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Skirting Board Heating
City Plumbing sells a selection of skirting board heating at some of the most competitive prices. These clever heating devices are an energy-efficient infrared radiant heating system and expertly designed to emulate traditional skirting boards while adding heat to the space, creating the cosiest of environments.
What is a Skirting Board Heater?
A skirting board heater is an innovative heating system that replaces traditional skirting boards (baseboards) with panels that have integrated heating elements.
The primary function is to heat a room without taking up wall space like a radiator or requiring the floor to be torn up like underfloor heating.
There are two main types, including:
- Wet (Hydronic) systems connect to your central heating (boiler or heat pump) and circulate hot water.
- Electric (Dry) systems use internal heating elements and plug into the electrical supply.
How Does it Work?
Skirting board heaters typically operate in one of two ways: wet (hydronic) or electric (dry). Both systems work by distributing heat evenly around the room's perimeter.
1. Wet (Hydronic) System
This is the most common type and is integrated into a central heating system (like a boiler or heat pump).
- Hot Water Circulation: Hot water from your boiler or heat pump is circulated through internal pipes (often made of copper) hidden within the back of the skirting board profile.
- Heat Transfer: The pipes heat the material of the skirting board itself, which is typically a highly conductive metal like aluminium alloy.
- Radiant Heat Emission: The warmed aluminium radiates heat directly into the room, warming objects and people, similar to the sun or underfloor heating. This radiant heat travels at floor level and rises.
- Convection: A small amount of gentle convection heat is also created as a warm "veil" of air rises along the wall, reducing cold spots and drafts, particularly near external walls and windows.
- Connection: It connects to your existing central heating pipework (flow and return) just like a standard radiator.
2. Electric (Dry) System
This system uses electricity instead of water and is ideal for rooms without existing central heating connections.
- Electric Element: An electric heating element is embedded within the back of the skirting board panel.
- Infrared Radiant Heat: When powered, the element warms the front panel, which then emits infrared radiant heat into the room.
- Control: It is connected to a standard electrical supply and typically controlled by a dedicated thermostat.
Key Mechanism: Perimeter Heating
The core function of a skirting board heater is to run around the perimeter of the room, often along exterior walls. This contrasts with a single radiator that only heats from one spot. Heating from all (or most) sides provides a more even temperature distribution, reducing cold spots and creating a more comfortable, all-around warmth.
How Does this Heating Compare to Radiators?
- Radiators primarily use convection (heating air), often creating hot spots.
- Skirting board heaters primarily use radiant heat, similar to underfloor heating, to directly warm objects and people, providing a more even, comfortable warmth throughout the room.
Are Skirting Board Heaters Safe for Children and Pets?
Yes. Skirting board heaters generally operate at a lower surface temperature than traditional radiators, making them safer to have within the home.
What Is the Heat Output of this Heating Type?
- It's measured per linear metre.
- Wet systems typically output around 100 to 180 Watts per metre.
- Electric systems are often around 150 to 200 Watts per metre.
- Sufficient total length must be installed to meet the room's required heat load.
Recommended Homes for Skirting Board Heating
Skirting board heating is a premium, specialised heating solution that excels in certain types of homes and scenarios. Yet, it’s most highly recommended for homes that prioritise aesthetics, space, and energy efficiency, and are often undergoing renovation.
New Builds / Modern Homes:
- Excellent for well-insulated properties where its low-temperature operation works efficiently.
- Pairs perfectly with modern, highly efficient heating systems like air or ground source heat pumps and condensing boilers.
Renovations & Retrofits:
- It is much less disruptive than installing underfloor heating (UFH) since it doesn't require ripping up the floors.
- It is a great alternative to UFH during a full renovation.
Small Homes / Apartments:
- It saves space by removing the need for bulky wall-mounted radiators, enabling more flexible furniture placement and enhancing room design.
- Frees up valuable floor and wall space for furniture and design.
Homes with Expensive/Delicate Flooring:
- Unlike UFH, it is not restricted by your floor covering.
