If you are looking for an economical and greener way to heat your Hendersonville, NC home, one option to consider is radiant heat flooring. This type of heating will offer you several benefits over forced air heat when comparing the two for your home. First, it is important to understand how radiant flooring works and then consider its available options.
How Does Radiant Flooring Work?
Radiant heating works by taking advantage of the process of heat transfer. An easy example of heat transfer is if you have a fireplace in your home, consider the warmth you feel radiating from it as the fire burns. Another example is how you can feel the warmth coming from your oven or stove from across the room in your kitchen.
Now consider this if your floors were heated. You know how cold floors can get, especially if you have wood or ceramic tiled floors. It is hard to be comfortable when your feet are cold. Radiant floors eliminate that feeling as the warmth radiates through your body from the floor up. This can be accomplished by one of the following most cost efficient methods:
- Hydronic radiant floors. This is the most cost-efficient option where heated water from a boiler is pumped through tubing installed under your floors.
- Electric radiant floors. This option uses electric cables that are built into your floors or may use plastic mats that conduct electricity that are installed over the subfloor under your floors.
Why Choose Radiant Flooring over Forced Air?
There are several reasons why to choose radiant flooring over forced air:
- Unlike forced air heating systems, a radiant system keeps the heat in your living space instead of blowing warmed air up to the ceiling. If your attic is not properly insulated, the warmth can escape up to your attic. There is also no heat loss that occurs with traditional forced air systems as warmed air is sent through your home’s ductwork.
- You can keep the temperature lower in your home and use less energy because similar to how the warmth of the sun may keep you comfortable on cooler days outside, so does the warmth emanating from a radiant system.
- A hydronic radiant floor uses very little electricity to run and can be used with different types of powered boilers, including solar water heaters. An electric radiant floor is more expensive to operate than the hydronic option. However, it can be used in homes with thick concrete floors and powered up at night when rates are lower to provide up to ten hours of heat.
- Radiant flooring is a healthier option for those with allergies or asthma. Allergens are not recirculated throughout the home, unlike forced air systems.
Gentry Heating, Inc. has been in business for over 50 years, and we can help you decide if a radiant system is an option to consider for your Hendersonville, NC home. Our expert staff can provide you with heating and cooling ideas to help reduce your home’s energy costs, in addition to improving its indoor air quality for your family.
