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Why Underfloor Heating is a Must for Your Bathroom This Winter

Warmth for everyone

If you are undergoing a ‘Tiles-Off’ renovation, or building a new home, we always highly recommend underfloor heating be something to consider. Easily forgotten about, then easily remembered as soon as the weather gets colder and getting ready in the morning gets harder. Imagine stepping on to a toasty warm floor on a winter morning.

Heated floors provide not only warmth on the floor but to the whole bathroom. As heat rises, applying heated floors will in turn allow for the heat to travel upwards throughout the whole bathroom.

The Benefits of Underfloor Heating

Even and comfortable warmth throughout the bathroom

Unlike reverse cycle or ducted gas, electric underfloor heating systems provide warmth throughout the entire floor. The heat is distributed evenly throughout the bathroom meaning there are no cold spots making for a warm and cosy environment.

Space saving and design freedom

With underfloor heating, there is more design freedom in the space. Use dreamy pendant lights instead of a heater fan and light. Since every wall is freed up, this allows more space on the wall that may have been used for a heater fan or a radiator.

Zero maintenance

Since there is zero dust circulation having no vents, there is no need for cleaning out filters! This makes underfloor heating perfect for families with allergies. It has been shown that by opting for underfloor heating, you can reduce the number of dust mites by up to 80%, as underfloor heating radiates heat gently and evenly upwards from the floor and creates less favourable conditions for house dust mites to live and breed as the environment is too dry and warm.

Efficient and cost-effective

There is a common assumption that underfloor heating is costly and expensive to run. But a typical bathroom (3.5² of heating) running for four hours a day would cost less than the average takeaway coffee a week*. As the heated floors will be the primary source of heat, comfortable conditions are achieved at a lower ambient temperature and generate warmth where it is needed, not at the ceiling. This also allows for even and consistent distribution of heat.

With the use of a programmable thermostat, you can schedule when you’d like your underfloor heating to run so when you want to take a shower or bath at the same time every day before work, your floor will be ready and heated.


Some Underfloor Heating Options


Frequently Asked Questions

How do heated bathroom floors work?  

Underfloor heating systems are wired mats that are installed in the slab or screed layer of a bathroom. The heating cable is then wired up with the other eclectics in the room, allowing the mat to heat the floor surface above it and in turn, heat your bathroom.

How much does a heated bathroom floor cost?

The cost of underfloor heating systems will depend on the surface area you need to cover. Once this is determined you can choose a heating kit size that works for you.

As for running costs, this will be dependent on the insulation value of the property, type of flooring used, and the level of insulation below the heating system. You can also use Thermogroup’s Running Cost Calculator here to help you estimate how much your daily usage would be.

How do I control my underfloor heating system?

Every system should be connected to a thermostat. You can choose from a simple, manual on/off switch, but we highly recommend the a programmable heating thermostat with a heating schedule for better efficiency. You can even purchase a dual timer that allows you to schedule your heated towel rails or mirror demister, and heated floors.

For a limited time only, you can receive cashback when you purchase a Thermogroup underfloor heating kit. Simply purchase a Thermogroup underfloor heating kit between the 1st of April and 31st of July 2021, and claim your cashback at thermogroup.com.au/coffee by the 31st of August 2021. For more information click here.

*Average Australian cup of coffee is $4.50

What is the difference between Thermonet 150W and Thermonet 200W, and which system should I choose?

The difference between Thermonet 150W and Thermonet 200W is simply the wattage per square metre, and the application for which they are used. The Thermonet 150W is designed to be installed directly under tile, just in the tile adhesive, whilst the Thermonet 200W is designed for installation beneath a screed as the higher wattage makes it more effective in heating through this screed.

What is the minimum and maximum thickness for In Screed Heating?

In Screed Heating is designed to be installed in screed layers between 20-100mm.

How does the heat-up time of In Screed heating compare with Undertile heating?

In a typical Undertile build-up the floor heating will take 2-4hours to reach temperature and for In Screed heating cable under a 25mm of screed it would also take approx. 2-4hours. However, for every additional 25mm of screed you will need to allow an additional hour for the heat to penetrate.

Is Underfloor Heating safe to be installed in the shower?

Providing that the shower floor is tiled (not a shower base) like the rest of the bathroom floor, all of Thermogroup’s underfloor heating systems are suitable for installation in the shower area.

The cable has an IP (Ingress Protection) rating of IP68 and a continuous earth braid the full length of the cable. This ensures it is safe should the cable come in contact with water and gives you the assurance of safety in the unlikely event of install damage. For further protection we recommend that you do not end the heating system in the shower area.

Can Underfloor Heating be installed up the side and on top of a shower seat?

All Underfloor Heating cable must be covered by a cement-based product and cannot operate in a void. Therefore, provided that the shower seat is tiled like the rest of the bathroom and all cable is covered by a cement-based flexible tile adhesive, then it is perfectly safe to install the heating on a shower seat.

Can Thermonet 200W/m2 be installed directly below the tiles?

Yes, absolutely. Although the Thermonet 200W system is designed to be installed beneath a screed, it is also perfectly safe to be installed directly below the tiles, as with the 150W system. Due that the higher wattage, the 200W system will heat up more quickly than the 150W system when installed directly beneath the tiles. If you desire a more on-demand system or have a high heat loss application, then it is best to use the 200W system directly below the tiles.

Should Underfloor Heating be installed below or above the waterproofing?

To ensure a fully waterproof substrate it is recommended to lay the floor heating over the waterproofing. In a screed application, where the waterproofing is on top of the screed, an in screed system can be laid before the waterproofing.

What are the rough in or first fix requirements for Underfloor Heating and a Controller?

When roughing in for our Underfloor Heating and the controller, the electrician will first need to bring mains power to the Thermostat location. The electrician will then also need to run two 20mm conduits from the Thermostat position down to the floor, for the Underfloor Heating Cold Tail and for the Floor Sensor
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