Blog : February, 2010 | Flooring Supply Shop Blog - Part 3Flooring Supplies

Eco friendly flooring solutions for your child’s room

Whenever we think of renovating our child’s room, the first thing that comes to our mind is a safe and healthy atmosphere. This implies that everything in your child’s room, from the paint on the walls to the flooring has to be safe. Proper flooring is of utmost importance since children tend to play on the floor most of the time. Therefore eco friendly flooring materials should be the only choice for your child’s room. There are various eco friendly solutions to build a green playroom for your child.

Cork flooring is a very popular choice for kids’ playroom since it has a soft surface and prevents children from getting hurt. Moreover cork is naturally anti-microbial, tough, durable, biodegradable and does not stain easily. Since cork is derived from the bark of the cork oak tree, it can be stripped and removed several times without harming the tree. However, it is always advisable to avoid self-adhesive cork tiles since they may contain toxic chemicals.

For very small infants or toddlers natural woven carpets is an excellent flooring option. These carpets are made by weaving together natural fibers like coir, jute, seagrass or sisal and are extremely soft to touch. Seagrass grows naturally all around the world and helps in insulating houses and also acts as a barrier against sound. Similarly sisal is also a natural fiber and a sustainable resource and is grown without the use of any pesticides or herbicides which makes it highly environment friendly. These products are also appropriate for children prone to allergies or asthmatic attacks and require very little care and maintenance. Wool carpets are again a sustainable and 100% biodegradable choice and have various advantages like durability, fire resistance and are anti-static. Moreover, such carpets use only natural dyes, are not treated with harmful chemicals and are installed without the help of adhesives. All these characteristics make it a complete eco friendly product.

Another truly sustainable eco friendly flooring solution for your child’s room is bamboo. It is a fast-growing grass which can be re-harvested every 5 years and is by far the most abundant and renewable natural resources thus making it a popular flooring choice. Moreover it is extremely hardy, durable and moisture resistant. When we talk of eco friendly flooring solutions for a child’s room, it is necessary to mention rubber flooring. Rubber flooring apart from being an eco friendly flooring solution is extremely safe, durable, soft and appealing. It is stain and slip resistant, has anti-microbial and hypoallergenic properties and has shock absorbent surface; making it an ideal flooring option for your child’s room that is not only safe but cost effective as well.

Last but not the least linoleum flooring is also a safe and eco friendly option for your kid’s room. Linoleum is resistant to fungi and bacterial growth, has hypoallergenic qualities, and is very durable and also scratch and spill resistant. Whatever the option, care should always be taken to provide your child with a green, non-toxic and environmental friendly atmosphere.

Go green with radiant electric floor heating

Heating up your homes and trying to keep it warm and cozy is a tough job during winters. Especially for people living in regions that experience chilly winters and snowfall, it becomes all the more necessary to keep the floors and walls warm throughout the day. There are various heating options available like gas furnaces, electric base board heat, wood and boilers but most of them are quite costly, use up a lot of energy and are not entirely environmental friendly. The only solution to this is radiant electric floor heating systems which works on the principle of thermal heat radiation and is gaining in popularity as a mainstream heating option in homes, offices, industrial places etc.

A radiant floor heating system is usually installed beneath the flooring or inside concrete slabs and this system heats up the entire area from the ground, up into the living area above. These heating systems are user friendly, comfortable, silent in operation and friendly to the environment. Moreover they can be installed underneath any kind of flooring. The electric radiant heating system is very easy to install, comes at a highly affordable price and is perfect for small bedrooms, bathroom and for homes under renovated.

These systems usually consist of electric floor heating mats which are embedded in a thin layer of concrete across the floor. SunTouch electric floor heat mat kit is a complete installation kit which has all the materials necessary for a perfect installation. It consists of a heating mat, programmable thermostat 500670, loudmouth installation monitor, double sided tape, installation DVD and an installation manual. This kit is designed to warm stone and tile floors and can be used in bathrooms, kitchen, bedrooms or any other part of the house. The ‘dry’ radiant electric floor heating systems are appropriate for pre-existing structures without having to enclose the coils and heating tubes in concrete flooring.

