installing electric radiant floor heating

#Installing electric radiant floor heating how to#
#Installing electric radiant floor heating windows#

The internal wires are wrapped in a water-resistant polymer, which are zig-zagged through a mat. Electric Underfloor HeatingĮlectric RFH uses heat-conducting plastic mats containing coils warmed by electricity to work. There are basically two different systems that you can use when it comes to radiant floor heating: electric and hydronic. Radiant floor heat can either involve heating coils or water-heated tubing installed in your home’s floors –– in this way, RFH heats from the ground up. This system allows radiant heat to function without direct contact. The heat is transmitted through electromagnetic waves, and when intercepted and absorbed, it turns into heat. Radiant floor heat might sound like magic, but it’s really science. You may also hear RFH referred to simply as floor heating or underfloor heating. The systems are installed directly into the walls or floors of a home, and the heat radiates from that space. Unlike traditional heating systems, which rely on blowing air to transfer heat throughout a home, radiant floor heating warms a room or home without direct contact. Should you find yourself dreading your AM shuffle from the bed to the rest of the house, you might look at installing radiant floor heating.įor those who haven’t already heard about radiant floor heating (RFH), it could be just the answer to your winter woes. Your traditional convection heater in your home can only do so much to combat these winter blues, but there is another option to consider. No one wants to put their bare feet on a freezing cold floor first thing in the morning.

#Installing electric radiant floor heating windows#

It can feel like everything you touch has a freezing tinge to it, from your windows to the toilet seat, to any of your non-carpeted floors. You’ll also want the electrician to do the final hook-up (Step 4).If you’re like most people during the wintertime months, you dread the cold.Īs if the snow, sleet, ice, and general unpleasantness of the winter season weren’t already enough to put you in a funk, even within a heated home there are tons of little places that remind you of the cold. Your system may require a dedicated circuit and will definitely require protection by a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). Step-by-Step Radiant Floor Installationīefore beginning, discuss electrical requirements with an electrical contractor. You can omit mesh wherever a warm floor is unnecessary: under cabinets, behind toilet, and so forth.įor the system shown, you can simply send a floor plan of the room to the manufacturer the company will calculate the amount of material needed and send you a layout showing exactly where to cut and position the mesh for the best coverage and easiest installation. To do this, create a basic layout of your floor area on graph paper, noting basic dimensions, and calculate your material needs according to the size of the mesh.

#Installing electric radiant floor heating how to#

WarmlyYoursįor information about types of radiant floor heating systems, please see How to Buy Radiant Floor Heating.īefore ordering, you’ll need to figure out how much material your floor will require. This radiant floor heating system includes fiberglass mesh–backed matting and a thermostat. A zone control adjusts floors of various rooms to the desired temperatures. (or cooler-it generally feels similar to a tile floor warmed by direct sunlight). The heated water warms floors to about 85 degrees F. If, in a few years, your heating source, such as oil for a boiler, becomes too expensive, you can change over to solar or some other source.Īnother advantage is that the water retains residual heat longer than electric wires. In some cases, the tubing can be fastened to the underside of subflooring instead.Ī clear advantage of hydronic systems over other forms of heating is that you can use a variety of energy sources to heat the water: a gas water heater, electric boiler, wood boiler, heat pump, solar collector, or even geothermal energy. The tubing is usually encased in a slab of concrete or lighter-weight gypsum cement. With a hydronic floor heating system, hot water circulates through lengths of tubing that loop back and forth on the subfloor.