Published by Green by Design under Energy Efficiency, Green Building

In my opinion, radiant floor heating is one of the most efficient means of heating your home. As is commonly known, heat rises; that said, radiant heating (which operates from the ground up) will heat a home more evenly, efficiently, and cost effectively than other types.

My wife and I, both natives of Scandinavia, know the importance of this type of heating system in places where winter is serious. In weather that goes below zero for weeks and months at a time, your standard forced-air heating system generates utility bills that roar like a polar bear. And even at that, much of the energy generated by the forced-air mechanism gets lost in the ductwork.

Perhaps the most appealing aspect of the radiant floor heating is that it creates not just a warm room, but an entire warm floor. The heat still rises, but it’s rising uniformly from ground zero instead of from a single fixture or a couple of vents. The result is often that rare anomaly, barefoot comfort in the dead of winter. Such systems are particularly good for homes with high ceilings, where forced-air heat often ends up where it is least needed unless the homeowner is endowed with the agility of a bat.

Not only are radiant-heat floors warm, but the system does without unsightly and space-hogging ductwork in the home. Lacking vents to keep uncovered, you can place your furniture and doodads wherever. There’s no blasting faux-desert wind wreaking havoc on the hairdo. The system is silent, and in this noise-prone day and age, that is golden. It also works well with tile and wood floors, in addition to concrete.

Not only does the home look nicer, but so do the energy bills. Because of the even heating generated by a radiant floor heating system, its thermostat may be set 2-4 degrees lower than that of a forced-air heating system. This in turn can reduce energy costs by 10-40%. (Check with your local utility company to get an estimate of how much a 2-4 degree decrease would save you).

The radiant system works especially well for those with allergies. There is no fan operating to blow extra dust and pollen around, and for asthma sufferers this is good news. The air in a radiant-heat home is also cleaner, softer, and it doesn’t dry out the skin.

The two main types of radiant floor heating are: electric radiant floors, and hydronic radiant floors.

Electric radiant floor works best when installed under a concrete slab. This system has electric cables running underneath the flooring, or you can use mats that are made of electrically conductive plastic and mounted on the subfloor. Since the concrete flooring has a larger mass, it will store the heat and keep the house comfortable for 8-10 hours after the concrete has been “charged” with heat. I would recommend electric radiant floor heating in smaller rooms such as bathrooms; using electricity as the sole energy source for an entire house can get pricey.

The hydronic radiant floor is the most popular and is considered the most cost-effective. As I mentioned before, if you live in a climate that has really long, cold winters, this is the best option. This system pumps heated water from a boiler and goes through tubing beneath (or within) the floor. Some of the hydronic floor type of systems even allow temperature control in individual rooms, using zoning valves or pumps/thermostats to control the flow of hot water.

Installation (step-by-step) resources for do-it-yourselfers.

Here is a video on the installation of hydronic radiant flooring under a concrete slab. (Note: my wife and sons installed the tubing in our basement, and she reports it was “fun!”)

Popular Mechanics website shows a step-by-step guide (with photos) on how to install Staple-Up radiant flooring. This is for homes that have basements; the system will be attached to the ceiling joists below the rooms you want to heat.

WHAT WILL IT COST? IN TIME AND MONEY?

The cost of installing a radiant flooring system will vary, of course, depending on the size of the house, the type of installation, the remoteness of the site, and availability of supplies. In general the average cost per North American square foot will run about $2.00/sq foot. The average installation time runs about 4 hours or more per room, depending on size. We did our 1000-sq ft-plus basement in one day.

As all of us up here in the colder climes are waiting for spring, and the heating bills of the winter are still stinging the memory, it would behoove us to consider this type of system. It can be done, even in homes that are older, not only new builds. For those of us itching for a summer project, installing radiant heating offers an energy-saving, environmentally friendly choice—as well as something to brag about.

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