Electric Radiant Heating Comes in Many Flavors
Although radiant heat has been around for many years now, new technology has paved the way for it to arrive in earnest. There’s no cleaner form of heating than radiant heat. A wire grid (heat cable) installed in the floor provides a totally clean and quiet heat that radiates upward to all those lucky enough to be in the room. There is no blower cycling on and off or the noise that goes with it. And no dust or allergens are blown around either. What there is is clean, silent, comfortable heat. Time marches on. Just as cars today are equipped with more than just an AM radio with big dials, heating systems have advanced to a point where this form of clean, quiet and efficient heat is making a move to become the standard.
Another large advantage of radiant heating is that it is easily zone able. Each room or “zone” can be controlled separately, so if you have rooms that are not used regularly you can turn the heat off or down in those rooms, adding greatly to the efficiency of these systems. This is not something at which a forced air system excels. Radiant floor heating systems typically have thermostats in every room.
One of the great things about radiant heating is that technology has provided for its use in many different facets. Did you know that there are radiant roof heating systems that will melt the snow and ice off the roof and gutters? In addition there are driveway snow melting systems that will quietly and efficiently melt the snow and ice off your driveway. Modern technology isn’t just for iPods and iPads. These systems utilize the same type of technology, using low-voltage or line-voltage electric current that runs through heating cable and provides the desired result. These systems are also automated and programmable, and can do their duties when you aren’t even home. There are so many conveniences available to us today at which our parents and grandparents would marvel. Radiant heating is making inroads and it is easy to see why. People are discovering the comfort and efficiency of radiant heating and are adopting it with open arms.
Radiant heating systems can also be installed over existing floors as well. Just because the almost dream home you bought doesn’t have the heating system that would make it the dream home, don’t despair. Heating cable can be installed over the existing floor and a new surface poured over that, thus transforming your almost dream home in to your real dream home. RetroHeat radiant heat systems can also be installed in the floor joists under an existing floor.
With winter knocking on our doors, it’s the season for a snow melting system. Anyone with a snow melting system installed has experienced the joy of driving in to a driveway that has no snow on it when there is snow all around. One might have to try to suppress a smile when your neighbor’s are all snow bound. If you live in an area where snow is a regular concern you can appreciate the convenience of a snow melting system. Perhaps the ultimate dream is that you arrive home from work during a major snow storm and pull into your driveway where all the snow has melted away when it is piling up everywhere else. You park and walk on a sidewalk heated with a snowmelt system, you don’t worry about the ice cycles on the roof above because there aren’t any thanks to a roof snow melting system. You then walk in to the house and take your shoes off and instantly feel the comfort of a warm radiant heated floor. Life is good.