Tag Archives: Radiant heated floors

Radiant Heat News

Radiant Floor Heating is the Best Way to Ensure Consistent Heat

Radiant Heat Spreads Warmth from Your Toes to Your Nose

Radiant floor heating is a term being thrown about during most new construction projects. More and more homeowners (even business owners) are considering and then purchasing a radiant heated flooring system. Radiant heat is famous for its even and pleasing heat emitting from the heat cables beneath a floor. Radiant heat spreads warmth starting at your piggy toes, then on to each of its neighbors and then fills the room all the way up to your nose and beyond. A normal size room will feel the effects within moments of the radiant floor heating system kicking on. Radiant heated floors are especially effective in basements that normally suffer from colder drafts and settling cold air. Radiant heat emanates from the ground up and settles on each object it reaches, ensuring consistent and reliable heat.

Radiant floor heating is the best way to ensure consistent heat as well as a more energy efficient approach to your home heating needs. Radiant heat spreads much like a coffee mug keeps your coffee warm in the morning. It radiates the warmth outward from the heat source, warming room from the floor up. In this case it could be as small a space as a guest bathroom that never warms up to an entire floor and hallway that you wish to heat. Heating experts are standing by to assist you in the layout and design of your radiant floor heating. You’ll be assured of getting what you need and the tips to make it work efficiently and smartly.

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Radiant Heat for Hardwood and Laminate Flooring

The Ins and Outs of Electric Radiant Heat for Hardwood and Laminate Flooring

The growing trend in wood and laminate flooring installation is radiant heat. Affordable, efficient and comfortable, radiant heated floors are a welcome way to spend the winter months, and roll up your area rugs too. If you’re looking to heat hardwood or laminate flooring, or add some warmth to your existing wood floors, be prepared to do a little homework.

Heated hardwood floor

Find the right flooring for the job. Wood and laminate flooring can be safely installed over radiant heat, as long as you are careful to choose suitable products. It’s not the heat produced by the radiant heat source that’s a concern. It’s the humidity in your home. All wood products expand and contract with humidity, and over time, this process can create gaps between your floor boards. Unsuitable materials or a poorly constructed floor greatly accelerates damage caused by humidity over time.

Styles of wood flooring that are best for radiant heat installation include:

  • Laminated wood flooring
  • Floating floors, laminated/engineered or solid wood floors
  • Certain species of wood including American Cherry, American Walnut, Mesquite and Teak
  • Quarter sawn or rift sawn wood flooring

Some types of wood floors make better candidates for radiant heat than others, so it’s best to go with the manufacturer’s recommendation for suitable types of wood over radiant heat. Quarter sawn or rift-sawn flooring is more dimensionally stable than plain sawn wood flooring. Strip flooring is also a better choice than plank flooring, because narrow boards expand and contract less (take up more movement) than wide boards do. Because of its inherent dimensional stability, laminated wood is also a great choice for radiant heated floors.

Once you’ve chosen the right flooring, it’s important to partner with a reliable radiant heat solutions provider, like Warmzone, to help you choose and install an electric radiant floor heating system under your wood or laminate flooring. At Warmzone, you’ll benefit from an impressive selection of radiant heat products designed specifically for your hardwood or laminate flooring.

For new or existing floors, self-regulating Warmzone FloorHeat is a unique, low-voltage heating element perfect for installation under hardwood and laminate flooring. This radiant heat system uses a self-regulating semi-conductive polyethylene heating element, and is ideal for both new construction and retrofit applications alike. It is also very thin, making it a great option for installation under laminate and wood, without additional floor build up. A safe low-voltage product, FloorHeat can also be nailed through without damaging the heating element. This flexibility makes FloorHeat a good choice for retrofitting existing floors.

If you can access your floor joists from below, you’re also a perfect candidate for the Warmzone RetroHeat floor heating system. The RetroHeat heating element is easy to install so it makes a great do-it-yourself project.  The two most highly recommended options for floors are RetroHeat and FloorHeat. Both systems are very affordable, and allow you to install radiant heat to your existing floors without extensive floor tear ups or remodeling.

To learn more about the ins and outs of electric radiant heat for your hardwood or laminate floors, be sure to contact Warmzone at 888.488.9276.

