Dallas Heating and AC

Radiant heat is often referred to as Infrared Radiation and works on the same principle as a microwave. Unlike traditional heating devices, where the air in the room is heated, radiant heating system warms the objects and folk in the room. Radiant heat is conveyed through locations in the floor, in wall panels or in the ceiling. Here we'll take a look at radiant floor heating systems.

If you've ever tiptoed over a cold bathroom floor first thing on a dark, chilly morning, you will appreciate the comfort offered by a glowing floor heating system. The glowing floor heating system is placed either under a tiled floor, inserted in a concrete floor or attached to the bottom of a wall to wall flooring mat.

Types of radiant Floor Heating Systems :
There are 3 main types of glowing floor heating systems - an electrical radiant system that is composed of electric wires placed or embedded under the floor, a radiant air system that consists of hot air pipes under the floor and a hydronic radiant system, where there are hot water tubes beneath the floor.

Many people prefer to install hydronic radiant systems as these are relatively low in cost than the other 2 radiant systems and need less electricity, which translates to lower electricity bills. The hot water in a hydronic radiant system is pumped from a boiler - a standard wood, coal, gas or oil powered boiler or a solar heater - and passes through polyethylene tubing placed under the room flooring. With the help of a zoning valve and thermostat, you can regulate the hot water flow to get the precise needed room temperature.

In a hot air glowing floor heating system, hot air is pumped through pipes laid under the flooring. The hot air can come through a regular furnace or a solar heater. Neither option is very practical vis cost and convenience. Employing a solar heater, for example, may work during the day time but is reasonably pointless for the night-time. Naturally you can mix the solar heating with a conventional furnace for the night, but then you have to say with the incontrovertible fact that air cannot sustain heat for a substantial period.

electric radiant floors, as discussed, have electric wires underneath. These work just fine , but can hike up your electricity bill plenty. Embedding the electric wires in a thick concrete floor can cut expenses to a point as the concrete will trap and store the heat for a couple of hours and you can turn off the heating system in this time. A tiled floor is also a good conveyor of heat, but if you have a floor covering that can put a spanner in the works. Floor coverings like a linoleum or a carpet cut the amount of heat rising from the floor, so either have a thin, light covering, if you must have it, or place it only in selected areas. If you have a wooden floor, remember the possibility of the wood cracking or distorting from the heat underneath. It is usually best to have a laminated wooden floor, which can withstand the heat better, instead of a complete wood en one.

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