Hydronic Radiant Floor Heating
So, you’re sold on the concept of radiant floor heating, and are looking into what type of system you should get. As you probably know, radiant floor heating comes in three different flavors: electric, hydronic (liquid), and air based systems. The most popular of these systems is the hydronic based system. This article will explain how this system works, why its popular, and what it takes to get it installed.
The principle behind hydronic radiant floor heating is quite simple. Water is heated in a boiler, and pumped up through your house. The water is piped through a series of tubes underneath your floor, which allows the heat to radiate upwards from the floor into the room. The provides the even, consistent, quiet heat that radiant heating system are known for.
These hydronic systems are quite popular because they are more efficient in general than air or electric systems. Since liquid holds and stores heat very well, hydronic systems are very efficient for most uses. Of course, since they require a boiler, a plumbing system, and installation underneath the floor, they are somewhat demanding to install, particularly in an existing house. However, if you’re building new, it can be a great option.
Another factor to consider is the fact that these systems provide no cooling. If you’re in a climate where you’re OK without air conditioning, this could work great, but otherwise you’ll need to consider some sort of cooling system to install. Just something to think about.
There are two main installation methods for hydronic radiant floor heating, the so called “wet” and “dry” methods. A “wet” system has the tubing carrying the warm water embedded instead a concrete floor, whereas a dry system places the pipes in the air space underneath the floor. This is the newer and more favored design, because it is more versatile. It helps to understand this distinction so you can make the right decision, though.
So, if you’re looking at building or renovating your house, and you want to try a new, luxurious heating system, give radiant floor heating a good, hard look. You may just find that it will have a very strong impact on your enjoyment of your house, thanks to its many advantages. Contact a contractor today to learn about getting some hydronic floor heating installed in your home. Thanks for reading.