Electric Radiant Floor Heating System

As far as warming during cold winter months is concerned, conventional heating systems are not sufficient to warm the whole house, especially the floors and walls. For creating comfortable warm floors, you can opt for electric radiant floor heating systems. They are an ideal solution to heat floorings that are susceptible to very cold temperatures such as tiles, laminates, stones and engineered woods. In recent times, most homeowners are opting for installation of electric radiant floor heat to increase the comfort level of their homes during winters.

Floor Heating Systems: Electric Radiant Flooring

Electric radiant floor heating systems provide direct heat to the floors through the phenomenon of radiant heat transfer. In such a system, electricity is used to warm up the floor, from which heat is delivered directly to the persons or objects through heat radiation (also called infrared radiation). Speaking about the configuration of electric radiant floor heating systems, electric resistance heating cables are installed on or under the floor, which are connected with an electric circuit.

When the system is on, heat from the cables warm up the floor surfaces. In simpler terms, the working of electric radiant floor heating is more or less similar to an electric toaster. Heating up a room floor may take about 30 - 40 minutes. Radiant floor heating systems consist of a thermostat that serves the purpose of controlling the heating level. You can adjust the temperature as per your preferred range.

You can consider installation of electric panels during remodeling of the floorings. Firstly, heating cables are laid uniformly, above which gypsum cement is poured. On cooling, the cement dries and forms a solid slab with cables built inside it. Such a slab is used as a base for finish of floorings like tiles. If using on an already constructed tile floor or laminate floor, mats made up of electrically conductive plastic are available in the market. Such mats are directly installed over the sub floor for electric radiant floor heating.

Electric Radiant Floor Heating System: An Overview

Radiant heating offers many advantages in comparison to the conventional baseboard or other heating systems. The major benefit of electric radiant floor heating is that it is energy efficient, as heat is transferred directly without any wastage, which is not so in case of forced air heating system. Another advantage is the simple installation and easy operation of electric radiant flooring.

For saving energy, select an electric radiant floor heating system with a larger thermal mass. If there is time-of-use rate facility (less electric charges during off - peak hours) in your area, you can put on the system during off-peak hours. With a significant thermal mass system, the stored heat will be sufficient to heat the floors for about 8 - 10 hours without further electricity input.

You can use electric radiant heating in floors that are difficult to heat up by extending the home heating systems, such as bathrooms, kitchens and basements. While purchasing electric radiant floor heating systems, you can shop around for an energy efficient system. Also, compare the prices of different brands to get a good deal. Another factor to consider while buying an electric radiant heating system is the warranty; some brands offer 30 years warranty period.