Throughout the past year, energy prices have risen, and the cost of heating your home has also increased. We understand how difficult these kinds of price rises can be, so in this guide we’ll explore how underfloor heating can reduce both your energy bills and carbon emissions. You’ll find out:
- What increased energy costs may mean for you
- The best ways to improve your home’s energy-efficiency
- Things you can do to future-proof your home against rising energy bills
- How underfloor heating could save you hundreds of dollars a year
- How floor heating can also dramatically reduce your home’s carbon footprint
Will my energy bills cost more this winter?
Yes, in most cases, they will. Due to the instability of the energy market over the past few years, the cost of energy production is currently high, and these heightened costs will be reflected in your bills.
Since January 2026, most homeowners have experienced a general rise in energy prices. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average residential electricity cost has risen from 17.45 cents/kWh (January 2026) to 18.83 cents/kWh (April 2026), while the average residential natural gas cost has risen from $13.96/Mcf to $18.17/Mcf within the same time frame.
That being said, these costs will vary based on where you live, your meter system, and how you pay your bills.
How can I improve my home’s energy performance?
To help reduce the costs of rising energy bills, it’s well worth considering improving the efficiency of your home’s heating. An energy-efficient heating system will reduce energy waste and in turn, reduce its running costs.
Installing good insulation is of paramount importance to conserve the energy it takes to warm your home. Making sure your walls, floors, and attic space are well insulated keeps the warmth produced by your heating system inside the space while keeping the cold air outside from coming in. Double and triple-glazed windows and draught proofing will also protect you and your family from colder external temperatures. Energy Star windows, for example, use Low-E glass, which offers an efficient alternative to older, single-pane windows and would help successfully reduce drafts.
Smaller-Scale Insulation Tips
There are several smaller cost-effective steps you can take to improve heat retention as well. For instance, you can install thermal curtains, seal any gaps along windows and doors with weatherstripping or caulk, and seal any drafts from HVAC ductwork. These simple strategies can prevent warm air from leaving and help your heating system work more efficiently.
Use Smart Thermostats
Looking for some more immediate steps to take that can reduce your costs? Using Smart multi-zone thermostats to control your heating system can save you up to an additional 25% on energy, compared to basic thermostats.
Using Smart Thermostats to implement a zonal heating strategy allows individual rooms or spaces to be independently controlled, providing homeowners with the option to only heat spaces that are actively being used. This space-specific approach reduces energy waste while providing customized home comfort.
Warmup’s collection of Smart Thermostats ensure that your home is heated at the right time, in the right way and at the right temperature for your needs, automatically. Using a Warmup Smart Thermostat such as the 7iE alongside our MyHeating App could save you hundreds of dollars a year on your energy bills. Smart Thermostats can automate heating schedules that are routine-specific, keeping temperatures lower at night and during working hours. They manage your heating system based on your user preferences while also providing the necessary information to effectively monitor your energy usage.
Read our expert guide to find more tips about improving the efficiency of your home.
What are some long-term things I can do to future-proof my home against rising prices?
If you’re interested in long-term solutions to improve the sustainability of your home and your protection from further energy price rises, there is a wide range of options you can explore.
You could consider installing a new heat source that makes use of renewable energy such as a ground or air-source heat pump, a biomass boiler, or a solar thermal system while also thinking about fitting new solar panels working alongside storage batteries for your electric needs. These energy-saving measures can be expensive to install but should lessen the impact of energy-market price disruptions while lowering the carbon footprint of your home too. Using a solar PV system to power your home could provide you with a 100% renewable energy solution; allowing you to enjoy zero-carbon, self-generated electricity, which can dramatically reduce the cost of your electricity bills.
Updating your heating system is a great way to save energy and money. An underfloor heating system is up to 35% more efficient than traditional heating systems. Warmup offers electric floor heaters that are suitable for use with heat pumps and solar PV systems.
How much money could I save with underfloor heating?
