underfloor heating circulates warm water through pipes beneath your floor, delivering even room-wide warmth at lower flow temperatures than radiators. That means better comfort and strong energy efficiency.

Learn more about our full range of underfloor heating systems here.

Which system type should I choose — in-screed, overlay or HeatBoard?

• • In-screed systems — Best for new builds and extensions. Pipes are clipped to insulation, then covered with screed to create a solid, highly efficient heated floor.
  • Overlay systems — Ideal for renovations. Low-profile overlay panels are laid over existing floors; many boards can be tiled directly, while wood/laminate can float on top — no screed required.
  • HeatBoard chipboard systems — For new builds or extensions where you want the floor deck and heating in one. HeatBoard 22 mm routed chipboard fixes directly to joists, replacing a separate plywood deck and delivering excellent heat output.

  If you’re comparing options, you can also explore our electric underfloor heating systems to see which type best suits your project.

  What components make up a complete water underfloor heating system?

  • Pipework — The core of every system: choose high-quality multi layer pipe in either 12 or 16mm for your chosen system (view pipes).
  • Manifold — The distribution hub that feeds each loop; pick the size by number of circuits (view manifolds).
  • Pump & automatic blending valve — Pre-assembled units that screw directly to the manifold, blending hot flow with cooler return to the correct underfloor heating temperature (view pump assemblies).
  • Panels / Boards — For retrofit and renovations, overlay and HeatBoard systems, routed boards hold and diffuse heat efficiently (see overlay panels or HeatBoard).
  • Controls — A thermostat per room/zone for precise management; choose wired, wireless or app-controlled (view thermostats).

   

  How big can each loop be, and when do I need a manifold?

  For fast, even warm-up we recommend keeping pipe circuits to a maximum of 100 m with 16 mm pipe or 80 m with 12 mm pipe. Areas requiring more than one loop should be connected to a manifold so every circuit can be balanced for efficiency.

  Do you offer help with system sizing and specification?

  Yes — we provide a free, no-obligation same-day design & quotation. If you’re unsure which system or manifold size you need, we’ll design the system and specify the loops, components and controls for you.

  Get started with our free underfloor heating design and quotation service today.