Do you need special underlay for underfloor heating with carpet?
Aside from feeling soft and increasing comfort underfoot, a key role of carpet is to add a layer of insulation over the floor.
The carpet creates a thermal barrier that prevents cold air from transferring from the subfloor into the room, particularly during the winter months. Which is why many people have concerns about using carpet (and carpet underlay) with their underfloor heating systems – won’t the extra two layers limit the transfer of heat?
We appreciate that it may seem counterproductive, but rest assured, it’s perfectly possible to install underfloor heating with carpet and underlay and still achieve efficient heat transfer.
You just need to choose a carpet with a low TOG rating for high heat transfer, such as ThermalStream Carpet Underlay, which is specifically designed to work with underfloor heating, including electric (dry), hydronic (water), and forced air circulation systems.
More information on this topic can be found in our blog: Does underfloor heating work with carpet?
Choosing the best carpet underlay for underfloor heating
Here at Carpet Underlay Shop, we stock a range of underlays that are all designed for use with underfloor heating – both with carpets and hard floorings, such as wood, laminate, and vinyl. These tend to have a very low TOG rating, plus other features intended to maximise the efficiency of the heating system.
To get the best performance out of your underfloor heating system, it’s important to choose your floor covering and underlay very carefully – paying close attention to their TOG value and thickness. The ideal low TOG underlay for you will depend on the type of flooring you’re looking to use and your budget.
However, for most projects, we would typically recommend the following options:
Best for use with under-carpet heating:
As mentioned above, ThermalStream Underfloor Heating Carpet Underlay is the best carpet underlay for underfloor heating.
Constructed from a unique foam with perforated ‘air thermal pockets’, this revolutionary product limits thermal resistance, which allows warm air to circulate much faster and enhances heat transfer by up to 20%.
It also boasts a low TOG rating of 0.8, meaning it can be paired with most carpets – including the thickest and most sumptuous high TOG flooring – without reducing heating efficiency.
Despite this low TOG, with a 10mm thickness, it still demonstrates excellent levels of comfort underfoot and impressive noise reduction (up to 46dB), and is durable enough to endure heavy foot traffic in domestic and commercial spaces.
Thanks to their low TOG ratings, Duralay HeatFlow, Cloud 9 Radiance, and Tredaire King are also good options.
For more information on how to choose carpet underlay compatible with underfloor heating, be sure to browse our dedicated collection of underfloor heating underlay for carpets.
Best for use with engineered wood, vinyl, or laminate flooring:
For use with wood and laminate flooring over underfloor heating systems, we recommend Thermo Pro X Underlay.
Featuring the latest technology and created with the efficiency of underfloor heating in mind, this multi-surface underlay has an extremely low 0.3 TOG rating that prevents heat from getting trapped below the surface.
Thanks to a series of punched holes in the foam structure, it successfully promotes the circulation of warm air and maximises the transfer of heat into the room. It also demonstrates fantastic acoustic properties and enhances underfoot comfort.
As it transfers heat faster than other types, it can help to reduce costs by taking less energy to heat the floor and the room.
Alternatively, there is also a Duralay Heatflow version for laminate flooring, or Arbiton Thermo Thermal 3 In 1 as a budget-friendly option from our selection of underfloor heating underlay for wood, laminate, or vinyl floors.
Talk to us about underlay for underfloor heating systems
Here at Carpet Underlay Shop, our knowledge of underlay for underfloor heating is second to none.
We have a wide range of options for carpets, laminates, vinyl, and wooden floors – perfect for optimising the heating system’s performance, enhancing underfoot comfort, and ensuring maximum heat transfer into the surrounding environment.
So, why not get in touch today to discuss our low TOG underlay options and place an order?
If you want to find out more about underlay for electric underfloor heating, or would like tailored advice on the best underlay for your specific underfloor heating system, feel free to contact our sales team for customer support.
Either call 0203 887 0994 or send an email to sales@carpet-underlay-shop.co.uk to ask about underfloor heating underlay.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it’s not recommended to use old underlay if you’re installing flooring over an underfloor heating system. Even if it’s a compatible underfloor heating underlay, if it’s worn down over time, it won’t be as effective.
Generally, you should replace the underlay every time you replace the flooring, ensuring it is the right thickness and type.
This way, you can be confident that your heating will be working as it should to keep rooms warm, and enjoy underfoot comfort and reduced noise for longer thanks to the new underlay.
On the other hand, if you don’t use the right underlay, it could be costly in terms of inefficient heating and wear.
Both are types of thermal underlay, designed to be compatible with underfloor heating systems, but they’re also designed for use with specific types of flooring to allow efficient heat transfer and airflow.
This means that you shouldn’t use laminate underfloor heating underlay with carpets, or use carpet underfloor heating underlay with laminate floors, because it won’t offer the right level of thermal insulation.
As laminate and vinyl tend to be thinner materials, underlays that are designed for them typically include a foil layer to reflect heat. However, this could be too much for even low TOG carpet, which would work best with an underfloor heating underlay that’s specifically meant for use with carpets.
Generally, the combined TOG rating of the underlay and flooring should not be greater than 2.5 TOG.
If you need some help finding the most suitable low TOG underlay for your underfloor heating, simply talk to our team.
To help customers work out a suitable number of rolls to buy, we have shared a floor measurement calculator on our website.
This can be used to calculate the amount of underfloor heating underlay as well as the amount of flooring you would need to cover the underlay, whether it’s carpet, laminate, vinyl, or engineered wooden floors.
To use this flooring calculator, you’ll just need to measure the flooring surface to get an accurate length and width in metres or feet. Then access the calculator, type in these numbers, and hit the button to reveal the area.
It’s important to check the area in square metres, as our underlay roll prices are listed per square metre. This will help you to add up the total cost of the underlay you need before you commit to a product.
Once you have selected the right low TOG carpet underlay for your underfloor heating and ordered the right number of rolls, we will contact you to confirm the details of your order and when it will be delivered. The delivery cost and timeframe depend on factors like stock levels, your address, and when the order is placed.
If you order before 2pm on a weekday and the items are readily available, we aim to dispatch the order on the same day. After 2pm, new orders will be dispatched on the next working day, which will take longer to arrive.
We do offer a premium delivery option to receive orders within 1 business day, but as we can’t guarantee courier services, economy delivery is a more cost-effective choice, which takes 2 to 3 business days.
You can always contact us for more information about these services, Saturday deliveries, or non-mainland surcharges.
