Underfloor heating – the Roman legacy

Underfloor heating isn’t as new as you might think . . . 

If there’s one thing that most children can remember about the Roman period from the time they studied it at school, it’s that the Romans invented underfloor heating. Their systems might not have been as sophisticated as the pipes you can now lay in your own home, but the theory was there, and was put into practice in the very best Roman homes – particularly the ones built in those parts of the Roman Empire that had colder weather, such as Britain. Examples of the Roman underfloor heating system, called a hypocaust, can be found at many Roman sites across the country, including at Bath and Chester. 

How the first underfloor heating worked 

The Roman underfloor heating system relied on the hot air that was generated from burning fires. Whilst homes or palaces were under construction, rooms would begin with floors on a foundation level. Across this level, a system of chambers would be built, so that there was space between the floor of the room and the foundations for the hot air to flow. A furnace would be built under one corner of the room and stoking that furnace would produce the hot air needed to heat the room. The air would flow between the gaps in the floor and the room would warm up. Hypocausts were also used in wall construction so that heat came from the walls of the building as well as the floor. This type of heating was a sign of wealth, as servants would be needed to continually keep the fires going, and putting the system in could increase the overall cost of the building. 

What’s amazing is that once the Roman civilisation died out in Britain, many of their technologies, including underfloor heating, were simply abandoned, and it’s taken many hundreds of years before homeowners can once again enjoy the benefits of this type of heating system. 

Your own hypocaust system 

Today, of course, underfloor heating is driven either electrically, or from your boiler. Pipe-based underfloor heating uses a very similar theory to the hypocaust – the boiler heats water and the water fills the pipes under the floor. The pipes are laid in a pattern to ensure that the heat is evenly distributed across the room, and the heat is controllable.

 Robbens Systems is a company with many years of expertise in underfloor heating. With over 15 years in the business, the company is ideally placed to help you plan and install underfloor heating in a wide range of buildings – from care showrooms to renovated buildings. Our expertise can help you to get the underfloor heating system you’ve always wanted, and our trained technicians are there to help you every step of the way. For more information, call us today on 01424 851111 or email robbens@underfloorheating.co.uk. 

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