- It won't require you to lift or replace expensive tiles, carpets, or hardwood floors.
Can it Replace Other Heating Methods?
Yes, skirting board heating can completely replace other heating methods in the home, particularly radiators. For many modern or well-insulated homes, it can be the primary and only source of heat.
Skirting heating systems are designed to provide the equivalent or superior heat output of traditional radiators for a given space, especially when installed around most of the room's perimeter.
- Replacing Radiators: Skirting heating is a direct replacement for panel radiators and is designed to connect to the same central heating system (wet systems).
- Replacing UFH: It is often used as a less-invasive alternative to UFH, providing a similar radiant heating experience without the high cost and major disruption of a full floor installation.
- Full Home Heating: Many manufacturers claim their systems can be the sole heat emitter in a property, provided the system is correctly sized based on a professional heat loss calculation for each room.
Is Skirting Board Heating Suitable for Older Properties?
While manufacturers suggest it can be fitted in older properties (as a retrofit), it's important to be cautious:
- Potential Issue: Skirting heating relies on a lower-temperature, gentle radiant heat. It can struggle to adequately heat a large, old, or poorly insulated property with significant drafts along the floor or large windows, as the heat output may not be sufficient to overcome high heat loss.
- The Verdict: It's best suited for older homes only after substantial insulation work has been completed, or in rooms that have adequate perimeter length to meet the heating demand.
How Much Does it Cost?
.As the home of heating, City Plumbing understands that price matters when choosing a heating system. Skirting board heating usually costs more upfront than regular radiators, with hardware prices between £40 and £60 per metre. This is because it uses advanced aluminium and special fittings. Still, it can save you money over time. ThermaSkirt operates at lower water temperatures and offers excellent heat transfer, helping lower your energy bills. You also get more wall space and faster installation compared to underfloor heating. Overall, this is a smart, savvy, and efficient choice for a comfortable home.
What Should You Know Before Installing It?
Understandably, some people have concerns about choosing this type of heating. Here, we quickly address common myths:
Durability and Resilience: While metal heating profiles are a higher investment than MDF skirting, they are significantly more robust. Built from high-grade aluminium, these systems are designed to withstand the knocks and bumps of everyday life far better than timber. In the rare event of a heavy impact, the modular nature of the system often allows for specific sections to be addressed without a "ground-up" rebuild.
Streamlined Maintenance: The "redecorating" myth is rarely the reality. Most modern skirting heating uses push-fit technology and discrete mounting brackets. Because the system sits on the surface of the wall (unlike underfloor heating, which is buried under screed), accessing a connection is straightforward. If a seal needs a quick check, it can usually be handled with minimal disruption to your paintwork or wallpaper.
Reliable Parts Supply: While it’s a specialised market, being a "single-source" technology is actually a quality safeguard. By sourcing through established distributors like City Plumbing, you ensure that every bracket, joint, and length is a genuine, precision-engineered part designed to work perfectly within the system, rather than a "one-size-fits-all" component that might fail prematurely.
What Types of Skirting Board Heating Does City Plumbing Sell?
City Plumbing Supplies sells a varied selection of skirting board heating. From full kits to help you get the job done in one go to crucial accessories, mounting brackets, installation & spares, manifold kits, and so much more, we have everything you need to set up and run this type of heating.
Featuring best-selling products available exclusively from the renowned brand, Thermaskirt, we keep our prices competitive throughout the year to help you keep your home warm for less.
Buy Skirting Board Heating at City Plumbing
City Plumbing is a popular choice for everyone, from homeowners to installers looking for a local plumber's merchant.
With our superb Trustpilot rating, our wealth of knowledge from four-plus decades of experience, and the many outstanding plumbing and heating products we have for sale, we’re here to help you get the job done.
With more than 350 branches nationwide, our prices are competitive to ensure you get all your projects finished on budget.
Offering several Delivery Options and a Click & Collect service, if you’re looking for a City Plumbing near me, type your postcode into our branch locator to find your nearest City Plumbing Supplies.
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