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Trench Heating and the Benefits it Offers

13 June 2019

Trench heating is a system used in building design that negates the need for using standard wall-mounted radiators and it does so in a simple, but clever way. When it is employed by consulting engineers, trench heating involves using trenches under the floor and connecting to the heating system with a convector unit and grille. This allows natural or forced convection to be used to provide heat to the entirety of a room or building façade, from floor level, right up to the ceiling.

How it Works

The amount of heat generated by this kind of system will depend largely on the size of the trench, as it will determine the dimensions of the heating element used. The size of the trench will also determine the quantity of cool air that is able to be drawn through, heated and then fed back into the living space. The increased airflow this allows is able to be achieved with what is essentially a basic fan convection system.

The Benefits

Consulting engineers use trench heating as despite being incredibly simple in design, they offer a range of benefits over and above those provided by conventional radiator-based systems:

  • Low water/high heat heating element makes it particularly energy efficient when combined with air source and low grade heat systems
  • Trench heating heats rooms evenly and greatly reduces cold spots and draughts
  • Less air turbulence is created than radiators, making them ideal for those with allergies or asthma
  • Condensation is also greatly reduced compared to radiators meaning it’s perfect for homes with large windows or conservatories and commercial buildings with glazed curtain walling.

Trench heating is just one of the many systems and technologies used by the experienced m & e engineers at Varming Consulting Engineers to make our client projects as energy efficient and environmentally friendly as they possibly can be.

If you would like to know more about the methods we use or about us as a company, please visit us online at www.varming.ie where you’ll find lots of information and examples of our past work. Alternatively, if you would like to talk to one of our team, call our Dublin HQ on +353 (0)1 4872300.