Hydronic Trench Heating

Trench heating is a stylish way to heat a room with large expanses of glass or little wall space for panels. A trench convector is covered with a grill that can be designed to match your floor covering or taste.

What is Hydronic Trench Heating?

Trench heating is where we install a hydronic convector system within a trench in the subfloor with a grill over the top that matches with your flooring.

It is the preferred method of heating a room with large expanses of glazing, little wall space or if panels are not desired. The pipes are laid from the boiler through the slab or subfloor to the end of the trench. The hot water heats a convector that is in one side of the trench so that as cold air falls off of the glazing into the trench it is then heated and rises.

The Trench box is built by your builder and should be a minimum of 230mm opening and 280mm deep at the length to suit heating the house. Most builders use any spare yellow tongue or similar and paint it black internally.  At rough-in, the pipework is installed to service the trench(s) and will be the same pipework that services any radiator panels you may have.

Hydronic Trench Heating Install Diagram

Grill Options

Roll Up Timber Grill

Timber Roll Up Trench Heater Grill

Laser Cut Grill

Laser Cut Trench Grill

Aluminium Grill

Alluminium Hydronic Trench Grill

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We pride ourselves on providing a quote no matter what size, stage or status of the project. Whether you are close to construction, or just budgeting your next project we can offer you an accurate, no-obligation quote. Each quote is designed to give you the best price and a selection of optional upgrades to suit your preferences.

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How long does it take to heat up?

Trench heating and radiator panels operate at the same water temperature of 70C from the boiler and commonly on the same system. Depending on the temperature inside and outside it is generally described that it will take 30 minutes to feel more comfortable and maybe a bit longer to reach your targeted temperature. A system should operate by programming your thermostat so that it is warm when you want it to be, and off when you are not at home. For best control, we highly recommend using a smart thermostat such as the Google Nest.

Trench Heating Installation?

Trench Heating has 3 main components.

  1. The Trench Box Constructed by the Builder
  2. The Convector Element
  3. The Grill
  • The joist is installed so that a box can be created that is 230 – 300mm wide and 250-300mm deep.
  • The Convector is fixed inside this box and plumbed to the main flow and return with 16mm pex-al-pex pipe.
  • The finished flooring stops short 20mm of all 4 edges of the trench so that the grill can be supported
Hydronic Trench Heating Animation
Hydronic Trench Heating Pipework
Hydronic Trench Heating Install Diagram

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