Radiant Heating

Today, the vast majority of American homes are heated or cooled using duct work in a forced hot air system, a reality driven by the low cost for the home builder in colder climates and the need for air conditioning in the hotter ones. In one recent survey, seven out of ten Americans were toally unhappy with their heating systems, complaining that they are too noisy, too dusty or just plain uncomfortable. This is not the case with radiant heating.

To most people’s surprise, radiant heating isn’t new. The ancient Romans used it in their elaborate public baths, gymnasiums and meeting halls. These early radiant systems, called hypocaust, had false floors over fire chambers and duct work that gently heated the stone floors, warming these soaring halls. Lorean royal palaces and, to a lesser extent, residences used this same principal as late as the 19th century. In the 20th century, architect Frank Lloyd Wright was a strong believer in radiant heating for pragmatic reasons: it was more comfortable and didn’t interfere visually with his simple clean spaces.

What is Radiant Heating?

Hydronics or heated water under your floor, eliminating forced air blowing through your ducts. Hydronics allows even, comfortable heat to radiate throughout the entire house and is allergy friendly! Radiant heating is the most comfortable and efficient form of heat know to mankind! Radiant floor heating conducts heat through the floor which then broadcasts heat to every cold object in the room, even you! It is an unparalleled sense of comfort, and is very fuel efficient!

Thermoplastic radiant heat tubing is firmly set and secured underneath the floors of your home. This tubing in unbreakable and will not crack over years of use. Appropriate tubing layout patters are then selected to maintain even, radiant surface temperatures for efficiency purposes.

How Does Radiant Heating Work?

With radiant heating, every object in the room becomes warm and contributes to your overall comfort. Because you’re heating more than just the air in the room, your living space maintains an even temperature with no air currents, blowing dust or cold spots. The warmth starts at your feet where it is most desired, instead of blowing out of air ducts usually located near the ceiling in your home. Because there is no air blowing throughout the home, the air doesn’t become dry and will also extend the life of your belongings.

Why Radiant Heating?

All over comfort! Conventional hot water baseboard or forced hot air blow heat into a room at temperatures of 130 degrees or higher. This light, hot air rises above the heavier cold, making your head feel warm and your feet chilly. No matter how high you turn the thermostat, the hot air keeps rising! This is not the case with radiant heating.

Radiant heating is the most comfortable form of heat you can buy. The radiant heat from your floor will warm all the mass in your rooms, giving every surface an inviting sensation that you can feel. The floor becomes the warmest surface in the room, not the coldest! Radiant heating allows your thermostat to be set lower, yet your comfort level is higher. Heat loss through infiltration and windows is reduced saving radiant system owners money.