The enhanced efficiency of underfloor heating can result in significant savings on your energy bills. Floor heating utilizes radiant heat technology to warm a room from the ground up, which uses less energy to achieve the same feeling of warmth as traditional heating methods. Our range of electric floor heaters provides 100% efficient direct heating, with no energy waste. Since radiant floor heating delivers even heating across the floor’s surface, it can provide the same feeling of comfort at lower temperatures than conventional heating systems while also eliminating cold spots. Warmup’s collection of Smart Thermostats can help you save even more energy and money too.
To illustrate how much money you could save with underfloor heating, let’s compare the costs of heating a typical US home with a conventional electric resistance heating system vs. one utilizing a Warmup electric underfloor heating solution:
| Heating Solution | Energy Source | Estimated Annual Energy Consumption | Typical Annual Cost (Based on U.S. average residential energy prices, April 2026) |
| Traditional home with electric baseboard heaters. | Electricity | 10,500 kWh | $1,977.00 |
| Home with Warmup Electric Underfloor Heating and a Smart Thermostat. | Electricity | 6,825 kWh | $1,285.00 |
Estimated annual energy consumption uses the U.S. Energy Information Administration annual national average of 10,500 kWh/year. The estimated annual energy consumption for a home using Warmup Electric Underfloor Heating is based on energy savings up to 35%. Annual energy costs use the U.S. Energy Information Administration national average electricity price for April 2026: 18.83 cents/kWh.
As seen in the chart above, a Warmup Electric Underfloor Heating System with a Smart Thermostat can reduce annual electricity consumption as well as reduce annual electricity costs.
Combine underfloor heating with a heat pump
If you’re interested in even greater savings, then consider installing a heat pump with your new floor heating system. Air-source heat pumps take air from outside and heat it while bringing it into your home. Radiant systems deliver consistent direct heating, reducing drafts and temperature fluctuations. Since radiant heating delivers even heat across the floor and operates at lower temperatures than forced-air systems, heat pumps and underfloor heating can be combined to complement each other’s main functions. Together, they can help lower energy consumption, heating costs, and cold spots.
To ensure your home heating operates at peak functionality, make sure to replace your heat pump’s filters every 30-90 days and to upgrade your heat pump after 10 years of use. This will help maintain airflow and reduce energy waste.
Will underfloor heating reduce my home’s carbon footprint too?
The energy-efficient technology of floor heating can also dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of your home. The energy waste created by radiator-based systems and more basic thermostats can significantly add to global carbon emissions.
Below, you can see the difference in carbon emissions for the average US home if heated with underfloor heating instead of central heating:
| Heat Source: Gas Boiler | |
| Estimated kgCO2/year output of a traditional home with a gas boiler and radiators. | Estimated kgCO2/year output of a Warmup home with Electric UFH and a Smart thermostat. |
| 2,987 kgCO2/year | 2,505 kgCO2/year |
The national average is taken from RECS survey on residential natural-gas use, which is about 56.3 MMBtu/year. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lists the natural-gas CO₂ emissions factor as 53.06 kg CO₂ per MMBtu. The U.S. Energy Information Administration lists the national-average electricity emissions factor as 0.81 lb CO₂ per kWh (or 0.367 kg CO₂ per kWh).
| Heat Source: Heat Pump | |
| Estimated kgCO2/year output of a traditional home with a heat pump and radiators. | Estimated kgCO2/year output of a Warmup home with Electric UFH and a Smart thermostat. |
| 11,385 kgCO2/year | 2,505 kgCO2/year |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lists the average annual heating demand as 53.06 kg CO₂ per MMBt (or 16,500 kWh/year). The National Renewable Energy Laboratory found that heat pumps reduce home site energy use by 31%–47% on average (11,385 kWh/year).
With Warmup Underfloor Radiant Heating, you could reduce your carbon emissions by 482 kgCO2/year in comparison to a gas boiler and by 8,880 kgCO2/year when compared to a heat pump.
How do I buy underfloor heating?
If you want to enjoy the long-term cost savings of underfloor heating, get a free instant quote today. Our innovative online quoting tool will find the best system for your home and tell you exactly how much it will cost to purchase. Suitable for both renovations and new-build projects, Warmup’s systems can be used with almost all floor finishes and are simple to install and easy to use.
For more information about choosing the right underfloor heating system for your home, feel free to get in touch with our team. For installation tips, check out our YouTube channel.
