‘Is electric underfloor heating expensive to run?’ is the most common question that we get asked. Traditionally it has been seen as a luxury that only the wealthier could afford to install and run but this is really not the case. What is the true cost for running electric underfloor heating?
The future is looking great for electric!
The UK government’s plan to hit CO2 emission targets includes banning gas boilers in new builds by 2025. Combine this with the CO2 emission factor for electricity being reduced in the SAP 10 guidelines to align more with gas, makes electric heating look exceptionally appealing and cost efficient. Do you want to know more about the gas boiler ban and SAP 10? Read the insightful gas heating ban article if you want to know more.
Putting the cost of electric underfloor heating into perspective
In order for us to make a fair comparison, we have looked at multiple articles and research findings throughout the internet and combined this with the knowledge of our resident experts. This great ‘This is Money’ article has more detail on the cost of typical household appliances should you want to read more. Anyway, let’s get on with the comparison.
| Appliance | Cost per year | Notes |
| Washing Machine | £29.30 | 0.15p per wash |
| Oven | £26.86 | Used for 90mins per week |
| Fridge Freezer | £32.56 | Less than 10p a day |
| Toaster | £9.77 | 0.267p per minute |
| Kettle | £45.58 | 12.49p per day (6 boils a day) |
| Electric Shower | £148.15 | 10p for a 5min shower |
| Dishwasher | £48.84 | 19.5p per cycle |
| Television | £42.33 | 3p per hour at 4 hours per day |
| *Electric Underfloor Heating | ||
| Bathroom | £24.64 | 4.67p per hour for 2.5m2 |
| Kitchen | £58.08 | 11p per hour for 5m2 |
| Living Room | £107.36 | 20.33p per hour for 10m2 |
*Remember that electric heating system will replace your traditional central heating system so that you won’t be doubling heating costs.
Looking at the table above, electric underfloor heating is definitely not as expensive to run as many people think. So, for that perfectly warm and comfortable bathroom at home, it is cheaper to run electric underfloor heating compared with a washing machine, kettle, electric shower and a whole lot more. On average, and in a well-insulated environment, it costs less than the average takeaway coffee to run ThermoSphere electric underfloor heating in a 2m2 bathroom for a month!
If you want to work out how much ThermoSphere electric underfloor heating will cost you to run in your home, check out our Running Cost Calculator .
The importance of insulation to reduce electric underfloor heating running costs
If you want to create the perfect electric underfloor heating installation, then you must remember the importance of not just insulation but the right insulation because without it, your electric underfloor heating installation won’t be as efficient as it could be. Insulation reflects heat upwards through the floor and then gently heats the room making the electric underfloor heating system more efficient as well as reducing running costs.
ThermoSphere insulation boards are lightweight and easy to cut with a craft knife, making installation incredibly fast. They are 100% water and rot proof compared with ply wood. ThermoSphere coated insulation boards also add strength and lateral stability to timber floors.
Reduce running costs with smarter thermostats
We love the phrase ‘controlability’ because without being able to effectively control your electric underfloor heating it can become more costly than it needs to be. ThermoSphere’s Lot 20 compliant smart thermostats (SmartHome) are a perfect way to control your electric underfloor heating and reduce your annual electric bill by hundreds of pounds. SmartHome thermostats monitor your energy use and adapt by identifying opportunities where you could be saving energy.
That’s it! What do you think? If you have any questions regarding the best way to install your ThermoSphere electric underfloor heating system or about the running costs of an electric underfloor heating system, contact one of the ThermoSphere team.