The expansion of the ECOFILM C range of electric heating films has significantly simplified the design of ceiling heating systems and elevated them to the status of a fully-fledged alternative to underfloor heating. Nevertheless, this system is still used less and less in detached houses. The main reason for this is a long-held belief about how heat spreads throughout a room. Ceiling heating, however, is based on radiation rather than air flow, and can therefore ensure an even temperature and a high level of thermal comfort throughout the entire room.
There is often a misconception that heat from the ceiling cannot heat a room effectively because it ‘rises’. In reality, heat spreads into cooler materials in all directions, whilst only warm air rises. With ceiling heating, a thin layer of warm air forms beneath the ceiling, preventing it from cooling down. The ceiling gradually warms up and begins to radiate heat downwards onto the floor, furniture and walls. The result is an even air temperature throughout the entire height of the room.
Measurements confirm that underfloor heating and ceiling heating are equally efficient systems. Ceiling heating using ECOFILM C foils even has a higher proportion of radiant heat – up to 84 per cent, whilst for underfloor heating this figure is approximately 77 per cent. It is precisely this radiant heat that the human body perceives as more pleasant than hot-air heating, which lacks a radiant component. As a result, Ceiling heating provides a high level of comfort even at lower surface temperatures.
Compared to underfloor heating, a ceiling-mounted system offers greater freedom in furniture placement and a quicker response to regulation, which is particularly important in modern new-builds that are sensitive to heat gains. ECOFILM C films heat plasterboard ceilings, which act as large-area radiant panels. They are manufactured in power ratings of 100, 140 and 200 W/m² and in widths tailored to plasterboard constructions. Variants designed for low-energy and passive houses are also available.
