Warm Air Heating Conversion to Wet Central Heating

This property was originally heated by a substantial warm air heating system built around a large double-height plant unit.

Once the original warm air equipment was removed, it left a significant void through the building and meant the heating system needed to be completely redesigned.

Heatworks designed and installed a new wet central heating system using a combination of radiators, underfloor heating and hydronic plinth heaters, supplied by a Vaillant ecoTEC plus 48kW system boiler and divided into independently controlled heating zones.

The project is a good example of what can be achieved when replacing an existing warm air heating system rather than attempting to reproduce the original installation.

Designing the Replacement Heating System

Converting a property of this size from warm air heating to a wet system involved considerably more than simply installing a new boiler.

Different areas of the building required different forms of heat delivery, so the new system was designed around several independent circuits.

A Vaillant ecoTEC plus 48kW system boiler was installed together with a low loss header, allowing the boiler circuit and the various heating circuits to operate correctly together.

A dirt and air separator was also incorporated into the installation to help protect the new system and maintain good circulation.

The property’s existing Megaflo unvented hot water cylinder remained serviceable and was retained and integrated into the new installation.

Radiators Across Three Floors

New wet central heating radiators were installed across the ground, first and top floors.

This provided conventional radiator heating throughout the main areas of the property while replacing the original warm air outlets as the primary means of space heating.

In several rooms, the original warm air floor grilles remain visible alongside the new radiators, clearly showing the transition from the previous ducted warm air system to the new wet central heating installation.

Using Plinth Heaters Where Radiators Were Not Practical

Some areas of the property needed a less conventional solution.

In the basement cinema room, hydronic plinth heaters were fitted into low-level positions associated with the previous warm air installation.

A further plinth heater was installed beneath the first step in the entrance hall.

This allowed us to provide useful heat output in areas where installing conventional radiators would have been difficult or visually intrusive.

It also meant elements of the previous warm air layout could be put to practical use as part of the conversion.

Wunda Rapid Response Underfloor Heating

The large kitchen and dining area was heated using Wunda Rapid Response underfloor heating.

The system was installed across the floor area before being prepared for the finished floor covering.

Underfloor heating was particularly well suited to this part of the property because it provides an even spread of heat across a large open-plan area without requiring additional wall-mounted radiators.

The underfloor heating circuit operates independently from the radiator and plinth heater circuits.

Six Heating Zones Plus Hot Water

The complete system is controlled by Honeywell Home Evohome.

Rather than operating the property as one large heating zone, the new installation was divided into six independently controlled heating zones plus domestic hot water.

This allows different parts of the property to call for heat independently depending on how and when they are being used.

Radiators, underfloor heating and plinth heaters can therefore all form part of the same central heating installation while still being controlled as separate zones.

From Warm Air Heating to Modern Wet Central Heating

The completed installation replaced a very large warm air heating arrangement with a flexible modern wet heating system incorporating multiple forms of heat delivery.

The finished system includes:

• Vaillant ecoTEC plus 48kW system boiler
• Low loss header
• Dirt and air separator
• Existing Megaflo unvented hot water cylinder
• Radiators across the ground, first and top floors
• Wunda Rapid Response underfloor heating
• Hydronic plinth heaters
• Honeywell Home Evohome controls
• Six independent heating zones
• Separate hot water control

Rather than forcing one type of heating emitter into every room, the system was designed around the requirements of each area of the property.

Replacing an Existing Warm Air Heating System

Warm air heating systems can often be repaired or maintained, but there are situations where converting the property to wet central heating is the more appropriate option.

The feasibility of a conversion depends on the layout of the property, available routes for new pipework, the required heat outputs and how different areas of the building are used.

Heatworks provides warm air heating repairs, servicing and replacement and can also assess properties where a complete conversion to wet central heating is being considered.

Considering replacing a warm air heating system?
Contact Heatworks to discuss the existing installation and the options available.

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