What is Radiant Floor Heat?

Why is there so much talk about radiant heat today?

Is radiant floor heat right for you?

Radiant heating utilizes heat energy radiated from one body to another in a direct line. The receiving body absorbs this energy and then re-radiates it to heat other bodies in an ongoing process.

Many radiant floor heating systems operate by heating up a mass, normally the floor. By pumping heated water through tubing or pipes in, or attached to the floor, heat is conducted from the tubing to the floor. The floor then becomes a heated mass, which radiates its heat to heat all bodies and objects above it. These objects, in turn, re-radiate the heat, heating other bodies in the room. Radiant heating warms bodies first; consequently, less energy is needed than with heating systems which heat the air in an effort to heat the bodies. Think of a microwave oven. The heat waves in the oven heat the food, not the air. With radiant floor heating, the walls and ceilings are cooler than people are and objects within the room just as the walls of the microwave stay cooler than the food.

With radiant heating, more heat is radiated if the objects in the room are cool. The bigger the differences in temperature between the floor and objects in the room, the greater the rate of heat transfer. As the objects in the room become warmer, the temperature differential lessens and the rate of heat transfer slows.

Although the maximum floor temperature does not normally exceed 85° this is all that's needed to evenly distribute heat where you want it without wasting it through the ceiling, walls or windows, even in colder weather.

More and more people are installing radiant floor heating systems today. Let's examine some of the reasons. It has been said that people 's feet are the thermostats of their bodies. We are more comfortable with warmer feet (72°) and cooler temperatures (about 67°) at head level. Radiant floor heat provides this "bi-level" heat so we feel warm and comfortable. The floors are kept at a relatively constant temperature so there are no temperature swings, no drafts, no dust or germs spread throughout your home. Just imagine stepping out of the shower onto a warm tile floor. Comfort is one of the main reasons to install radiant floor heat.

Because lower water temperatures are used with radiant floor heating, and because heat isn't wasted at the ceiling level, you have lower heating costs. The thermostat can be set lower with radiant floor heating than with other heating systems, and you feel more comfortable. Having the right type of heat, with less air infiltration and heat where it is needed increases the efficiency of radiant floor heating. Energy Savings of 30% - 40% over conventional heating systems are common. Energy and money savings are other prime reasons to install radiant floor heat.

There is absolutely no noise with a radiant floor heating system. Each room can be controlled independently to suit your needs. Because there are no registers or radiators, you are free to decorate each room without having to consider the heating units. You can design, decorate and place furniture wherever you please. Flexibility is another reason to use radiant floor heating.

If you enjoy feeling the sun on your face on a warm spring day, you will enjoy the warmth radiating from the floor and every surface on your radiantly heated room. Knowledgeable homeowners and builders want the comfort that only radiant heat can provide, while also enjoying lower heating costs and freedom from drafts, ducts, noise and dirt.