Winning the Race Against the Clock: Prefabricated Hydronic Heating Saves the Day for a Time-Pressed Project

Tight completion schedules are becoming more and more common in the construction industry, putting extra pressure on contractors and installers. Pipelife's prefabricated hydronic heating system was crucial to meet the deadline for one such project in County Galway, Ireland. The fully tailored solution halved the installation time compared to conventional hydronic heating systems, and the installer, Michael Walsh, is excited to share his experience.

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Contractors and installers often face scenarios where projects are expected to be completed within demanding timeframes. This summer, the installer, Michael Walsh Plumbing & Heating, was presented with such a situation when asked to install a hydronic underfloor heating system for a newly built 300-m2 clubhouse. The client, Kilnadeema Leitrim Gaa Club, a major hurling club in County Galway, was hoping to have their new facilities ready for a major competition in August.

Aware that the deadline would be challenging to meet using conventional installation techniques, the experienced installer consulted with Pipelife Ireland.

"I have been working with Pipelife's systems for years. When I heard of these new prefabricated underfloor heating mats, I was instantly interested and made it known that I had a project where we could trial them," Michael Walsh, the company director, recalls.

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Fulfilling the client's timeframe required close cooperation between Pipelife Ireland and Pipelife Bulgaria teams, who worked together to design, produce and supply a fully tailored underfloor heating solution that met both the project's requirements and the client's schedule.

In total, 16 prefabricated underfloor heating mats were assembled in a factory-controlled environment at Pipelife's production site in Botevgrad. Pipelife Ireland's Qual-Pex Plus+ Easy-Lay multilayer pipe — a product already favored by underfloor heating installers in Ireland  — was used. In addition, Pipelife supplied two preassembled manifolds, expediting the installation even further.

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In total, installing, connecting and pressure-testing the system and laying the screed in the 300-m2 area took around 5 hours — roughly 50% less time than conventional installation techniques.

Michael Geary, Technical Sales Manager at Pipelife Ireland, explains how prefabrication helps installers in their work:

"We shared the plans for the clubhouse with our external design team, who then created fully tailored mat designs for the project. Prefabrication allows for a faster and simpler installation, but it still requires supervision and assistance from qualified plumbers. From the off, Michael Walsh was on board with us on this solution."

The project showcases that stepping away from the standard approach can open new opportunities in the building sector. Prefabrication not only ensures high reliability and excellent service life of underfloor heating systems but also allows installers to serve more customers, as projects can be completed faster.

"The new prefabricated underfloor heating mats went above our expectations," Michael Walsh admits. "They were extremely easy to work with, enabling faster, easier and more cost-effective installation. My team has installed all kinds of underfloor heating systems, but this new solution is by far the easiest we have ever worked with. That's why we put our trust in Pipelife."