How Radiant Floor Heating Systems Work
A traditional method of heating your home involves heating the air flowing around the room’s interior. Radiant heat works on the premise of heating the floor and thereby maintaining heat in the objects in the room. Radiant heating systems have panels which are placed either in the floor, ceilings, or walls. Working much like a microwave using Infrared Radiation, as the objects are heated the heat spreads throughout the room and the temperature of the room and thereby the people who occupy the room become warmer.
By placing a radiant floor heating system beneath a tiled floor, or attached to a wall to wall flooring mat, or even embedded in concrete; you can wake every winter morning to a warm- welcoming floor. Let us take a closer look at the three types of radiant floor heating systems and how they work.
Three Types of Radiant Floor Heating Systems
Hydronic Radiant Heat System
The first type we will discuss is the most popular; the hydronic radiant heat system. It is more popular for the basic reasons that it cost less to install, and uses less energy; both of which equal savings for the home owner. Using a boiler system of an already installed conventional gas, wood, oil, solar, or coal heating source; water is heated and pumped from the boiler through the hydronic structure of polyethylene tubing, which has been installed under the rooms existing flooring. You will need to install a thermostat and zoning valve to control the flow of hot water underneath the floors of a room and maintain the temperature of that room.
Hot Air Radiant Floor Heating System
The second type is the hot air radiant flooring system. This system uses the homes existing furnace or solar heating system to drive heated air through pipes which have been laid under the flooring. Unfortunately, neither of these proves convenient or cost effective; solar energy does not work at night time, so you will be forced to use the furnace at night, and the air in the pipes cannot retain heat for very long periods so the furnace is forced to run continuously.
With this type of radiant heat flooring, you will embed electrical cables in concrete or place them directly underneath the flooring. While they work beautifully, they will increase your electric bill. The best way to save money is the embedding in concrete method; the concrete will absorb the heat and let you can turn off the system for a length of time. The flooring in your home will have a direct affect on the heating efficiency of this radiant heat system. Any floor covering such as carpet or linoleum will reduce the heats ability to rise and heat your home. Wood coverings such as solid wood floor boards are subject to warping and cracking from the heat. Your best option is laminated wood, or tile; both of these provide even heat dispersal and no damage to the floor covering.
In these days of going green for the environment, Radiant Heat Flooring Systems are an ecologically sound choice. It can be used in conjunction with solar heating, and it burns less fossil fuel than traditional methods of heating.