Is Radiant Floor Heat Right For You?

Radiant Floor Heating

Standing on a floor warmed by radiant heat is like dipping your toes into a pool of sunshine.

You don’t need slippers to insulate your feet from cold tiling. There is no need to cover your beautiful wood floors with carpeting. You simply absorb the heat as it rises from beneath the floor.

Nothing feels better on a cold winter day here in Michigan than radiant floor heat.

Our qualified professionals at Great Dane Heating & Air Conditioning are knowledgeable about all kinds of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, including radiant floor heat. Let us help you find the best heating system for your budget and comfort goals.

If you need a heating system for new construction, an addition, or just a room or two, radiant floor heat is an efficient, cost-effective choice for your Clinton Township home. If you plan to scrap your existing heat system and install radiant floor heat throughout your home, the process is a bit more involved and costly.

As you plan for your new heating system, consider how radiant floor heat might benefit you. 

No Noise, No Obstruction

Radiant floor heat does not intrude on your living space because it operates under the floor. It gives you the freedom to decorate your home any way you want because it does not rely on air vents or radiators to distribute warmth. 

The system, consisting of either water-filled tubing or electric wiring, radiates heat that warms any object it touches. Unlike a forced-air system that heats the air in a room, radiant floor heat warms you directly.

Radiant floor heat also is a quiet heating system. A forced-air furnace always makes its presence known with the whoosh of the burner igniting and the sound of the blower sending air through ductwork. Radiators distribute heat in a hydronic system and sometimes bang and clang. If you enjoy a quiet environment in your Clinton Township home, consider installing radiant floor heat.

Hydronic or Electric?

Hydronic systems use a boiler, water heater, or heat pump to heat water and circulate it through PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) tubing under the floor, on top of the subfloor. This system is perfect for installation in new construction before the floors are placed. It can be cost-effective to operate, particularly when powered by a high-efficiency heat pump or paired with a new boiler. 

Electric systems use wires that heat up when electricity runs through them. The wiring is attached to mats that blanket the subfloor. Don’t want to tear up your floor? Some manufacturers are making mats designed for installation below the subfloor. 

The high cost of electricity makes electric radiant floor heat too costly to use throughout your home. Using it sparingly is a better solution. It is a good choice for supplemental heating in a new addition or single room, such as a bathroom. 

Our expert technicians at Great Dane Heating & Air Conditioning can help you decide between hydronic and electric systems for your CITY home. 

Clean, Evenly Heated Air

Radiant floor heat does not impact your indoor air quality (IAQ) the way a forced-air furnace does. It does not dirty the air by blowing contaminants through your air ducts or stirring up dust, mold, and pet dander in your living space.

Radiant floor heat also warms a room more evenly, providing a more consistent temperature.  

Maintenance and Longevity

Radiant floor heat systems can last 30 to 50 years and require little maintenance. During an annual checkup on your boiler or heat pump, our experts at Great Dane Heating & Air Conditioning can check on the integrity of your hydronic system’s tubing to make sure no leaks have occurred. 

Electric systems need an occasional inspection. 

Efficiency

According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), radiant floor heat is more efficient than baseboard heating and usually more efficient than forced-air heating because it eliminates loss of heat through leaky air ducts. 

Forced-air furnace heat can escape through non-weatherized doors and windows, ducts, and holes and cracks in your home, leaving your living space with hot and cold spots. Radiant floor heat warms you, not the air around you.

Improve Your Comfort Today

Ask us at Great Dane Heating & Air Conditioning how you can incorporate radiant floor heat into your Clinton Township, MI, home. Call us at 586-790-2604 or request service online.

Need HVAC Service?

Contact the experts at Great Dane Heating & Air Conditioning.

Call us at 586.790.2604!