Stay Comfortable with Radiant Heated Floors
Hot air rises, so doesn’t it make sense to heat your home from the bottom up? This is exactly what heated floors do, and radiant heated floors do it best. Radiant heated floors are a luxurious home feature that provides the most comfortable, natural feeling, versatile and energy efficient heating available. Say goodbye to stepping onto cool tiles, getting dried out by hot air vents and shivering as you walk through cold spots in your home.
How It Works
This innovative technology works by transferring radiant energy to surfaces, objects and air above the floor. This heat is generated by hot water flowing through tubes or electric cables under the floor. The warmth produced by radiant heating systems is often compared to the sun, because the temperature throughout your living space feels consistent and free of the drafts and hot spots associated with standard forced-air systems.
Here are 10 reasons to choose radiant heated floors:
Cost Effective
Cost is an important factor for those who are looking at the pros and cons of radiant heating systems. They are much more economical to operate and the U.S. Department of Energy states that they cut heating costs by 25 to 50 percent.
Energy Efficient
Radiant heated floors that use hot water are highly energy efficient, up to 25 percent more efficient than forced-air systems. Traditional radiators need to be heated to a high temperature (149-167 degree Fahrenheit or 65-75 degrees Celsius) in order to heat a room. With heated floors the water temperature only needs to reach a maximum of 84 degrees Fahrenheit or 29 degrees Celsius to heat a room, making them heat the room faster. This number can be lowered even further with the right floor finish. In addition to being more effective than radiators they also produce more even heating without any cold spots or overheated areas.
Radiant heated floors also do not provide escape routes for the heat they produce, allowing all of the heat created to be retained. In contrast, forced-air systems use ductwork that is prone to leakage.
Easy Installation
New homes are the best candidates for whole-house radiant heating systems, because existing floors do not need to be removed or distubed. However, existing homes can be retrofitted with in-floor and under-floor systems.
Underfloor heating is easy to install, particularly as part of a new build or during a renovation. It can even be installed as a DIY project.
Healthier Homes
Radiant heated floors eliminate the problems associated with forced air heating, systems that propel allergens, bacteria and dust through the air.
Increased Comfort
In addition to feeling more natural, radiant heating also allows for increased control. You can control each room separately and set up zones within your home. Radiant systems can be synced with wifi thermostats and controlled via home automation systems and your smartphone.
Sole Source of Heat
When combined with adequate insulation and a strong building envelope, radiant heated floors can act as the sole source of heat in your home.
Design Flexibility
Forced-air heating systems take up lots of space and limit your ability to change your interior layout in the future. With heated floors there are no air vents or radiators to plan around and a lot more available space. Position your furniture wherever you want without having to think about blocking heating vents or worry about the kids getting too close to a radiator.
Low Maintenance
In addition to being flexible, radiant heated floors are effortless to run and require virtually no maintenance.
Beautiful Floor Coverings
Underfloor heating works with all types of floor coverings including tile, laminate, stone, carpet and wood, allowing you to design your home as you wish.
No Noise
Radiant heated floors are practically silent. Say goodbye to the roar of the furnace kicking in, the tinkering sounds of heat moving through vents and the buzz of radiators.
While the cost of radiant floor heating systems can seem costly upfront, they will save you money in the long run and the comfort and ease of use that comes with them is priceless.