Radiant floor heating is becoming an increasingly popular choice for new homes. It may be the new norm for anyone putting in a new floor, but the concept of an underfoot-heating system dates back to the Romans.
If your home is older, it may have its charms. But it may not be the most energy-efficient of dwellings.
*Consider: About 70% of U.S. residential heat costs are attributed to houses built before 1983.
Why Make The Switch to Radiant Heat?
Radiant floor heating offers a higher level of efficiency than most traditional heating systems. Heat rises and placing air vents on the ceiling or even baseboards results in significant energy waste. On the other hand, radiant heated floors, unlike forced-air systems, generate heat where it can be most efficient.
Though costly to install, a new radiant floor system can be more cost-effective in the long run. Whether it is electric, hot-air or water-fed, radiant heated flooring transfers heat so effectively that it requires less energy to operate than other HVAC products that depend on ductwork to channel heated air between rooms.
Benefits of Radiant Floor Heating
* Cost Savings
Unlike forced-air heating systems that use a ton of energy to heat your entire home, radiant heat will increase your energy efficiency and decrease your energy bills. This is because radiant floor heating can generate heat where it can be most efficiently used.
* Even Heating
In-floor heating is evenly distributed, providing the glow of an “everywhere” warmth. No more intermittent temperature spikes from room to room, or fussing with thermostats. And you can regulate your warmth by heating your floors during your provider’s off-peak hours, and releasing that warmth slowly over the course of the day.
* Quiet Heating
No more clanks, pops and clicks that characterize electric, forced-air or water-fed baseboard heating. Radiant heated floors are virtually silent.
* Hypoallergenic Heating
Radiant floors release no harmful allergens and are as easy to clean as standard flooring. By contrast, forced-air systems can harbor and transmit dust mites that adversely affect asthmatic homeowners. To some extent, hard-to-clean baseboards can also pose the same threat.
* Flexibility in Furniture Placement
Because heat distribution is embedded in the floor, your radiant system affords more and greater options for situating your furniture around your rooms.
Are There Possible Drawbacks?
Radiant floor heating, to be sure, also has its drawbacks, and you should consider these before going through the expense and effort of upgrading to a new system.
One is that, because the thermal mass of floors can be large, it takes longer to heat or cool them, making timed temperature changes more difficult. You may not be able to regulate your system downward during nighttime hours.
Another is that you will have a more limited choice of flooring materials. Carpets and rugs that insulate the floor will decrease the response time of the system and may cause cracks on solid wood floors.
Yet another is that the absence of ductwork will make air-conditioning with a traditional central-air system more difficult.
Contact Tragar Home Services For More Information
For more information about Radiant Floor Heating, call the industry-leading green-energy professionals at Tragar Home Services: (516) 221-2559. Or fill out the contact form online and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
