I WISH MY HOME HAD A RADIANT FLOOR HEATING SYSTEM

Right now it is the beginning of a very cold winter and already my skin is dry and scaling. My nose is rough on the top and feels like it is peeling. The backs of my hands are alright when I wake up but throughout the day, they become dryer and dryer.

I sit here typing this wishing we had designed and built our house ourself so that we could have installed a radiant floor heating system right from the beginning. We have had freezing temperatures outside now for about a week and the dry forced air heat that comes out of the vents are killing me. It's like I can see my skin growing older right before my eyes.

The forced air heating systems that are in most newer homes are awful during the winter. They are loud as they continuously pump the dry air into every room sucking out every bit of moisture. I have tried using a humidifier but it is useless as the unit is too small to make any kind of a difference.

When it gets this cold, and it will be this way for the next 3 months or so, the heating has to work overtime in any house. Dry hot heat may work to keep you warm but it is not pleasurable at all. With radiant floor heating throughout the house, like in the winter would be so much more pleasurable.

Radiant heat floors are something you can have installed throughout a house but it only really makes sense to do that as the house is being built. Whether you choose hydronic or electric radiant heat, it is something that is so much easier to put in while the house is being built.

The cost of radiant floor heat is such that it is too expensive and too much trouble to put it in every room of the house if your house has already been built. That is why most people, if they do choose to rip up their floors, will only do it for a room or two which is usually the master bathroom and perhaps the kitchen. I would also really like to have it in the basement where it is freezing and I think it would help a lot. The best electric fireplace inserts that we looked at as an alternative just won't do the job I don't think.

If we ever move homes, radiant heat is something that I have to remember to look into before we buy or build. My Grandma's house had Victorian radiators and I long for that type of silent, steady heat that is just there and you never know it. What I would give to have some sort of a radiant floor heating system in our house right now. With this bad economy, it is difficult to think that we will ever get our money back if we install it after the fact in our home now.

RADIANT HEAT FLOOR QUESTIONS

Now that winter is upon us, there are a lot of people interested in radiant floor heat and radiant heat flooring. However, most people have no idea how much it can cost or how to install it. Here are some of the questions being asked by people on the Internet about radiant heat floors:

1) How much does it cost to install electric heat
2) Best type of bathroom heated floor
3) Best radiant heater surface
4) In floor hydronic cost
5) How much heat does radiant heating give
6) Radient floor cost
7) How to install oxy pex
8) How much room do you need for a radiant floor
9) How long does it take to heat electirc floors
10) Installing radiant heat pad
11) Installing radiant floor heat in older homes
12) Heated bathroom floor cost
13) Can you install radiant heat flooring under carpet
14) How to install hydronic radiant floor heat
15) Radiant heating tips
16) Rooms good for radient heating
17) Radiant heat bathroom over vinyl
18) Installation radient flooring
19) How much does heated concrete cost?
20) Ceiling radiant heater for bathrooms
21) House value heated floors
22) Whole house radiant heat
23) How much does hydronic radiant floor heating cost
24) Electrical radiant floor heating supplies
25) How you install your boiler to heat the floor

Those are just some of the types of questions people are asking about radiant heat floors and how you get them. While some of those questions cannot really be answered in a sentence or two, many of them can and next time I will give the answers to as many of those questions a possible.

HOW CAN I GET HEATED FLOORS?

When you walk in a room with heated floors you really notice the difference. What kind of floors are heated like that? The only way to make that happen is by installing radiant heated floors. There are two kinds of methods you can use to get heated floors and they are electric radient heat and hydronic radiant heat. If you want to read more about each one here are some links:

Electric radiant heated floors

Hydronic radiant heated floors

Radiant heat floors are not cheap to install and it is always better if you put it in as the house is being built. You can install it later if you choose and in that case the electric heat is much easier and cheaper to put in than hydronic radiant heat. If you are interested in finding out the costs please go here: cost of radiant heat floors

HOW CHEAP IS RADIANT HEAT?