Radiant Heat News

Time to Treat Your Toes Tenderly with Radiant Heated Floors

Radiant Heat Soothes and Comforts Feet

It’s true, radiant heat soothes and comforts feet but here’s the not-so-secret secret . . . it also radiates heat to every object of the room. Starting with the floor, radiant floor heating works subtly to produce an even warmth that envelops the entire room. You’ll feel it tenderly caress your toes and you’ll smile as you walk from each formerly cold surface, soaking in the inviting heat cast from the radiant heat cables working seamlessly below. Radiant heat radiates from your toes all the way to the soft tips of your ears.

Dad and baby on heated floor

The heat slowly warms your whole space and you find it tugging at the sides of your mouth, forming a happy grin and thoughts such as “why didn’t I install heated floors years ago? How do people enjoy their tile floors without radiant heated floors? What if I had to wake up tomorrow without the soothing comfort of radiant heat?”

Lucky for you if you are already a happy customer enjoying the benefits of radiant heat. Lucky because you’ll never have to ask those questions. Radiant heated floors are gaining popularity and are cropping up in most homes these days. If your home has hardwood floors or a tiled kitchen or entryway you’re an excellent candidate for radiant floor heating. These otherwise cooler surfaces take on the radiant heat produced beneath them and start to boast a consistent, calming warmth that tickles your toes tenderly with warmth.

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Radiant Floor Heating for Every Dimension

What’s the Best Radiant Floor Heating Solution for You?  (Part I)

Are you building a home, remodeling a room or retrofitting an existing living space with radiant heat but aren’t sure where to start? Warmzone has plenty of hot options for your next radiant heated floor project, plus the expertise and experience to support you—from budgeting and planning to design and installation.

Radiant floor heating mats being installed

Heating Tile Floors
The foundation of many Warmzone radiant heat solutions, ComfortTile heat cable is the perfect off-the-spool answer for most custom-shaped floor heating projects, including bathroom floors, kitchen and laundry room surfaces. That’s because ComfortTile cable can be rolled out and configured to fit tight or unique areas other radiant heat products, such as mats or panels, can’t. It has a mere ⅛-inch diameter and can be installed under most floor types, including marble, ceramic tile and slate flooring without floor buildup. And every ComfortTile radiant heated floor system comes complete with GFCI protected thermostat and strapping to secure and properly space the heating cable for safe, easy installation.

Of course, many radiant heat projects lack the dimensional challenges a unique layout presents. For these projects, ComfortTile cable is available in pre-configured mats. ComfortTile mats feature heat cable on an adhesive-backed fiberglass mesh. The cable is pre-spaced to maximize overall performance and take the guesswork out of radiant heated floor installation. ComfortTile floor heating mats can be used in 120 and 240 volt applications, and require only one cold lead connection. The mats are available in various lengths at a width of 24 inches, and are flexible, practical, affordable radiant heat solutions for most homeowners and do-it-yourselfers.

Radiant Heat for Wet and Dry Applications
Are you ready to take radiant heat to the garden level? If you’re looking for a versatile radiant floor heating product that’s safe for use in both wet and dry applications such as basement floors, then Warmzone In-Slab heat cable is for you. Waterproofed and protected by a metal shield, In-Slab heat cable is great for a variety of concrete applications. Featuring an extremely fast response time, In-Slab heat cable produces 10-15 watts per square foot and can efficiently radiate heat through any flooring, from ceramic to marble, hardwood and slate, so it’s good for small and large areas alike.

Retrofitting Floors with Radiant Heat
Installing the RetroHeat floor heating element. It’s never a bad time to purchase and install radiant heated floors, because for every application, Warmzone has the experts and the expertise necessary to take on any radiant heat installation challenge. With RetroHeat, you can reap the same benefits of radiant floor heat without disturbing your existing floors. The RetroHeat under floor heating system consists of heating panels, connection materials, and unique digital thermostat that includes a 16-amp GFCI breaker and floor sensor for accurate programming. Heating panels are available for joists with 12, 16, and 24-inch spacing and can be cut on site and safely stapled between the floor joists to deliver warm, even heat throughout your home.

To learn more about Warmzone’s complete line of radiant heat products, call 888.488.9276 today.

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Adding Heated Tile Floors to Your Home

Installing New Heated Floors or Retrofitting Existing Floors with Radiant Heat

Ceramic tile floors are one of the most popular floor surfaces in American homes. However, one common complaint is that they are cold to walk on. Although tile is sturdy and beautiful, the “coldness factor” does carry some legitimacy. Let’s explore a way to resolve this issue and create an ideal flooring surface.

