Hydronic (liquid) systems are the most popular and cost-effective radiant heating systems for heating-dominated climates. However, homeowners should examine other options like mini-split heat pumps, which operate more efficiently and have the added advantage of providing cooling. This saves a considerable number of energy dollars compared to heating at peak electric rates during the day.Įlectric radiant floors may also make sense for home additions if it would be impractical to extend the heating system into the new space. If the floor’s thermal mass is large enough, the heat stored in it will keep the house comfortable for eight to 10 hours without any further electrical input, particularly when daytime temperatures are significantly warmer than nighttime temperatures. Time-of-use rates allow you to “charge” the concrete floor with heat during off-peak hours (approximately 9pm to 6am). Systems that feature mats of electrically conductive plastic mounted on the subfloor below a floor covering such as tile are also available.īecause of the relatively high cost of electricity, electric radiant floors are usually only cost-effective if they include a significant thermal mass like a thick concrete floor and your electric utility company offers time-of-use rates. ELECTRIC RADIANT FLOORSĮlectric radiant floors typically consist of electric cables built into the floor. Although some early solar air heating systems used rocks as a heat-storage medium, this approach is not recommended (see solar air heating systems).
The inefficiency of trying to heat a home with a conventional furnace by pumping air through the floors at night outweighs the benefits of using solar heat during the day.
Although they can be combined with solar air heating systems, those systems suffer from the obvious drawback of only producing heat in the daytime, when heating loads are generally lower. Photo courtesy of Uponor AIR-HEATED RADIANT FLOORSĪir cannot hold large amounts of heat, so radiant air floors are not cost-effective in residential applications and are seldom installed.
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