It’s hard to understand just how much more space you can benefit from by taking away the radiators until they’re gone. With an in-wall heating system, you can experience more space as the heating system gets ‘hidden’ within the wall.
To see if a ‘hidden’ heating system within the walls would be beneficial to your home, we’ve taken a look at the pros, cons and costs.
What is a Wall Heating System?
In-wall heating is a low temperature heating system that’s installed into the internal side of the walls around the home. To help prevent any of the heat escaping outside, you’ll often find that insulation is fitted behind the system on the external side of the wall
You can choose between 2 different types of system, one is water-based and the other uses electricity.
| Type of Heating System | Water | Electricity |
| How does it work? | Pipes are fitted across the wall and hot water gets fed through them. Heat is them emitted through the wall and into the room. | Electric wall panels are available in the form of very thin mats that line up the wall. |
Thanks to the low temperatures, energy bills can already be reduced but to keep them down further, each room will often have its very own thermostat. By not having thermostats, your home won’t be able to experience all of the benefits that wall heating systems have to offer.
Once installed, your home will have a low temperature heat emitter that covers a large surface area.
Can a Low Temperature Heating System Really Heat the Home?
Many of us are used to having radiators around the home which operate at high temperatures of around 70°C. While this has proven to quickly heat the room, the high temperatures radiators need to reach to be effective, aren’t exactly the most efficient way of heating a home.
By operating at a low temperature across a large surface area, much like underfloor heating, the heating system within a wall can efficiently and economically heat your home. It might take a little longer but the room will soon be nice and warm.
What are the Benefits of Having a Heating System in the Wall?
As with anything being installed around the home, you have to consider the pro and cons to make sure that there are more benefits than negatives. We’ve done the research for you to collect all of the positive impacts this heating system will bring to your home in the table below:
| Pros | How it will benefit the home |
| Low operating temperature | Wall heating systems don’t need to reach high temperatures to heat a room which means that you can reduce your energy bills. |
| Space saver | It’s hidden under the wall, completely out of sight, so you won’t be losing any space around the home. |
| Less dust circulation | Radiators spread dust around the room but because the heat emitted from wall heating systems is radiant the air in the room stays clear. |
| Reduces risk of mould | As the wall is being heated, the risk of it getting cold or damp is greatly reduced so there’s less chance of mould forming. This is of great benefit to rooms that are susceptible to damp such as the bathroom. |
| Increase value of home | Your home will look very spacious when being viewed by potential buyers which could increase their interest. Plus, many ‘hidden’ heating systems are thought of as modern and luxurious. |
Is There Anything to Consider?
While there are many benefits that this heating system can bring to your home, it’s important to consider the potential downsides before having the system installed. Take a look through the things you need to consider in the table:
| Pros | How it will benefit the home |
|---|---|
| Some disruption during installation | While the installation process isn’t overly complicated it’s likely to cause some disruption around the home. The best time to have the system installed would be during a renovation. |
| Less usable wall space | You will need to be extra cautious when hammering nails into the walls to make sure that you don’t hit the system. Your installer should be able to provide details of where you can hang things up. |
| Longer to heat rooms than radiators | The lower operating temperatures might be good for your energy bills but they do mean that you’ll have to wait longer to feel the effects. |
How Much Does it Cost?
The price will be different depending on whether you go for a water or electricity-based system. Electric systems can cost around £70 – £150 per square metre before adding in the installation costs.
When looking for an engineer to carry out the installation, we highly recommend getting at least 3 quotes from different companies to give you the greatest chance of finding the best deal available.
Wall Cooling Systems
Unlike radiators, some water-based wall heating systems can be used all year round as they also operate as a cooling system. This means that during the warm summer months you can keep your home cool.
Other Alternative Heating Systems
Underfloor Heating
An underfloor heating system heats the room from the bottom up in a very similar way to wall heating systems. There are 2 different types of system available, water-based and electricity-based, which both heat up at a low temperature under the entire surface of the floor which is them emitted up into the room. If you’re worried about burning your feet, it is more than comfortable to walk on.
Is it a Good Idea to have a Heating System Within the Wall?
Installing a heating system within the wall offers many benefits when compared with radiators:
- Lower operating temperatures which can help to lower energy bills
- More space around the home
- Make your home a healthier place to live by reducing the chance of mould forming
If you’re looking to free up some space around the home while benefiting from an economical heating system then wall heating, along with underfloor heating, are well worth considering.
If you’d like the sound of ‘hiding’ your heating system, then just remember to consider when the installation should take place as it could cause some disruption. If you’re redecorating or renovating then that would be the ideal time to have an in-wall or underfloor heating system installed.