Radiant floor heating systems are equally effective if installed under hardwood floorings. The only precaution to be taken is to dry out the slab and subfloor before installing the wood flooring. Any moisture left on the slab can enter the wood flooring as soon as heat is turned on which can result in expansion, contraction, shrinkage or cracking of floors. Such heating systems can also be installed under linoleum or vinyl flooring.

There are various benefits of radiant electric floor heating systems as compared to other form of heating systems. Radiant floor heating systems do not create any kind of breeze or air like forced air heating. Moreover, these systems are very comfortable and consistent, easy to install, save energy, do not dry out the air and do not spread dust or allergens and are therefore highly environment friendly. Unlike heating systems which use water pipes or boilers radiant electric heating systems cut down the risk of breakage and leakage of water pipes. The radiant electric floor heating system transfers heat evenly to all places inside the house and is also vey helpful for people suffering from allergies and asthma.

Additional benefits of a radiant floor heating system

People around the globe have realized that by installing a radiant floor heating system they can reduce the discomforts caused due to cold floors in winters. However, apart from this obvious utility offered by a radiant floor heating system, it extends various other benefits to the users as well.

One such benefit offered by a radiant floor heating system is that it can be installed without hampering the visual aesthetics of a room. Due to the compact dimensions of these systems, they can be easily placed below the flooring and would not significantly raise the floor level. Further, these radiant floor heating systems are quite flexible and can be used along with any type of flooring; be it tiles, hardwood or carpet. The compact dimensions and flexibility offered by these radiant floor heating systems ensure that they can be used without worrying about their aesthetic impact on the house.

Not only do radiant floor heating systems warm the floor; they also help in maintaining a comfortable temperature inside the house. The problem with traditional heating systems is that the heat released by them gradually rises to the ceiling, thereby leaving the floors cold. Radiant floor heating systems will not only eliminate this temperature difference inside a room, but will also enable you to turn down your main thermostat by a few degrees. This reduction in the main thermostat will ensure that you achieve a significant saving in your power bills in the long run.

Most homes that use a forced air heating system have to install a humidifier as well to counter the effects of dry air. However, since a radiant floor heating system uses radiant heat, there is no effect on the moisture levels in the house, which further results in reduced electrical usage costs.

A number of reputed radiant floor heating products, like those manufactured by SunTouch, are available in the form of heating mats that can be cut into different shapes and sizes. This adaptability ensures that you can use these radiant floor heating systems as per your requirements. These radiant floor heating mats can be cut to create a warm patch below the shower or alongside your furniture. You can customize these systems as per yours specific requirements and create a warm and comfortable environment inside your house.

One of the prime benefits offered by a radiant floor heating system is its maintenance free working. Since these systems do not have moving components or complex circuits, they work effectively with minimal maintenance requirements for a long period of time. All that you need to do is install these radiant floor heating systems once and enjoy their benefits without unnecessarily spending time or money in repairs and maintenance.

It is due to such utility and convenience offered by radiant floor heating systems that they are widely replacing the traditional methods of heating in most homes. However, in order to enjoy these benefits you need to select a radiant floor heating system that is of the highest quality. So make the right purchase decision and enjoy the numerous benefits that are being offered by radiant floor heating systems.

Getting The Most Bang for Your Buck…Increasing the Value and Marketability of Your Home With Quality Flooring

They say that money talks and…well you know the rest. I know that in today’s economy, most of you are holding on to your home longer than you might if the housing market was booming. While you are making improvements to your current property you can increase its value and desirability to your next home buyer. You basically need to keep in mind just two things: Where to make those improvements, and what to improve. Let’s see if we can figure this out together.

I happen to know from sources deep within the housing industry (okay, maybe it is just several friends who happen to be realtors) that the two most common areas people look at when shopping for a new home are the kitchen and bathroom. That is not to say that the other areas aren’t important. Still, there is something about these two areas that attract the eyes of the potential homebuyer. So, when spending is tight, hit these two key areas first.

