Glow Below
Underfloor Heating in Your Existing Home Without Raising the Floor
Glow Below is our retrofit milling underfloor heating system. Using specialist milling equipment we cut channels directly into your existing solid floor and lay the pipe without raising the floor level. We work around your project, from milling only through to a complete heating system installation.
What Is Glow Below?
Most people assume underfloor heating in an existing property means months of disruption, raised floor heights, and a complete renovation. Glow Below changes that.
We use specialist milling equipment to cut precise channels directly into your existing solid floor, whether that is concrete or screed. The underfloor heating pipe sits into those channels, the floor is reinstated, and you end up with a fully functioning wet underfloor heating system without adding to your floor height.
It is the cleanest, most practical way to add underfloor heating to a property that was not built with it in mind. And because we are a full heating system specialist and not just a milling contractor we can take the project as far as you need us to, from laying the pipe to designing and commissioning a complete new heating system around it.
We Work Around Your Project
No two Glow Below projects are the same and we do not offer a one-size-fits-all package. Tell us what you need and we will price accordingly.
Some customers come to us as the principal contractor on a full heating system replacement. We design the system, carry out the milling, connect everything to a new boiler or heat pump, commission the controls, and hand over a complete working installation.
Some customers need the milling and pipe element only. Their own plumber or heating engineer will make the connections and they want Glow to handle the floor work. We are happy with that.
Some builders and heating engineers bring us in as a specialist subcontractor on their projects, handling the milling while they manage the wider job. That works too.
Whatever your scenario, the starting point is the same. Tell us about the property, the floor, and what you are trying to achieve and we will come back with a proposal that fits.
Where Glow Below Makes the Difference
The Straightforward Retrofit
You have a solid ground floor, screed or concrete, and you want underfloor heating throughout. You are replacing radiators, improving comfort, and future-proofing the property. Glow mills the existing floor, lays the pipe, connects to your heating system, and you end up with a warm floor and no radiators in sight.
The Extension Project
One of the most powerful applications for Glow Below. You are adding a rear extension under permitted development, one of the most common home improvement projects in the country, and the new extension will be built to a finished floor level that matches your existing ground floor. The extension gets a conventional wet underfloor heating system screeded in as part of the build. The existing ground floor gets Glow Below milled in. The floor heights meet. The entire ground floor, old and new, runs as a single underfloor heating system with no radiators anywhere in the house. A whole-house comfort upgrade delivered alongside a project you were already planning.
The Heat Pump Conversion
You are switching from a gas or oil boiler to an air source heat pump and you want to maximise the efficiency of the new system. Heat pumps perform at their best when running at low flow temperatures across a large emitter surface and underfloor heating is exactly that. Glow Below gives you the emitter system your heat pump needs, retrofitted into your existing floor without the upheaval of a full floor build-up.
The Builder or Trade Referral
You are a builder, architect, or heating engineer with a project that needs specialist floor milling. We work alongside your team, handle our element, and leave the site ready for you to continue. We are used to working within wider project programmes and we are straightforward to deal with.
Glow Below and Your Heating System
Glow Below works with any wet heating system, gas boiler, oil boiler, LPG boiler, or air source heat pump. The milling process is the same regardless of the heat source. What changes is the manifold specification and flow temperature design, which we handle as part of the installation where we are carrying out the full works. If you are replacing your heating system at the same time we can design and install the complete package. If you already have a system you are keeping we connect to it. If your own engineer is handling the heating side we hand over a filled and pressure-tested installation ready for them to pick up.
Heat Pumps and the BUS Grant
If you are considering switching to an air source heat pump this is worth reading carefully. Heat pumps operate at their most efficient when running at low flow temperatures across a large emitter surface, which is exactly what Glow Below delivers. The two systems are a natural combination.
The government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme currently provides a £7,500 grant toward the cost of an air source heat pump installation, rising to £9,000 for properties currently heated by oil from July 2026. This grant is available to eligible owner-occupied properties and significantly reduces the capital cost of making the switch.
A Glow Below installation combined with a new air source heat pump is one of the most effective ways to reduce heating bills, lower carbon emissions, and add long-term value to a property. If you are anywhere near this decision the conversation is worth having.
A heat loss survey is a free no-obligation site visit where we assess your property room by room to confirm the right heat pump size and underfloor heating specification for your home. It is the essential first step on any heat pump project and takes approximately two hours on site.
