How Much Does Radiant Floor Heat Cost?

Electric radiant floor heat is cheaper than hydronic. But just how much cheaper?

If you install an electric radiant heat floor in your bathroom or kitchen it will probably cost you somewhere between $400 and $800. The same thing may cost over $4,000 for a hydronic system. By comparison, forced air heating would cost about $200 per room which is why almost all new homes are being built with forced air.

Hydronic radiant floor heat is so much more expensive for several reasons. You have to install a boiler or some other means of heating the water. Additionally, you have to get the pipes under the floor(s) and they usually are embedded in concrete. A complete hydronic radient heat system in a medium sized house can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 which is no small sum. If you are just building your new home, that is the best time to hydronic radiant heat. Doing it later makes it much too expensive and makes electric radiant heat the better choice.



The nice thing about electric radiant floor heat is that it is relatively easy to install in individual rooms such as the bathroom. Pads with electric circuits are put in under the floors and there are no moving parts like a hydronic system. Electric radient heat is the simpler choice for most people and the cheaper of the two kinds of heat.