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FEATURES
Crown
The pattern in which hydronic
piping is installed is crucial,
as unlike electrical underfloor
heating, the heat spreads
through the pipe gradually.
Therefore, the pattern plays
a large part in ensuring the
room is heated evenly.
The more loops you have, the
bigger the manifold has to be
and the more actuators and
hardware you need.
Cost is a big issue. One of the biggest challenges the
heating market faces, is the fact that the majority of
particularly the domestic market cannot actually afford
the product, explains Neil Britz of Crown Technologies,
HVAC contracting specialists. “And because we only need
it for a few months in the year (unlike Europe and colder
climates), it is seen as a luxury item, rather than a must-
have. But this is slowly changing as the improvements in
underfloor systems are noticeably increasing.”
There is a misconception about heating in the market,
explains Tewson. “Although heating is only usually used
for three months a year in South Africa, it is calculated as
an annual cost, lumping it together with air-conditioning
cooling costs as well.” Because of this, all types of
radiant electric floor heating are seen as expensive to
January 2019 Volume 25 I Number 1
run and people instead spend money on less energy-
efficient heating solutions such as oil heaters, electric
bar heaters, gas heaters, and split air-conditioning units,
instead of investing in a longer-term, more efficient
solution for heating their home.
“Even if a client cannot afford the hydronic solution, it
is important to advise them to put in electrical radiant
floor heating as it is still more efficient and cost-
effective than any of the alternatives,”
explains Tewson.
HYDRO VS ELECTRICAL
“Before the electricity prices went up in South Africa,
everyone used to install electrical underfloor heating,”
explains Stöhr. “Most people still don’t know that
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