Hydronic water underfloor heating is the quietest, most energy-efficient way to warm a home in South Africa. Synergy designs, installs and commissions complete systems nationwide, saving homeowners up to 70% on heating costs, or up to 90% when paired with a solar PV installation.
Book a Free Site Assessment See How It WorksSynergy Energy Solutions installs hydronic water underfloor heating across South Africa from three branches: Centurion (Gauteng HQ), Cape Town (Western Cape) and Polokwane (Limpopo). All branches share one phone number, 010 601 6464. Whole-home systems start from approximately R950 per square metre, save up to 70% on heating costs, and pair seamlessly with solar PV. SAPVIA-aligned, PV GreenCard accredited, ECA-affiliated. Installed to SANS 10142 electrical standards and EN 1264 underfloor heating guidance, with a 50-year expected pipe life.
Hydronic underfloor heating circulates low-temperature warm water (35 to 45 °C) through oxygen-barrier PEX pipes embedded in your floor screed, turning the entire floor into one enormous, gentle radiator. Heat rises evenly across the room from the floor up, the "warm feet, cool head" comfort that radiators and forced-air systems can't match.
The Synergy difference. Every system is engineered room-by-room: we calculate heat loads, map pipe layouts and select a heat source sized for your actual living patterns, not a one-size-fits-all package.
A single system delivers comfort, energy savings, healthier indoor air and design freedom, without the noise, dust and running costs of traditional heating.
Low-temperature operation plus high-efficiency inverter heat pumps cut heating energy by up to 70% compared with resistive heaters, or up to 90% when integrated with a Synergy solar PV system.
Dry, warm floors suppress house dust mites, and the absence of blown air is a meaningful comfort upgrade for households with asthma or allergies, particularly in pollen-heavy Gauteng and Cape winters.
Schedule heating per zone, monitor runtime and tweak temperature from your phone. Wi-fi thermostats integrate with modern smart-home platforms and with Synergy's solar monitoring.
No radiators, no bulky heaters, no visible ducting. Every square metre of wall space is yours, and you can finish your floors in tile, stone, engineered timber or polished screed.
PEX oxygen-barrier pipe has an expected service life of up to half a century, meaning your investment sits quietly under the floor for decades, outlasting most boilers, heat pumps and air-conditioning units.
No fans, no ducts, no radiators, no exposed hot surfaces. Hydronic underfloor heating is a closed loop of water hidden in the screed, perfect for families with young children and for open-plan Cape Town and Gauteng homes.
Every hydronic underfloor heating system we install is built from five precision components, each chosen for reliability in South African conditions. The insulation laid beneath them matters almost as much as the components themselves.
Top-quality oxygen-barrier PEX. Pressure-tested at install so any incidental damage shows up immediately, before screed cures.
Distributes flow to each loop. Actuators open and close valves on command from your thermostats so each room hits its own target temperature.
Premium WILO circulators move warmed water through the loops. High-efficiency electronic speed control cuts pump energy use significantly compared with older fixed-speed pumps.
Typically an inverter heat pump for maximum efficiency. Multiple heat sources can be combined for redundancy and efficiency, including direct solar PV integration.
From basic dial thermostats to fully programmable wi-fi controls. Set schedules, create scenes and monitor energy use from anywhere.
Insulation isn't strictly a component, but it's the single biggest lever on running cost. We strongly recommend it on every installation.
We install only European-standard components engineered for underfloor heating. Every system is pressure-tested to 6 bar during installation and commissioned to strict temperature and flow targets.
