Radiant Heating

Radiant heating systems normally involve supplying heat directly to the floor of a home. It can also apply to heating walls or ceilings but in residential situations it primarily applies to floor heating. This heating system depends on radiant heat transfer; the delivery of heat directly from a warm surface to people and objects in the room via infrared radiation. Radiant heating is the effect you feel when you feel the warmth of the sun through a window pane.

Radiant heating has a number of advantages: it is more efficient than baseboard heating and usually more efficient than forced air heating because no energy is lost through the ducts. The lack of moving air can also be advantageous to people with severe allergies, because rather than blowing hot air along with dust and allergens around the home, a radiant system provides nothing but warmth.

Hydronic (liquid) systems are the most popular and cost-effective radiant heating systems for residential installations. Hydronic radiant floor systems pump heated water from a boiler through tubing laid in a pattern underneath the floor. The temperature in each room is controlled by regulating the flow of hot water through the tubing. This is done by a system of zoning valves or pumps and thermostats. Radiant systems can be heated with a wide variety of energy sources, including natural gas, wood or oil fired boilers, solar water heaters, specialty hot water heaters, or some combination of these heat sources.

Electric radiant floors typically consist of electric cables built into the floor. Systems that feature mats or electricity conductive plastic are also available, and are mounted onto the sub floor below a floor covering such as tile. This makes electric radiant heating a good choice for bathrooms or kitchens with tile floors.

Builder’s Heating and Air Conditioning has been installing radiant heating systems for over 18 years and can work with you or your contractor to provide the most efficient and cost effective method for installing radiant heat for your new or remodeled home. We install systems by Heat Link, Warmboard or Uponor/Wirsbo, respected and dependable names in the radiant floor industry.