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Warmup The Ultimate Guide to Radiant Floor Heating

Warmup The Ultimate Guide to Radiant Floor Heating

Radiant floor heating systems are a great way to cut HVAC costs and provide more consistent heat to every square inch of your house. They are more efficient than the HVAC system because they heat the floor directly instead of pumping warm air through the room. The following breakdown will provide you with everything you need to know about this innovative subfloor heating system.

Types of Warmup Radiant Floor Heating

There are two main types of radiant floor heating systems:

Hydronic – this system uses water-filled pipes beneath the floor that are heated by a boiler
Electric – this system uses a network of electric heating wires or heating mats to heat the floors

Benefits of Radiant Floor Heating

Radiant floor heating is more efficient than HVAC for heating rooms because it heats the floors directly instead of pumping hot air through a room. This allows a radiant floor heating system to operate at lower temperature–and consume less energy–to achieve the same heating effect. Some other benefits of a radiant floor heating system include:

Invisible installation that leaves interior spaces open to maximize square footage
Compatibility with all types of flooring choices
Ease of installation makes them an option for DIY projects

Best Locations to Install Radiant Floor Heating

While radiant floor heating is a great option for any area of the home, some of the most common locations for installation include:

Bedrooms
Bathrooms
Kitchens
Basements
Garages

Go Radiant and Reap the Benefits Today

Radiant floor heating is clearly one of the best methods of creating an efficient, evenly-heated home. For a more detailed analysis of everything related to radiant floor heating, check out this infographic by Warmup for a detailed visual breakdown.

Radiant floor heating system warms a room by heating the floor directly rather than pumping in warm ai.
Heat from the floors rises and disappears, helping to warm the entire space. With radiant heat, comfort tends to be felt sooner and the system can run at lower temperature.
There is minimal air flow, keeping the temperature comfortable and even, everywhere in the room.

Radiant floor heating system warms a room by heating the floor directly rather than pumping in warm air.
Heat from the floors rises and disappears, helping to warm the entire space. With radiant heat, comfort tends to be felt sooner and the system can run at lower temperature.
There is minimal air flow, keeping the temperature comfortable and even, everywhere in the room.

Radiant Heating vs Forced Air

Compared to forced air system, radiant heat system operates at lower temperatures. This provides consistent heating, eliminates parasitic heat lost, and saves money on energy bills.

5 Myths About Radiant Heating

The Best Room in a House for Radiant Heating

Buy now at www.flooringsupplyshop.com 323-731-8453

How Heated Flooring Can Increase Your Home’s Value

Heated flooring might sound fancy or expensive, but it’s actually a cost-effective way to heat your home as well as a valuable addition that can raise your property value. Not only will it make your home more comfortable, it can change the entire design of your home and allow you to sell it for a higher price when the time comes.

In case you weren’t aware of the benefits of heated flooring, let’s take a look at why this innovative new heating system is making waves and becoming a staple in homes all across the world.

1. Heated Flooring is More Effective than Forced-Air Heating

Many people assume that heated flooring would only keep your floors warm, without warming the air and overall temperature of your home. Not only is this false, radiant floor heating is able to heat your entire home much more efficiently and evenly than a traditional forced-air system. This is because the heat comes from the ground up and isn’t blown in through a single point of entry.

Because this uniform style of heating eliminates cold drafts, you’re able to stay comfortable at a lower thermostat temperature than you would with a forced-air system. Radiant floor heating will keep everything from your floors to your handrails and countertops warm without any cold spots.

2. Better Energy Efficiency

The duct-work used to transfer heat via a forced-air system commonly develops leaks that let heat escape. Radiant floor heating provides no such escape route for heat, allowing your home to stay warm for longer and lessening the amount of time you need to keep the heat on. This makes your home more energy-efficient and will be reflected in your property value because the monthly energy bills will be lower.

