Standard Design Under Floor Heating (UF) Heat Exchangers

AEL Standard design Plate Heat Exchangers can be used as a safe system break from the boiler to provide the required Primary hot water at a safe temperature of 55 oC to an Underfloor Heating system manifold.

To control the water temperature of a typical underfloor heating system properly it is important that the manufacturers’ recommendations are referred to but as a guide, the hot water within the underfloor heating coil would normally be designed to operate at a maximum temperature of 55˚C for a screed floor and possibly higher for a suspended floor or timber joisted floor.

Regardless of whether a controlled low temperature system break is used or not as a back up to avoid heat damage to the screed and the underfloor heating pipe the underfloor heating manifold must have the necessary temperature safety control equipment installed to ensure that a faulty valve or thermostat on the manifold will not allow excessively high temperature (82 ˚C) Primary water to enter the system coil directly from a boiler.

The cost of installing the correct temperature control in the first place is far cheaper than repairing the damage of the underfloor heating pipe and the floor covering as well as invalidating the manufacturer’s guarantee.

Excessive temperature fluctuations can occur within the controls of any reputable boiler or primary water heat source equipment. Despite the use of high quality components and controls on primary underfloor heating equipment they do need to be checked regularly by professional engineers as most problems tend to occur when the settings of the primary heat source have been altered or played with by unqualified people.

Using an operating working temperature limit of 55˚C and a maximum safety high limit cut off of 60˚C as required by European standards provides an industry safety temperature point standard which can be highlighted and damage avoided whether using an electric or water underfloor heating system.