Setting up UFH

[Lesgrandepotato]

We've got our heating commissioned but we aren't getting a warmed through house as of yet.. now that could be that we don't have the loft insulated yet, and we only have the heat downstairs on set back for tiling. 

 

But I am a little concerned that after an hour or two of boost we haven't really got any warmer upstairs. Interestingly, the manifolds are warm on the send and return so I wonder if the pump speed is too fast? should the returns be cold? or should they be hot? How do I balance and set this lot up! 

[Lesgrandepotato]

I've had a look and the manifolds are both running at 30 degrees. (Screed downstairs, timber upstairs) I've dialled the upstairs one to 45deg see if that makes any odds on it! 

[IanR]

Before going to 45, can you feel any heat in the floor? What actuators do you have on the manifiolds and what is controlling them? Are they opening?

[Lesgrandepotato]

Slight heat in the floor. actuators open and working, driven from Heatmiser stats in each room 

 

[IanR]

I'd leave it at 30 (perhaps lower to slow down the warm-up) and give it time for the heat to come through. 

Edited December 11, 2017 by IanR

[Bitpipe]

i bought a cheap laser thermometer and used that to get a proper reading of floor & pipe temp.

[Ferdinand]

eg

17 minutes ago, Bitpipe said:

i bought a cheap laser thermometer and used that to get a proper reading of floor & pipe temp.

 

eg from about £6

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR12.TRC2.A0.H0.Xlaser+thermometer.TRS0&_nkw=laser+thermometer&_sacat=0

[ragg987]

If your floors are cold I would expect the return to be a few degrees lower than flow at 30C, else heat is not transferring to the floor. You probably need a few hours for the floor to warm up so patientience is called for. If floor is not warming then maybe check for airlocks in the UFH?

 

In terms of warming the rooms, heating the floor is just the first part, the whole structure needs to warm up to really feel the full effect.

[Nickfromwales]

The timber floors ( assuming aluminium spreader plates there ) will prob need a higher flow temp to get the house heating up at the same time, but 35oC rather than 45oC to start off . Small ( +/- 2oC ) increments assessed over 24/48 hrs are sufficient for upping / downing and settling on the best temp. 

With 6-8 ports the pump speed should be no higher than 2.