WITH a poorly insulated, aging housing stock and rising energy costs finding ways to reduce heating bills is high on the list for homeowners. When replacing carpet, floorwise says thinking carefully about the underlay can make a discernible difference in energy bills.

Typically, it’s estimated that up to 15% of a home’s lost energy is through its floor, so taking a considered approach to its thermal performance is worth considering. With current building regulations, newbuild homes may require more than 100mm of rigid foam insulation to combat this heat loss, but the bulk of the UK’s housing stock predates these requirements.

When refurbishing carpet in all but the newest homes, it’s often laid directly onto a concrete slab or suspended timber floor. By recommending a combination of carpet and underlay with a high combined tog value, you can help homeowners minimise heat loss through these substrates and save on their energy bills.

Not only will the right combination of carpet and underlay help to cut down on wasted energy, but it’ll also stop drafts through suspended timber floors and help make homes feel warmer, also giving homeowners the option to turn down the temperature on thermostats.

Most modern underlays come with a tog rating, which can be added to the tog value of the carpet – typically between 0.7 and 3 tog – for a total ‘system’ thermal performance. Depending on factors such as material, thickness and density, tog ratings of carpet underlays range from 0.7 to more than 3.5 tog.

If you’re looking to recommend an underlay with the best insulation to a homeowner worried about their energy bills, then turn to floorwise Maxi, an EHD+ 11mm recycled PU underlay that’s among the brand’s best thermal performers, says floorwise.

‘With a 3.5 tog value, it maximises the insulation ability of carpet and underlay ‘systems’, as well as providing great underfoot comfort and lasting support.’

The company continues: ‘In fact, up until 2000 the U-value requirement for new build housing was 1.2W/m2K for an R-value of 0.83m2K/W – a figure almost achieved by floorwise Maxi and a heavyweight carpet today.

‘Right across the range, floorwise provides tog values in its underlay recommendation guide, downloaded from its website at www.floorwise.co.uk/product/recommendation-guide. With the guide at your side, whether you need recycled PU, sponge rubber or felt; you can help your customer make an educated choice that shows fantastic floors start with floorwise.’
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wiseup@floorwise.co.uk
www.floorwise.co.uk