How to Install a Radiant Floor Heating System

Especially if you live in a colder climate, having to walk on a cold floor inside your house can certainly be an unpleasant experience. From hallways and entryways to bathrooms and bedrooms – freezing-cold flooring can be frustrating to deal with. Fortunately, there’s a solution that can make cold floors a thing of the past. Heated flooring solutions can eliminate ice cold surfaces and add warmth to areas of your home that need it the most. If you’re interested in learning about heated flooring installation along with the benefits of this innovative technology – you’ve come to the right place. Total Restore has created this informative guide that provides you with all you need to know about heated flooring installation.

What Are Heated Floors?

Using various different methods to provide heat, heated flooring systems are installed below the surface to create warmth. Since heat rises, the warmth radiates upwards from the ground and warms both the floor itself and eventually the entire room. This system provides extra comfort in colder months and can be an energy-efficient solution to adding heat to an individual room compared to adding cumbersome radiators, heaters, or ventilation systems. It’s a practical solution to adding heat to a space where temperatures can be on the cooler side such as a tile floor inside of your bathroom.

How Do Heated Floors Work?

Dating all the way back to the Roman Empire, the concept of heating flooring has been around for quite some time. Conventional heating systems like space heaters or fireplaces are much less efficient due to the fact that they heat the surrounding air directly. They’re also quite bulky and take up tons of space. Instead, radiant floor heating technology is able to warm the surface directly. This can be accomplished by using electrical current via wires (electric radiant flooring) or warm water flowing through pipes installed below the flooring (hydronic flooring). Since heat rises, heated flooring is able to warm the space efficiently and evenly. The best areas of your home to install heated flooring are rooms located above an unheated space like a garage. Kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and bedrooms are each great candidates for heated floor installations.

Electric vs Hydronic Heated Floors

Electric radiant heated floors offer the easiest installation, making them great choices for smaller areas or rooms. They’re both more affordable and more versatile since they can be used with virtually all types of existing flooring. Lastly, a correctly installed electric heated floor system requires almost no maintenance to run properly.

Hydronic radiant floor heating has a few advantages compared to electric. First, it’s able to be used to heat larger areas and rooms like a basement. However, installation is more involved and is typically more expensive since it requires a boiler and other related equipment. Another drawback is the fact that it usually needs approximately 30-50 minutes in order to heat up. With proper maintenance, hydronic heated floors can still last just as long as electric versions.

Advantages of Heated Flooring Solutions

• Uniform Heating – Perhaps their biggest advantage, heated floors offer uniform heating due to their underfloor design. It’s easier to get comfortable and achieve an even ambient temperature inside of a given room when you install heated flooring.
• Zero or Low Maintenance – Once installed correctly, many types of heated floors require low or no maintenance and can last for decades. Electric heated floors in particular are typically maintenance-free and any required repairs can be easily identified and completed.
• Silent Operation – Compared to a bulky space heater or furnace, electric heated floors are silent when in use. This makes them outstanding options where quiet is needed.
• Non-Allergenic – If you or a loved one suffers from allergies or asthma, heated floors are a great choice for adding warmth. They don’t circulate dust or harmful particles through the air like other types of heating options.
• Energy Efficient – Many industry experts recommend heated flooring due to the fact that they’re often at least 20-25% more energy efficient than forced-air heating. Saving big on energy costs is something all homeowners can agree on.
• Simple Installation – Unlike forced air heating which requires ductwork and bulky equipment, heated floors are much easier to install. Many brands offer pre-cut rolls that can be installed under virtually all types of flooring and in rooms of all shapes and sizes.