Home Technology
Warming Trend
Radiant floor heating can offer homeowners comfort from the cold.
BY
Miun Gleeson
PHOTOGRAPHY
iStockphoto/Lisa Turay

During chilly winter mornings, getting out of bed requires one of two things: plotting or procrastinating — plotting how to traverse the unbearably cold bathroom floor to get to the shower, which will invariably include either a mad dash or a well-choreographed dance on your tip toes, or procrastinating because staying under the warm refuge of the covers sounds much more appealing than subjecting your feet to a frigid wake-up call.

But now there’s a re-emerging trend to heating your home for which we can thank the ancient Romans. Many homeowners are taking a cue from a centuries-old practice of pumping warm water into pipes running under the floors of homes and bathhouses. Radiant heating is ideal for use under hard flooring surfaces such as tile, stone or wood, which often remain cold in rooms heated by conventional forced air systems.

The benefits of radiant heat systems, which are more advanced than in times past, include the following:
Even, uniform heat. With radiant heating, the warmth is near the floor, unlike most heat systems. “The heat is so comfortable and stays down in the area where people are, not in the ceiling,” says Mike Walberg, owner of Benchmark Plumbing. “The higher the ceiling [in a room], the more heat you’re losing.” Radiant heat stays in the lower part of the room, making it more accessible to warm up people rather than just the air around them.

Efficiency. Because it’s self-regulating, you ultimately control how much heat you want. Thermostats can be set at a lower temperature, which saves you money in energy bills, and unlike heat from forced air, radiant heat doesn’t try to escape out drafty windows and opened doors. 

Cleanliness. It’s ideal for allergy-sufferers because there’s no dust or other allergens blown into circulation.

Less Hassle. There aren’t any filters to change or ducts to clean. Just set a toasty temperature for the room and you’re done.

There are two primary types of radiant heating used in homes today: hydronic and electric. Hydronic systems, which are similar to what the ancient Romans used, are the most popular choice for homeowners installing a radiant flooring system in their entire home. A boiler or hot water heater is used to heat water, which is then circulated through tubing that radiates energy and warmth through the floor.

Mike says this heating system works best on lightweight concrete and ceramic tile. “The floor becomes a mass, which is warmed up to temperature,” he explains. “The system operates on low temperature and the boilers are 90-percent efficient.” The systems operate on a thermostat for each of the heated areas and can be installed in new construction and retrofitted to most existing homes. He says pricing depends on square footage and the size of boiler but can range from $4,000-$12,000.

If the price tag for hydronic heating is too steep, electric radiant heating is a far more economical option. A thin electric panel containing heat-resistant wire within supporting material is installed under the floor and controlled with a thermostat and timer. Electric radiant heating is also simpler to install for homeowners who want to heat only one or two rooms such as a master bedroom and bath.

Central States Tile offers a self-adhesive mat system for skilled do-it-yourselfers and contains everything you need. “Easyheat doesn’t believe that installing a floor warming system should be so complicated that only an expert can do it,” says Kathleen Scranton, product marketing manager. The company says an average-size bathroom of 30 square feet should take about two hours to install the floor-warming component of the system.

The pre-fabricated mat system is only 3/16-inches thick and is sold in square footage kits to cover any application. It also provides choices for thermostat controls. The self-adhesive mesh allows you to place the mat on the substrate and have it stay put while you embed the mat in thin-set or self-leveling underlayment. The mat kits come in only one 20-inch-wide size, and one can cover any shape. With just a pair of scissors or a utility knife, you can place the mat, cut the mesh in place and continue to layout the mat until you have filled up your heated floor space. The mat kit price for 100 square feet is $1,193; the thermostat is $215.

So for those of us who want to saunter along on our bathroom floor in the morning rather than scamper across it, radiant heating systems can be another way to stay warm. As Mike says, “It’s the comfort level that’s the selling point.”