TRENCH HEATING INFORMATION

The trench heating system is an underfloor heat radiation system, unlike the wall, mounted radiator. It is a convenient and space saving model that can be run either on water or electricity. A long, rectangular trench is dug beneath the ground and the system comprising an insulated steel box casing is fixed snugly into that space. The steel box casing contains either water pipes or electrical elements that make up the convector unit that is responsible for convection and distributing of hot air. The trench system also has key parts called the grilles. These parts of the system are seen as they act both as covering for the system and also as channels through which cold and hot air enter and leave the system respectively. The grill also gives a decorative, aesthetic look to the room it occupies.

The heating radiator was first invented between 1855 and 1857 by the Prussian-born Russian, Franz San Galli and has remained a must-have in many homes to combat the cold seasons. Thermal energy is transferred from one medium to another via convection. Radiators are heat exchangers. The trench heating system comprises mainly the convector unit and the grille which allows for airflow. The trench heater draws in cold air through the grilles and gives it out as hot air, heating up rooms or enclosed places.

In order to have maximum heat output, grilles should be cleaned periodically because they tend to accumulate dirt and dust particles, and this could reduce the amount of air that goes in or out of the heater.

The heat output of radiators can be monitored and regulated through Room thermostats, Thermostatic radiator valves and more recently, Smart control. The performance of radiators is determined by the EN 16430 testing procedure. This procedure also tests for noise and pressure.

An advantage of the trench heating system is that it allows for even distribution of air across a room, preventing draughts and cold spots. For rooms with floor to ceiling windows, trench heaters are great because there is no condensation. The grilles of trench heaters come in different designs and finishing and therefore add to the aesthetic look of the room. Trench heating systems because they are fitted beneath the floor, are unobtrusive and do not take up space unlike the wall mounted radiators. Hence, customers can have their trench heaters custom designed.

Possible locations for trench heaters are beneath patio doors and thresholds, beneath bay windows, since they do not cause condensation and they can even be run up a flight of stairs. These can always be decided by the customer. 

Trench Heating Radiators can be fan assisted to increase the Radiators BTU output for the same size frame.

Jaga are renowned for quality of design and construction in their Trench Heaters and back up their trench heating with market leading warranties.

Jaga trench heating radiators can be bought at trenchstyle.co.uk and trenchheater.co.uk

trench heaters with cooling capability

trench heating with cooling capability

trench heating is the perfect solution for room heating but can also be used for area cooling.

however you will need to purchase trench radiator units which are designed as dual purpose heating and cooling trench heater systems.

in standard trench heating heat rises naturally from the trench heater drawing cooler air in and producing a continual circuit and curtain of heat, this is natural convection caused by the phenomenom of heated air rising, basically the heated air expands becomes less dense than the cooler air around it and rises.

with a cooling system air needs to be blown to create the air movement over the cooling coils.

this does have an added benefit in that heat exchange is significantly greater when air is force blown producing a much greater heat exchange whether that be warm water to air or air to chilled water. so that a trench heater with a fan assist will have a much greater btu output than a none fan unit.

a fan assisted system is also more responsive and controllable and in modern day trench heaters the utilsed fans are ultra quiet.

the next design option is whether the units utilse the same circuit for heating and cooling. a 2 pipe system utilises the same systems for heating and cooling, a 4 pipe system utilises seperate systems.

2 pipe system - jaga clima canal

4 pipe system - jaga quatro canal

so you will need to consider the following:

• how will the flow of water both heating and chilled be controlled? home automation system with manifold, building management system?
• how will power be supplied to the trench fans and how are they controlled?

don't forget condensation, a cooling system depending on evironment will likely accumulate condensate, dual heating and cooling trench heaters will incorporate a drain pan and with associated facility for drain pipework connection as needed.

Buy trench heaters with cooling and heating such as the jaga clima canal and jaga quatro canal at trenchstyle.co.uk

Specifying Trench Heating Room Requirements

Specifying a Trench Heater for Your Room

Trench Heating Radiators can be used as additional heating to complement traditional wall mounted radiator systems, Targetted Heating for instance in front of a large glass wall area or Total Room Heating where Trench Heaters provide all the rooms BTU Heating requirements. So first we need to establish what heating is required within the room, this is a simple proces using an online calcultor, you can try several and they will all generally be within 10% of each other as there are a lot of variable to consider.

  BTU Heating Calculator - Click Here

After Calculation you have your BTU Requirements for your Trench Heating, as a Golden room unless you have a small room (below 4mSQ) then it is worth having 2 heating sources within the room, this allows the room to have a more balanced heat level and avoids having a warm and cold end or localised cool areas. So now we need to decide where to place the Trench Perimeter Heating. Large Windows, Patio Doors, Wall, Steps are all great Locations so decide and see what lengths you have available in your chosen areas. When the Trench Heater approximate Length is required we now need to look at the width, this will impact the BTU output with the wider the unit producing the greater output, however we need to consider room aesthetics and do not want an excessively wide unit if the room is not large. You can check for sizing using a

Trench Heater Product Finder.

