Heat the floor

Prior to settlement we have a lot of things to line up. For example, underfloor heating. Yes, the house is in Western Australia, and, yes, it is a very hot part of the world. What is not so well understood about this part of the world, is that it gets cold here too. When there have been months of extreme temperatures averaging 35 degrees Celsius  those weeks when the temperatures drop to zero at night, and don't rise above 25 degrees Celsius during the day, seem very cold by comparison.

In-screed heating
Picture courtesy of Radiant Floor Heating

We have chosen underfloor heating for three areas of the house. The two bathrooms shall have underfloor heating suitable for tiled flooring, the main living/kitchen/dining area shall have a solution designed for wooden flooring. We shall also have split-system reverse-cycle air-conditioning in this main living area. The reason for the two types of heating becomes clear when you understand that the living area is large with very high ceilings. In addition, the main living area is in the part of the house that is elevated by over two metres. This elevation on a framed home such as this, allows for air and wind to circulate beneath the house, as well as around it. This is great to assist in cooling the house in the summer, but it can make the house very chilly in the winter. We'd use the underfloor heating on its own during the colder days, and top it up with the air-conditioning if necessary. It will be less costly to use the underfloor heating system, than the reverse-cycle air-conditioning unit.

Our underfloor system will be supplied and installed by the fabulous people at Radiant Floor Heating in Joondalup.