What types of improvements should you make to your kitchen or bath? Things that have great visual effect will usually be best. You also want to make it attractive, but not too customized to your own tastes. With the advent of HGTV and the bevy of home improvement shows, everyone wants to be a Bob Vila, Ty Pennington, or Paige Hemming. A nice new tile floor in the bathroom in a neutral color will make you much more money than you will spend doing it. Travertine tile or anything that has a stone look is all the rage right now, and the look of marble is timeless. You might also upgrade that shower with a new massaging head, or replace the whole thing with a ready-to-tile model that you can spruce up in no time. Add shelves and people will be wowed at your cutting edge thinking.

Moving on to the kitchen, take a look at those counter tops and imagine them with a new granite or stone look. You could even tile the backsplash and really give the kitchen some pop. If you have a little more to spend, add a new floor in styles similar to those I talked about previously.

Even something as simple as adding trim to an already tiled floor can do wonders for the appearance. This will add extra value to your home, and catch the eye of the potential buyer, without taking much moolah out of your pocket.

So now you are ready to increase the value of your home, make it more attractive, and sell it…when you are ready. Just make a few minor adjustments to a couple of key areas and listen to the money talk!

From hypocaust to radiant floor heating. The EMF Issue

From hypocaust to radiant floor heating

Electric floor heating technology is widely considered as a contemporary engineering marvel; whereas the fact is, that its history can be traced back to the Roman era. The Roman floor heating system was based on hypocaust, which comprised of a furnace and empty spaces below the floor. The furnace would be lit and the smoke would pass through the empty spaces below the floor, thereby effectively heating it.

Although this concept went into the background after the Roman era ended, it emerged, a few decades back, in the form of electric floor heating. Due to the high utility and various advantages offered by this technology, it has evolved into a basic household necessity. The increasing popularity of electric floor heating systems is due the shift, from carpet flooring to aesthetic hardwood, ceramic and tile flooring. Although these innovative flooring options are visually appealing, they can get significantly cold during the winters, thereby increasing the demand for an effective floor heating solution.

Modern day radiant floor heating systems are flexible and can be ideally used to heat any room in the house. The radiant heat emitted by these floor heating systems creates an environment similar to that of a warm summer day. The radiant floor heating system enables you to set the thermostat to heat the floor an hour before you wake up. There can be nothing more satisfying than feeling the natural warmth of the sun under your feet on a cold winter morning.

Radiant floor systems can be considered as a part of the green technology since they result in significant saving on electricity. The radiant heat emitted by these systems effectively transfers to your feet and body; allowing you to turn down your main heating thermostat by a few degrees.

Radiant Electric Emissions Test — EMF- Electro Magnetic fields

Since radiant floor heating systems produce heat electrically, one of the major concerns people have is that of the increasing exposure to Electromagnetic fields (EMF). Although we are exposed to about 1 unit of Electromagnetic fields in our daily lives, the use of an electronic floor heater can significantly raise this exposure. Thankfully, a few reputed products, such as SunTouch, have been devised in a way to reduce this exposure to Electromagnetic fields. This reduction of EMF has been made possible due to the unique wire construction of these radiant floor heating systems. Since EMF interferes with telephones, pacemakers and radio, you would be able to negate this ill-effect by selecting a reputed radiant floor heating system.

It can be rightly said that floor heating technology has come a long way, from the roman hypocaust, to the modern day radiant floor heating systems. These floor heating systems are highly sophisticated in their design and do not even require much effort for installation. The compact nature of these systems ensures that there is no significant raise in your floor level. Therefore, it makes complete sense to go in for a radiant floor heating solution for your house and enjoy the warmth beneath your feet irrespective of the weather outside.

SunTouch vs. others EMF Issue — Electric Radiant Floors are Safe with SunTouch Radiant Heat Flooring by flooringsupplyshop.com

Month: February 2010

Eco friendly flooring solutions for your child’s room

Go green with radiant electric floor heating

Additional benefits of a radiant floor heating system

Getting The Most Bang for Your Buck…Increasing the Value and Marketability of Your Home With Quality Flooring

From hypocaust to radiant floor heating. The EMF Issue

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