Benefits of Radiant Floor Heating Systems
 Radiant heating systems are
considered by many as the ultimate form of comfort heating. In addition
to the advantages of hydronic heating in general, warm floors provide
benefits that virtually no other system can match. Any one of these
benefits can become the “hot button” that convinces a discriminating
customer to install a radiant
heat system. Here’s a summary of these key benefits.
Thermal Comfort:
Buildings equipped with radiant heat systems have interior
environments that are highly favorable to human thermal comfort. Unlike
many systems that directly heat the air, radiant floor heating gently
warms the surfaces of objects in the room as well as the air itself. The
warm surfaces significantly reduce the rate of heat loss from the
occupants, allowing most to feel comfortable at room temperatures 3 to 5
deg. F. lower than with other methods of heating.
The air temperature
at floor level is slightly higher than the average room temperature.
This significantly reduces the rate of heat loss from the feet and legs.
Several feet above the floor, the air temperature begins to decrease.
Most people tend to feel more alert with slightly lower air temperatures
at head level. The lowest air temperatures in the room typically occur
just below the ceiling. The result is reduced heat loss through the
ceiling insulation and hence lower heating costs.
 A system that’s out
of sight: Most people realize that just about every occupied
building in North America needs a heating system. However, few enjoy
looking at the heat emitters that are a necessary part of that system.
The fact that such heat emitters often restrict furniture placement
further adds to their invasiveness. With a radiant heat system, the
floor surface is the heat emitter. There’s no need to compromise the
aesthetics of the space or restrict furniture placement. It’s a system
that gives your clients a building interior that’s as thermally
luxurious as it is aesthetically elegant.
A quiet system:
One of the strengths of a radiant heating system is its ability
to deliver heat without delivering noise. A properly designed
radiant heat system is the epitome of silence. The gas or oil burner on
the boiler is often the only component that makes any detectable noise,
and it’s usually located in the mechanical room away from the occupied
spaces.
A clean system:
One of the biggest complaints associated with forced air heating is its
tendency to distribute dust, odors and germs throughout a house. In
contrast to whole house air movement, radiant flooring heating creates
very gentle (imperceptible) room air circulation. Many people who suffer
from allergies have found that radiant heat doesn’t aggravate the
symptoms the way a forced air system often does.
A durable system: A concrete slab type radiant floor heating system is nearly as
indestructible as the slab itself. It’s the ideal way to heat garage
facilities, industrial buildings, recreation rooms,
basements, or other buildings with high interior traffic. You must
always insulate the concrete slab from the earth.
A system that
reduces fuel usage: Radiant heat systems have a proven record
of reduced energy usage relative to other forms of heating, both in
residential and commercial / industrial buildings. The savings result
from several factors such as the ability to sustain comfort at lower
indoor air temperatures, reduced air temperature stratification,
non-pressurization of rooms (which leads to higher rates of air
leakage), and the ability to operate with lower water temperatures.
Savings vary from one building to the next. Although some projects have
shown savings in excess of 50%, a more conservative estimate is 10 to
20% in savings. As energy costs continue to escalate, the ability to
reduce fuel consumption will play an increasingly
important role in how heating systems are selected. Radiant heat Systems
can keep energy costs to a minimum while also delivering exceptional
comfort. It’s truly the benchmark system against which all other methods
of heating will be compared.
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