3. Less Noise

Traditional forced-air systems can be heard throughout the house and produce a constant humming sound when the furnace is on. Radiant floor heating is nearly silent, allowing you to enjoy a comfortable heated home without having to listen to a noisy furnace. This is a benefit you can mention in your home’s description and is sure to add value to your home.

4. Better for Allergies

Forced-air systems are terrible for people with allergies. Allergens often settle on your durable countertops and in vents, being spread throughout the house when the air is turned on. This can lead to your symptoms flaring up every time you want to turn on the heat.

Radiant flooring heating, on the other hand, does not disturb the air at all. This allows any allergens to remain settled and does not kick them up into the air or spread them around the house.

Heated Floors are a Quick Way to Boost Your Home’s Value

Heated flooring might sound complex, but the installation process is so quick and simple that it makes for a great DIY project. Not only will installing radiant floor heating in your home make it more comfortable, less noisy, and less irritating to allergies, it will improve your energy efficiency and raise the value of your home by a decent margin.

Skylar Ross is a contributor to Innovative Building Materials. He is a blogger and content writer for the residential and commercial flooring industry. Skylar is focused on helping fellow homeowners, contractors, and manufacturers discover materials and methods of installation that increase property value, improve durability, and discover innovative flooring options for their home or commercial space.

9 Lies You’ve Believed about Underfloor Heating

If you are looking for the truth about underfloor heating, look no further! We’ve compiled the top 9 most common underfloor heating lies we’ve heard in our 25 years of business, for you to review

1. Underfloor heating is expensive

If you are reading this, you’ve made it farther than most. Many people do not have underfloor heating because it never even crosses their mind as something they can afford. Maybe they’ve experienced it in a hotel, or in a friend’s home, but in their own home? Within their budget? No way! Think again.

Underfloor heating has come a long way and new systems on the market are efficient and easy to install. The cost of purchasing a system and getting it installed varies on the size and scope of your project. Water systems are more expensive to purchase and install but provide lower long-term running costs whereas electric systems are competitively priced but rely on electricity which typically has a higher running cost.

Material cost for the Warmup DCM-PRO electric system with a smart WiFi thermostat in a 80 sqft bathroom would cost about $765. Installation costs will be added on by your flooring installer and are typically $5/sqft. The size and scope of your project may impact installation costs and so will the choice between water and electric.

Trends come and go quickly. The comfort from a radiant heated floor is guaranteed for life and sure to stay in style. This is $1,000 you’re not likely to regret spending on your bathroom remodel!

2. Electric underfloor heating costs a lot to run

While electricity is viewed as expensive, systems can be zoned and programmed to be cost-effective. While an electric system may not be the right choice for everyone: (1) electricity is 100% effective, (2) radiant floors only draw electricity for a limited duration (then radiate the heat out) and (3) electric systems can be powered with renewable energy sources, like solar panels.

To give you an idea of cost, an average bathroom system utilizes about 300 watts, so for some people, that’s just about the same as the lights over a mirror with fice 60-watt bulbs. In dollars and cents, it costs about $5/mo to operate that system in a bathroom for a few hours in the morning and evening. On a larger scale, a whole-house system in a 3,000 sqft space would run about $150-200/mo in the winter months.

3. Underfloor heating can not be used as a primary heat source

While it is true some underfloor heating systems can only provide supplemental heat, it is not true of all underfloor heating systems. With a heat loss calculation, it is possible to design an underfloor heating system that provides enough heat to be the sole heating source. With flexible options like the Warmup Radiant Floor Heating, it is easy to vary heat output from 11-20 watts per square foot based on heating needs by varying the cable spacing. Warmup also provides insulation layers that can further reduce power requirements yet deliver enough heat into the room.

4. You can only heat under tile

While it is true tile and concrete are the most popular types of floors to heat, floor heat can be installed under any type of flooring.

