In general, expect to pay 50 percent more for a hydronic radiant flooring system than for conventional forced-air heat. No one manufacturer supplies all the components for hydronic radiant heating. You'll need a good heating contractor to put a system together.
With electric radiant, it's easy to find turnkey systems. Its warmth comes from a loop of thin electric wire laid directly under the finish floor. The catch lurks in your utility bill: the 6 to 10 watts per square foot the system uses per hour makes it prohibitively expensive to heat a whole house.
Radiant heat dates to ancient times, when the Romans warmed rooms by running the flues for slave-tended, wood-burning fires under elevated marble floors, keeping toes and togas nice and toasty. Many centuries later, in this country, Frank Lloyd Wright buried copper pipes in the concrete floors of his Usonian homes and warmed them with hot water. A few postwar subdivisions, including Levittown, followed suit. Today, plastic PEX tubing has replaced metal as the favored means of feeding hydronic heat into floors, making radiant heat systems more affordable than ever.
And with a no-fail track record in Europe going back more than 35 years, it's also made them more reliable. Thermosoft International Corp. Vernon Hills, IL thermosoft. SunTouch Springfield, MO suntouch. Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. By choosing I Accept , you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies.
By Joseph D'Agnese. Pinterest Email Pocket Flipboard. Alamy The best heating system a house can have is the one you don't realize is there. How well does radiant floor heat work? How does it differ from conventional heating? Warming Systems is a brand that is quite popular in every household by now. We recently came across its heating cable and decided to give it a try.
We were impressed by its seamless performance and thought of sharing our experience with you. To begin with, this heating cable does what it is supposed to do, and in all the best ways possible.
This heating kit takes about 20 minutes to heat. And, can warm up every nook and corner of your house without overwhelming the budget. We appreciated the fact that unlike other heating cable models, this one is more durable.
Instead of stickers, this kit comes with plastic cable guides that can be used to secure wiring onto the subfloor. We tested this out in our workshop and found it to improve the finishing significantly compared to other cable kits. Apart from that,this high-tech precision thermostat gives you the ability to control the floor temperature accurately for maximum comfort and energy savings.
To cut it short, all of these premium features make this heating cable one of the best floor heating systems in recent times. Although it is one of the best radiant floor heating cable kits out there, we believe that it takes a little longer to warm up compared to other heating systems. The ultimate recommendation on our list is none other than this in-floor heating cable from HeatTech.
The feature that had our attention from the beginning is its high heat density and dissipation powers. Frankly speaking, this HeatTech model is affordable, has the usual rings and bells, and comes with a year warranty to back it up greatly. For all those who are first-timers and are just playing around with a debut floor heating system, then this can be one of the best options for you.
Although it comes in an inexpensive range, this is also one of those models that advanced hobbyists hugely rely on. This is mainly due to its heat density and dissipation powers. Besides that, this kit even comes with a single armored 10ft cold lead wire,which is strong enough to carry these powers with ease. You will also appreciate the V system of this in-floor heating system that allows for installation of up to ft of cable on a single thermostat. In this price range, what more could we have asked for?
It is perhaps the only model on our list that takes the most time to heat up your room as per your desire. Infact, you are looking at around a full hour to achieve the room temperature you want. On top of that, this model comes with an program thermostat that made it challenging for us to operate it. These are the only aspects that disappoint us, but other than that, this product has an outstanding value for money.
Radiant floor heating systems are a luxurious home feature and a popular trend in new housing. In fact, with the passing days, it has become a basic necessity that can help you lead a comfortable,clean, and designed living.
But, to get the right results, it is essential to choose a product that works the best for your needs. Undeniably, the journey to find the perfect one becomes quite a bit overwhelming for many. But, there is no need to worry. We are here to help you choose an ideal product as per your needs and relish the warmth that you deserve in peace. On that note, here are a few things that you should consider before going on your next shopping spree-.
If you are new to using radiant floor heating systems, it is crucial to understand that there are primarily two kinds of radiating heating systems from which you can take your pick.
These are the electric and hydronic systems. You will need to choose one that will be most suitable for your room type.
