I’ve heard the electric ones heat up faster, but maybe that’s just marketing hype. Also, how thick was your floor tile?
- Had similar thoughts. “Instant” is a stretch, especially with thicker tiles—mine took ages to get cozy.
- Electric heats up faster than water, but not by much if there’s a lot of insulation and thick flooring.
- Safety tip: double-check your wiring and thermostats. Had a friend nearly fry his system by skipping that.
- If you’re watching costs, factor in the extra energy for longer warm-up times. It adds up over winter.
Definitely agree about the “instant” thing being a bit of a stretch, especially with thicker tiles. Ours are about 10mm and it takes a good while to feel any warmth—sometimes I wonder if slippers would’ve been cheaper. Electric does seem a bit quicker than water, but honestly, once you factor in insulation and how much heat gets lost, it’s not a huge difference. Also, those longer warm-up times really do show up on the energy bill over winter... something I didn’t fully appreciate until after the first season.
I hear you on the energy bills—mine definitely crept up after I put in electric underfloor heating in a couple of flats. I’ve also had tenants complain about the slow warm-up, especially in bathrooms with thick tiles. Have you tried tweaking the timers or thermostats to see if that helps at all? I’m always a bit wary about leaving these systems running too long, just from a safety and cost perspective. Curious if anyone’s found a sweet spot that actually works without breaking the bank...
I’m always a bit wary about leaving these systems running too long, just from a safety and cost perspective.
Yeah, same here. I’ve found if you set the timer to kick in about 45 mins before you actually need the heat, it’s just about tolerable—still not exactly “toasty toes” right away, but better than nothing. Honestly, thick tiles are a killer for warm-up time. I only run it in short bursts now, just enough to take the chill off. My wallet thanks me, even if my feet don’t...
I totally get the timer thing—if I don’t set mine ahead, it’s just cold feet all morning. But I’m always second-guessing how long to leave it on. Like, is it really safe to let it run for hours if I’m not around? I’ve read mixed stuff about older systems and overheating, especially if there’s furniture or rugs on top. Anyone else worry about that?
And yeah, those thick tiles are brutal. I sometimes wonder if the insulation under the floor is even doing its job, or if most of the heat’s just vanishing downwards. Makes me question if the install was done right in the first place... Maybe that’s just me being paranoid.
Honestly, I keep thinking about whether it’s worth the hassle and cost compared to just using a decent space heater for a bit. At least then you know exactly what you’re getting, and there’s less to go wrong.
