Radiant
Hardwood flooring is an excellent choice for radiant heat systems due to its natural ability to conduct heat. It allows for efficient heat transfer, resulting in consistent and comfortable warmth throughout the room.
Radiant floor heating is one of the best ways to heat your home, but it's important to pick the right flooring. Any of the options we listed above could serve you well, but most experts agree that the best choice for underfloor heating is ceramic, porcelain, or natural stone tile.
This is a common question, and the shortest answer is “yes”. You can put underfloor heating under wooden floors. Timber is capable of effectively transferring heat and releasing it into a room and can therefore be used as a surface if you require underfloor heating.
Electric radiant heating can be expensive to operate, depending on local electricity rates. Hydronic systems are expensive to install. Radiant heat is difficult to retrofit and may require major renovations.
Lifespan of Radiant Heating Systems
Radiant heating systems use water or electricity to heat floors or walls and can last 15 to 25 years. Hydronic (water-based) systems have a longer lifespan than electric systems.
Energy efficient
Most electric floor heating systems use 12 watts per hour per square foot, meaning a 100-square-foot room would use 1200 watts in total every hour, or 300 watts less than the average space heater.
Floors Not Suitable to Lay Over Underfloor Heating
You can't use solid wood floors with underfloor heating because the high heat can dry them out, causing them to shrink and creating gaps in the floor.
The Laws of Thermodynamics inextricably link moisture content, vapour pressure and temperature, so when wood is used to conduct heat, best practise requires that the floor top surface temperature should not exceed 27oC (75W/m2). A practical guide to moisture content can be found in BS;8201:1987.
For heat to effectively reach the room, the overall flooring thickness should be no more than 18mm, and the solid wood layer on the top should be no thicker than 5 mm. The wider the boards you install, the greater the risk of the boards developing gaps between them when they contract.
Can radiant floor heating heat an entire house? We're happy to say that it absolutely can, in the right scenario, which is an exciting prospect, especially considering radiant heat's benefits of no air blowing (which reduces indoor allergies) and soothing whole-room comfort (no cold air pockets in your room).
The best flooring for underfloor heating is tile because it heats the quickest and is the best conductor of heat, meaning it allows heat to pass it through it easily. So, in areas like kitchens, bathrooms, and conservatories where you most commonly find stone or tile, you'll find that these areas warm up the quickest.
Radiant floor heating can be installed on a wood subfloor, but there are specific considerations and methods to ensure the system operates efficiently and safely.
Basically, your home will heat up to a comfortable temperature faster. So, whilst it won't necessarily be cheaper to leave your underfloor heating on for a sustained period initially, it could lead to long-term savings.
Although some people still expect underfloor heating to be expensive to run, the reality is that both the initial installation cost and the ongoing running expenses can represent great value for money. An often underestimated factor in calculating your running costs is how well insulated the floor base is.
Poorly designed or passive radiant heat systems can damage a wood floor. Air movement and proper humidity are crucial to proper performance of the floor. Surface temperature should never exceed 80°F.
And the cons
UFH can take slightly longer to heat up than radiators, which reach higher temperatures faster. But, with timers and smart controls, you'll be able to plan when you need your room to be cosy and warm. It's not always an ideal choice for really old buildings with thick brick walls and floors.
Rugs made with natural fibres are better rugs for underfloor heating than those made with synthetic materials. Some rugs made of synthetic materials can melt if exposed to high temperatures for an extended period.
Absolutely! Radiant heat's versatility extends effortlessly to engineered wood flooring. The installation method is the same whether you select natural hardwood or engineered wood. The key is careful planning and following manufacturer requirements for the flooring and the radiant heating system.
The average cost for purchasing this system and installation will run around $7.1-$21.1 per square foot. This includes the costs for installation plus tubing and labour ($6 to $20 per square foot).
Gold Heat recommends turning down the thermostat 7-10 degrees lower for sleeping at night and when you are away. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that homeowners save at least 25% a year utilizing a Smart programmable thermostat. FUN FACT: The flooring material and the subfloor are like rocks in the hot sun.