Tile and concrete are popular for needing heat to remove the chill but a fun fact is that carpet and tile are actually the same temperatures. Neither one is colder than the other and the same is true for any type of flooring! Tile is simply a better conductor, robbing us faster from our body heat (through our bare feet) which gives us the impression that it is cold. In a house heated at 70F, any flooring will be 70F. So, while the complaint is not that carpet is cold, the room is cold, and a floor heating system can solve that under any flooring type.

Smart thermostats on the market like the 4iE have capabilities to heat within limits. Pre-set limits exist for tile, carpet, vinyl, and laminate. If you have a maximum floor heating temperature specified by your flooring manufacturer, this setting can be customized inside a Warmup controller.

5. Underfloor heating is only for new homes

There are two main hypes of underfloor heating: hydronic and electric. It is true that hydronic underfloor heating is better suited for new builds but electric underfloor heating is great for new builds or renovation projects where the flooring is being replaced. Thinking, “No way! It will raise the floor height!”? Please, keep reading.

6. Heating your floors raises the floor height

As floor heaters are installed directly beneath your floor finish, there may be some impact to floor heights but in many cases, this floor build-up will be 3/8” or less, as the heater can be installed directly within a layer of tile adhesive or fitted directly into the subfloor itself. If you’re adding floor heating as part of a renovation project, consider installing one of Warmup’s low-profile electric systems like the StickyMat

7. Underfloor heating is likely to fail and cause major damage

While not all systems are created equally, there are options on the market that offer maintenance-free convenience and lifetime warranties. The key to securing that lifetime warranty (and never having to use it) is simply following the instructions! The rare cable failures we see are often installation errors or jobsite product damage. The top 3 installation errors we see are easy to avoid. They are:

Failure to test the cable before, during, and after installation (see our testing video)
Improper placement of the factory joint – either in the wall or not embedded under the floor in thinset/leveler (see our time-lapse installation video with tips)
System wired to the wrong voltage (see our wiring video)

8. In the event of underfloor heating cable failure, I have to rip up my entire floor

In the rare event that cable failure does occur, Warmup has free tool rental options available for locating a break before removing any flooring. By going about cable failure in this manner, it is possible for a break to be located and repaired with minimal flooring removed. With knowledge of the system under the floor provided and the right tools on-site, Warmup is happy to assist in pinpointing a system failure. Once located, you will want a qualified electrician to perform the repair. We do have videos to offer him/her support but if you’ve followed advise from #7, you can avoid this altogether!

9. I can not install underfloor heating on my own

Since many people believe “underfloor heating is likely to fail and cause major damage” they would never in a million years think of installing it in their home themselves. Think again! Some underfloor heating systems are DIY friendly. From tiny homes to 1,600 sf homes, we’ve seen Warmup customers tackle their own installations that have stood the test of time. Worried you’ll have questions along the way? We’re available 24/7 to support you.

Click here to Buy Warmup underfloor heating

Safety Tips for Shoveling Snow

Most people love winter season, but one thing which everyone hates about winters is the snow menace. Shoveling snow is probably the most hated activity of the winter months that poses significant health risks. Snow shoveling is a daunting task and the overexertion caused by this activity can sometimes lead to health complications and even death. This demanding task puts pressure on the heart and can cause heart attack; especially at low temperatures, when blood vessels contract and the heart pumps faster to get blood to the extremities. Besides heart attack, there are various other problems that a person can face because of shoveling snow. Due to the repetitive lifting of heavy weight snow, one may put strain on the muscles and back. In order to avoid such complications, one needs to take preventive measures to stay safe.

Before you plan to shovel snow, you must consider your health condition. In case you have heart condition or back problem, you must certainly avoid snow shoveling. Even otherwise, do not jeopardize your health and check with your doctor if you are fit to shovel snow. Apart from health condition, also consider your physical condition. If you lead a sedentary lifestyle or are out of shape, you must proceed with caution. Before you start this physically challenging activity, you must stretch and warm-up like you would do before a strenuous activity. You must also drink some water to remain hydrated.

