RADIANT FLOOR HEAT SYSTEMS

While fears of global warming may or may not be misplaced, the fact remains that winter is still a fact of life, especially in the northeastern United States. During the cold winter months, few things seem as welcoming as a warm home, cozy rooms, and comfortable living space. There are times however when it seems as if the thermostat may be turned up to 70 degrees, but your comfort level is still nowhere near comfortable. In order to provide the best possible alternative to living in a comfortable home, today’s market offers a wide variety of home heating systems. Many still run on the same principle of heating the air, however. Depending on your budget, requirements, and personal preferences, selecting the right home heating system goes a long way in not only providing comfort, but also in providing savings on home heating bills. It may be time to start considering a radiant floor heating system for a number of reasons.

First used by the Romans and Koreans for heating their bathhouses and palaces, radiant floor heating is today one of the best options you can select for warming up your home interiors effectively and efficiently. The primary characteristic of radiant floor heat is that it generates the heat from beneath and within the floor panels. Instead of heating the air in the room by continuously recirculating and heating the air, the surfaces are now heated. The heat therefore comes from the heated surfaces that heat objects in the room (such as you) directly.

Whether you are building a new home or renovating your old one for the oncoming winters, you can install radiant floor heating systems within an economic budget and suited to your specific needs. Some of the main advantages of radiant floor heat over traditional air heating include:

* Heating is accomplished through direct heating of objects. Consider the fact that heated air is always moving. One of the myths of heating is that heat rises. This is not true. Instead, hot air rises. Add to that the fact that your body loses heat to colder surfaces and you can see that heating a room can be a lot like aiming at a moving target.
* Air is not recirculated so there is a reduction in dust particles and allergens. Colds and other airborne viruses thrive at room temperature in closed environments. This is why many people get sick in the winter. With radiant heat, air circulates naturally in a space.
* Less energy is spent reheating the air, saving you money. Whether you use heating oil, propane, or something else to heat your home, if you are heating through convection, you are using energy to constantly reheat the air. Radiant heat instead keeps a surface hot, eliminating heat sinks in a room. Then it directly heats objects. Money is saved on reheating.

When radiant heating was first introduced in the early 20th century, systems tended to be hydronic; in other words, they employed heated water to heat surfaces. The tubing used was copper so if the copper tubing somehow broke, it rendered the entire radiant floor heating system inoperable. The cost of replacing the pipes tended to be prohibitive, especially since by this time, convection heating units were affordable.

The invention of PEX was a catalyst in bringing back radiant heating as a viable, affordable alternative for indoor climate control. PEX is a cross-linked polyethylene material made of medium to high-density modified polyethylene with improved properties. PEX tubing have been used in the United States since the 1980s. This has become the most widely used material in flexible plumbing piping. It is manufactured by the extrusion process in sizes from ¼”-2″ diameter to copper tube sizes and OD controlled (CTS-OD) dimensions. The thickness of the tube is based on Standard Dimension Ratio 9 (SDR 9) values. Such pipes are available in coils and straight lengths. This kind of tube has less effect on environment than other materials of its kind. Also, it is easier to repair when a leak occurs, unlike the copper tubing of the past. Radiant floor systems that were once left unrepaired could now be made fully operational again.

Some features that are labeled on the pipes include the manufacturer’s name or trademark, standard to which it conforms (ASTM F876, F877, AWWA C904 and/or CSA B137.5), tube size and CTS, material designation code (PEX0006), pressure/temperature rating(s) and SDR9 and also ASTM fittings designations approved for use by the tubing manufacturer. In PEX tubing, an oxygen barrier must be used if there are ferrous components in a radiant heating system. If an oxygen barrier is not used in these systems, the ferrous components will rust.

Hydronic radiant heating systems with PEX tubing are reliable and easier to maintain. In order to take full advantage of what radiant heating has to offer, the system should be comprised of a boiler or hot water heater, manifolds, pumps, thermostat, PEX tubing, and either gypcrete or wood panels. Hydronic systems can be installed under any flooring type, though sometimes the height of the floors needs to be adjusted. With some recent inventions, the process has become much easier; as such products are lightweight and allow the tubes to be fitted into pre-cut wood panels.

With PEX tubing, anyone can take advantage of radiant floor heating systems in their homes. The benefits in terms of comfort, health, and money saving will make up for the cost of replacing your old convection air heating system.

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