Radiant Floor Heating Buying Guide:

What is radiant floor heating? Radiant floor heating systems use small tubes of hot water or electric cables embedded in a concrete floor, under a tile floor or attached to the underside of the subfloor to heat objects like people, furniture, and carpet. It's a way to heat your floors and used as an alternative to just having the furnace on all day that heats your house. Radiant floor heating has actually been used for centuries dating back to the Romans and it wasn't until recently that many homeowners have looked into this option. Ideally, you would want to install radiant floors when a house is being built, but they can be installed at a later time (just more involved). There are electric radiant floors and hydronic (hot water) radiant floors in which the surface right below your floors is heated making your floors warm and the area right above them warm as well. Many people prefer radiant floor heating to other types of heating systems because they are quiet to operate and distribute heat on floors evenly. Radiant floors are definitely more energy efficient than wood stoves and hot air systems. Heating systems for floors heat rooms from the bottom up, great for heating your feet and body. Unlike forced air heating systems that can cause dust or draft issues, radiant floor heat has none of that.

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In terms of saving energy, owners of radiant floor systems say you will have lower heating bills because you can set your thermostat at least 2-3 degrees lower. Some people have noted a fuel saving of 15-20% over a forced air system. A huge advantage of radiant floor heating is that they are truly "invisible" with no heat registers or radiators in the house and there is no fan noise like you find with forced hot air systems. Which type of radiant floors are best for you and your home? Again, the 3 types are radiant air floors, electric radiant floors, and hydronic (hot water) radiant floors. There are essentially two types of installation process - wet and dry. A "wet" installation is one in which the system is embedded in a concrete slab or lightweight concrete over a wooden subfloor. A "dry" installation is done by attaching the tubing under the finished or subfloor or when it gets sandwiched between 2 layers of plywood (subflooring). Dry floors can be built much faster and they are less expensive as well. Radiant air floors are really not cost-effective for residential uses and rarely installed. The electric radiants floors can be cost effective but only if your electric utility company gives you reduced rates during off-peak hours like 9 PM to 6 AM. What you would do is heat the floors during that time and let the "stored heat" last all day (usually 8 to 10 hrs). Hydronic floor heating systems are definitely cost effective and sell much better than the other options for heating floors. Liquid radiant floor systems work by pumping hot water from a boiler into tubing that is underneath the floor itself. You can control the temperature in each room by turning on the various zones in your house (much like the way an irrigation system works outdoors). What type of floor coverings work best with radiant floor heating? Ceramic tile is the preferred floor covering, but other materials like vinyl, linoleum, wood, and carpet can work too. Obviously some materials will work better than others and so if you do decide on carpeting, go with a thinner carpet so the heat can radiate through it easier. As for hardwood floors, experts advise that you use laminated wood flooring over solid wood because the solid wood may crack or shrink with the constant heat being radiated through it. For those hydronic radiant floor systems, builders suggest using "cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) or rubber tubing with an oxygen diffusion barrier". This will ensure that the tubing can handle hot water consistently surging through it and keep away leaks.

Controlling the System:

Thermostats are used to control heated floor system just like you would your furnace. A floor thermostat will control the boilers burner while the rest of the system makes sure that the hot water or warmth gets circulated properly. Some of the more expensive system controls actually keep track of the room temperature, outdoor temperature, and floor temperature to manage the necessary heating. Most radiant floor systems get their heat from a boiler, but you could also use a gas water heater or a geothermal heat pump. No matter which radiant floor system you go with, you will be able to control the warmth in each room much better than you could with a regular gas furnace and wall thermostat. In reading testomonials online, we found that many homeowners use radiant floor heating as an additional source of warmth in their house along with a standard furnace. For example, if they want to heat the floors in their bathrooms, it's very convenient to do.

Cost of Radiant Floor Heating:

Ok, so having a heated floor sounds like a great idea, but what will it cost? For something like an hydronic radiant floor, installation costs about $4-$6 per square foot. These #'s can vary depending on the type of floor covering used, the overall size of the rooms, the installation process, and the cost of labor in your area. Be prepared to spend 40 to 50 % more on a radiant floor heating system than you would with a conventional heating system. Also, keep in mind that your radiant floor system is a self-contained product and therefore your central air conditioning unit will have to be installed separately (including all the ductwork). For this reason, contractors recommend having radiant floors installed during the building of a house and not after the fact. For more details on pricing we suggest going to Warmyourfloor.com or Tileheater.com.

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