We sometimes get conditioned as we walk around the house, making mental notes that it is uncomfortable to walk into this room or that room. Before long, we find ourselves avoiding half the rooms in our home. Well, it doesn’t have to be that way. A radiant heated floor can turn a room from one that you hesitate to walk in to, to one that you look forward to visiting. And these electric floor heating systems are surprisingly easy to install. After a radiant heated floor is installed it won’t take long for that conditioning to transition from an unpleasant one to one of considerable enjoyment. You won’t be avoiding the family room with the cold tile floor. Instead, you’ll be reveling in that room as your feet soak up the warmth from the heated tile floor. Heated floors are the answer to providing inviting warmth to tile floors.

Radiant heated tile floor

Installing a heated floor is not that difficult and it really beats the comfort of portable heaters or electric panel heaters. In some cases, you don’t even need to tear out the existing tile floor to install radiant heat. If you can access the floor joists from below, then you can retrofit your tile floors with luxurious radiant heat to create the beautiful, warm home you always envisioned. Warmzone offers two outstanding floor heating systems that you can retrofit your floors with, FloorHeat and RetroHeat. Call a radiant heat expert today to learn about these two systems and find out which one would be best for heating your tile floors. Of course, if you want to redo the tile floors in your home, then you can choose from a variety of other radiant floor heating systems to install with your new tile. The bottom line this: you don’t have to live with cold floors or cold feet. Radiant floor heat is an affordable option!

For remodeling jobs, you won’t find a better floor heating option than ComfortTile radiant heat systems. Install the ComfortTile heat cable (or mats) over the subfloor and apply your finished surface over that and you have a room that you will look forward to visiting. Sensors in the floor will communicate with the thermostat in the wall and keep that room just the way you like it. Not only does radiant floor heat eliminate “cold feet”, but the efficient heat rises from the floor to provide comfortable warmth for the whole room. Radiant heat is truly a luxurious heat that needs to be experienced to be fully appreciated.

And each room can be controlled separately by its own thermostat, making radiant in-floor heating extremely energy efficient. The thermostats can also be fully programmable, so they can be programmed to warm the home just before you get up each morning and/or when you get home from work, or however you see fit. Radiant floor heating is here to stay, so don’t hesitate to learn more about your many options, and increase your comfort as well as the value of your home. Just make sure that you work with a reputable company that has truly earned the reputation of being among the best. And also, be sure to work with a provider that also includes full radiant heat system engineering and design services – like Warmzone. After all, a radiant floor heating system is only as good as its installation.

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ComfortTile Radiant Heated Floors

Radiant Floor Heat – Give Your Bathroom Floor the “Spa” Treatment

Want the spa treatment without ever leaving home? It’s the perfect time to take the chill out of your bathroom floor with ComfortTile radiant floor heating systems. Easily installed directly under tile, natural stone other surfaces, ComfortTile radiant heat provides comfortable, even floor temperatures, in your bathroom, kitchen, or entryway. Just about anywhere there’s a tiled surface is a great place for the comfort of ComfortTile heated floor mats or cable. And with a low 3/16-inch (3 mm) profile, ComfortTile is a non-evasive project ideal for bathroom renovations.

So how do ComfortTile floor heating systems work? ComfortTile heated floor mats and cable are a form of electric radiant heat. The mats are essentially pre-spaced heat cable woven into an adhesive-backed fiberglass mesh that can be rolled out and installed under the subfloor of any tiled surface. They are connected to an electric power source and, like forced air systems, are controlled by a thermostat. Once activated, ComfortTile heated floors radiate heat from the floor and up through objects in a given room to deliver warm, even temperatures quickly and efficiently.

ComfortTile floor heating mat, cable and thermostat

This efficiency isn’t limited to the time it takes to activate an electric radiant heat system. By installing electric radiant heated floors, you can watch a small investment grow substantially. Radiant heat delivers higher levels of comfort at lower temperatures than conventional forced air systems, without a reliance on natural gas. There are no vents involved, so air pollutants, as well as the costs of duct cleaning and filter changing associated with forced air systems are virtually eliminated.

