The Great Benefits Of Radiant Floor Heating: Luxurious Comfort and Energy Efficiency
It is no surprise that radiant floor heating is a great way of heating your home. Its popularity is steadily growing as people learn that not only is it the most comfortable way of heating, but is the most efficient way to save money. The warm flooring on a cold winter morning is more than likely enough to convince the majority of people that radiant floor heating is the best thing since sliced bread. However, once they learn how much can be saved in cost, most of the time there is no going back.
Low cost and comfort are the two most attractive features of this heating system, but there are several others. These include its silent operation that will not pester you with hums or whistles that arise from forced air systems. Also, you won’t see blowing air or unsightly vents. This system will not distribute dust, germs, and pollen around your house, unlike a forced air system. This system is designed to keep the temperature of your house uniform no matter what the floor surface is, and it won’t dry the air in your home in the way that a forced air system can.
It is common for radiant floor heating systems to have warm water circulating under the floor through tubes. The warm water flowing below the floor creates a very efficient radiator that runs at low temperatures. Energy costs can be reduced from 10 to 30% because the thermostat can be lowered a few degrees more than forced air heating systems. The lowering of the thermostat is due to the heat coming from the radiant floor system. Structures with tall ceilings will benefit even more because forced warm air rises to the top quickly while radiant floor heating remains lower. The radiant floor system is capable of evenly distribute heat throughout the room from the floor.
Radiant floor heating is not very complex but there are some important pieces that anyone owning a system should be aware of: The Heating Source, The Boiler, The Pump and the Tubing. There are a number of possible heating sources that range from electricity to natural gas, propane, wood, oil, solar and many other heating sources. The boiler is the component that holds the water that will be heated. The boiler can be used for heating a hot tub, a pool, or the water in a home. The pump is used to move the water through tubing that is placed beneath the floor. Tubing is commonly placed directly in concrete, below wooden sub floors or on an actual sub floor of wood. The tubing may also be placed in pre-cast concrete or concrete slab-on-grade. Once the tubing is placed it is then covered with gypsum.
Once a homeowner makes the decision to install radiant floor heating system, choosing the right installer is imperative. Some companies who design radiant floor heating systems may also install the system. A qualified system designer and a qualified system installer will work together and know which components work well together, the capacities of various systems, special considerations for installations in your area, and manufacturers’ warranties and reliability. The designer should do a room-by-room heat loss analysis of your home or building done as well as a step-by-step system sizing process.
Low cost and comfort are the two most attractive features of Radiant Floor Heating but there are other advantages. InFloor Heating is also quiet and clean.
- Dan Carter
