Pros and Cons of Radiant Floor Heating
Radiant floor heat is a heating system that works by transferring heat to the room through the floor. This type of home heating is a luxurious feature, as well as in renovations that focus on comfortable living.
Floor heating is one of the coziest ways to warm your feet, is it worth it to add to your home? We will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of radiant floor heating.
Pros of Radiant Floor Heating
Energy Efficient Heating
When it comes to radiant floor heating, there are either electric systems or hot water systems. Both floor systems will provide consistent warmth throughout the flooring. The difference between the two is that the warm water system runs hot water through pipes to create heat through the flooring. The electric system has wiring under the floor to generate heat.
The advantage of radiant floor heating is that it runs at a lower temperature than a typical radiator would need to. Therefore, consuming less energy, and keeping your energy bills far lower. Radiant heat provides an average saving of 15% on heating bills thanks to the efficient way it warms a home.
Works with all floor coverings
Radiant floor heating allows the freedom to design your home however you desire, making the most of the floor space. As this type of heating works with many floor types, such as laminate, wood, tile, stone, carpet, and more, you’re free to choose the floor type that you want.
Safer Option
When you have underfloor heating, the heating system is safely placed to be out of the way. Radiant heat is also much better for the air quality in a room since it keeps the air fresh and oxygen-rich. The thermal circulation from air rising to the ceiling and then back gets all the dust going in circles which will not happen with a floor heating system as it does with radiators.
Ease of Installation
Radiant floor heating is easy to install, whether that’s in a new home design or a flooring renovation. For example, the heated flooring is simple to lay down as the electric wire is pre-spaced and readily attached to the mesh.
Cons of Radiant Floor Heating
Installation Cost
When estimating the cost of an installation, it depends on the size of the room and the type of system you choose for your home. Depending on who you hire to place your underfloor system, you may need to call a qualified electrician to connect the system to your power supply.
Water-based systems are usually installed during the build phase and incorporated into the construction or renovation project, usually at a cost two or three times that of installing an electric system.
Installation Time
As the radiant floor technicians need to apply a compound on top of the electric heating system, as it needs to be completely dry before continuing, it can take a day or two. The electrical system takes just a few days to put in place, whereas the water-based underfloor heating takes longer to put in place. Overall, this process may be longer than you may have expected.
Floor Height Issue
As a guide, floor heating systems increase the floor height in a room by an average of less than 1/2 inch. Because of this, you may want to place insulation boards underneath the heating system to optimize efficiency by ensuring all the heat is utilized. Insulation boards will increase the height by approximately an inch.
Read More: Is Geothermal Heating Worth It If I Live In a Cold Climate?
Is Underfloor Heating Worth It?
Radiant floor heating is an easy and energy-efficient way to warm your home and to keep you warm. Although the cost of installing radiant heating is an added cost, there are various options available to suit your budget and keep in mind that underfloor heating provides substantial cost savings on your energy bills in the longer term. If you are interested in learning more about radiant heating, contact our professionals. Or, contact our HVAC company today at (920) 733-4713.
Modern HVAC is located in Neenah, and we serve the Fox Cities: Appleton, Menasha, Kimberly, Greenville, Kaukauna, and Darboy. Schedule a service with us today to discuss an installation or maintenance service for your radiant floor heating.