Comparing Electrical Radiant and Hydronic Radiant Floor Heating Systems
Comparing electrical radiant and hydronic radiant floor heating systems, can tell you which would work best for your home or commercial building. Both are reliable sources of alternate energy used to heat your home or business, yet both have advantages and disadvantages which become apparent with a closer look. Using electrical radiant or hydronic radiant floor heating systems can save you money on your energy bills, provide healthy environments for your family or employees, and provide constant, even temperature variances. Here is how they compare.
There are differences in installation and monthly energy cost for electrical and hydronic radiant floor heating systems. The initial cost of hydronic radiant heating cost more to install, ($5-$7 per square foot), yet offers greater savings on monthly performance cost. Electrical radiant heating installation ($4-$6) is far less than a hydronic radiant system, but the energy cost per month is higher.
When making your decision you must take into account the size of the home or building you are placing the radiant floor heating system in. Hydronic radiant systems work best in areas over 3000 square feet, and are therefore best used in commercial buildings, or larger homes. Since the hydronic system is dependant upon the use of boilers which can be matched with solar energy panels or underground heat pumps, this can affect their monthly energy cost dramatically.
Since electrical radiant floor heating systems are dependant upon the use of electricity, their cost of operation rises with the cost of electrical energy year to year. They are best used in single areas like bathrooms or kitchens, or homes less than 3000 square feet. Areas of coverage that measure 300 square feet is optimal. Still, they can benefit home and business owners by providing an average savings of over 30 percent on energy cost. When they are used in conjunction with daytime heating using solar energy power sources, the savings can rise even higher.
Electrical radiant heating systems when placed in existing homes will also not require the raising of the floor height as much as hydronic systems. Hydronic systems can raise a floor level as much as 3 inches, which can cause great difficulty around stairs, doorways, and cabinetry levels, and raise the head height of the occupants into danger zones around ceiling fans. Electrical radiant systems are rarely noticeable in the floor elevation rise.
Hydronic systems dependence on boilers also means they take longer to heat up, once they are shut down. Electrical radiance systems take very little time for the floor mat system or the molded plastic wrapped wiring systems to heat up. Both types can be set on thermostat timers to compensate for the warming up period. The thermostats also can be adjusted for each room, and completely shut down for rooms not in use. This saves money all around on your energy bills.
Placing a radiant floor heating system is a fantastic idea whether it is for home or commercial use. The system you choose will depend on the variances mentioned above, and others you can discover for yourself with the help of online catalogs provided by the radiant floor heating system manufacturers.