Now, if you already have a hydronic system in your house, it certainly makes sense to choose the hydronic radiant floor heaters for your home. These systems are super cheap and easy to install. As these systems are usually maintenance-free, they can also provide years of reliable use with ease. On the other hand, you could also select an electric radiant floor heating system.
But, one of the major setbacks about this kind of heating system is that they are extremely expensive to install. In addition, if there are any problems with the heating mats, you would have to take up the entire floor to fix it. The second aspect you need to consider while installing the heating system is the size of the room. Understand that these systems cover the entire floor area to heat the room effectively. Therefore, it is always wise to purchase a heater that matches the size of the flooring.
In the case of an irregularly shaped room, we always recommend buying an electric heating kit. Most people tend to ignore this aspect, but it is essential to purchase a floor heating system that comes with a heat controller. Most systems these days come with a thermostat so that the mat can be automatically turned off if the floor or the surrounding area becomes too hot. Alternatively, we suggest purchasing a system with a programmable thermostat.
This provides the provision to set different temperatures throughout the day or week, that provides you with the ultimate control. Unlike any other product, a floor heating system is challenging to maintain.
Neither you can dust it off, nor can you take it apart. This is why the long-term warranty matters a lot. Hence, always remember to purchase a product that comes with a limited lifetime warranty, or at the least, years warranty. Anything short of that would be a complete waste of your investment.
This is a tough choice to make as all the options we have enlisted above have their set of unique features and advantages. We would still recommend the top two bestsellers- HeatWave for its strong performance systems and HeatTech for its affordable products. However, we are inclined to side with heating systems of Warming Systems. It is the quickest when it comes to heating and has an overall high-quality mark to it.
But, if you are interested in heating cables for warming up your room, it is wise to consider Heatwave and SunTouch. The floor heating cables of these two most popular brands take the pie for being the best electric radiant floor heating cables.
You now know everything you possibly could about radiant floor heating systems. Heated Driveway Systems vs. Portable Mats- Costs and Applications Compared. Friday, November 12, Architecture Lab. Share on Facebook. Our Top Pick. Tricky to install.
Mat size: 20" wide x Voltage: V, Adhesive back panel Thin profile mat Digital programmable floor sensing thermostat. Adhesive back only works on clean surfaces Shorter in length. Thank you, you have successfully subscribed to our newsletter! Author reviews about radiant floor heating.
Heating options : Janes Radiant sells electric and hydronic in-floor heating systems. The website has detailed descriptions and downloadable brochures for each system. Free tech support : Janes Radiant supports you during the installation process. Each system comes with easy to understand manuals, and they offer free technical support if you run into any problems during the installation process. Gallery : The website has pictures of the installation process in multiple types of structures.
These pictures can give you a good idea of what the process will entail if you choose to install radiant heating in your building. Enter your phone number and email, and a customer service representative will contact you with an estimate. Informational website : The Janes Radiant website is very informational. This makes it easy to figure out which systems will work with your floor covering. Contractor program : ThermoSoft has a program specifically for contractors.
Visit the website for more details. The company offers discounted shipping rates to Alaska, Hawaii and Canada. American manufacturing : ThermoSoft makes all its systems at its manufacturing facility in Illinois. Instant quote : The WarmlyYours website has an instant quote tool. Enter the square footage of your room, and the site shows you an estimate of how much the materials will cost. Availability : WarmlyYours sells products directly to consumers online.
The company also sells through dealers across the United States. Warranty : Each WarmlyYours underfloor heating system comes with a to year warranty, depending on the product you choose. Installation support : When you contact the company for a detailed quote, a customer service representative will send you an installation guide for your project.
It has regular sales and seasonal promotions. Members of the military and veterans get a 15 percent discount. Warmboard-S : WarmBoard-S is used for new construction. The panels for this product are thick enough to be used as the subflooring for the structure. Warmboard-R : Warmboard-R can be installed in existing structures. Modular design : Warmboard flooring fits together in a modular pattern. As you install the pieces, you automatically create the layout for the heating tubes. This design makes installation easier.
Environmentally friendly : WarmBoard uses environmentally-friendly practices in its manufacturing. Aluminum coating : Both Warmboard-S and Warmboard-R panels have an aluminum coating that makes them highly conductive. This feature helps transfer heat to the whole floor, making the panels more energy efficient than some other underfloor heating systems.
