Questions People Ask Around Radiant Heat Flooring
Questions People Ask Around Radiant Heat Flooring
If you have a home with concrete floors you don't have to just settle for forced-air heating, but can adopt radiant heat flooring instead, which will save you in energy costs and allow for a much better living environment in the home. With radiant heat flooring the floor itself is responsible for distributing the heat in the home, so the system works very well in heating the entire home or a specific room.
When it comes to building a basement and deciding on what to do with the flooring of your basement, you really should consider a proper heating system. This is because the basement can often be very cold and also damp. You will need a robust heating system that will be resistant to the elements and that will provide years of service to the room.
This system of heating consists of tubes that either circulate heated water or use elements made hot through electric means. When the concrete is originally layed out in the home, these tubes are installed within it. Concrete can have a very high thermal mass (especially when it is thick) and so the floor heating system takes advantage of this fact – heating the concrete and using its thermal mass to keep things warm. Concrete with great thermal mass can stay hot for up to ten hours.
This heating first warms up the feet but then, if kept on for along enough to build enough heat in the concrete, it will heat up the room as well. Because it doesn't rely on blowing any air, it is great for people who suffer with allergies. What's more, because of the thermal mass of the concrete, you can save a great deal on energy costs as the concrete can retain the heat significantly for a long time.
With the heating system in the concrete, homeowners can still lay laminate flooring or wood over the concrete and therefore have a toasty warm house with smooth flooring.
Here are some questions that people ask with regards to this kind of heating system:
1)With hydronics (water) systems, can the tubes leak?
When a system has been installed correctly leaks will not be a problem. On average, the tubes used for these heating systems are expected to last over 100 years.
2)What if the floor overheats?
The floor will not overheat regardless if you're using a hydronic or electrical system. The heating technology is created to regulate the temperature constantly, feeding just enough electricity or water to keep things warm.
3)Can I heat only specific zones?
Yes, most of these heating systems allow for one to regulate a particular area in a room or a particular room. This all largely depends on the original installation, of course. Hydronic systems are especially good if this is something you really need.
4)Costs?
Pricing for this system is generally fair but there are a few things to consider, such as the fact that it will cost more to install the system into a concrete floor that's already laid as opposed to a newly laid concrete floor.
Hydronic systems are usually more expensive upfront due to the extra equipment needed (a boiler and a pump) but cost less in the long run because you don't have to pay for energy to use it. However, for small areas, electric radiant heat flooring is more cost effective.
