Electric Radiant Floor-Heating Systems Make Good Sense
Homeowners choose to install ceramic tile flooring for a number of reasons. These floors resist stains and water and are low maintenance and easy to clean. Tile flooring is durable and it is available in virtually endless color and design options to give any home a truly customized look. In summer, tile floors feel cool underfoot. In winter, however, walking across a cold tile surface, especially in a bathroom, can be uncomfortable and unpleasant. Throw rugs and floor mats help, but these must be washed or vacuumed regularly and moved when cleaning the floor.
Another solution to eliminating cold tiles is to install radiant heating underneath. Radiant heating is built in as part of the overall flooring system. It creates warmth in the flooring and radiates the heat upward. Radiant floor heating can be installed wherever you have tile or stone flooring, and can be zoned to target an area of a room or the entire space.
One of the two main types of radiant heat is electric. Electric radiant heating is recommended for installation when part of a remodeling or retrofitting project, in particular, in a smaller room or area of your home, as it is relatively easy to install. The other type of radiant heating is hydronic, which pumps hot water through tubing that has been laid out under the floor. Because hydronic radiant heating requires additional equipment, that type is recommended mainly for new-construction projects.
Benefits of Radiant Floor Heating Systems
• Uniform heat – Radiant floor heating systems heat the entire floor, which means the room is heated evenly throughout as well. Contrast this to a forced-air heating system which sends warm air out vents located in the ceiling or high on a wall that distribute the air unevenly. You will feel much more comfortable in a room that is evenly heated than in one that may be drafty or unevenly heated.
• Energy efficiency – Some statistics rate electric floor heating systems 25% more energy efficient than forced-air heating systems. A radiant heating system can serve as the primary heating source in the room in which it is installed – or even in the entire house. And, the homeowner controls the temperature via a thermostat that can be programmed to go on and off at set times.
• Easy to install – Electric radiant systems are usually available in rolls with the heating cable already attached. Some systems, such as the Schluter® DITRA-HEAT, come with an uncoupling membrane combined with the warming system to prevent stress that can occur to the subfloor from passing through to the tile floor. You might also need to hire an electrician to install the thermostat, if neither you nor your contractor do electrical work.
• Maintenance free – Once installed, an electric floor heating system requires no further maintenance.
• Noise and allergen free – Other than the click of a thermostat, an electric radiant floor system makes no noise as compared to the loud whoosh sound the furnace of a forced hot air system makes when it kicks on. Additionally, as there is no air blowing around, dust and allergenic particles are not blown through the air.
What You Should Know About Radiant Heating Systems
There is no way to install a floor-heating system without first removing the existing floor. Therefore, aside from during new construction, the best time to install an electric radiant heating system is when you are remodeling a room and replacing the floor.
An installed electric floor-heating system raises floor height by approximately one-half inch, though some systems elevate a floor minimally, about one-eighth inch. The cost per square foot of electric radiant heating can range between $10 and $20, depending on the system. And, while your electric bill will increase with usage, your heating bill will decrease.
If you would like to learn more about electric radiant floor-heating systems, contact Steve Rush of Sovereign Construction Services. Steve is knowledgeable about the products and the installation, and will share his expertise to answer all your questions. Call Sovereign Construction Services today at 610-639-2986 for a free consultation.