Product recommendations : The SunTouch website can offer immediate recommendations on which product will be best for your project and space.
Simply visit the website and answer a few basic questions about your space and preferences to see which product will be best and how much it costs. The site also has a thorough FAQ section, and you can contact customer service representatives by phone for installation questions. Warranties : All SunTouch products come with a warranty. These are transferable if you sell your home.
The length of coverage varies by product. Visit the website to see the warranty details for individual products. You can control the system with your phone using an app that is available for iPhone and Android devices. It has a three-year warranty. Pre-assembled packages : Radiatec offers pre-assembled pieces, called Installation Packages, to make it easier to install a complete radiant heating system yourself. Installation assistance : Radiantec helps DIYers by giving all customers installation instructions, brochures and other necessary information.
Technicians also offer help over the phone during normal business hours. Water heaters : Radiatec recommends that you use a regular water heater, the same one that provides hot water to your home, instead of a boiler to heat the water for your underfloor system. You can save a significant amount of money by using their design with a water heater. Solar power : Radiatec also sells solar heating systems. You can use these to power your radiant underfloor heating. This option is energy efficient, and you may qualify for tax credits by installing solar energy.
Pricing : Radiatec gives interested customers free estimates. It can also connect to a Nest thermostat to work as part of your smart home. It features a calculator to help you estimate the daily cost. Product finder : The Warmup website has a tool to select the best heating system for you automatically. Simply enter the type of room where you want to install radiant heating, the type of subfloor in that room and the type of flooring you plan to install over it.
Warmupedia : Warmup dedicates a section of its site to teaching you about underfloor heating installation. This section, called Warmupedia, includes videos, installation guides, troubleshooting tips and more. You can program the system to turn off automatically if your phone leaves your house. The thermostat also controls the maximum temperature to prevent damage to your flooring. Warranty : All Warmup products come with a warranty that guarantees the product will be free from manufacturing and materials defects.
Blog : The Warmup blog includes a wide variety of informative articles to help you learn about underfloor heating. Visit the blog to learn about installation, costs, energy efficiency and more. Pricing : Orbit Radiant Heating sells products online.
This means you can go to the website and see what all the components for a system would cost. Installation help : You can find installation instructions for all the radiant heating products the company sells on its website.
Fast shipping : Orbit Radiant Heating keeps a large inventory so it can ship orders quickly. Standard orders can ship the same day, and custom orders can ship within two days.
Distributor program : Orbit Radiant Heating sells products online and through distributors. The discount may enable them to offer products to local customers at a lower price. It sells systems that you can install over several different types of subfloors and under many different floor coverings. Solar heating : Infloor sells solar power options to heat the water for hydronic systems.
The company has two options, one for customers whose homes get a lot of sunlight and one for those living in colder, less sunny climates. The pictures in this section can give you a good idea of how these systems would work in your space, including how boilers and solar panels might look.
Contact the company for additional information about the protection these warranties provide. These guides, along with the available informational brochures, can help you determine whether you are comfortable installing a particular system. Disclaimer Information in this guide is general in nature and is intended for informational purposes only; it is not legal, health, investment or tax advice. Get the news you need delivered to you Sign up to receive our free weekly newsletter.
Read Author Review. Share your experience with this company Infloor Heating Systems sells indoor and outdoor radiant heating products, including electric and hydronic underfloor heating systems.
Janes Radiant. Share your experience with this company Janes Radiant sells electric and hydronic heating systems. Share your experience with this company Nuheat, a subsidiary of Pentair Thermal Management, offers electric underfloor heating systems for installation under stone, tiles, laminate and engineered wood. Orbit Radiant Heating. Share your experience with this company Orbit Radiant Heating sells electric radiant heating systems online and through distributors across the United States.
Share your experience with this company Radiatec sells hydronic underfloor heating systems online. Share your experience with this company SunTouch manufactures electric underfloor heating systems as well as systems for outdoor use.
Share your experience with this company ThermoSoft manufactures and sells electric in-floor heating systems. Share your experience with this company Warmboard sells highly energy-efficient hydronic underfloor heating systems and outdoor radiant heat systems online.
Warmly Yours.
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