Winter is soon to be upon us and so the interest in all types of heating options is increasing. You might be looking into installing a wood burning stove or thinking about installing radiant heat. Search volume in Google is rising for terms like like: radiant heat flooring, radient heat, how much does a new boiler cost, how much does radiant floor heating cost, how much does it cost to install heated floors, need to know to install radiant system, how much does a radent system cost, how much does radiant heating cost, radiant heat tips, radiant floor heat, cheap radiant floor heat, radiant heat floor hydronic, and radiant heat flooring cost.

Clearly people are interested in knowing more about radiant heat. First of all, there is not really anything like cheap radiant heat and that is especially true if you don't already have it installed in your house or home. If you are wondering about how much it costs to install, please see how much does radiant heat cost to give you an idea of the per room costs of both electric and hydronic radient heat.

Electric radiant heat is always cheaper to install because you can put electric pads or mats under the floors. With a hydronic radiant heat system, you need to get water pipes under the floors which is much harder and more costly. That said, it is always cheaper and easier to install either type of radiant heat system while you are building a house instead of after. If your house is already built and you are thinking of having radiant heat installed, electric becomes the clear choice because it is so much simpler to install.

Once you have radiant heat installed though, from that point on it becomes cheaper than the normal forced air you find in most homes. One reason is that forced air heat drafts all throughout the house and is pushed out the doors and windows as well. Alot of forced air heat is lost and it is not that efficient. With radiant heat there is no pushing the air from room to room. The air is heated from the floor and slowly rises. There is no percetible air flow which is real nice.

Radiant heat is a gentle heat like the warmth of the sun and that is why it is the preferred heat if people have a choice. The high costs of installation prevent most homeowners from installing it unfortunately. Radiant heat floors, even if only installed in the bathrooms and kitchen, will raise the value of a home and make it easier to sell. This is an added benefit down the road if you are thinking about installing radiant floor heat in your house.

WHERE TO BUY RADIANT FLOOR HEAT SUPPLIES

If you are thinking of installing a radiant floor heat system yourself, where do you go to find the right supplies?

You might be looking for electric tile, radiant heat tubing, Oxy Pex tubing for radient heat, a electric tile radiant heating system, radiant heat manifold, radiant heat system, PEX MANIFOLD RADIANT / HYDRONIC INFLOOR HEAT- 6 CIRCUIT, or a thermostat for your radient heat system.

You can find all of these and more for the best prices on Ebay.

Avoid Radiant Ceiling Heat

Radiant heat in homes is usually installed under the floor but it can be installed in the ceilings as well. It is common for each room to have its own thermostat which is great for saving energy as you can easily heat just the rooms you are going to use rather than the whole house.

Radiant floor heat works better than radiant heat in the ceiling. If you are thinking about ceiling ideas for your home, radiant heat should not be one of them. This is because heat rises and can more easily heat a room if the heat is rising throughout it. If the heat starts from the ceiling, it never has any chance to heat the room. Heat also feels better beneath your feet rather than above your head. If a contractor wants to put radiant heat in your ceilings, make sure you ask him specifically why the floor is not a better choice. If you do want it installed in your floors, stand firm in your decision and don't let him talk you out of it.

Electric radient heat is the most common type of heat and your contractor may recommend installing it in your plaster ceilings or by using ceiling panels that come from the factory with heating cables embedded in them. Many people complain that radiant ceiling heat is not comfortable and that it does not heat the rooms to well. This is why you should start by finding out whether radiant floor heat is practical to install in your situation and not the ceiling heat.

Radiant Heat Feels Like The Sun

If you want to know what radiant heat feels like, imagine a bright sunshine on a spring day. It feels like warmth from the sun that is natural, even, silent, draft-less, and odorless. The effect of radiant heat is nearly instantaneous and even throughout the room when you switch it on in your home. Radiant heat is gaining popularity because of its increased comfort level and energy efficiency.

Whether your house is traditional, or modern in design, radiant floor heat is the most economical method for heating because it can reduce your home's energy needs up to 40% over conventional heating systems. Because the average home is large and very poorly insulated, it requires multiple zones and large heating sources or multiple heating sources. Radiant heat floors enable the heat to be hidden below the floor, so there are no baseboards, radiators, or air ducts to get in the way.

