Slab Heating

Slab Heating or Underfloor Heating – The Hidden Way to Heat your Home

How does slab heating (or underfloor heating) work?

A high efficiency boiler heats water and circulates it through a network of the highest quality multitherm PE -RT polyethylene pipe, laid into the floor slab. This is a low temperature system which keeps running costs to a minimum.

Effectively, this system transforms your floor slab into a slow release heat radiator. Heating every room equally with clean radiant heat. Hydronic slab heating is ideal to run in conjunction with an Ambient Heat Pump System. To further cut running costs and gas consumption, older existing solar hot water rooftop systems can be harnessed as a pre-heater to the hydronic heating system.

As the required temperature for underfloor heating is quite low (approx 45 degrees) – hydronic slab heating is ideal for integration with the gentle heat from a solar energy source. Rooftop solar hot water collectors used in conjunction with a gas boosted boiler, makes the system incredibly energy efficient. This integration means that almost the entire energy requirement is being supplied by the solar component, with very little boosting required. Harnessing this solar energy is particularly viable in our Australian climate.

The start up costs for slab heating are higher, but as the system operates more efficiently the pay back period is shorter that other solar power systems.

How much does slab heating (hydronic underfloor heating) cost?

Radiant hydronic underfloor heating or slab heating is an efficient and comfortable form of central heating. It has a lower required operating temperature than a panel radiator system hence is ideal for integration with a solar power source.

The cost of slab heating is usually around $60.00 per square metre based on a minimum area of 120sqm (for a natural gas system). There are additional costs for insulation around slab perimeters to minimise heat loss from edges of the building.

Below: Removal of a LPG gas boiler to make room for an Ambient Heat pump for the clients’ new slab heating system. This resulted in a cost saving of 75%, and no buffer tank required!