| Specification | Synergy Standard |
|---|---|
| Pipe | PEX-EVO oxygen-barrier, EU-manufactured, expected life up to 50 years |
| Operating water temperature | 35 °C to 45 °C (low-temperature system) |
| Recommended screed thickness | 40 mm to 70 mm over pipes (65 mm typical) plus 5 to 25 mm floor finish |
| Installation pressure test | 6 bar, maintained through screed pour and cure |
| Manifold | Brass manifold with individual zone valves, flow meters and balancing |
| Circulation pump | WILO high-efficiency circulator with electronic speed control |
| Compatible heat sources | Inverter heat pump, fixed-speed heat pump, gas boiler, electric boiler, solar thermal, biomass |
| Compatible floor finishes | Tile, porcelain, natural stone, engineered wood, specified vinyl, polished screed |
| Control | Wired or wi-fi thermostats; per-zone or whole-house; smart-home compatible |
| Standards | SANS 10142 electrical standards; pipe work to EN 1264 underfloor heating guidance |
New build or renovation? Pipes can be laid either in the concrete slab (slower to warm, excellent heat storage) or in the screed above the slab (faster response, simpler retrofit). Our engineers recommend the right configuration based on your build schedule and lifestyle.
Every heating technology has a use case. Here's how hydronic underfloor heating stacks up against the most common alternatives in South African homes.
| Feature | Hydronic Underfloor | Electric Underfloor | Wall Radiators | Reverse-Cycle Aircon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Running cost | Very low | High | High | Low |
| Even whole-room warmth | Excellent | Good | Uneven | Uneven |
| Dust & allergen friendly | Yes | Yes | Yes | Blows air |
| Solar PV synergy | Excellent | Good | Limited | Good |
| Noise | Silent | Silent | Silent | Audible |
| Capex (upfront cost) | Medium to high | Medium | Low | Low to medium |
| Lifespan of pipework / emitter | Up to 50 yr | ~10 yr | 20 to 30 yr | 10 to 15 yr |
| Retrofit difficulty | High | Medium | Low | Low |
We coordinate closely with your builder, architect and electrician to deliver a fully commissioned hydronic underfloor heating system without delaying your build programme.
Our engineer measures heated areas, checks insulation plans, reviews your build schedule and discusses heat-source options with you. We also confirm whether the project is a new build or a retrofit, because that drives almost everything that follows.
Zone-by-zone design, room-by-room heat-load calculations and a written, fixed-price quote with no surprises. Pipe spacing, manifold position, heat-source sizing and control strategy are all locked down before any pipe arrives on site.
Pipes are clipped to the slab or insulation, connected to the brass manifolds and pressurised to 6 bar. The pressure is held through the screed pour so any incidental damage shows up immediately, before screed cures.
Your builder pours the floor screed with the system pressurised. We coordinate timing with the construction programme so other trades aren't held up. Once cured, the screed becomes the thermal mass that gives hydronic heating its even, steady warmth.
Heat pump, manifold pump assembly, actuators and thermostats are installed, wired and configured. Every installation is technician-built and electrician-certified to SANS 10142, with any solar PV integration or smart-home tie-in completed at this stage.
We balance the system, verify flow rates and temperatures against the design, walk you through the controls and the app, and issue your warranty documentation. From then on, our Centurion, Cape Town and Polokwane branches provide ongoing support for the lifetime of the system.
Cost per square metre depends heavily on heated area. Smaller systems carry a higher rate per m² because the heat pump, manifold and controls are similar in size regardless of heated area, larger systems spread those fixed costs across more floor.
Common request, but the cost per m² is the highest of any configuration. We'll happily quote it, and often recommend extending into adjacent rooms.
A good balance of comfort and budget, heat the rooms you live in, leave the rarely-used spaces unheated.
The lowest cost per m² for residential work, and the configuration that maximises solar-PV savings. Best long-term value for new builds.
Guesthouses, lodges, retirement-village clusters, offices, churches, every commercial brief is designed and quoted individually after a site visit.
What drives the price? Heated area is the biggest factor, followed by your choice of heat source (inverter heat pump vs fixed-speed vs boiler), the control system you choose (basic thermostat vs multi-zone wi-fi smart controls), insulation specification and floor finish. Multi-zone smart controls add meaningful cost but typically pay for themselves quickly through reduced runtime.
Only heating the bathrooms? This is a common request, but the cost per m² is the highest of any configuration because a full heat pump, manifold and control system is still required for a small heated area. We'll happily quote it, but often recommend extending to adjacent living areas for better value per m².
