01 — Common problems
What's worth knowing about underfloor heating.
What's usually behind each symptom and what you can check yourself while the technician is on the way. Without touching anything inside.
You need to take into account the height available, the insulation under the pipes and the type of flooring you'll put on top.
In the meantime · If you have floor plans of your home, keep them to hand. They help work out the circuits and manifolds.
It's usually a circuit with air in it, badly balanced at the manifold, or with a faulty actuator for that zone.
In the meantime · Note which rooms aren't heating and whether the problem is always the same.
It's a system with a lot of inertia: it works better at steady temperatures than when it's switched on and off suddenly.
In the meantime · Check how the thermostat is programmed; sometimes the setting explains everything.
Leaks in the pipes are uncommon, but they can be located without lifting the whole floor.
In the meantime · Check the system pressure and take a photo of the stain.
Underfloor heating works at a low temperature, which is why it's the best partner for an air-source heat pump.
In the meantime · If you already have a boiler, take a photo of the boiler and of the manifold.
Over the years, it's worth cleaning the system, bleeding it and balancing the flows so it heats evenly throughout the home.
In the meantime · Find the manifold box; it's usually in a cupboard or behind an access panel.