Hal Major © 2009
BobVilaContractors.com
Don�t you just hate it when your feet hit the icy cold floor in the bathroom on cold winter mornings? Or, maybe it�s that trip into the kitchen to start the coffee brewing before you take a shower. That granite floor tile looks wonderful but you didn�t imagine it would be this cold. Radiant floor heat can put an end to those discomforts and it�s affordable.
Electric Radiant Floor Heat
Electric radiant floor heaters work somewhat like an electric blanket. The nice thing about electric floor heat is it doesn�t have to be buried or submerged in the concrete. They can be laid directly under the flooring or carpet.
There are two types of electric floor heaters. One system uses electric wire coated with insulation. You lay the wire out in an even pattern to cover the area you want warmed. The wire is tacked down as you lay it out. The other system has the wires embedded in a mat. It�s like an electric blanket for your floor.
Hydronic Radiant Floor Heat
Another way for you to get radiant floor heating system into your home is a hydronic system. It uses boiled water to heat your floors. The boiled water is pumped through tubes. Hydronic radiant floor heating requires the installation of a boiler to heat the water. If your home has hot water heat already, you're half-way to having radiant floor heat. The flexible tubes for a hydronic system are usually buried in concrete under your floor.
Hydronic systems are generally more expensive to install than electric systems because you need to purchase and install a boiler. If you want to heat a large area such as garage or your entire home, then a hydronic system is usually the better choice.
The Benefits of Radiant Floor Heating
Beyond the benefit of having a nice warm floor to step and walk on during those cold winters, radiant floor heating has several other benefits.
Radiant floor heating maintains a constant temperature unlike a forced warm air furnace or boiler supplied hot water system. Those systems are constantly turning on and off trying to maintain the temperature setting on the thermostat. You experience the extremes of too warm and too cold at the beginning and end of the run cycle.
Radiant heat systems are more energy efficient because there is a temperature difference of only two to four degrees between the floor and ceiling. This allows you to set the temperature lower and still be comfortable.
Another big advantage of radiant heat is that a humidifier is not needed as is generally the case with a forced air system. This also lowers electrical usage costs. Radiant floor heating does not change the moisture content of the air in your home; therefore, a humidifier is not needed. You can learn more about
Radiant Floor Heating at the US Department of Energy website. It�s always a good idea to consult a reputable and experienced contractor to have radiant floor heating properly installed in your home.
