Radiant Floor Heat Install
Having a warm home is critical, especially when you live in areas where the temperature drops in the evenings, let alone an entire season. Radiant floor heating can effectively keep your house warm and provides several other benefits, including increased home value and a better living environment.
Radiant floor heating is a popular choice for many homeowners, with their basements, bathrooms, kitchens, and bedrooms as targeted areas. However, there are some styles that you can install throughout the entire home for a complete heating solution. Radiant heating can be an energy-efficient way to keep your house warm and remain comfortable any time of the year.
How Radiant In-Floor Heating Works
Depending on the type of setup, electric wires or hot water tubing runs throughout the house underneath the flooring material. So naturally, as heat rises, it will heat the floor and any objects that sit on the floor.
Rather than a traditional forced-air furnace heating system, radiant in-floor heating can help keep your space warmer for longer and is an ideal solution for homes with hardwood, tile, or other floor surfaces where there is no carpet.
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Styles of Floor Heating
There are two main styles of floor heating that are popular choices in many homes today. These include electric or hydronic. Each method has its pros and cons, so exploring each type will give you a better indication of which one will work best for your space.
However, floor heating is more effective for homes with tile, ceramic, hardwood, or even laminate rather than carpet. Unfortunately, the carpet underlay will typically absorb the heat and not distribute it as it would with other flooring materials, making it a less practical choice.
Electric Radiant Heating
Electric radiant heating requires using electric wires that run underneath the floor in popular rooms, such as bathrooms and bedrooms. However, electrical radiant pads can fit under a subfloor if removing and remodeling your entire flooring material is not an option for installation.
The wires create heat by generating electrical resistance and are easy to operate with the flick of a switch or with an adjustable thermostat. This type of in-floor heating is common for supplemental heating in areas that can be exceptionally cold or where you want a warmer environment, such as a bathroom.
On average, it takes between 30 and 60 minutes for electric radiant heating to come to temperature and begin heating a room. Programmable thermostats can ensure your electric radiant heat remains at a consistent temperature.
Hydronic Radiant Heating
Hydronic radiant heating uses hot water that runs through tubing under the floor to heat a room. This style of in-floor heating is an economical choice if homeowners wish to have a whole-house heating system.
This style requires a separate boiler or water heater to keep the water temperature between 100°F and 120°F as it circulates through the flexible tubing. Although older versions of hydronic heating used copper or metal, these materials corrode over time with continuous water exposure, requiring repair.
Today’s hydronic radiant heating can utilize various materials, including ApolloPex tubing or cross-linked polyethylene tubing. As a result, it is versatile enough to include in concrete flooring when first building a home, snapping it into grids on a sub-floor, or in grooved panels.
The Advantages of Radiant Floor Heating
The advantages of using radiant floor heating are numerous. If you are searching for an alternative to forced-air methods, choosing this style might be the answer.
Cost-Effective and Highly Efficient
Operating radiant floor heating costs are significantly less than traditional forced-air furnaces. Because objects sitting on the floor absorb heat and help keep the room warmer, you can expect a lower thermostat setting. In turn, you’ll spend less on heating your home, which is more efficient.
Unlike a standard furnace that will turn on automatically when a home cools to a specific temperature, radiant floor heating helps to maintain a continuous temperature. This way, homeowners experience fewer fluctuations in their indoor climate.
Radiant heating will also reach every square inch of the floor, helping to create a more uniform indoor temperature. As a result, you will not have cool spots as you find in homes with a forced-air furnace.
Quiet Operation
Radiant heating is silent during operation and will not make the slight noises of a typical furnace turning on and forcing air through the home. There will be no rattling air vents or continuous humming as a furnace tries to keep your house warm.
Cleaner and Healthier
If you suffer from allergies to dust and dander or have pets in the home, radiant floor heating is a cleaner and healthier alternative. This heating system will not blow dust, hair, and allergens around the house to circulate warm air, leaving homeowners with cleaner air and less dust to clean up each week.
Maintenance-Free
Unlike standard forced-air furnaces with ductwork that require periodic cleaning, radiant floor heating is virtually maintenance-free. As a result, homeowners no longer have to pay extra to remove dust and debris from their ductwork each season.
Thereby, homeowners can expect a radiant heating system to last 35 years or more, depending on their system choice.
Where Does Radiant Floor Heating Work Best?
Even with these advantages, homeowners must realize radiant floor heating is not a solution for every home. Examining where it works best will help you determine if this heating method is suitable for your house.
Keep in mind that these areas are best suited for radiant floor heating:
- Floors that do not have carpet
- Rooms with high ceilings or large open spaces
- Basements
- Areas where extending ductwork can be challenging
Final Thoughts
If you are considering the choice of radiant floor heating in your new or existing home, talking to a professional can guide you on which style is best for your situation.
The experts at Clean Air Heating & Cooling can help answer any questions you have on radiant floor heating. In addition, they can show you how to utilize this method for optimal comfort and a more cost-effective solution for your indoor heating needs.
Contact us today for a free estimate and see the benefits of using radiant floor heating in your home.
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What To Expect
Our Process
In Home Estimate
We’ll evaluate your home, discuss your needs, and agree on next steps.
Installation & Repair
We show up on time, and get the work done to install your HVAC system with no headaches.
Stay Comfortable
We will have your new HVAC system installed in 1-2 days, helping you and your family get comfortable quickly.
