What Type of Radiant Heat Is Good For Me?
If you are looking to warm your floors with a radiant heat system, and
have typed “radiant heat system” into a search engine, you might find
yourself scratching your head at this point. There are dozens of products
available to purchase, and there are even more companies telling you that
their product is the best.
So which product is the best? Should you install a hydronic heating system
that pumps hot water through your floors, an electric cable heating system,
or a low voltage screen system? The answer lies in the type of project you
are doing. Not every system is ideal for every project, but there is an
ideal system for every project.
Hydronic Heating Systems
Hydronic floor heating is the oldest and most popular type of radiant
floor heating. These systems are comprised of a boiler or hot water heater,
pumps, manifolds, pex tubing, thermostat, and either gypcrete (a
concrete-like material) or wood panels. Hydronic heating is the most complex
of all radiant heat systems. These systems require trained professionals to
design and perform the installation. Your best economies of scale are
achieved for hydronic systems in large areas or entire homes because of
their expensive components and operational costs.
Hydronic systems can be installed under any type of flooring. Most hydronic
systems require hot water tubing to be installed in a 2 to 4 inch bed of
light concrete and are best installed during the initial construction
because of its weight load demands and adjustments to floor height. Recent
low-mass products have been developed to avoid these challenges by fitting
the tubing into pre-cut wood panels making hydronic systems more convenient
and possible for most major remodeling projects.
If you want to heat smaller areas like a bathroom or kitchen, a hydronic
floor heating system may not be the best value for your project. The
complexity and cost of installing the system, along with the long-term
maintenance and up-keep required, is not worth the small amount you will
save in operational costs.
Electric Cable Heating
Electric cable heating systems, often called line or high voltage
systems, are gaining popularity and are ideal for heating smaller areas
(10-300 square feet) like bathrooms, kitchens, and sun rooms. These systems
are comprised of a thermostat and a heating cable. On some systems, the
cable will be shipped to you as a large spool of cable. These systems are
often times less expensive, and give you the ability to space the cable how
you want and customize a layout that will heat every square inch of your
floor. Other systems have the cable attached to a plastic mesh or tape to
create a mat to maintain its proper spacing.
Every available cable system is equally effective, and so when determining
which system to purchase, you should look at the warranty of the product,
along with the ease of installation. Some cables must be embedded in a
separate layer of concrete or mortar, whereas other systems can simply be
installed in the thin set. Most cable systems can only be installed under
tile. However, on others, if the cable is embedded in mortar or concrete,
any flooring can be installed on top of the concrete. When heating smaller
areas, it is nearly impossible to beat the simplicity and price of an
electric cable heating system.
Low-Voltage Screen
Finally, there are low-voltage radiant heat systems. These systems are
ideal for mid-size to larger areas (300-3000 square feet) and are comprised
of a control box, transformer, heating screen or cable, and thermostat. The
main advantage to a low-voltage screen (Zmesh) system is the extremely low
profile of the heating element. Zmesh is a 12 inch wide bronze-wired mesh
that resembles screen door material. This mesh is practically paper thin and
does not buildup floors during the installation. Zmesh can be installed
directly under any type of flooring including hardwood, tile, and carpet.
Whereas most cable systems must be installed on top of the concrete board
when installing tile, Zmesh can be installed underneath it. These systems
are easy to install and don’t require maintenance like a hydronic system.
Radiant heat technology has made significant advances over the years and is
an excellent way to supplement your existing heating system or be your sole
source of heat. One good way to be assured that you’re being sold the best
system for your project is to buy from a company that offers all of the
available types of radiant heat.
Warmzone, Inc. is one company who carries various types of
radiant systems and is dedicated to
specifying the product that makes the most sense for each individual job.
Without a bias towards one system they have become a consumer advocate in
the radiant industry and will save you time and money. Warmzone has already
done the research and has selected to only work with the best products on
the market. Because they are a large nation-wide wholesaler, they can offer
you the best pricing by selling to you direct. You can receive a free
estimate for your project by submitting a request at
www.warmzone.com or calling them at
1-888-488-WARM.
Article Source:
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