Basement

Basements can be damp or dusty neglected rooms however our heating systems can help bring them to life as a cosy family room, a games room, a home office or even a gym.
 
 
What are the benefits of electric underfloor heating in your basement?

  • Underfloor heating systems allow you to make the most of the space in your basement without any restrictions on where you can place your furniture. The system can help you create the comfortable and relaxing environment you are looking for with the gentle warmth of radiant heating.
  • Whatever electric underfloor heating range you choose it will operate at a lower temperature than a conventional heating system and with its close to 100% efficiency it helps reduce energy usage and therefore the costs of heating the room.
  • The gentle heat they produce helps prevent damp and condensation problems while minimising air movement, which in turn prevents draughts and helps to remove dust from the air. Unlike most conventional heating systems there are no hot to touch surfaces which avoid any risk to young children.

 

What else should you consider?

  • Basement floors are often badly insulated so, if possible, you should install additional insulation boards on top of the sub floor before installing your heating system.
  • The most suitable system output for your basement will depend on how you intend to use it and how well insulated it is. If you are going to use the room infrequently then a high-powered system that can rapidly warm the room when you need it would be most suitable. If the room is going to be used on a regular basis a standard output system would be more suitable, because your controller can learn the heat characteristics of your room and work out the most energy efficient time to power up the heating.
  • If you are looking to retain your basement as a storage area but would like to introduce some gentle heat you can install ultra-low powered systems with outputs as low as 30W/sqm. These systems can slowly trickle heat into the room providing gentle air movement and preventing damp.
  • If your basement suffers from particularly cold walls you can install a heating mat onto them to raise their temperature to your desired level; this also prevents condensation on the walls. As with all floors in basements, it is always recommended to install a structural insulation board first before installing the heating mats or cables.
  • The use of electric underfloor heating rather than water based heating ensures that there is no flood risk from the heating system from damaged radiators or burst water underfloor heating pipes.

 

Which electric underfloor heating system is most suitable?

  • Heating mat systems offer a speedy installation, raised basement floor levels by only 3mm and are available in 4 outputs to suit your individual heating requirements. The mats are most commonly used beneath tile or stone floors, however, they can be laid beneath any floor covering if first encapsulated in a levelling compound.
  • Loose undertile cable is most suited to smaller rooms and spaces with complicated sections where it can speed up installation. It only increases your basement floor build up by 3mm and the cable can be fitted at any output desired. The cable can be installed onto Heat Mat’s Decoupling membrane to speed up the installation of the heater while the membrane prevents any risk of the floor tiles cracking from sub floor movement.
  • The fas-to-fit Combymat system offers a great option for basements if you have chosen floating laminate or engineered board flooring. The entire heating system requires only 6mm of build height including its insulation layer and it is the perfect option when wet trade needs to be avoided. This dry installation system can also be used directly beneath luxury vinyl tiles and linoleum if overlay boards are installed on top first.
  • In-screed heating cable is particularly suitable for new build basements when a 55mm screed is going to be laid. It has the lowest cost of any electric underfloor heating system and is most appropriate when the room will be regularly heated in the same way so a fast reaction time is not required. The cables add no increase to build height (if a 55mm or more screed is already being laid) and they can be installed at any Wattage output desired.