THE last thing you want to do on a cold morning is get out of bed.

Stepping out onto a warm carpet, however, sounds blissful.

According to a new campaign called Ask for Underfloor (askforunderfloor.org.uk), many people dream of having underfloor heating. In a recent survey, a third of people said they’d like underfloor heating in their new home when they next move.

Desirable as it may be, underfloor heating can seem like an expensive and disruptive home improvement, but it’s often more affordable and easier to fit than you might think.

There are two types of underfloor heating, electric and wet or hydronic, which circulate warm water between pipes under the floor and the boiler. In this case the pipes do not have to be laid in a new concrete floor. With some wet underfloor heating systems, the plumber can lift up the existing floorcovering, fit the heating panels, lay plywood on top then replace the floorcovering. Most types of floorcovering are suitable for underfloor heating, including carpet, tiles, vinyl, laminate and wood, although it should be insulated underneath to prevent excessive heat loss.

While it’s perfectly possible to have underfloor heating in some rooms and radiators in others, the former is more energy efficient. It works at a lower temperature to radiators yet delivers the same level of comfort, saving you money because the boiler or other heat source doesn’t have to work as hard and so uses less energy.

A radiator heats the air immediately above it, with the heat rising to the ceiling before falling in a circular motion as it cools. An underfloor system, on the other hand, heats the entire floor from the ground up, providing a more even heat throughout the room.

This reduces the constant air circulation caused by radiators, which creates draughts and distributes dust.

If your home has a ground, air or water source heat pump, or you’re considering installing one, this is the perfect partner for underfloor heating. Heat pumps work at their most efficient at low-water-output temperatures, so having a low-temperature heat emitter, such as underfloor heating, is ideal. Both heat pumps and boilers can heat water to the lower temperature required for underfloor heating, but heat pumps do it more efficiently than boilers.

As wet underfloor heating systems are connected to your home’s boiler or heat pump, they can be cheaper to run than electric versions. They also come with room (or zone) controls, so you can have some rooms (or zones, such as the ground floor) hotter than others, again potentially saving you money.

Another advantage is that underfloor heating is space-saving.

Some rooms, especially in small homes, are short of wall space for radiators, but this isn’t a problem if the heating’s under the floor. Underfloor heating is increasingly popular in children’s bedrooms as a safer alternative to radiators.

It is, of course, important to get your underfloor heating from a reputable manufacturer that offers a guarantee – some manufacturers guarantee their heating pipes for up to 50 years – and to use a plumber or heating engineer with experience of fitting systems like yours. While prices vary from system to system and home to home, wet underfloor heating for a three-bedroom house costs around £2,100 to £2,600, according to Ask for Underfloor.

Visit askforunderfloor.org.uk for more information on prices and on wet underfloor heating in general.