Electric radiant heat is a clean and energy efficient way to warm houses, condos, and cabins. Whichever system of radiant floor heat you choose, electric or hydronic, the benchmark of this type of heat is even, consistent heat. The technology of radiant heat is very old and even the Romans used this technology and referred it as Hypocaust heating. Basically, radiant heat is the transfer of heat from a warm surface to a cooler surface.

Because radiant heat does not blow, it helps greatly for those with allergies and asthma. Many contractors still think radiant heat floors are too difficult to retrofit into existing homes with some other type of heating system. If you find a good contractor who is familiar with radiant heat and radient floor heat, he will know how to install it for you.

The Benefits of Radiant Floor Heat

Radiant floor heat is widely known as the most comfortable and efficient alternative heating method available. More than ever before, homebuilders, househunters, and home renovators are looking for energy efficient heating options for houses. Radient heat is very much like sun warmth: it is natural, silent, draft-less, and odorless. Radiant heat is the best way to warm your floors and make a comfortable environment. It is rapidly gaining popularity due to its increased comfort level and energy efficiency.

When we stand on a cold floor or next to a cold wall, we feel cold. When your floor is warm, your feet are warm too. Radient floor heat offers the most efficient and comfortable living conditions in any climate. You will find that heating mats and other techniques are easy to install with the complete instructions available for underfloor heating installations.

Energy efficiency is more important than ever as energy costs are rising and the forecast is for costs to continue to rise. An energy efficient radiant heating system will save you money every month and add resale value to your home. This is because the amount of energy required to create and maintain a comfortable temperature at our feet is significantly less than compared to forced air.

When you stand in the sun, you feel radiant heat. Is it simply warm air that is reaching you. Radiant heat is effectively absorbed throughout the body from head to toe creating a much more powerful, stimulating effect in the skin. Radient heat is hidden under the floor or in the walls so your heating system is completely invisible. With today’s technology, radiant floor heat is clearly the best overall choice for your home or business heating system.

Radiant Floor Heat - Wake Up Refreshed

Do you have trouble waking up in the morning? Do you push that snooze control over and over? If you do, you might want to take a look at your heating system. Waking up and getting out of bed to cold floors just makes you want to crawl back under the covers.

With radiant floor heat, getting up in the morning is a lot easier. Putting your feet on a warm floor feels a lot better than stepping out of bed every morning to a cold hard floor. Not only will your floor feel more inviting in the morning but it will feel that way all day. Most often radiant heat is installed in bathrooms and kitchens for that very purpose. Rarely is it used as one of the basement heating options.

Radiant heat floors are great because they heat the house evenly and silently. No longer will you have to get up in the morning and have to turn on the heat which then starts whirring and clanking. Radiant heat will heat your house without a noise and it will not pump dry hot air throughout your house either. Having that dry forced air diminishes the quality of your sleep and make your life uncomfortable.

Installing either electric radiant heat or hydronic radiant heat will be a decision that you will be happy with for the rest of the life of your house. In addition, it will raise the value of your home as well as few homes are built with radiant heat now days. Radient heat floors are the best way to heat your house evenly, silently, and healthfully.

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.

Radiant Floor Heat - Outdoor Heat

You don't have to be inside to enjoy the benefits of radiant floor heat. If you live in a place that gets a lot of snow, you may want to consider installing radiant heat under their driveways and sidewalks. This would save hours upon hours of valuable time each winter not having to shovel snow and ice.

Having radient heat outside your business under the ground also saves your company from the prospect of being sued if a customer slips and falls. Snow and ice are a big problem that has to be dealt with immediately every time it snows for businesses. They must keep their walkways clear and safe to insure their customers safety and to prevent lawsuits from customers if they were to get injured.

Radiant floor heat is very convenient whether it is inside or outside. It is the maintenance free, silent heat that you take for granted once it is installed. After making the switch to radiant heat floors, you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

Radiant Floor Heat - Electric Radiant Heat

Electric radiant floor heat works with electric wiring. Have you ever looked into your toaster to see what makes it hot? It is heated electirc wires that become very hot and this is the same concept that can heat your home.

Special mats with radiant floor heat cables or panels with wires are put under the floors of your home. These are attached to an electrical circuit with a control that can be turned on and off. This control is usally connected to a thermostat so that a constant temperature can be achieved.

If cables are used, they are often submerged in cement. Cables are most often used in floors which are tile or stone.