Gas, Oil, and LPG Boiler Installations
Glow Below works equally well with a modern condensing gas, oil, or LPG boiler. If a heat pump is not right for your property or your circumstances we can design and install a complete new boiler system to run the underfloor heating correctly. Low temperature delivery improves efficiency on modern condensing boilers too so there is a real performance benefit regardless of heat source.
Floor Types and Suitability
Glow Below is designed for solid floors, sand cement screed, anhydrite screed, and bare concrete slab. The milling equipment cuts channels directly into the substrate so a solid base is required.
Timber suspended floors are not suitable for Glow Below. If you have a timber ground floor and want underfloor heating we can discuss alternative systems including staple-up installations. Contact us and we will advise on the right approach for your property.
For properties with a mix of floor types, which is common in older homes or where an extension is involved, we can scope each area individually and give you a clear picture of what is achievable across the whole ground floor.
A note on floor coverings. The floor covering you choose after installation affects the heat output of the system. Hard finishes such as tile, stone, and LVT perform best. Engineered wood and laminate work well. Thick carpet is not recommended as it restricts heat transfer and reduces the system’s ability to meet the design temperatures. If you are unsure whether your planned floor finish is suitable mention it in your enquiry and we will advise.
After the Pipe Goes In
Once the pipe is laid and pressure-tested the channels need to be made good before any floor finish can go down. There are a few ways to handle this depending on your project.
We offer channel reinstatement as an optional addition to the installation, either using an elastic mortar applied over the pipework or a self-levelling compound suitable for the floor finish you are planning. This can be quoted as part of your proposal if you want us to handle it.
If you have your own contractor handling the floor preparation and finish we leave the site ready for them to take over. We can also introduce you to trusted local flooring specialists who can quote for the final floor finish separately and directly, keeping the project moving without you having to source trades independently.
Whatever the arrangement we will be clear on exactly what we are and are not covering so there are no grey areas between trades.
Before We Arrive
Getting the site ready before the installation date is one of the most important things you can do to keep your project on time and on budget. Our installation team arrives with specialist equipment and a full day’s programme. If the site is not ready the day is lost and a return visit will need to be scheduled and charged for.
A full pre-installation checklist is sent with every quotation so you know exactly what to have ready before we arrive. The main things to have sorted are all rooms being milled completely clear, all floor coverings lifted, any services in the floor identified and marked out, adequate power and water available on site, vehicle access confirmed, and any wall penetrations required for pipe runs completed.
If anything cannot be completed before the installation date contact us before the date and not on the day.
Ready to Find Out What Glow Below Would Cost for Your Project?
Every Glow Below project is priced individually based on floor area, floor construction, scope of works, and heating system requirements. The more detail you provide in the enquiry form, the faster we can get a price back to you.
For many projects we can produce a full quotation remotely based on the information you submit with no site visit required. Where a project is more complex or where we need to verify specific aspects of the scope, we may arrange a brief site visit before issuing your proposal. Either way the process starts with the form and a well-completed enquiry gets you a price faster.
Whether you are a homeowner planning a full system change, a builder pricing an extension project, or a heating engineer looking for a specialist milling partner, the form is the right starting point. There is no obligation to proceed at any stage.
Prefer to speak to someone first? Call us on 01522 300744, Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm, or email admin@the-glow-group.co.uk.
How We Work
Every Glow Below project is individually surveyed and quoted. There is no standard price list for this service. Your quote is based on your specific floor, your rooms, and the scope of works agreed at survey stage.
Surveys are free and without obligation at every stage of the process.
All installation prices are fixed lump sums. Once your proposal is accepted the price does not change unless you change the scope.
Quotes are valid for 28 days from the date of issue.
Payment terms are 50% on acceptance and 50% on completion for all installation works.
We do not use subcontractors for core installation works. Every Glow engineer is directly employed, qualified, and covered by our full accreditations.
Installed by Glow, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire's Heating Specialists
Glow Heating Services Ltd is a specialist heating, cooling, and renewable energy company based in Lincoln. We design and install bespoke heating and comfort systems for homes and commercial properties across Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, drawing on expertise across gas, oil, LPG, heat pumps, air conditioning, underfloor heating, and ventilation. We employ our own engineers across every discipline, hold MCS, Gas Safe, OFTEC, NICEIC, and CHAS accreditations, and are the highest-rated heating company on Trustpilot in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.