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FAQ Database
| Date: |
06/07/2001 |
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Why 3 tubes?
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The 3 tube Contra-Flow principle means that there is 30-50% more warm surface area than with twin or single tube systems. The two 'outside' tubes flow in the opposite direction to the centre tube.. Meaning that where the centre tube is coolest (at the return) then the 2 outers are at their warmest, and vice-versa. However after a few minutes operation water temperature is equalised in all three tubes by temperature with no 'cold spots' (a major drawback of the single direction system). |
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| Date: |
01/08/2001 |
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Why aren't more people fitting underfloor heating to new build houses?
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Underfloor Heating is perceived as being
considerably more expensive than a
conventional radiator system even though this
isn't the case, in reality there is very little price
difference if any. |
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| Date: |
09/08/2001 |
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Can your system be used with off peak electricity as the main fuel source?
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Our system can be used in this way, you would need to use an electric boiler, or one of our own electric thermalstores. |
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| Date: |
10/08/2001 |
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Is the system more efficient with particular floor coverings ie. laminate, wood, sandstane, farmhouse flags?
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Sandstone and Farmhouse Flags would be more efficient than wood and laminate, to counteract this we would include more tubing in wood and laminate floors. |
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| Date: |
23/08/2001 |
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I have an underfloor heating system, is it safe to use inhibitor products in the water (Fernox or Sentinel) ?
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If it is our system you have you would not need, to use Fernox or Sentinel as all our components are non-ferrous. If it is not our system you would need to check with whoever supplied you with the system. |
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| Date: |
27/08/2001 |
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Roughly how much would it cost to heat a standard 3 bedroomed timber frame house per month using your system?
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It is difficult to say exactly how much it would cost for the above.
But for a bungalow of 1,500sq.ft., solid floor construction, with 75mm insulation, timber battens, t & g chipboard floating floor, 60,000 BTU gas fired condensing boiler, supplying hot water to stainless steel Kee Thermalstore, Bungalow divided into 4 zones, each controlled individually by time and temperature. Running cost of heating and gas cooking for house works out roughly at £34.00 per month. |
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| Date: |
24/09/2001 |
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How long does it take for the system to heat a average 3 bed house from cold? i.e if you have just come back from holiday the system is off and its winter?
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We recommend a set back temperature. Which would protect your house from frost as well. From say 10 degC to 20 degC. Approx 3 hours. From normal setback 16 degC to 20 degC 1-1.5 hours. |
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| Date: |
27/09/2001 |
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Where can I find someone reliable to retro-fit an underfloor heating system in a private residence?
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We have installers throughout the UK and Ireland, if you contact us, we will be happy to put you in touch with them. |
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| Date: |
07/11/2001 |
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Can the system be connected directly to a combi with integral pump eg Worcester Bosch 400 RSF without using the thermal heat store as this boiler has it's own integral one?
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The system can be connected directly to a combi without a thermalstore, you would use the heat exchanger option instead. |
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| Date: |
09/11/2001 |
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Why does the system need to be non-ferrous
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Our system is non-ferrous, because we take a very responsible view on oxygen within an underfloor heating system. Oxygen can get into underfloor heating systems through the tubing, so our solution to this is to seperate the underfloor water from the water in the boiler side (by using a thermalstore cylinder or a heat exchanger), we then supply all non-ferrous components on the u/f side so that oxygen poses no problem to our system. |
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| Date: |
10/12/2001 |
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We are building a new bungalow and would like underfloor heating but would also like solid hardwood floors. Most of the solid wood floor suppliers do not recommend underfloor heating. What are your recomendations?
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There is no problem using our underfloor system with hadwood floors as long as you follow our directions for wood floors. |
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| Date: |
14/12/2001 |
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Is the heat from the pipes likely to be a problem for floors in an old house? My house is 120 years old with oak boards ground floor & pine upstairs. My 120 year old house has oak floor boards ground floor & pine boards upstairs.
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The heat will not cause a problem. In a situation like this you build the heat up gradually within the house. |
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| Date: |
04/01/2002 |
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Can you use a rayburn with the underfloor heating system.
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Yes, a rayburn will work very well in conjunction with our system. |
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| Date: |
06/01/2002 |
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Can underfloor heating be used whenever hot water is needed for say 2 power showers?
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Yes, you can use the underfloor heating at the same time as 2 power showers, this option works well if you use one of our thermalstore cylinders as you have seperate coils for underfloor heating and hot water. |
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| Date: |
13/01/2002 |
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Do you have an approximate cost per square area for the system
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There is no approximate cost per square metre, you find that the more square metres you have, the price per square metre comes down. |
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| Date: |
15/01/2002 |
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Can this system be fitted in blocks of flats????
