Under floor heating

[Tullz]

Is underfloor heating a sensible and cost effective way of heatin' a nb and is it practical?

As I've not seen it mentioned in magazines or on boatbuilders' websites, I don't know if it's a feasible option.

 

Tullz

gettin' plum and apple crumble out of oven

[deletedaccount]

My floor is bloody freezing right now, but I'm not sure underfloor heating would be a good idea. It seems to me you'd be trying to boil the canal via your base plate, just very very slowly.

[nb Innisfree]

Souds ok provided you insulate between heat source, pipes or whatever, and baseplate. One prob may be finding space for it all on a flat bottomed boat, unless you can use heavy ballast such as lead instead of paving slabs etc.

[wrigglefingers]

My floor is bloody freezing right now, but I'm not sure underfloor heating would be a good idea. It seems to me you'd be trying to boil the canal via your base plate, just very very slowly.

 

Thicker socks are what's needed here; shall I get spinning?

 

Seriously, a pair of the scandinavian slipper socks with felted soles and a thick leather covering are the ones for this job. You can get them in Bath on one of the stalls in Stall St (opposite Lush).

[WJM]

Simple heating systems - because life is complicated enough!

[Bat & Frog]

Is underfloor heating a sensible and cost effective way of heatin' a nb and is it practical?

As I've not seen it mentioned in magazines or on boatbuilders' websites, I don't know if it's a feasible option.

 

Tullz

gettin' plum and apple crumble out of oven

 

 

We considered underfloor heating, have a look at our blog 22 0ct .

As we plan to put 1" celtex between the ply and finished floor this would have given us the option to run the pipe work without heating the canal. With a widebeam we have the headroom to accomadate this but not sure on NB. There are a number of boats listed (i think) by Frog with underfloor heating. I will consider if we do another boat, but cost seem to be running away, and with the delays in our build I kind of want to keep it simple. Also we are now planning on multifuel stove with backboiler to heat the boat so this means we can use wood if available. I understand the temp for underfloor heating should be controlled more and is likely to require a boiler to work efficently.

[kiki]

Like an earlier poster, life is complicated enough - I can recommend UG slippers, 4 winters without underfloor heating, and my toes are yet to drop off.

[NiceNarrowboat]

Yes, it is doable - I know of one boat that has pipes running underneath. Recently met a rep from a company which has pioneed tiles which are heated and don't use that much electricity. Sadly, I cannot remember the name of the company. But wished he'd invented before I put my flooring down. Not sure how much they would or would not heat the canal soup though...

[Robbo]

We considered underfloor heating, have a look at our blog 22 0ct .

As we plan to put 1" celtex between the ply and finished floor this would have given us the option to run the pipe work without heating the canal. With a widebeam we have the headroom to accomadate this but not sure on NB. There are a number of boats listed (i think) by Frog with underfloor heating. I will consider if we do another boat, but cost seem to be running away, and with the delays in our build I kind of want to keep it simple. Also we are now planning on multifuel stove with backboiler to heat the boat so this means we can use wood if available. I understand the temp for underfloor heating should be controlled more and is likely to require a boiler to work efficently.

 

Cheers for the links, I've been looking at underfloor heating in the past (currently refitting out a 12ft wide barge). As i dislike radiators I decided on finrads running the length of the boat but prefer the idea of underfloor heating so it's now back on my list

[Baloo]

I considered designing and fitting my own underfloor heating system but allowed myself to be talked out of it. soon before we started our fit out.

I regret that. I think it would have worked a treat and only the pipe in the floor and insulation needs to be gotten right first time. hardly rocket science is it.

fitting out a nb from scratch will pose far more challenging problems.

 

so, i say go for it, dare to deviate from the norm

 

edited to add

after re reading op, was this a hypothetical Q?

if so then, hope you enjoyed your crumble

Edited December 4, 2009 by Baloo

[Amicus]

Underfloor heating?? but, ain't that where the wine and beer goes

[matty40s]

Underfloor heating?? but, ain't that where the wine and beer goes

 

 

 

 

well it is mulled wine season....

[jonk]

If you have mains supply - what about under-carpet heating? When cruising would that be be too much of a drain on the inverter? Someone who knows more about these can probably advise. Sounds a good idea in principle!

[blackrose]

I think you first have to decide where the energy is coming from for underfloor heating? I know a guy with normal domestic mains underfloor heating under the slate tiled areas in his bathroom and kitchen, but he's on shorepower and rarely moves, and only then in summer, so for him it's fine. If he ever had to move in winter those areas of his floor will be freezing!

 

The other thing to think about is that heating under a material that conducts or has a reasonable heat capacity such as tiles works well (but whether ceramic or slate tiles on the floor of a boat is a good idea is another matter). I would have thought that the more you insulate the floor with things like wood or carpet the less efficient underfloor heating becomes. Then again I suppose the heat energy has to go somewhere, so as long as you can stop it going into your ballast and then out into the canal it would work.

[tomsk]

I would ask 'why' as others have. There is no reason not to, if thats what you want, but perhaps many considerations why you shouldn't.

[Guest]

A horizontal skin tank on the sole plate within cabin, with engine providing "free" heat is one possibility in winter? Might get a wee bit warm in the cabin in summer though Then again you could have a changeover valve to the swim skin tank for those summer months? Just thinking aloud....

[Bat & Frog]

A horizontal skin tank on the sole plate within cabin, with engine providing "free" heat is one possibility in winter? Might get a wee bit warm in the cabin in summer though Then again you could have a changeover valve to the swim skin tank for those summer months? Just thinking aloud....

 

Thats one of the things we were considering, a nice cool floor to lie on in the heat of the summer !!!

You do have to consider what flooring will cover underfloor heating, some of the wood floors we have looked at stated they are not suitable.

[jonk]

Have a look at http://www.floorheatingonline.com/

Although for houses you might find a system that would suit you, there are water and electric systems.

[drunkensailor]

It's important to remember with anything in a narrowboat fitout it's much, much better to have things that can be taken out if you need to get under them.

 

Socks are the way to go.