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Hydronic Radiant Floors vs. Electric Radiant
Floors
Sales of radiant
heating systems increased by nearly 40% percent
from 1991 to 1994, and almost doubled since
then. This is not a surprise with
the rising cost of energy, radiant floors are
clean, quiet, comfortable, and efficient, no
matter which system you chose. However, there
are some
differences between hydronic and electric
radiant, which may help you decide which system
would be best for you. Let’s start off by
looking at
hydronic radiant heating.
Hydronic Radiant Floor, or HRF is the common
type of radiant technology. It is cost less to
heat a home with this system than it does with
an
electric radiant heating system. Hydronic
radiant systems operate by circulating hot water
through tubing in the floor. The tubing is can
be
polybutylene, cross-linked polyethylene, or
rubber.
HRF can be used efficiently with low-temperature
heat sources, such as air- or ground-source heat
pumps, or even an active solar system,
making them even more energy efficient.
However, HRF systems should be embedded in a
concrete slab or a thin layer of gypsum poured
over a wood subfloor. In addition, an
authorized installer can only apply gypsum
underlayments. If you cannot locate an
authorized installer in your area, then the
tubing can be
installed beneath the subfloor between the floor
joists. However, in this situation, the floor
joists must be drilled so that the tubing can
fit through
the joint. In addition, aluminum fins must be
installed so that the heat can be transferred to
the floor, as wood is a poor conductor of heat.
Because of the amount of construction involved
with HRF systems, it is less costly to install
the system in new construction, than to retrofit
the
system into an already built home.
Electric underfloor heating is better suited for
retrofitting an older home. However, it is more
expensive to heat an entire home with electric
underfloor heating. For many underfloor heating
systems, homeowners have installed individual
room controls. Which permits the homeowner to
set higher temperatures for rooms that are more
frequently used, such as living rooms and rooms,
and set lower temperatures for rooms that are
seldom used.
Therefore, the long and short of it, if you are
currently building your home, or if you can have
your radiant system installed into concrete of a
thin
layer of gypsum, and you want to heat your
entire home then a HRF systems may be right for
you. However, if you cannot have a concrete slab
poured, or if you are retrofitting your home,
then you may want to consider installing an
electric underfloor radiant heating system.
However, if you
plan to heat your whole house, please check into
having individual room controls installed. This
will however add to the cost of installation.
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More About Dry System Hydronic
Hydronic Radiant Floors vs. Electric Radiant
Floors
About Radiant
Barriers
Pros and Cons to Underfloor Heating
Contact & Terms of
Use
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