The good news, of course, is that while their appeal is high, the initial cost of ComfortTile heated floor mat installation is relatively low, so they’re a great way to build equity in your home. Unlike forced air heat, radiant heat installation isn’t an “all-or-nothing” proposition for homeowners either. You have the freedom to install ComfortTile floor mats in one room, or several. The mats are pre-terminated for use with 120 and 240 volts, and are available in various lengths of 24-inch widths to accommodate any layout, making them a flexible, easy-to-install proposition for do-it-yourselfers everywhere.

Warmzone ComfortTile electronic thermostats are specifically designed to control electric radiant floor heating systems for maximum comfort while minimizing power consumption. With Warmzone ComfortTile radiant heated floors, you can heat one room, or heat them all at the same time, if you wish. The system can be coordinated with your habits, so you get heat where you are, when you need it, without being subjected to drafts, dramatic fluctuations in temperature, and large heating bills.

It’s never too late to benefit from the warmth and luxury of a ComfortTile radiant heated floor. Call Warmzone today at 888.488.9276 to find out how Warmzone can partner with you to reach your home improvement objectives.

Warming Your Hardwood Floors

Add Warmth and Luxury to your Wood Floors with FloorHeat
Considering a wall-to-wall carpet to wood floor conversion in your home? When it comes time to choose an electric radiant heat product, don’t forget to include Warmzone’s FloorHeat in your remodeling plans. This state-of-the-art radiant heat technology features an extremely low-profile heating element designed to distribute heat safely, evenly and efficiently. Because of its efficiency, affordability and ease of installation, homeowners are increasingly turning to FloorHeat for use in a wide variety of electric radiant heat applications.

Heated hardwood floor

Just how does it work? FloorHeat is a self-regulating, semi-conductive polyethylene heating element. It coordinates with a thermostat and sensors placed below the subfloor of any hardwood or laminate surface. The best part, of course, is the heat itself—FloorHeat systems radiate heat up through the floor and objects in a room to evenly warm a room, maintaining comfort at temperatures a few degrees lower that those required by a conventional forced-air system. It’s flexible enough to be installed under a variety of surfaces, in a variety of applications.

Available in 9- or 12-inch-wide rolls, FloorHeat is an ultra-thin, flexible heating element that’s very easy to install. It is a very non-evasive application that does not require elaborate duct work or vent installation, making it a safe bet for the do-it-yourselfer. And as true for every Warmzone purchase, it comes with the wisdom and experience of a knowledgeable team of radiant heat experts. They’ll be there every step of the way, from helping you choose the best system for your radiant heat needs and budget, to providing the support you’ll need to successfully install your FloorHeat in your home.

So you’ve already installed wood floors throughout your home, and you’re realizing that even with all of those nice wool throw rugs you’ve purchased, there’s a considerable difference in comfort where wool meets the floor. No need to tear up and start over. You can easily retrofit your floor with FloorHeat radiant heat. RetroHeat panels can be cut to the desired length and safely stapled in between floor joists. After stapling, simply connecting the electrical system, and install batt insulation underneath the panels to direct heat up through the floor.

It’s never too late to benefit from the warmth and luxury of a FloorHeat radiant heated floor. Call Warmzone today at 888.488.9276 to find out how Warmzone can partner with you to reach your home improvement objectives.

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WARMZONE – Your Radiant Heating Solutions Begin and End Here

What can be daunting about any radiant heat home improvement project, of course, is where to start. What begins as a simple remodel becomes a full-time job, scheduling contractors, including architects, electricians, and other lay persons for the task at hand. It’s good to know that when you need a radiant heat solutions provider, Warmzone is there with the experts, and the expertise required to tackle literally all of the aspects of a radiant heat project—from the initial consultation, through planning and installation. Warmzone offers up-to-date information about the top quality radiant floor heating and snow melting solutions you’ll need to support just about any radiant heat project. They can design the best solution for you, and direct you to the radiant heat products that best match your needs. Whether you’re interested in heating your driveway, roof or flooring, Warmzone is there to help you complete the job on time, within budget, and to your satisfaction.

Snow melting heat cable laid out for asphalt heated driveway.

Vast Selection of Top Quality, State-of-the-art Radiant Heat Products
Of course, the cornerstone of any Warmzone project is its variety of top quality radiant heat products. When you choose Warmzone, you know you are getting cutting-edge radiant heat technology, backed by the best warranty coverage in the industry. ComfortTile floor heating products use state-of-the-art heat cable, which can be purchased in a spool, or pre-spaced and affixed to an adhesive-backed fiberglass mesh. Other Warmzone offerings, such as FilmHeat panels and In-Slab (SlabHeat) cable are incredibly durable and easy to install. And all of these products, and more, are backed by industry-leading manufacturer warranties.

