| A warm and comfortable home is what most | | | | height. Cost-wise, the electric radiant heating |
| families dream of having. Comfort is a priority of | | | | system can be expensive. It is only when thermal |
| many homeowners during all types of weather, | | | | mass or the availability of time-of-use rates can |
| be it hot or cold. When winter season comes, | | | | this be considered cost effective. |
| getting the right warmth for the family is of | | | | The other type of radiant heat floor heating is the |
| utmost importance. And how do you achieve this? | | | | liquid based or hydronic system. This uses hot |
| By using the radiant heat floor heating system. | | | | water the reason for its name. In this heating |
| The use of radiant heating goes back to the | | | | system, tubes are buried beneath the floor and it |
| Roman period. Today, this is a popular source of | | | | is here where hot water is circulated to provide |
| heat for many homes. Home heating systems | | | | heat to the home. A boiler is responsible for |
| that use radiant heat come in different types - | | | | heating the water and this can be run by |
| underfloor heating systems, wall heating systems, | | | | electricity or any other fuel. Energy sources that |
| radiant ceiling or overhead panels and overhead | | | | can be used with this type include the standard |
| gas fired radiant heaters. Among the four, the | | | | gas-fired boilers, wood-fired boilers, solar water |
| underfloor and wall heating systems are the most | | | | heaters or a combination of these sources. |
| common. | | | | The benefits of using the radiant floor heating |
| Underfloor heating systems can either be electric | | | | system are many. First off, it provides a |
| or hydronic. In other words, they can produce | | | | consistent level of heat in the home that is easy |
| heat through the use of electricity or hot water. | | | | to control. Secondly, no noise is emitted because |
| This type of heating system normally involves the | | | | of the absence of a fan. Thirdly, the system does |
| installation of tubes or electric heating elements | | | | not produce dust or allergens that can cause |
| underneath the floor area or the concrete slab. | | | | allergies to people occupying the house. This is |
| The floor, in this case, acts as a radiator of heat | | | | because there's no air that circulates inside the |
| in the entire house. | | | | home through the vents. What happens instead is |
| There are two options when choosing the electric | | | | convection or the natural circulation of heat as |
| radiant floor heating type of system. For newly | | | | warm air rises from the floor. |
| constructed homes, the electrical heating wiring | | | | The best part of this heating type is its energy |
| can be installed before the concrete slab is | | | | efficiency. Compared to a forced air system, this |
| poured. For homes with existing concrete floor, | | | | system consumes less energy which translates to |
| very thin electric heating mats are available that | | | | lower electricity bills for your family. If you live in |
| can be embedded in thin cement or gypsum | | | | areas near the power grid or where electricity |
| overlays without the need to increase the floor | | | | rates are high, this could be a major advantage. |