Timoleon’s bespoke approach to underfloor heating design makes it possible to create low energy, carbon saving solutions for some of the nation’s finest old buildings.
Queen Anne’s Gate is one of London’s finest streets of early 18th Century townhouses, just a short walk from St James’s Park.
Here Timoleon has supplied an underfloor heating system as part of a major refurbishment programme for a four-storey private house, built around 1700.
Following a site survey a design was developed using a number of techniques to match the floor constructions at differing levels throughout the building.
In the basement area Timoleon pipework was integrated into the screeded concrete floors in the Orangery and adjoining hallway. Timoleon’s new Metis ClipPlate solution not only provides a versatile means of retaining the pipe to the required layout, but the 10mm layer of expanded polystyrene integrated beneath each plate also guards against deformation – and provides extra insulation into the bargain!
In addition to providing a firm grip on the pipe the deep castellations on the Metis ClipPlate offer protection from site traffic and the screeding process.
The system also works well with Timoleon expansion foam and polythene gaiter, which both seals the floor edges and protects walls against screed expansion.
Upstairs a Timoleon Aether FoilBoard system has been specially adapted to meet the needs of the suspended timber floors and ancient joists.
Timoleon Aether FoilBoard (see www.timoleon.ltd.uk) comprises 50mm of high efficiency insulation material with a layer of aluminium bonded to the upper surface – into which channels are preformed ready to accept Timoleon’s 15mm polybutylene heating pipe.
The system is ideal for use with wooden suspended, or floating floor constructions with heat from the aluminium diffuser layer radiating evenly across the entire under surface of the floor.
Both straight and loop return sections are available, all of which can be easily cut – Timoleon uses soft tempered aluminium – to meet the exact dimensions of the floor.
The Aether FoilBoard system is equally flexible in terms of heat output. Unlike other underfloor heating manufacturers Timoleon is able to increase the aluminium diffuser thickness. This technique was employed at Queen Anne’s Gate to minimise the water temperatures required, while still achieving a heat output high enough to satisfy the heat losses.
The Timoleon Aether FoilBoard system serves the dining room and kitchen on the ground floor, the drawing room and library on the first floor and the master bedroom with en suite bathroom and dressing from on the top storey.
Both Clip Plate and Aether FoilBoard systems are connected to the brand new gas-fired condensing boiler in the basement via manifolds, discreetly located in cupboards in the kitchen and on the second floor riser.
To ensure maximum flexibility of control the Timoleon system is divided into 8 separate zones each controlled by an individual room thermostat.
Builders for the Queen Anne’s Gate project were FWA Group, which specialises in quality buildings from palaces and museums to fine houses.