Radiant Floor Heating Services
Radiant in-floor heating systems supply heat directly to the floor of a house. The system depends largely on radiant heat transfer: the delivery of heat directly from the hot surface to the people and objects in the room via the radiation of heat. Radiant heating is the effect you feel when you can feel the warmth of a hot stovetop element from across the room.
Radiant heating has several advantages: it is more efficient than baseboard heating and usually more efficient than forced-air heating because no energy is lost through ducts. The lack of moving air can also be advantageous to people with severe allergies. Still deciding if radiant floor heating is right for you? Learn the pros and cons to radiant floor heating.
Modern Heating & Cooling uses Rehau tubing and IBC high-efficiency boilers.
Types of Radiant Floor Heating Systems
Radiant floors are heated either with electric resistance cables or hot water flowing inside the tubing.
Electric Systems
Electric radiant heating systems are a supplemental heating tool and is not meant to be the sole heat source for a room. With this system, cables are attached to mats and installed over a subfloor. There are also radiant electric floor heating pads that can be installed under laminate and other floating floors, such as engineered hardwood.
Hydronic Systems
The main difference between the two systems is that Hydronic radiant heating systems are designed to heat the whole house. This system works by heating water with a boiler and dispersing it through tubing under floors. There are several ways to install the tubing, such as it can be within a concrete slab, applied over an existing slab in cement, or stapled under the subflooring. With this kind of system, you can choose almost any kind of finished flooring to go over the installed tubing. Hydronic (liquid) systems are the most popular and cost-effective radiant heating systems for our climate.
Costs of Radiant Floor Systems
The cost of installing a hydronic radiant floor heating system depends on the size of the home, the type of installation, and the floor covering. The hydronic radiant system may more expensive, but it will save money due to higher efficiency. The cost for hydronic radiant flooring can also vary depending on whether there is access to the subfloor and the extent to which flooring must be torn out and reinstalled. Please call (920) 733-4713 for more information or pricing.
Radiant Floor Heating FAQs
Radiant heating systems typically do not require maintenance or inspection. They are controlled by a thermostat, which means that typically, the only maintenance required are the batteries in the thermostat.
We recommend setting your radiant floor heating at about about 65-70 degrees. Typically, around 65 degrees is the most common temperature homeowners set a radiant floor heating system at.
You will not need your radiant heating system turned on in the summer. However, you typically don’t need to turn off your boiler.
We recommend using a programmable thermostat to adjust your floor heating system’s temperature. This will be most cost-effective and energy-efficient than running your heat at a constant temperature 24/7.
Depending on the circumstance, turning your boiler off is fine. For example, if you want to turn it off in the summer, overnight, or while away on vacation. However, do not turn off your boiler during the winter as your pipes can freeze. Instead, utilize your timer to turn off your boiler during periods of no use.
Typically, your radiant heating system will feel neutral or warm to the touch. However, if your floor if starting to become hot, it is a sign that it needs to be repaired. The maximum temperature of your radiant heat should be around 130-140 degrees. There are two reasons your radiant heating system has become too hot. 1.) The temperature of the water in the system is too high. 2.) The radiant heat has become trapped.
In short, yes! Adjust your temperature to your liking to see what works for your home/your family’s preferences. If done correctly, turning your radiant heating down helps you to conserve on energy and cost.
First, make sure you keep your boiler clean. Also, be sure to check the boiler flame. You will also want to run the water occasionally to check to see how the boiler processes the water, and check to see if there is blockage or a leak. If so, call a professional to come and service your boiler. Other things to check for are glycol (check your pH level), and the water pressure. If you prefer to have a technician check these for you, let them know and be sure to ask them any questions you may have about your boiler system.
Radiant heating can be expensive to operate, however, it provides many advantages. For example, radiant heating is more efficient than baseboard heating and usually performs better than forced-air heating due to it effectively removing duct losses. In addition, if you have allergies, you may also enjoy a radiant heat system because it doesn’t distribute allergens the way forced-air heating does.