There are a number of options for one to purchase a home heating system depending on one's location. The best options without knowing one's location would be stores such as Home Depot or Lowe's. Another option would be Lennox where one can visit the company website and enter a zip code or postal code to find a dealer in one's general area.
There are several kind of floor heating systems available, the most common and popular are, electric floor heating systems and hydronic floor heating systems.
The Floor Warming company provides the service of selling heating systems that can be installed into the flooring. The prices of these heating systems are very affordable.
The Energy government website has a very thorough article on what radiant heating systems are as well as their advantages. Garden Web has a page of customer reviews for various floor heating sytems.
There are no requirements for one's home, because Nutheat floor heating systems can simply adhered to the subfloor and the flooring can then be installed over top.
While electric floor heating systems are great for heating, they generally fair poorly in cooling. Additionally, many contractors may not be familiar with an electric floor heating system setup.
Some common types of central heating systems for condos include forced air systems, radiant floor heating, and heat pumps. Forced air systems use a furnace to heat air, which is then distributed throughout the condo via ductwork. Radiant floor heating involves warm water or electric coils installed beneath the floor, heating the space from the ground up. Heat pumps use electricity to transfer heat from the outside air or ground into the condo, providing both heating and cooling.
Some examples of brands of electric radiant floor heating are ThermoSoft, HeatTech and Speedheat. Advantages of using such systems are that they tend to have quiet operation and great comfort.
Warmup underfloor hearing offer an electronic heating system to their customers. Wireless are installed under the floor to provide heat the surface of the floor and warm the room.
form_title=Floor Heating Installation form_header=Keep warm with floor heating. Get floor heating installed by the experts! Do you have central A/C and heat in your home? = () Yes () No () Not Sure What material is the floor made out of? =_ How large is the are that requires floor heating? =_ Desired Start Date =_
Imagine waking up on a cold morning and stepping out on a warm floor. This is great, especially if the normal climate is cold, such as in the winter months or in the mountains. An experience like this is possible through a radiant heating system installed underneath the floor. Radiant heating consists of heat generated through either electrical heating elements or heated water. Both types of systems are installed underneath the floor, thus the entire house is warmed as a single unit. How does one choose whether this system is the right one? Here’s how. 1) The first step is deciding whether to purchase an electric or hydronic radiant heating system. Electric systems are easier to install and cost much less than hydronic systems. They also eliminate a lot of the labor costs because the electrical heating system can often be connected directly to the system already present in the home. Hydronic systems require tubing to be placed beneath the floor, pumps to move the hot water, and probably a second boiler or water heater. In addition, the tubing is usually placed beneath a concrete floor, which means the additional expense of pouring concrete, letting it dry and installing the tubing before pouring. 2) The existing flooring can partially determine the choice. Since electric radiant heating requires a space between floors in order to insert the electrical elements. The good news for a hydronic system is that the floor does not need to be remodeled in order to install it; the joist underneath the subfloor will usually work fine. If the decision is made to remodel the floor, concrete or ceramic tile works best with radiant floor heating, especially with a hydronic system. The heat from the water is easily conducted through the floor into the air of the house. 3) There is one downside that makes hydronic radiant heat systems more attractive than electric systems: electric systems cost more in the long run than hydronic systems. For this reason, there are typically installed only in a small part of the house, like a bathroom or bedroom. Hydronic systems actually save up to as much as a third from the yearly heating costs.
What to Consider Before Installing Radiant Floor Heat The installation of radiant floor heating offers homeowners a great deal of benefits. Unlike traditional furnace and boiler heating options, a radiant floor heating system heats the floors throughout the home and gradually heats the items within the home, such as couches, beds, chairs and other furnishings. This helps to even out the heating through the home. There is also the benefit of a quieter home heating source. Traditional furnaces and boilers can be loud and produce irritating noises that can be heard throughout the home. Radiant floor heating systems are quiet and cleaner. There is no need for blowers to air force the heat from one room to another. In most furnaces and boilers because of the air forced heat, there is always a risk of breathing in harmful bacteria and airborne pathogens that can make you and your family ill. This does not occur in floor heating systems. In fact, for people who suffer from respiratory illnesses and compromised immune systems, radiant floor heating systems are actually recommended. Most radiant floor heating systems can be installed by a homeowner who is quite experienced at doing these type of projects. However, a more preferred alternative is to hire a heating and cooling specialist, who at the least can talk you through troublesome areas of installation. Before any homeowner begins the installation of a radiant home heating system there are a few things that you should seriously consider. These things include: 1. Is your insulation in your home efficient enough to accommodate a radiant floor heating system? Unlike air forced heating systems, heat does not build up. With an improperly insulated home, this could mean costly energy bills for you. 2. With a wide variety of radiant heating systems available on the market, which type of energy source will be needed to operate your system? With rising costs in utilities, you will want to make sure that you are not getting into something that will increase your utility bills a lot. 3. What type of flooring will you be using over your radiant floor heating system? Materials such as carpeting and certain linoleums can actually block the heat, trapping it in the floor and not allowing it to be distributed within the home. To actually benefit you if you have this type of floor covering, you may have to replace the flooring within your home. Again this can get costly. 4. Radiant floor heating systems are just hitting the market throughout the United States. This is a main reason for their popularity. However, do you think you will still be satisfied with this type of heating option in the years to come?
Radiant floor heating has become a popular trend because of its many advantages. Radiant heat is beneficial to allergy sufferers due to decrease of air borne pollutants such as dust, pollen and other irritants. The cosmetic value of being unseen is better than large obtrusive heating elements. How Does It Work? Underneath the flooring, heat is produced by either a water or electric system. The thermal heat produced from the system rises to warm up any object it connects with including flooring. The end result is warmth produced by radiant floor heating. What Are My Options? The two most popular used heating systems are water or electric systems. They each have their own plus and negative points. An important aspect of choosing your radiant floor system is to consider your home’s original heating system, the area to be warmed and start-up costs. Hot Water Systems Hydronic or hot water systems circulate heated water through tubings located in the sub-floor. Floor coverings such as tile or wood can be used on top of the lower-level floor. Costs to install a hot water system can be pricey, due to the need of a heating contractor to install the hydronic system. Electric Systems Electric systems have electric cables mounted to the subfloor. The cables produce heat that is transferred to the main flooring material such as linoleum or a thin carpet. Electric heating systems can be found in kits and do not require a professional for installation. Start-up and material costs are lower than water system products. Radiant Floor Heating- For Outdoors Radiant heating can be used outdoors in spaces such as driveways, walkways and patios. The same premise that can warm your flooring can be used to warm your outdoor spaces. Forgo the use of shoveling and using salt, when your pathway can be warmed from underneath. This new procedure of using radiant floor heating for your outdoor needs can be done with the consultation of heating and paving professionals. Summary Radiant floor heating can be used in the home and in outside spaces using either water or electric systems. A consultation with a HVAC and/or a paving professional is recommended.