Radiant heating to keep
the whole house warm
Which type of heating
method should I use
There are three types of
radiant heat:
1.radiant air floors
2 electric radiant floors
3 hot water radiant floors.
All three types can be further
subdivided by the type of installation: those that make use of the
large thermal mass of a concrete slab floor or lightweight concrete
over a wooden subfloor and those in which the installer "sandwiches"
the radiant floor tubing between two layers of plywood or attaches
the tubing under the finished or subfloor.
Because air cannot hold large amounts of heat, radiant air floors
are not cost-effective in residential applications, and are seldom
installed.
Electric radiant floors are usually only cost-effective if your
electric utility company offers time-of-use rates. Time-of-use rates
allow you to "charge" the concrete floor with heat during off-peak
hours. If the floor's thermal mass is large enough, the heat stored
in it will keep the house comfortable for eight to ten hours,
without any further electrical input. This saves a considerable
number of energy dollars compared to heating at peak electric rates
during the day
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