To Zone or not to Zone?

[GaryChaplin]

Hi all,

 

I’ll firstly admit I’m pretty lazy when it comes to reading / scouring through loads of posts for the answer I’m after, so thought I’d just gauge an opinion...

 

I’ll soon be at the stage where I’ll be installing the UFH and I’d originally thought zoning was still common practice. Though it would appear it’s not advised so much any more? (according to this forum) I’d like to know what’s common practice nowadays?

 

Here is my plan from last year, however the whole ground floor is only 100 sq m, so I’d prefer to just have two zones if possible, with manifolds in the utility space. The simpler the better I guess.

 

Thanks in advance. G.

 

[IanR]

29 minutes ago, GaryChaplin said:

I’ll soon be at the stage where I’ll be installing the UFH and I’d originally thought zoning was still common practice. Though it would appear it’s not advised so much any more? (according to this forum) I’d like to know what’s common practice nowadays?

 

There's no harm in zoning. Houses are a thermally dynamic environment, effected in different areas by solar gain, occupancy levels, open windows etc. Zoning reduces the effects across the house from a change in one area and provides better control to have different areas at different temperatures, ie. bedrooms v. living  spaces.

 

Be aware though, if you use zoning to significantly drop the temperature of, say, an unused area, then this may cause your heating system to be less efficient due to it running at a higher flow temp, and end up costing more to run.

Edited October 11, 2023 by IanR

[JohnMo]

What are the rooms on the sketch? What is your floor buildup?

What's your heat source?

 

Don't be so idle, read up.

[GaryChaplin]

1 hour ago, JohnMo said:

What are the rooms on the sketch? What is your floor buildup?

What's your heat source?

 

Don't be so idle, read up.

 

I'm not idle, it's just that I've got to trawl through loads of nonsence that I can't be botherered to read! I've just found searching for 'zoning' in this section helps. 

 

Heat is a air source heat pump. Floors U-value of 0.145 W/m²K or better, walls 0.122 W/m²K and roof 0.097 W/m²K or better. 

 

[JohnMo]

19 minutes ago, GaryChaplin said:

Heat is a air source heat pump. Floors U-value of 0.145 W/m²K or better, walls 0.122 W/m²K and roof 0.097 W/m²K or better. 

How thick is the screed?

What are the rooms?

[joe90]

When you say zone do you mean an area controlled separately?, with mine I had different loops in different rooms but not separately controlled by TRV,s, however I upped the flow rate to the lounge which I wanted slightly warmer than other areas. With that setup you could always add TRV.s at a later  date if required.