Radiant Heating Flooring Solutions for Cape Cod Homeowners

What is radiant heat?
Warm water - generally from 80 degrees to 140 degrees - is circulated through flexible, durable PEX tubing embedded in the floor. The floor becomes a large radiator. The floor becomes warm and radiates warmth to the walls and objects in the room. As these objects become warm, you experience less heat loss because you are standing next to warm objects and you feel warm and comfortable.

Thermal comfort
Radiant heating is arguably superior to convection methods because warm air rises wastefully to the ceiling in rooms, warming the upper body (often with some discomfort, particularly to the head) but leaving the lower body cooler.

In contrast, in-floor radiant heating warms the lower part of both the room and the body because when warm air convects from the radiant floor surface, it loses approximately two degrees Celsius at two meters above the floor. This imparts a feeling of natural warmth, since the limbs should ideally be warmer than the head. (The most acceptable indoor climate is one in which the floor temperature ranges between 19 and 29 °C and the air temperature at head level ranges between 20 and 24 °C.)

Finish Look
Under floor heating is invisible from above and does not use valuable wall space with unsightly heating equipment. In a sense, the entire floor is a radiator, although, because of its area, it need not reach the high temperatures of a baseboard system. It has a particular advantage in public areas where exposed hot or sharp surfaces can be dangerous and unsightly.

Energy efficiency

Air-infiltration heat loss is reduced significantly compared to forced-air systems in which imbalance due to duct leakage can drive infiltration of outside air into the building. Heating cold air from the outside requires extra energy and decreases humidity.

If the boiler water temperature in a Hydronic (Water) system is set to the relatively low temperature required by under floor heat, rather than the higher temperature typically used in other types of radiators, the boiler may have higher efficiency and lower standby losses. However, this is typically only possible in a boiler designed for condensing operation; in many boilers, the water temperature in the boiler must be set higher, and reduced by a mixing valve. Depending on the piping layout and insulation, there may also be lower heat losses in the water distribution system because of the lower temperature.

If you are looking for a professional radiant heating contractor, please call us today at 508-539-8450 or click on the link below:

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