The size of the Warmzone product portfolio is impressive. From floor heating mats, heat cable and low-voltage heating elements, there are “Best in Class” products available for almost any radiant heat project you can think of. And variety is key, because with the breadth and depth of Warmzone radiant heat product offerings comes freedom of choice. Our experts aren’t just knowledgeable about the products they sell, they understand what it means to meet your expectations and your budget. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach to every radiant heat application, they’ll help you match the best product for your home at the best price. You’ll get sincere, non-biased recommendations and products that are best suited for your particular radiant heating needs.

Complete Radiant Heat Solutions

Do you have big home improvement plans but don’t know where to start? When it comes to radiant heat solutions, if you can conceive it, Warmzone can achieve it. Our professional designers evaluate your radiant heating system from top to bottom and create a detailed CAD of your system layout. You’ll know the electrical requirements, technical specifications and system performance expectations before one foot of cable is installed. We even have a master electrician on staff and available to provide technical support. Sure there’s convenience built-in to this approach—we also see it as a sure fire way to minimize any installation surprises in the short term, to save you time and money in the long term.

Consider our radiant heat specialists as part of your home improvement project team. We’re here for you from start to finish—to answer your questions, provide you with the appropriate resources, and to follow your radiant heat project through to its successful completion. Perhaps that’s why customers continue to turn to
Warmzone, not just for our sage advice but because of our willingness to go the extra mile for our customers. Whether you’re calling to get the answer to a single question, or to get a quote on a radiant heat solution for your home—Warmzone’s knowledgeable, dedicated staff of radiant heat experts is there, offering unbiased information and unwavering support in reaching your radiant heat project objectives.

ComfortTile floor heating mat, cable and thermostat

If you are a do-it-yourselfer, not only the depth and breadth of product offerings will make your project easier, but the resources available to you, from start to finish will make your radiant heat project a slam-dunk! Warmzone is your complete resource for radiant heat products, services and installation support for heated floors, roof deicing and snow melting systems. With Warmzone, you’re never more than just a few clicks away from the solution to your radiant heat home improvement project needs. Our customers can visit Warmzone.com, 24/7, for downloadable versions of radiant heat installation manuals, user guides, installation diagrams and more.

When it comes to providing radiant heat snow melting and floor heating products and services, no one can match the comprehensive offerings of Warmzone. Are you gearing up for that next radiant heat project at home? Don’t wait until the chill hits, contact Warmzone at 888.488.9276 and get started!

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The Latest Trends in Home Improvement

Radiant Heated Floors – Home Remodeling Trends You can Really Warm up to

CBS Moneywatch.com recently identified twelve trends in home remodeling for 2011. The hottest projects—bathrooms, must-do remodeling and warmer interior design projects made the top three, with green living coming in at number nine. With growing concerns over rising fuel prices and carbon footprints, it’s not surprising that more and more homeowners are investing in their homes to cut fuel consumption. Installing Warmzone radiant heated floors is a great way to keep up with remodeling trends and recoup on home improvement costs.

How does radiant heat work? Heated floors radiate heat from the floor up to keep you warm and comfortable when cold weather sets in. Two types of systems—electric heat cable and hydronic (water-based) tubing systems—when installed in the subfloor of your home act as heating elements to warm the surface above. These heating cables/tubing coordinate with a thermostat and sensors, as do traditional forced air systems, to provide heat to your home.

Radiant heated tile floor

Warmzone radiant heat is green heat. Powered by electricity, electric radiant heat cables can heat a surface in 30 to 60 minutes. Unlike forced air systems, they are room specific. With the help of sensors and a programmable thermostat you can heat one room, or heat them all quickly and efficiently, saving money on your monthly gas bill. And unlike forced air systems, they do not belch out the dust and dirt that compromises air quality in your home.

A radiant heated floor installation equals cheap equity. Heated floors give your home an impressive level of comfort and customization with minimal investment. Not sure you want to install heated floors throughout you home just yet? Warmzone offers a variety of heat cable products that can be easily installed under the subfloor of any room in your home, whether it be bathroom tile, wood or even carpet.