Ten of the most common questions we field from homeowners in Gauteng, the Western Cape and Limpopo. Don't see yours? Send it through and we'll answer personally.
Yes, hydronic underfloor heating can be retrofitted into existing homes, but it is more costly because existing floors must be lifted and the minimum screed depth must be achievable. For most older South African homes we recommend installing during renovations when floors are already being redone, or considering our carbon fibre wall heating as a less invasive alternative.
We recommend a screed thickness of between 40 mm and 70 mm over the heating pipes, with an additional 5 mm to 25 mm floor finish on top depending on the material. A thicker screed stores more heat and responds more evenly; thinner screeds heat faster but limit the range of floor finishes that can be used.
Yes, we strongly recommend insulation either beneath the concrete slab or directly under the screed. Proper insulation can reduce downward heat loss by up to 10% and significantly improves running cost. If insulation is not possible on a retrofit, we compensate through higher flow rates, longer run times and a larger heat source. See our SUNPERL perlite floor insulation for the recommended solution.
Yes, partial installation is possible and common in South African homes. However, the cost per square metre rises as area decreases because the heat pump, manifold and controls remain similar in size. We'll design the most efficient zoning for the rooms you actually use most.
You can use a single master thermostat for the entire house, or individual thermostats per room or zone. Modern wi-fi thermostats integrate with smart-home platforms so you can schedule heating, track consumption and adjust temperatures remotely from your phone.
Hydronic systems work with a wide range of heat sources: inverter heat pumps (our most efficient recommendation), fixed-speed heat pumps, electric boilers, gas boilers, biomass boilers, and solar thermal. We often combine a heat pump with solar PV through your inverter so the bulk of heating energy is free daytime solar.
Pricing depends heavily on heated area. Whole-home systems typically run from approximately R950 to R1 500 per square metre, while smaller configurations such as bathrooms-only start from around R1 500 and can reach R2 600 per m² because the heat pump, manifold and controls remain similar in size regardless of heated area. The control system you choose also has a significant impact on final price. We provide a fixed written quote after a free on-site assessment.
Yes. The system is fully concealed in the floor screed, with no hot surfaces to touch and no moving parts in living spaces. The PEX oxygen-barrier pipe has a life expectancy of up to 50 years, and annual maintenance is limited to a routine heat pump service. There are no radiators, fans or ducts to clean.
For a typical 180 m² new-build home, pipe installation takes 2 to 4 working days and is coordinated with your builder before the screed is poured. Heat pump, manifold and commissioning are completed in a further 1 to 2 days once the screed has cured. Retrofit projects take longer because of floor removal.
Yes, pairing hydronic heating with a solar PV system is the single most effective way to cut running costs. Because heat pumps run the system on electricity, solar-generated power heats your floors during the day at near-zero cost. Combined with a battery, it is possible to run the system almost fully off-grid in Pretoria, Johannesburg and Cape Town conditions.
Hydronic underfloor heating works best as part of a complete energy strategy. Pair it with solar PV, battery storage, heat pump water heating and proper floor insulation for maximum savings. We install Tesla Powerwall 3, Sigenergy SigenStor, Deye & Sunsynk hybrid solar, heat pump water heating, SUNPERL perlite floor insulation and hydronic underfloor heating, so your entire home energy stack is designed and maintained by one accountable team.
Store the solar energy you generate in the day and use it to heat your home in the evening.
Cut geyser running costs and use the same heat-pump technology for both your floors and your hot water.
A low-invasive retrofit option for existing homes where lifting floors isn't practical or economical.
An all-in-one solar, battery and energy-management system from Sigenergy, fewer components, smarter control, faster install.
Affordable hybrid solar packages from R82,216, same proven hardware as our premium tiers, professionally installed nationwide.
The thermal barrier beneath your underfloor heating, stops heat escaping into the slab so your system runs cooler, cheaper and faster to warm up.
Real reviews from real Synergy customers, sourced directly from our Google Business Profile.
"I couldn't be more thrilled with my decision to go solar, and Synergy Energy Solutions made the entire process seamless and enjoyable. From the initial consultation to the final installation, their professionalism, expertise, and dedication to customer satisfaction were evident every step of the way. The installation crew was punctual, efficient, and left my property spotless."