Electricity is historically expensive and for this reason most homes that have electric radiant heat floors have them only in the bathrooms and kitchen. Any room with stone or tile floors may also be a candidate for this type of heat because it is nice to walk on warm floors rather than cold ones.

Because special mats and foils can be used in many cases. electric radient floor heat is often the easier choice when considering what type of radiant heat to install. Electric radient heat is the clear choice for an existing home both for its ease of installation and the cost.

Radiant Floor Heat - Hydronic Heat

A popular form of radiant floor heat is hydronic. With this type of radiant floor heating system, water goes back and forth in tubing that is underneath the floor. Because it is usually incased in some form of concrete, hydronic floor heat is usually only installed in new homes. It is often too expensive and too difficult to put in existing homes.

The main advantage of a hydronic radiant floor heat system is that you can use many kinds of sources to heat the water. Gas, electricity, solar, geothermal, and a wood boiler are all possible methods of heating the water. This gives you flexibility if you need it.

A second advantage of hydronic heat floors is that water retains its heat much longer than electric wires. Hydronic radient floor heat works well under almost any type of floor surface and will usually be cheaper than using an electric system because of this warmth retention.

Modern technology has helped devise materials such as polybutylene or synthetic rubber tubing that is very safe and durable. Long gone are the days where hydronic radiant floor heat caused homeowners endless nightmares because the water leaked from the pipes or tubing.

Radiant Floor Heat - The Friendly Heat

One of the nice things about radiant floor heat is that it greets you right from the instant you get out of bed. The morning is usually cold and at least the floors are warm.

Unfortunately, most new houses come with forced air heating. When you get up in the morning you turn on the heat and you hear it being forced out of all the vents in the house. The air moves from room to room and the heating is very uneven. Forced air also is very bad for your skin as it pumps dry air into the house all day. As you get older, the dry heat affects you more as your skin naturally becomes dryer with age. The forced air heat only makes the problem worse.

Radient floor heat is much better health wise as it doesn't push air from room to room like a forced air system does. A radiant heat floor slowly and silently heats the floors which in turn heats the air. The heating is done very evenly and efficiently. Since there is no moving air from room to room, dust and allergens are less likely to be a problem. If you wanted you could install a wood burning boiler system to do much the same thing but that would be expensive as well.

Another benefit to radient floor heat is that it is less likely to lose air to the outside when you open a door. Forced air heating also forces air outside when you open a door. This doesn't happen with electric or hydronic radiant heating.

When considering whether to install radiant floor heat, you need to take into consideration whether the house is new or existing construction. Hydronic floor heat is usually only an option if the house is being built. Electric radiant floor heat is better suited to put into existing homes as it is much easier to install.

Radiant Floor Heat – The Different Methods

Radiant floor heat is achieved by inserting panels in the floor which are heated in one of three ways:

· By electrical circuits
· By water in pipes (hydronic)
· By air ducts in the panels

The biggest benefit to using a radiant heat floor system is comfort. While a system that uses forced air delivers heat that rises to the ceiling, a radient floor heat system emits heat from the floor and is able to deliver heat more evenly throughout a house or building. There are also many other benefits to radiant floor heat that will be discussed in future articles:

· Radient floor heat is totally silent.
· A Radiant heat floor is invisible as you don't see any vents on the floors or ceilings.
· There are usually energy savings. A radiant heat floor evenly distributes heat throughout a house which can allow your thermostat to be set 2-4° less than with a forced air system.
· You will have a healthier home. This is a major benefit of radiant floor heat. With forced air systems, you are constantly spreading dust , germs, and pollen as well as pumping in dry air which is bad for your skin. Not only is dry air bad for your skin but it is uncomfortable too when your skin is dry and flakey.

Radiant Floor Heat and Electric Radiant Floor Heat.

A radiant floor heat system will be the most efficient and comfortable heating system you have. That is, if it is installed properly.

There is a lot of specialized skill required to install radient floor heating properly. This site will help you learn about electric radiant floor heat and hydronic radiant floor heat so that you can make all the right decisions when undertaking this endeavor. It is important to get a plumber who has experience in this area and one who knows more than just following the manufacturers recommendations.