Electric Radiant Floor Heating

 by: Ingrid Weir

Electric radiant floor heating systems are heating systems designed for use under carpeting, area rugs, tile, stone, and laminate wood floors and have been used in Europe, South Africa, and Australia for over 20 years.

Radiant heat does away with the age-old problems of cold rooms by offering easy-to-install zone heating. You can choose to either have radiant heat installed by a professional installer or DIY with their plug-n-play portable system for under area rugs. Concentrating on the advantages of floor heating (heat rising), radiant heat offers comfort from the ground up, heating the room evenly from floor to ceiling.

The product is designed to solve zone heating problems one room at a time without adding the expense or mess of adding additional ductwork and/or baseboard heating units. The ultra thin heating mat that can be assembled and installed by floor installers or do-it-yourselfers, is perfect for whatever your situation. It appears that homeowners, flooring dealers, and builders agree, as sales have already started to expand, and the line has been taken on by several high-end flooring retailers and builders alike.

What makes electric radiant heat so unique is its installation flexibility. Manufactured in multiple size heating mats consisting of looped heating coils sandwiched between 4 layers of polyester for the carpet and area rug product, the resulting system measures less than 1/16". The ultra thin construction makes the heater thin and flexible enough to be installed between a carpet and its pad or under laminate wood without impacting floor height. Installers simply follow the easy to follow installation instructions provided with each system when placing the mats. Once in position, the leads from each mat are either connected to a 120-volt electrical circuit and 7-day programmable thermostat or simply plugged into a wall outlet. A qualified electrician should be used for final electrical connection if the system is to be hard-wired.

Beyond the installation and radiant heating benefits, radiant heat owners will find their systems to be 100% maintenance free and extremely economical to operate. With no moving parts to wear out or filters to change, the system virtually operates itself once the thermostat has been programmed. Simply set the thermostat and forget about it. Equally impressive is the system's average cost of less than a dollar a day to warm a 16' x 20' room for a full 10-hour cycle. The radiant heat fills the entire room with warmth from the ground up, eliminating the cold air zone close to the floor, which is created by traditional heating systems.

Studies show that heating is the largest energy expense for most homeowners, accounting for almost two-thirds of annual energy bills in colder areas of the country. Radiant heat’s ability to warm a home from the ground up produces evenly heated rooms that are not only more comfortable to live in, but are more energy-efficient to maintain at the desired comfort level. In addition, radiant heat also reduces the levels of dust, pollen, and mold spread by conventional forced air heating systems, making your home a healthier place to live.