UFH in Garage

[ultramods]

My new build will have UFH on the ground floor and radiators on the first floor.

 

I have been thinking about putting UFH in the attached garage (36 sqm) as I will be using the garage as a home gym. However i'm not sure if it's a good idea since I would only be using the gym for say 1 hour a day. Should I just go for radiators instead? The garage walls are timber frame and have same insulation levels as the rest of the house. The garage door will be an insulated sectional door.

 

I also thought putting in the UFH now along with the required floor insulation etc would mean the space could be easily converted into habitable space easily at a later date.

 

I would also need to check from a technical perspective that the UFH pipes would withstand the additional load of a car in the garage.

[Ferdinand]

No brainer imo.

 

If it is integral, then imo do it ufh and make it a separate zone. Family did that 15 years ago and have not regretted it. People who converted mine n theory did that for the future conservatory but did not finish everything so we ended up with electric ufh just to have someth8ng in place.

 

Think about levels and liveability. And also take the time to think through lighting and electrics. And make sure you record where everything is placed ? .

 

Others will comment on the slab.

 

I would also make sure that it is big enough to be considered a real garage, and that you have enough spaces outside to still be more than adequate if it is converted in the future. You could even convert it for a value boost when you sell in x years.

 

F

 

 

Edited June 30, 2018 by Ferdinand

[ultramods]

Thanks @Ferdinand

 

The only reason I thought radiators might be a better solution is from a cost perspective, the radiators could be turned on 30-60 mins before to bring the room up to a suitable temperature before I use it. Whereas would the UFH need to be on all the time which seams a bit extreme for a room that would be used 1 hour a day max?

 

8 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

 

I would also make sure that it is big enough to be considered a real garage,

 

 

What do you mean by this?

 

 

Edited June 30, 2018 by ultramods

[Ferdinand]

You need a costing exercise. If you are running rads at ufh temperatures, they may take as long.

 

I am sure there are timers available that would do the trick, or it may be as simple as opening the door a bit before your one hour if it is well insulated.

 

How well insulated are you? If it s an extra 5% or 10% on an annual bill of £200, then it is perhaps cheaper not to have the control gear.

 

Edited June 30, 2018 by Ferdinand

[newhome]

I would definitely install it even if you leave it disconnected until it may be used for proper living accommodation. We did that for our planned extension. Put the slab in and the UFH pipes but it wasn’t connected until the extension was built some years later. 

 

When you say ‘on all the time’ you can just have it running at a much lower temperature outside the times you intend to use it presumably plus a bit beforehand to allow it to get up to temperature? Presumably a gym can also run at a much lower temperature than normal living accommodation? 

Edited June 30, 2018 by newhome

[Alexphd1]

My 1st thoughts was for the sake of £100 of pipe just stick it in and worry about it later. 

[PeterW]

I’d use an air to air heat pump (ie aircon) as it can cool as well as warm. 

 

You can get a self install split unit for £350 and it would be easier and quicker to get the place warm. 

[Vijay]

My garage is going to be my workshop too and for me it's a no brainer to put in UFH. I want to be able to go in there and work without thinking of having to preheat the space. It's well insulated so I'm hoping heating requirements will be minimal.

[DavidFrancis]

@PeterW - do you have any recommendations/suggestions for a self-install split unit?  Was wondering about these only yesterday.

 

TIA

[PeterW]

26 minutes ago, DavidFrancis said:

@PeterW - do you have any recommendations/suggestions for a self-install split unit?  Was wondering about these only yesterday.

 

TIA

 

This one was the first on a search - plenty more similar in the 2.5-3kw range which are ideal for what you want. 

 

https://www.cooleasy.co.uk/categories/easy-fit-air-conditioning/high-wall/2-6kw-midea-blanc-wall-mounted-system.html

[ultramods]

Thank you all for the suggestions.

 

Providing the Structural Engineer/ UFH company says it's OK I have decided to go ahead with the UFH in the garage.

 

 

 

 

[Nickfromwales]

16 hours ago, ultramods said:

Thank you all for the suggestions.

Providing the Structural Engineer/ UFH company says it's OK I have decided to go ahead with the UFH in the garage.

Id say yes to the UFH for the sake of putting it in for future redundancy, but I'm with @PeterW on the Aircon unit. Actually my first thought was fan coil heater so you can literally walk into the room and switch the heater on with nigh-on instant results. The issue you'll have with ufh is not being able to cool the garage down quickly when your pounding the electronic pavement. 

Think of something to fortify the ufh, as with regards to your above remit, it doesn't match well. 

[Russell griffiths]

Hijacking this thread, 

if I want ufh in my garage, what is a good method of coping with the different floor levels, my garage will be 100mm lower than the house floor. 

What is a good way to route the pipes between these two levels. 

 

Sorry for hi jack. 

Russ. 

[Nickfromwales]

12 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

Hijacking this thread, 

if I want ufh in my garage, what is a good method of coping with the different floor levels, my garage will be 100mm lower than the house floor. 

What is a good way to route the pipes between these two levels. 

 

Sorry for hi jack. 

Russ. 

Just insulate them and surface mount them if theres any real issue in burying them during the build, in anticipation. The good news is they'll naturally vent back at the manifold as they're lower not higher than the house slab.