Whole house?
I hear you on the “out of sight, out of mind… until something goes sideways” part. That’s exactly what made me hesitate when I redid my mudroom. Still, you nailed it—if you’re already ripping up tile, it’s the best opportunity to put in that underfloor heating. Like you said, “just followed the instructions, triple-checked the wiring with a multimeter before sealing everything up”—that’s really all you can do for peace of mind.
Honestly, for small rooms like bathrooms or entries, I think the comfort outweighs the risk. Whole house? I’d be nervous about future repairs too. But for those little luxury spots, I say go for it if you’re already gutting the space.
Whole house?
I get the appeal of “just followed the instructions, triple-checked the wiring with a multimeter before sealing everything up”—that’s solid advice. Still, I’d urge a bit more caution, even in small spaces. The thing is, when underfloor heating fails, it’s rarely something you can just patch up. Even with careful installation, you’re dealing with a system that’s literally embedded under your finished floor.
In my experience, even for bathrooms or mudrooms, repairs down the line can be a real headache. I’ve seen cases where a tiny nick in the wire from installation didn’t show up until years later—by then, you’re looking at ripping out tile or flooring just to find the problem. If you’re set on it, maybe consider systems with accessible wiring runs or install extra sensors. There are also some self-healing cable options now, though they cost more.
Not saying don’t do it—just that the “comfort outweighs the risk” calculation should include what you’d actually do if it ever needs fixing. Sometimes radiant panels or heated towel racks are easier to live with long-term... just my two cents.
I totally get what you’re saying about the repairs. That’s actually what made me hesitate when we were deciding. My cousin did underfloor heating in her bathroom and it’s been great... but she had a scare with a cold spot, and the thought of tearing up tile stressed her out big time. For us, we ended up sticking with a heated towel rack—definitely not as cozy, but way less risky if something goes wrong. I still kind of dream about warm floors though.
- Totally hear you on the stress factor. Underfloor heating is great... until it isn’t.
- Repairs are a nightmare—if something goes wrong, you’re not just swapping out a part, you could be redoing the whole floor. Tiles aren’t exactly cheap or easy to match up either.
- Heated towel racks? Way less drama. If it dies, you grab a screwdriver, not a jackhammer.
- Warm floors sound dreamy, but I’ve seen enough “cold spot” calls to be wary. For me, it’s not worth the gamble unless you’re ready for the potential hassle down the line.
Had a mate who did underfloor heating in his bathroom—looked amazing at first, but when a section stopped working, he had to rip up half the tiles. He still jokes about “spot heating” with a hair dryer now. Is it really worth the risk? Heated towel racks just seem way less stressful... and cheaper if you mess up.