"Thank you Jacques and Jaco from Synergy Energy Solutions. Your professionalism and excellent service resulted in a great solar installation and solution. We are very happy and would recommend you to anyone looking for a residential or commercial solution. We can vouch for both. Well done."
"What an absolute pleasure to have Synergy as my solar provider. After I have been scammed previously by a 'reputable' company, I was unsure where to turn next. Synergy was recommended and from day one they exceeded my wildest expectations. Very professional, always friendly, prompt service and the list goes on. Thank you Jean and team, you guys rock!"
"What a pleasure to deal with Synergy, it's a company with experience and after-care service. Jacques always takes my calls (and there were many) during and after the installation, always willing to assist, always monitoring our system for optimal usage. Our site was always clean, they were always on time. Jacques and team, thank you, it's much appreciated."
"Synergy Energy Solutions is an excellent company, very good workmanship as requested. The system looks neat and professional. Thank you also for the over-and-above tasks that were performed for the preparation of the installation. The system has been running for a month now, I was always immediately assisted by competent personnel. The form, fit and function of the system is awesome!"
"I have used Synergy Solutions to do solar installations on two separate occasions. In both instances I found them to be speedy, professional, friendly and extremely competent. I can highly recommend them."
Read all 73 reviews on our Google Business Profile.
Established in 2010 and headquartered in Centurion, Synergy Energy Solutions has spent 16 years designing solar PV, battery storage, heat pump water heating and hydronic underfloor heating systems for residential and commercial customers across Gauteng, Western Cape and Limpopo.
With branches in Centurion (Gauteng), Table View (Western Cape) and Polokwane (Limpopo), Synergy installs hydronic underfloor heating nationwide, backed by local technical support and one phone number across all three branches: 010 601 6464.
Pretoria · Johannesburg · Centurion · Sandton · Midrand · Kempton Park · Hartbeespoort · Krugersdorp · Roodepoort
30 Pretorius Avenue, Lyttelton Manor, Centurion, 0157
010 601 6464
Cape Town · Table View · Stellenbosch · Paarl · Somerset West · Cape Winelands · Garden Route
Unit 202, 10 Blaauwberg Road, Table View, Cape Town, 7439
010 601 6464
Polokwane · Tzaneen · Mokopane · Lephalale · Bela-Bela · Thohoyandou
47 Platinum Street, Polokwane Ext 17, Polokwane, 0699
010 601 6464
Synergy Energy Solutions is accredited by South Africa's leading electrical, solar and battery industry bodies, and by the inverter manufacturers we install, your assurance of compliant, professional installation across every solar PV, battery and hydronic heating system we deliver.
Member of the Electrical Contractors' Association of South Africa, the leading industry body for registered electrical contractors, ensuring our installations meet the highest professional standards.
An industry-led quality label that guarantees a high standard of quality, safety and compliance for small-scale solar PV installations across South Africa.
Aligned with the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association, the recognised body representing the solar PV industry and setting installation, training and quality standards nationwide.
Approved Tesla Powerwall 3 supplier and Tesla Energy Certified Installer, trained and authorised by Tesla to design, install and service Powerwall 3 systems in South Africa.
Sigenergy Certified Installer for SigenStor all-in-one solar, battery and EV charging systems, factory-trained to design, install and commission Sigenergy solutions for South African homes.
Approved Sunsynk installer, qualified and authorised to design, install and commission Sunsynk hybrid inverters and Sunsynk Lithium battery systems in South African homes.
Recognised Deye installer, experienced in the design, installation and commissioning of Deye hybrid inverters and approved Deye-compatible battery systems for South African homes.
Schedule a free, no-obligation site assessment with our hydronic heating specialists. We'll design a system around your floor plan, your insulation, your budget and your build schedule, and we'll coordinate seamlessly with your builder and electrician.
One of our hydronic heating specialists will be in touch to discuss your home and arrange your free site assessment.
Prefer to talk now? Call us on 010 601 6464