Underfloor Heating Advice
Underfloor heat provides warmth to a room or an entire home through thermal radiation. Thermal radiation disperses heat into the room without fans or blowers moving the heated air. Heat is produced by electrical coils or liquid-filled tubing installed beneath the top layer of a floor. Ceramic tile is the most conductive type of floor covering when radiant heat is used, although other types of floor coverings may be used. The two types of radiant heat installations are wet and dry.
Planning Underfloor Heat
A homeowner considering having a radiant heating system installed must consider the cost of energy in his location. In some areas where electricity is very expensive per unit, a boiler-type system fired by natural gas or propane can be a better alternative. Radiant heat geared to the least expensive energy source available becomes more cost-effective.
Usage varies from home to home depending upon insulation quality and how many areas are to be heated at a given time. Installing thermostats to control individual levels and/or rooms will lower energy consumption. Radiant heating systems may require additional electrical circuits for the additional electrical usage. Using a programmable thermostat to take advantage of off-peak hours of electrical usage will also lower energy cost.
Adding underfloor radiant heat to a home is not an installation completed in a few hours. Rooms or areas will be unavailable for the family to use for an extended period when radiant floor heat iis nstalled in an existing home. The addition of radiant heat will raise the level of the floor and can present problems with door clearances and transitions into other rooms.
A skilled homeowner can install both types of underfloor heat options.
Wet Underfloor Installation
A wet installation of underfloor heating refers to the layer of concrete or gypsum poured over electrical coils or liquid-filled tubing. Electrical coils or tubing are secured to concrete or wood subfloors. Subfloors constructed of wood must be strong enough to support the additional weight of the poured gypsum that covers the heating coils or tubing. In new home construction, the heating coils or tubing are embedded into the concrete used for the slab.
The gypsum top coat poured over radiant heat and smoothed with trowels then becomes the subfloor. Floor coverings installed on top of the gypsum include ceramic tile, vinyl, carpet and some types of laminate flooring.
Dry Underfloor Installation
Dry underfloor installation is the addition of electric cables to subfloors and another layer of wood subfloor installed over the cables. Systems are available for aftermarket radiant heat systems with preformed grooves for the cabling. Floor covering installs directly on top of this subfloor. The installer must exercise care not to nick the heating cables or the system will not work. This type of installation is a better choice for a homeowner who does not wish to deal with the mess created by a wet installation.
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