If, as CBS Moneywatch.com suggests, the over-arching remodeling trend for 2011 is to tackle small projects while you wait to do the really big remodeling project that’s on your list, why not start by installing heated floors in your home?  Unlike other “one-size-fits-all” radiant heat providers, Warmzone offers an array of radiant floor heating solutions designed to better match your individual project, and your budget. The good news—many of these floor heating products can be installed by do-it-yourself homeowners.

Heated Driveways and Roof Deicing

The Hottest New Trends in Home Remodeling
Among the hottest types of projects listed in the 2011 CBS Moneywatch.com twelve trends in home remodeling are the “must do” and green remodeling projects. If you are finally replacing your roof or pouring a new driveway, consider incorporating a snow melting system into your project list. Radiant heat is green heating technology that actually enhances the life of your roof or driveway without impacting your overall fuel consumption.

Warmzone roof deicing systems are designed to prevent the buildup of snow, ice and large icicles around roof eaves, drains and valleys, preventing damage to your roof and the potential for injury from falling icicles. And you have several roof heating options to choose from.

How it works
Warmzone RoofHeat heating element is polypropylene fused during fabrication to achieve water proofing and protection from UV rays, alkaline or salt damage. Lightweight, flexible and easy to install, these panels can be placed under new or existing asphalt, shake or tile shingles, making roof heating a low-cost, viable home remodeling project.

Installing a heated driveway is another way to add safety, convenience and efficiency to your household while building equity. Warmzone cable is available in pre-configured mats, making easy to roll out under newly poured driveways or pavers. The cable generates heat with the help of an automatic sensor that detects inclement weather and activates the system. It immediately detects changes in temperature and moisture associated with snow and similar weather conditions to warm up your driveway so it’s clear before your boots (or tires) ever see the pavement.

Asphalt driveway with heated tire tracks

Whether you choose an electric snow melting system for your roof or your driveway, you’ll also have the peace of mind that comes with green living. Protecting your roof from inclement weather and damage keeps heat in, so your furnace doesn’t have to work as hard, saving you in fossil fuel costs. A Warmzone radiant heated driveway system also saves your driveway from damage caused by harsh snow melting chemicals or the scraping of snow removal equipment, plus the energy you expend clearing them, whether you’re pushing a gas-burning snow blower, or shoveling.

Snow and ice melt systems provided by Warmzone deliver first class performance, efficiency, ease of installation and energy conservation. Partnering with Warmzone to complete your home improvement project means you’ll get the valuable input from radiant heat professionals needed to find a perfect solution for your heating requirements that’s within your budget, so you can save some green!

Request a FREE quote or call 888.488.9276 today.

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Green Heating for Your Home

Everyone seems to be seeing green nowadays. Words like “energy efficient, green construction” and “biodegradable” are used on a daily basis, and most of us believe that buying products with these labels means we are doing our part to save the environment. Auto makers jumped on the eco-friendly bandwagon, advertising vehicles that are gas-friendly to gas-free, which basically means 30 MPG and can run on mostly renewable E85 ethanol. What mostly renewable means, you’ll have to ask General Motors and Ford. Taking into account that Europe is considering implementing a 60 MPG minimum on cars, these early “gas friendly” cars look not-so-friendly.

One possible way to be more green or to incorporate green construction into an existing home, is investing in products that run on renewable energy such as electricity rather than fossil fuels. It’s true that most of the world’s electricity is produced using coal, nuclear, and natural gas. While this may not seem like a better alternative, consider the totally renewable energy sources of electricity such as solar, hydro and wind. As fossil fuels become scarcer, these renewable energy sources will be the forefront in energy production.

So where can you start? Most homes in America are heated using gas, and most of us can’t ignore the rising costs. Lowering the thermostat to barely tolerable temperatures may be your solution, but if you have children who are blissfully ignorant about the cost of heating, they have probably been tempted once or twice to warm things up when you weren’t looking. An alternative heating to gas that is hugely popular in Europe, and one that your children are guaranteed to love, is radiant heat.

Oddly enough, radiant heat is actually the oldest form of heating homes, originating all the way back to the Romans. Yeah, they were pretty smart. When most of us think of radiant heat, we think of hydronic technology. For those of you who are still in the dark, a hydronic system heats the floor of a home through a heated water loop or underground piping.  Drawbacks to these types of systems are a significant rise in the height of the floor, high cost, and difficulty to install.

