Because air cannot retain a great deal of heat, this method warms the floor itself, but cannot be counted on to warm an entire house, requiring that a secondary method of heating must be employed. For this system, air is heated and pumped through a system of pipes embedded in the floor. Hot air heating is simply not very efficient in comparison with electric and hydronic. Today’s materials are stronger, more leak-resistant, and should not become brittle with age, so the system is far less likely to require attention. Problems with this type of heating in the past were due to inferior tubing, sometimes requiring that the floor be ripped up for repair. Although most commonly hydronic systems are used for whole-house heating, they can be installed with zone control using a series of pumps. The water can be heated with electric, solar, geothermal, natural gas, oil, wood-fired boilers, or any combination of these. The advantage to a hydronic system is choice of power supply.

Due to the nature of the installation, it is usually done during construction. Hydronic radiant heating systems circulate heated water through tubing embedded in the concrete slab. This convenient method of heating is also gaining popularity as a method to de-ice driveways and sidewalks as an environmentally friendly alternative to chemicals or salt and a people-friendly alternative to backbreaking shoveling. Due to the versatility of installation options, electric systems are frequently the best choice for after-construction additions.Įlectric radiant floor heating is controlled by independent zone thermostats that can be set to heat just the floor for barefoot comfort on chilly days, to raise the temperature of a single room, or to heat an entire house. The mats can be embedded in the concrete slab during construction, installed under the subfloor, or even placed directly under the flooring, depending on type. Rolled cables are attached in a looping pattern via braces to mats, mesh, or film constructed of resilient, heat-conductive materials. Electric Radiant HeatingĮlectric radiant heating systems are the most versatile when it comes to installation. Radiant heating systems are a great way to create a cozier living space. This characteristic makes it possible to heat a large area using a lower temperature.

Heat from a radiant system does not rise like heated air from a traditional heating unit it spreads in all directions. Electric and hydronic radiant heating systems are more efficient, and consequently more popular, than air-heated systems. There are three different types of radiant heating systems: hydronic, electric, and air-heated. Radiant floor heating is rapidly becoming a popular option in new home construction in the United States due to its cost-effective efficiency. Flooring Flooring Accessories The Basics 64 Comments 5

Hydronic radiant floor heating