1962 mid-terraced house SpeeTherm15

In what type of home did you install your heating system?
A mid-terraced house from 1962 that was dated at purchase.

How many people are in your household?
One.

How did you come across WARP Systems?
I searched Google for thin dry-construction systems and found WARP Systems. The positive reviews, low weight and the ability to install it myself easily sealed the deal.

Why did you choose a low-temperature hydronic heating and cooling system?
The existing radiators and piping on the upper floor needed replacing. The radiators were plumbed incorrectly and the pipes were corroded. Buying new radiators would have been another expense. That is why I chose low-temperature hydronic underfloor heating. It is future-proof, provides the most comfort, eliminates dust issues and offers more layout options than wall-mounted radiators. I chose hydronic over electric because hydronic is still a more efficient way to heat.

Do you think sustainability is important? Why or why not?
Sustainability is very important to me. “You do not heat for the neighbours” my parents always said. By making my home more sustainable I not only save money on my energy bill but also use as few resources as possible. That makes a positive contribution to the environment and it also increases the value of my home.

Do you have specific sustainability goals for the future?
I have owned my house for one year and am renovating it from top to bottom. I have insulated the roof, installed ventilation and the cavity wall was already insulated. In the future I want to insulate the ground floor and install underfloor heating there as well. That will prepare me for a future heat pump connection.

What convinced you to choose self-installation?
I bought my house with the idea of doing everything myself. I enjoy learning new skills and getting more handy. That was my main reason for choosing self-installation. Even though I had never installed underfloor heating before. The instruction videos and customer support gave me the confidence that I could do it myself. Another reason was that I would not depend on installers and could schedule the work when it suited me. That gave me a sense of freedom.

How did you experience the installation overall?
I found the installation very easy. A clear step-by-step plan was provided and if you follow it the underfloor heating goes in in no time. The instruction videos help with that.

Which aspects were easier than expected?
– The EPS panels laid very quickly
– You simply press the aluminium profiles into place and cut them to size easily
– Burning additional channels and bends

Which aspects required extra effort?
– Hanging the manifold was a bit tricky. Once the manifold was assembled and the mounting brackets were in place it looked twisted and crooked. It took some time before I was sure it was really level. It did not help that the video showed a different manifold than the one I had.
– Some bends were challenging, especially small loops needed to keep the circuit lengths equal. Those bends often pushed the aluminium profile up out of the EPS panel. It took trial and error to roll and lay the SpeeTube correctly.

Did you use the installation tools and instruction videos? If so, how helpful were they?
– I used both the manual and the instruction videos and found both very helpful except for the manifold-hanging instructions. Everything else was clearly described step by step.
– I chose a manifold with connections top-right at the pump. It would be helpful to have a diagram showing whether the “red” or the “blue” manifold should be above or below. I struggled with that for a while.
– The manifold video could be improved. It is one video showing both hanging and filling the manifold back-to-back. In reality you hang the manifold first and then fill it much later. That meant I had to purge several times which could be avoided. The video also showed a completely different manifold with a different hanger mechanism which caused doubt about doing it correctly.