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Yes, no problem whatsoever |
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| Date: |
21/01/2002 |
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Can the system be used to extend from an existing radiator for one room.
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Yes, and we have also got budget systems for this. Contact us for details |
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| Date: |
23/01/2002 |
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How long has this system been in domestic use?
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The system has been in use over 20 years in the US & Canada & 14 years in the UK. |
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| Date: |
23/01/2002 |
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Is every floor in the house fitted with the unfloor heating system?
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Ideally yes, but you can have a part underfloor part radiators combination. |
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| Date: |
10/02/2002 |
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What is the life expectancy of the tubing when it is buried in a concrete floor or a sand & cement floor screed ?
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In order to get our BBA Certificate, our tubing was put through simulated tests for a 50 year lifespan. We offer a 25 year warranty on the tubing. |
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| Date: |
17/02/2002 |
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What is the minimum depth required to put in an underfloor heating system on top of an existing concrete floor ?
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37mm, You would put 15mm battens on top of your existing floor, then put a 2L2 or similar insulation between the battens, the tubing on top of the insulation and then your wood on top of the battens, wood thickness would be 22mm. |
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| Date: |
22/03/2002 |
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What form of room temperature control do you recomend?
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We would normally supply Danfoss Randall T.P.5 Thermostats. For further details on these stats visit there website - www.danfoss-randall.co.uk |
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| Date: |
25/04/2002 |
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I am building a house at the moment and i,m considering underfloor heating.The foundation is a reinforced concrete raft,what is the total thickness needed for final screed plus heating system in order for me to set out the dpc at the right height.
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Ideally you would put down 50mm of polystyrene insulation and then 75mm of screed. |
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| Date: |
15/05/2002 |
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Do you recommend per-room temperature controls and do you have or recommend delta or external temerature sensor control systems?
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We would normally have a TP5 Digital Stat in each zone, this can be each room if you want, we do not use external temperature systems as we find T.P.5 Stats are just as effective. |
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| Date: |
17/06/2002 |
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Im building a new house is it better to put your system in the floor slab or the floor screed ? which is the most efficient
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You would normally put insulation on top of your sub floor, then clip the tubing into the insulation and then put your screed on top. |
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| Date: |
27/07/2002 |
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My builder want to use 150mm screed for structual reasons. Is this too thick for underfloor heating ie 75mm of concrete above and below the pipes?
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150mm screed is fine, but you would put the 150mm screed on top of the tubing, not 75mm below and 75mm above. |
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| Date: |
20/08/2002 |
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Can the system be used in one continuous loop for the whole house? instead of zones as we like to be the same temperature in each room.
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The house could be heated as one zone, but it is not something that we would advise, even though you want all the rooms at the same temperature, each room would have different heat losses meaning that you would have a problem with positioning of the thermostat, if it was placed in a kitchen which would have artifical heat sources like cookers etc. the kitchen area would be up to temperature before all other rooms and the stat would switch off the heating leaving the other rooms not up to temperature. |
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| Date: |
10/01/2003 |
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I am planning to retro fit your system. The ground floor is screeded, is it better to remove the existing screed add insulation and re screed the floor or just install over the top?
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It would be more efficient to rescreed the floor rather than just putting a timber floor on top, but if you choose the timber option we would just use more tubing. |
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| Date: |
20/03/2003 |
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Can you connect to solar panels as an alternative heat source, is there also a connection to add an immersion heater or would this not be required
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You can connect solar panels as alternative heat source, if you use one of our solar thermalstore cylinders which has its own dedicated coil for solar, the solar thermalstore cylinder comes with an immersion heater position. |
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| Date: |
23/05/2003 |
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Do you require filters to reduce particle contamination within the underfloor pipes.
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No, you do not need any filters within the underfloor heating system, |
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| Date: |
13/07/2003 |
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if there is going to be nobody in your house all during the day would it still make economic sense to install UFH and have it running all day as opposed to a conventional system that is on a timer
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If would be advisable to use UFH, as although the underfloor is turned on all day it most likely won't actually be running, it would be in a standby mode, we estimate that using an underfloor heating system would save around 20-25% compared to radiators. |
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| Date: |
01/10/2003 |
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If during the period of the warranty the system fails would all costs of replacement and any ancillery costs be covered e.g. temporary accomodation? Is the warranty provided by independant insurance?
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The warranty covers only the replacement of faulty components supplied as part of the kee system. Any damage that the faulty component may cause would not be covered. |
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| Date: |
16/01/2004 |
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Does the need for a heat exchanger, etc make this system cost effective for heating a single room (5m x 5m) extension?
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Due to the fact that the triple tube system has no oxygen barrier within the pipe itself, the heat exchanger is an essential part of the system, it is needed to keep the underfloor heating water seperate from the boiler water. |
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