In-Floor Heating

Which civilization or person created the first under floor heating system?

A. GreeceB. RomeC. EgyptD. Martha StewartE. Fred Flintstone

The Romans

Developed by the Romans called Hypocaust Hypocaust from Greek which means “to

light a fire under”. Latin hypocaustum, from Greek hupokauston room heated from below, from hupokaiein to light a fire beneath, from HYPO- + kaiein to burn

Hypo meaning below or under Caust meaning to burn or heat

Or did they look

like…….

Did they look like this?

This !

Slave owner

Romans created under floor heating systems called "hypocausts".

Under the floor would be an empty space with brick or stone pillars at regular intervals to support the floor.

A furnace lit at one end of the room and the heat from the fire would circulate freely within the under floor space, heating the floor above.

Flues or channels within the walls would carry the hot air upwards warming the tiles or bricks not only in the floors but the walls as well.

Under floor heating died out after the Romans left Britain drifted towards the Dark Ages. Central heating was not revived again until the start

of the industrial revolution in the 19th Century. Rich merchants and landowners could afford to fit

water filled pipes and cast iron radiators in their grand mansions.

If the Victorians had developed under floor heating instead of radiators, then all houses today would have under floor heating by default.

The modern system of radiators did not enter the mass housing market until after the second world war.

So what does a brick got to do with it?

WARNING: Radiant Floors May Cause Babies to Attack their Mothers!