RADIANT HEATING A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE

I’m not much of a barefoot person, mainly because I don’t like the feel of cold floors on my bare feet. Guess I’m a wimp that way. It’s not so bad with carpet, but if you have tile or wood floors, it can be a pretty good jolt when you climb out of bed; especially during the cold winter months which are descending on our Western Michigan communities.

If you are a barefoot wimp like me, I have two words for you: radiant heating. With a radiant floor heating system, the warmth is supplied by hot-water-filled tubes that are regulated by a boiler, which is installed beneath the flooring of the house. The warmth emitted by the tubes then warms up objects they strike, including your floors, foundation, etc., which—in turn—passes on the warmth. The result is radiant heat, which differs from the traditional heating system in one big way: the air around you remains relatively constant, but the surrounding surfaces are warmed to your desired comfort and are not taking away heat from your body.

Other noticeable differences between a radiant heating system and a traditional forced-air system:

• No noisy whooshes as the system blasts air through ductwork and vents.
• No dirt or other airborne particles circulated throughout the home
• More durable, In fact, a properly-maintained radiant floor heating system will usually outlast a furnace and could provide service for up to 30 years.
• More efficient. A forced air system pumps out hot air that begins to cool off immediately, while radiant heating promotes holding the heat in longer.
• Saves money. Since the home is being heated from the floor up, many people will set their thermostat at a lower temperature, saving money on your utility bills.

Now in the interest of full disclosure, a radiant heating system may not be right for you. Here is what to consider before installing a radiant heat system. For starters, they are expensive initially to install, especially if installation is done on an existing home. Floors need to be torn up and even foundation work could be required. That said, radiant systems can be ideal for homeowners who want to heat individual rooms, if they are doing a remodel, or building a new home.

Here at Mast Heating & Cooling, our Holland and Zeeland HVAC experts can tell you everything you want or need to know about our line of NTI radiant boiler systems, Navien tankless heaters, and Tekmar controlled snow melt systems. Call us today to find out if radiant heating is right for you, and don’t forget to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.