Installing Radiant Floor Heat

Radiant floor heating systems can provide whole house heating or supplemental heating to prevent the shivers from stepping on an ice-cold floor. They are also an excellent choice to heat new additions or spaces where it is difficult to install traditional water-fed or forced hot-air heating systems.

But before you hire a contractor to install radiant heat, it’s important to know the differences between the two main systems: electric radiant heat and hydronic (water-fed) radiant heat. Each system has pluses and minuses, but basically work the same by creating a warm, steady source of heat under your flooring that rises to not only heat the floor, but nearby air.

Although slightly easier to install, the main drawback of electric radiant heat is cost per use because of the staggering electric prices on Long Island. Most installations of this system are for small areas that are used for only a small time to take the chill off an area. Whole house heating with electric radiant flooring is just too expensive, therefore making it impractical for most renovations.

Still, there are some reasons to go with electric radiant heat. In areas where it’s difficult to run piping, a finished attic or outdoor patio for example, this system works well.

Hydronic radiant heating systems, on the other hand, use hot water either directly from your burner or a storage tank.

This water travels through flexible tubing that coils back and forth under your floor, thereby increasing the amount of surface heating area. In some designs, the tubing is encased into lightweight concrete and most often, covered with ceramic tile. If wood floors are specified in a renovation, then the tubing is set below the surface in channels cut into the subfloor. Aluminum plates are wedged under the tubing to help facilitate upward heat transfer.

Water-fed systems also have the advantage of working with existing home heating sources. Since the only requirement is to heat water, oil, gas, propane and even solar are possible fuel sources. In fact, a hybrid solar hot water heater —the type often seen on roofs — can be adapted to heat your pool water in the summer and flooring in the winter.

Since the water in the hydronic tubes continuously circulates, heat is evenly released throughout the day, unlike electric radiant systems that draw a surge of power to reach operating temperature. Both systems operate by a programmable thermostat and with proper programming, you can make sure your first step out of bed is warm and comfortable.