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.
Radiant heat should not be turned off at night. Harris is correct, the lag time is too great for this to do any real good. The amount of time that a radiant heat system lags varies depending on the thermal mass that the heating tubes are in, but could be anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
Thermostat Operation
The smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be. You can easily save energy in the winter by setting the thermostat to around 68°F to 70°F while you're awake and setting it lower while you're asleep or away from home.
The best water temperature for radiant floor heating is between 80 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Electric systems can achieve higher temperatures compared to hydronic (wet) systems, but generally, a thermostat setting between 21°C and 25°C works well for both types.
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.
Your thermostat should be set to around 18-21°C, which is the lowest comfortable temperature that is economical too.
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.
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.
Turn Down the Heat 7-10 Degrees Instead
You can save an average of 1% on energy costs for every degree reduced on your thermostat. Setting the thermometer eight degrees lower before you turn in at night may save you as much as $180 per year on your utility bill.
Alternate forms of heat can help you lower that temperature for an additional cost and energy savings. Nighttime: “Lower the thermostat setting by a few degrees during the night, ideally around 62°F-65°F,” suggests Roberson.
There have been many reports from doctors that sleeping with the heating on all night can cause your body to overheat much more quickly. The Sleep Charity advises that an ideal bedroom temperature is 16-18 degrees celsius. Temperatures over 24 degrees celsius can impact your sleep and cause restlessness.
The most economical way to run underfloor heating is to ensure the temperature isn't set too high. As a rule of thumb, it's best to set living areas, such as living and dining rooms, to 21ºC and bedrooms to 18ºC.
Maintain a minimum floor temperature. This is especially useful in bathrooms. By maintaining the floor between 80 to 85ºF (25 to 30ºC), the floor feels warm to the touch. Maintain comfort in rooms with large amounts of southern facing glass windows.
Relax, leaving your underfloor heating on all day won't cause any harm to your system. Leaving your underfloor heating system switched on all day during particularly cold seasons won't cause any harm – in fact, it's not a bad idea.
Radiant Heat Systems
Since these systems radiate heat more gradually, they often perform best at slightly lower temperatures. Setting your thermostat to around 65°F during the day and reducing it by 5-10°F at night can optimize energy use without sacrificing comfort.
Radiant warmers are usually used for short periods of time before a baby is place in a warmer cot or an incubator or when a baby is having a procedure done that is difficult to do in an incubator or cot.
The experienced mean radiant temperature outdoors can vary widely depending on local conditions. For example, measurements taken across Chapel Hill, North Carolina to examine urban heat island exposure ranged from 93 to 108 °F (34 to 42 °C).
Electric heaters of any type are unsafe to leave running overnight because they carry a significant amount of risk. If a space heater falls over or becomes too hot from running for too long of a period of time, that can lead to a fast-moving fire that occurs while you are asleep and cannot act fast enough.
Generally, the optimal floor temperature is between 23°C and 32°C, which comfortably warms without overheating the space. It's important to consider what is the maximum temperature for underfloor heating for each floor type to avoid damage. For instance, wooden floors are particularly sensitive to higher temperatures.
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.
You would think when winter temperatures drop at night you'd want to turn the furnace up when you go to sleep, right? Not so fast. The U.S. Department of Energy says an indoor temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit at night is best.
There may be drafts and pockets of colder air near the floor; The walls are colder and don't emit the usual amount of infrared radiation, so you lose heat due to your body emitting more IR than it receives; You may spend more time indoors and hence have less physical activity, so your body generates less heat.
Specifically, the department recommends that people set their thermostats back 7 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit from their usual settings for eight hours a day.