Radiant Floor Heating
Radiant floor heating has become a popular solution to cold tile,
icy driveways and home saunas. This type of heating system is
installed beneath the floor and is controlled by a thermostat that
you set, turn on, or turn off. The idea was dragged inside from the
concept of heated driveways, and has added new dimension to the
manner in which rooms can be heated.
Three Types of Radiant Floors
1. Electric Radiant Floors -- Do
a great job at heating any kind of home, but they're extremely
expensive.
2. Hydronic or Liquid Floors --
Cost less and are, therefore, used more often in residential
construction.
3. Radiant Air Floors -- Don't
hold large amount of heat, and for this reason they are used mainly
in commercial buildings.
Radiant floor heating performs as a distribution center for the home
by taking advantage of the floor and laying tubing throughout the
whole floor. Beautiful tile, marble and slate floors are being
utilized in homes, but they're ice cold. With radiant floor heating
you can now have a beautiful floor and still walk around barefoot.
Using a hydronic floor system is a great way to heat your home, but
you can also use it on a smaller scale, installing it in a cold room
such as a basement or under the tile in the bathroom so that you
don't step onto chilly tile after a warm bath.
Installing a Radiant Floor System
There are two categories of installation for radiant floor heating
-- wet and dry. Wet installation is most commonly used in the ground
floor. Your contractor needs to be experienced with the installation
of these types of systems, both wet and dry, so be sure your builder
knows ahead of time that you are contemplating having a radiant
floor system installed, because steps need to be taken to ensure
there will be enough space in the substrate.
When installing a radiant floor system on the upper floors of your
home, the most common method is called "dry installation," which is
a system that suspends the tubing underneath the subfloor, between
the joists.
Cushions for Radiant Floors
Denser, thinner pads such as a slab rubber or waffle rubber pad,
without clay fillers, are considered the best choice among pads for
use with radiant floor heating systems.
Lighter, less dense pads, such as bonded urethane and prime
urethane, are usually too high in R-value to be a good choice
because they inhibit the heat from passing through the cushion into
the room, reducing your system's efficiency.
If you are interested in more, please
check out our
Clearview Service Agreement,
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