Electric radiant floor heating, or in-floor heating, is a way to provide an even level of heat throughout your home. It can be used as your home’s primary heating system, a supplemental heating system to eliminate cold spots, or a floor warming system in bathrooms. How do you know if in-floor heating is right for you? We’ve broken down the pros and cons of in-floor heating to help you decide.
Pros
- Energy Efficient: The first major benefit of in-floor heating is that it’s very energy efficient. Since the system only needs to run at a temperature of 84 degrees Fahrenheit, it evenly heats the entire house at a low cost, with no cold spots. An electric radiant floor heating system provides an average savings of 15 percent on heating bills.
- Works with any Floor Covering: In-floor heating works well with all types of floor coverings. This allows you to redesign your home however you please or keep what you already have in place. Wood, carpet, laminate, tile, stone, and more all can be used with electric radiant floor heating.
- Effortless to Run and Easy to Install: An in-floor heating system requires no effort to run. It’s also easy to install, especially if it’s part of a build or renovation project. Once installed, electric radiant floor heating needs little to no maintenance. Connecting the heating system to a smart or programmable thermostat gives you full control of the temperature.
- Doesn’t Circulate Allergens: Electric radiant floor heating is better for the air quality of your home, as opposed to traditional thermal circulation. Located under the floor coverings, the system doesn’t use a blower that can circulate dirt, dust, pollen, and other allergens around your home.
- Durable, Reliable, and Comfortable: With proper care and maintenance, an in-floor heating system can outlast a furnace, with a lifespan of up to 35 years! The radiant heating system warms rooms from the floor up. This gives you the freedom to place furniture wherever you want since you don’t have to worry about blocking vents or baseboards. In-floor heating is also quiet. There’s no need for it to kick on or off, which means less noise and constant comfort.
Cons
- Expensive Installation and Repairs: Although you’ll save money in the long run, in-floor heating systems usually cost more than a furnace replacement. A hydronic system, a type of in-floor heating that circulates hot water through tubing to heat the floors, is more expensive than an electric system.
If your system acts up after installation, repairs can also be costly. Flooring and sub-flooring need to be removed to assess the issue. Then, more invasive work may be needed to repair it. - Slow to Warm up the House: If you’re looking for something to quickly heat up your home, this isn’t the solution. In-floor heating systems can be very slow to warm up your entire house. Hydronic systems need a few hours to circulate enough hot water to heat every room’s floor. However, once your house is heated, it will stay heated longer since an in-floor heating system heats surfaces and not the air.
If your house is larger with high ceilings, consider in-floor heating as a complementary system rather than a main one. - Increase Floor Height: Electric radiant floor heating systems increase the floor height in a room by about half an inch. If you also insert insulation boards, the floors will rise by about one more inch. Keep floor height in mind when deciding if you want to install an in-floor heating system.
Creating a pros and cons list is helpful when making any kind of decision. This decision will affect you and your entire family on a daily basis. Contact Stafford Home Service Inc. with questions about electric radiant floor heating, or to schedule an installation service today.