To match your decor the trench heater grille is a key element, you need to decide if you want the Trench Heater to complement or contrast. There is a Grille to suite your every requirement, from wood to aluminium, roll up and rigid, laquered and raw. This can be specified at time of order or on the website. As a Guide only here are links to trench heater products and usage roles

  Home Heating 

  Home Heating with Fan Assist 

  Home Heating with Fan Assist and Advanced Controls 

  Large Home, Commercial and Industrial

  Large Home, Commercial and Industrial with Fan Assist

At Trenchstyle we recommend Jaga Trench Heating for several reasons:

 Jaga Trench Products have the Market Leading Heat Exchanger Warranty
 Jaga make your Trench Heater to Order, these are units made using premium matterials.
 Jaga themselves handle the trench heater transport to your property to ensure it reaches you in perfect condition, they will liaise with you reference delivery of your Trench Heaters.

  Buy Trench Heaters online today

Trench Heating Frequently Asked Questions

Trench Heating Frequently Asked Questions

I am looking to fit a Trench Heater next to a window, does it matter which way I mount the Trench Heater?

Generally No, You will need to consider piping although the majority of manufacturers including Jaga have supply and return at the same end for ease of fitting.

If you're unit is a fan assisted Trench Heater it is recommended you fit the fan side closest to the window, this will allow a full interupted heat curtain to form minimising condensation and cold areas adjacent to the windows.

Can I run several Trench Heaters in Series, IE Pipe one to the next etc?

Trench Style do not recommend running Trench Heaters in series as the heat available to each Trench Heater will reduce as the pipe progresses from Trench Heater 1 to 2 to 3 etc. You can however run them in Parallel as per a traditional 2 pipe radiator system. Your Plumber or Heating Engineer will assist you with this but Trench Heaters are generally fitted the same as standard radiators.

In addition at TrenchStyle we have Trench Radiators with lengths up to 4.9 Meters.

How do I control the Temperature of a Trench Heater?

Trench Heaters are effectively infloor Radiators, we recommend a thermostatic valve set with a remote sensor, this generally comes as a discrete mounted head which senses the room temperature and acts on the thermostic valve opening or closing as per a traditional radiator.

Why would I consider a Trench Heater with Fan Assist?

A Trench Heater with a Fan Assist provides a BTU Heat boost and increases the output possible for the same size unit. The heat will also travel into the room much quicker as the forced draft circulates the air beyond that of a natural convection heat timescale.

Another benefit of the Jaga DBE Fan assist is that the ultra quiet fan comes on and goes off with water temperature IE with your central heating system.

Are Trench Heaters Suitable for Homes?

Yes Trench Heating is perfect for Conservatories, Large windowed areas or anywhere wall mounted Radiators are not desired for aesthetic reasons.

Does Trench Heating work like normal central heating radiators?

Yes the BTU outputs are comparable, hook up is via 2 pipes, control can be by various methods including TRV with discrete in room sensor head.

What kind of Grilles come with Trench Heating?

Grilles can come in numerous materials including Wood, Aluminium and Steel with colour and varnish options. Trench Heating Grilles can also be specified Rigid or Roll Up.

Is Trench Heating with Central Heat Supply cheaper than Electric Heaters?

Central Heat as a rule is cheaper than Electric, Electric has the benefit of the heat being paid for directly at the room it is fitted with minimal losses, however generally if you have central heating you would benefit from ongoing savings in fitting a Centrally heated radiator solution than an Electric system.

Can I specify the Lengths for Trench Heating?

Trench Heating is available in numerous lengths, Trenchstyle.co.uk has lengths of up to 4.9 Meters supplied as single Trench Heaters units (This is due to delivery capability and for handling purposes). However these can be run in lengths as required to suite your needs.

Does Trench Heating have any obvious benefits?

1. Discrete
2. Stylish
3. Perfect for Large windowed areas
4. Ideal for Conservatories
5. Requires no wall space
6. Can be used with existing Central Heating.
7. Choice of Grille Matterials and Colours
8. Functional Heating
9. Can be fitted by Plumber (Fan Assist required Electrical Supply).

How do I level Trench Heating?

Your Builder or Carpenter or Self will have prepared a base and generally the Trench Heating manufacturer provides levelling mechanisms which can allows movement and levelling of around 6cm which will easily allow for any issues with the floor level. The adjustments are straight forward and generally likely to take 10 - 15 minutes to get perfectly level.

Is the Trench Heating casing Insulated?

At Trenchstyle.co.uk we offer options of base insulation or 3 sided 5mm insulation on our Mini Canal products, as standard the trench heaters are not insulated and only generally require insulation if the trench unit is not within a duct or complete trench but is open to an open underfloor etc.

Where can I get further advice on Trench Heating?

Contact Us at Trenchstyle - 0208 720 7062 / sales@Trenchstyle.co.uk