In case you are planning to shovel snow yourself, there are few simple things that you need to keep in mind. Foremost, avoid lifting snow-filled shovel as much as possible because it can be strenuous; instead try to push off the snow from the driveways, sidewalks or walkways. However, if it unavoidable and you do have to lift snow then you must face the direction in which you are lifting, but avoid twisting. On feeling sore or fatigued, you must stop shoveling for few minutes, take some rest and then start again. You must avoid over-exhausting yourself at all costs to avoid risk of heart attack. If it is extremely cold and you begin to feel its effects, stop shoveling and take rest, go inside for a while.

There are certain snow shoveling safety tips that you must always follow, such as you must never shovel immediately after you wake up. Lying down all night leads to build-up of fluid in the disc and a minor accident like fall increases risk of slipped disc injury. Dress in layers to keep yourself warm, and you can shed off layers as you become warm. Make sure to wear slip resistant boots and eye gear. In order to keep snow from sticking to the shovel, you can spray or rub some lubricant on it. It is advisable to keep the load lighter and take frequent breaks. Once you have cleared the snow, spread some rock salt to avoid icing.

In case you have a snow thrower, ensure to follow all the safety guidelines to avoid injuries. Even after shutting off, the augur blades can continue to rotate and one can reach into the snow thrower and suffer injuries. In such cases, people tend to break fingers or damage tendons, while some injuries are worst and can result in maiming or amputations. Hence, whether you shovel snow manually or with the help of high-powered snow thrower, be careful and take measures to avoid accidents or injuries.

Safety First!!!

Snow no longer a menace

Snow, even though beautiful can be dangerous and lead to accidents with varying degree of outcomes. However, one can easily avoid the menace by making use of the snow melting system. This is extremely helpful in removing the snow and ice from the driveways, walkways, stairways and garages, among others. Hence, you can bid goodbye to a messy winter by installing the snow melting system.

The snow melting system is generally installed on the exterior surfaces and concrete driveways to keep them snow-free and safe year round. It also eliminates the hassles of plowing, icy spills as well as backbreaking shoveling and de-icing. In addition, it also secures the concrete from the potential damages caused by snow-removal equipment and corrosive de-ices. Generally, installed in concrete, asphalt or under pavers, during the construction; these can also be retrofitted into the existing slabs.

The snow melting system offers a cost effective way of eliminating the snow menace. Further, these have minimal maintenance requirements as these have no moving parts to wear out. Moreover, the advancement in the technology provides it with ‘artificial intelligence’, where the system is designed to function only when necessary. This technology provides it with advanced temperature and snow sensing controls that automatically turn on when snow is falling. Hence, the snow melting system helps in conserving power, along with reducing the operation costs. Further, in comparison to the salt and chemicals used for melting snow, it is also an environment friendly option.

When it comes to the installation of the snow melting systems, there are certain points that you need to keep into consideration, such as; you have to determine the area where you want to install it, along with deciding the places where you have to install the junction boxes. You also need to determine the heat output required to have optimum heating, which mostly depends on the weather conditions. You must have a proper layout; take extra precaution while deciding about the installation of systems on the stairs and ramps. Further, care must be taken to ensure that the mats and cables are evenly spaced over the entire area to have uniform heating, with better results. If needed, you can take assistance of experts, to ensure that the design you have selected will work properly. Moreover, it is always advisable to work out a plan in advance, rather than regretting later in case the plan fails. Generally, the snow melting systems are installed in the driveways, parking areas, walkways, ramps and stairs.

Using the ‘intelligent’ snow melting system eliminates the problems encountered due to snow, as well as adds value to your home. It not only helps in avoiding injuries sustained due to slipping on snow, but also eliminates the hassle of plowing and shoveling after snowfall. Snow melting systems not only prove highly beneficial & convenient but are absolutely safe as well. Therefore, before the start of this winter season, invest in the snow melting system to set your mind at ease and have a pleasant time.

Tag: electric radiant heat