An even better form of radiant heating runs on electricity. There is no magic behind it, just a wire or cable that is easily installed beneath hardwood, tile, cement and even carpet. Some systems don’t raise the floor at all, while others result in less than a half an inch of floor buildup, and much of the system can be installed by any ambitious do-it-yourselfer. The best part? It is energy efficient, consuming only 12 watts per square foot (many systems are even less), and you are able to heat your home comfortably at lower temperatures because the electric radiant heat warms all the objects it comes in contact with.

Allergy sufferers will be pleased to know that because electric radiant heating does not use forced air to heat, it won’t stir up dust, pollens, and other allergens in the air. Forced air heating systems also dry out your skin significantly, not to mention they take a fair amount of time to warm up your home. With radiant heated floors, your home heats up almost instantly, evenly and much more comfortably.

Something not easily digested is that America consumes 43 percent of the world’s motor gasoline, 25 percent of its crude petroleum, 25 percent of its natural gas, and 23 percent of its hard coal. Investing in energy efficient products that run on electricity, like electric radiant heat, just might cut down these numbers and make your home a green home. Not to mention make you feel a little better, make your home warmer, and your wallet just might be a little thicker.

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Ancient Radiant Heating

The “Ancient” Art of Sustainable Living

As a current or future radiant heat consumer, you might fancy yourself to be part of a growing trend towards sustainable home heating. What you may not know is that although it is considered an emerging, “modern” trend among residential homeowners, radiant heat technology is actually thousands of years old.

Ancient Roman ruins reveal floor heating technology
Ruins of a Roman underfloor heating system. (Photo courtesy of Silvermel.)

The history of underfloor heating began in 10,000 BC with the Chinese, who used the word “kang”(original meaning, “to dry”) to describe what became known as a heated bed. Inhabitants drafted smoke from fires through stone covered trenches in the floors of their subterranean dwellings. The hot smoke heated the floor stones, radiating into their living spaces. Evidence of heated floors based on this principle were found in 5,000 B.C. in China and Korea.

The Greeks and Romans finessed the process in 500 B.C. with the hypocaust. Literally translated, hypocaust means “heat from below,” from the Greek word hypo meaning below or underneath, and kaiein, to burn or light a fire. This system was more efficient and less evasive than that of its Asian predecessor. It used pillars to raise the floors, creating a space underneath to circulate hot air. Spaces were left inside of the walls so that hot air and smoke from the furnace would pass through enclosed areas underneath the floor and out of flues in the roof, radiating heat through the walls along the way. While the hypocaust was a marked advancement in under floor heating, the process of heating itself was labor-intensive and high in fuel costs, making it a luxury for those living in villas, and at the public baths.

It wasn’t until the 1980s that standards were developed for underfloor heating systems. Five years later, radiant heat became a traditional system in residential buildings in some European and Nordic countries, and began to find its way into non-residential applications. These modern underfloor heating systems use either electric resistance elements (electric) or heated fluid flowing in pipes (hydronic) to heat floors. Both can be cast in concrete, placed under the floor covering, or attached directly to the wood sub floor. Either type can be installed as an alternative to forced air to improve home air quality and reduce heating costs associated with fossil fuels, or as a localized system for thermal comfort.

Electric radiant heat marks a growing trend in residential heating. Electric radiant under floor heating systems are less evasive and less costly to install than hydronic systems, which require skilled designers and tradesmen familiar with boilers, circulators, controls, fluid pressures and temperature for proper installation. Electric radiant heat systems are more efficient than hydronic systems. Powered by electricity, radiant heat cables can heat a surface in 30 to 60 seconds, unlike hydronic systems, which may take anywhere from 4-7 hours to heat a surface—a considerable difference in performance. Because there is a boiler involved, hydronic systems may be fueled by natural gas, oil, coal or wood, making them less environmentally friendly and more costly to operate.

Whether you choose electric or hydronic floor heating, Warmzone has the experience and expertise to install a radiant heat system that’s right for your home and your budget. Whichever you choose, you’ll have the comfort of knowing you’ve done your part to reduce your carbon footprint, improve your home’s air quality and maintain a warm, comfortable environment for your family. Be sure to visit www.warmzone.com for more information on how Warmzone can customize a sustainable home heating solution just for you.