Underfloor heating or a heat pump - which should I put in?

Choosing between underfloor heating and heat pump

Underfloor heating and heat pumps do different jobs, and the mistake is treating them as competitors for the same room.

A heat pump heats air, fast, in a large volume, and does it very efficiently. For a main living area where you want warmth within twenty minutes of getting home, a heat pump is the right tool. No form of heating beats an electric heat pump on running cost. A heat pump also gives you cooling in summer.

Underfloor heating heats the floor, and uses radiant heat produced from the floor to heat the room. It is slower to respond than a heat pump. However, underfloor heating is silent, invisible, takes no wall or floor space, creates no draught, and puts the heat where you feel it most, which is underfoot. In a bathroom, an ensuite or a bedroom, those qualities matter more than raw efficiency. A heat pump is an awkward, expensive and ugly solution to a small room.

What usually happens in New Zealand houses is a combination of the both: a heat pump in the main living area, underfloor heating in the bathrooms and bedrooms. Underfloor heating is better used on a schedule. Bathrooms and bedrooms suit a heating schedule.

Where underfloor heating earns its place in a larger space is in a well-insulated new build with a floor that holds heat. Heat pumps never heat a room evenly. Heating will vary depending on where the unit is placed and where the unit is blowing the hot air. If you want even warmth across the whole floor then underfloor heating is a better option.

Will underfloor heating satisfy healthy home requirements for a main living area?

Unfortunately the answer is maybe. Underfloor heating is recognised for healthy home standards. However, underfloor heating is capped at 2.4kW. Most large areas will require more than 2.4kW of underfloor heating. Please refer to our blog about healthy homes for more information.