Radiant Floor Heating Systems

Many consumers are looking to radiant floor heating  to heat bathrooms, kitchens, and their whole properties. There are several benefits to be had by this approach, some less obvious than others.

When thinking about whether setting up one of these systems would be appropriate for you, the first major point to take into account is the installation side. Because the total heating element is placed beneath the floor, it must be installed in one go, meaning that these systems can be very difficult to place in existing homes. So as a result of this, radiant floor heating is becoming increasingly widespread in newly built houses, and also extensions of older houses.

The Benefits

The primary advantages of utilizing under floor heating is the even circulation of heat. With houses and apartments that make use of radiators and forced air heating systems, each room has its heat source in a certain place, and therefore the room will be warmer the closer you get to that source. With radiant floor heating, the entire floor is the heat source, so that the room is heated evenly, creating a much more comfortable atmosphere.

Another large feature which is largely unknown is the advantage of floor heating when compared with forced air heating. Forced air systems pass air through a duct, which picks up dust, allergens, and other airborn mites. With these in the air every time that the heating is on, those people susceptible could very well desire the reason that under floor heating does not have this effect. Because the floor space is the heating element, air does not have to flow around the room to distribute the heat, which will keep dust and allergens down, and therefore under control.

Types of Radiant Floor Heating

There are two main forms of under floor heating, both with their own benefits over each other. These are electric, and hydronic radiant floor heat.

Electric radiant floor heat is used largely for its ease of installation, as all it consists of is a wafer thin pad that is placed beneath your targeted floor, meaning that installation can be accomplished fairly quickly and easily, and as it is fueled by electricity, you can easily set up this solution in a single room.

Hydronic radiant heating on the other hand involves pumping hot water underneath the floor, with the pipes set in a special concrete. This means that a lot of work is needed for installation, and therefore is suited for new houses, and extensions to current houses. These pipes are then connected to a water heater, and each room can have their own thermostats. These systems are usually more efficient than electric setups, but the cost and time of installation are aspects to think about.