What’s cozier than crawling out of bed on a chilly morning and stepping onto your warm bathroom floor? Once you experience the comfort of in-floor heating, you’ll want to have it in every room of your house! Here’s what you need to know about installing underfloor heating in your home this winter.
How Does In-Floor Heating Work?
Underfloor heating systems use radiant heat transfer to move heat from the source to the “heating zones” of your home using infrared radiation. In other words, your floors are warmed by either an electric mat system or hydronic style heating, in which hot water is pushed from a boiler through a series of plastic piping that runs beneath your floor.
Extremely quiet and cleaner than forced-air heaters, in-floor heating is an effective and cost-efficient way to heat your home. Whether you install underfloor heating in just one room for some added comfort or throughout your house as your main source of heating, you can customize what areas are warmed and when so that you are not heating unused spaces.
What Is the Installation Process?
The best time to install in-floor heating is when your home is being built or if you are undergoing major renovations. Since the heating system sits beneath your finished flooring, all existing floors must be removed.
Electric underfloor heating systems are usually more straightforward to install. A small project such as a bathroom can be completed in as little as 1-2 days. Hydronic systems will take more time to set up due to their complex installation requirements.
What Are the Benefits of In-Floor Heating?
Other than keeping your toes warm, there are many other benefits of using underfloor heating.
Energy Efficient
Radiant in-floor heating provides even heat to the entire room without any hot or cold spots. Compared to traditional radiators, underfloor heaters can run at a much lower temperature to achieve the same comfort level.
Just like other heating methods, underfloor heat is controlled by a thermostat. If yours is programmable, you can create a schedule based on your daily activities, optimizing your heating costs.
Low Maintenance
After installation, your in-floor heaters require very little maintenance, which means you will save time and money on service visits. However, it is recommended that hydronic systems are checked periodically to ensure they are running safely and efficiently.
Regular check-ups will also identify anything minor that needs fixing before a more serious and expensive repair is required.
Highly Compatible
You won’t have to choose between your favourite flooring and underfloor heating as it is compatible with most floor covering options. This includes tile, wood/laminate, carpet, and vinyl.
Seamless Design
There is no need to plan your home decor around a radiator, and it is much safer for children since there are no bulky hazards.
Contact A. McKenna Plumbing Today!
If you live in the Oakville, Burlington, Milton, Mississauga, or Etobicoke areas and would like to discuss installing in-floor heating in your home, contact us today!