The Comfort of In-floor Heating

Is there anything better than the feeling of a warm floor on a cold Michigan morning? No, not really. There are a couple of different ways Mast Heating & Cooling can make this luxury a reality in your Southwest Michigan home.

Chances are just about every one of you is familiar with some form of radiant heat. For many years, the most common form was hot water circulated through radiators in separate rooms. You probably had some form or radiant heat in your schools when you were growing up.

Nowadays, you are more likely to find that radiant heat in Grand Rapids and all of Southwest Michigan is installed in the floor. Hence the luxury of warm floors on the coldest of mornings. There are currently two types of radiant flooring heat in Kentwood, MI and the surrounding area. Hydronic radiant heat means hot water is being circulated through a series of pipes installed under the floor of your home or business. In most cases, the water is heated by a high-efficiency boiler.

There is also an all-electric version of radiant floor heat. Instead of water, electric heating elements are installed under the floor. The principle is still the same. Radiant heat does not heat the air in the room. Instead, it heats the floor which radiates heat to other objects in the room which in turn heats the air. It’s the same thing as standing in front of a window and the sunlight heats your face and other objects in the room, which in turn warm the air.

The best choice often depends on what you are trying to do. Generally speaking, hydronic is the most efficient for heating an entire home, especially if you already have a boiler to heat the water. Electrical is best for heating small spaces. The installation process is simpler and is therefore ideal for remodeling projects.

Whichever you choose, the benefits of radiant heat are the same:

• No blowing air carrying dirt, dust and allergens
• Different rooms can be set to different temperatures
• There are no noisy fans or blowers

Along with comfort, there are other reasons radiant heat is ideal, especially in new construction or major remodels. There is no need to install ductwork. It’s also why radiant is usually more efficient than forced air heating. You don’t have to worry about heat loss as the conditioned air moves through ducts.

Mast Heating & Cooling is your radiant floor heating expert. Call us today to learn more about the many advantages it can mean for you.