| Ever wonder what it would feel like to walk | | | | benefit from electric radiant heating. Unlike |
| barefoot in your house all year long and be | | | | a hydronic system that needs a boiler to heat |
| comfortable? Electric radiant floor warming | | | | the water and flexible piping throughout the |
| systems answer that question. | | | | heated area, electric radiant heating can be |
| | | | done in small open areas with "spot heating" |
| Electric radiant floor warming uses a thin | | | | mats designed just for that area. |
| mesh mat with a heating element woven | | | | Consideration of permanent fixtures and |
| throughout to heat open floor areas. Rooms | | | | furniture plays an important role since |
| such as baths and kitchens are popular places | | | | electric radiant heat is not recommended |
| people like to have extra warmth, but don't | | | | under these areas. The heat needs to |
| forget the foyer, mudroom, laundry room - or | | | | dissipate and if there is a fixture flush |
| just about any room in the house! | | | | with the floor, the heat has nowhere to |
| | | | escape. And besides, who wants to pay for |
| Using radiant heat, the heat stored in the | | | | heat you can't feel? |
| floor is similar to the heat provided by a | | | | |
| radiator. The heated floor radiates heat to | | | | Speaking of cost, one of the frequent |
| the people and objects in the room. The | | | | questions is how much does it cost to run the |
| flooring surface is maintained at a | | | | electric radiant mats. The answer varies, |
| comfortable, yet higher temperature than the | | | | depending on the length of time you have it |
| ambient temperature of the floor before the | | | | on, the size mats you have installed, and the |
| heat was turned on. Since the heat is | | | | cost of electricity in your area. For |
| conducted and radiated from floor level up, | | | | example: a 1'x 40' mat (15 watts per square |
| it helps to provide a warm and comfortable | | | | foot) is set to turn on from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. |
| environment for the occupants of the room, | | | | and again from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.; the usage |
| unlike forced air, which tends to concentrate | | | | rate from the electric bill is 8 cents per |
| most of the warm air near ceiling level. It | | | | kilowatt-hour. Multiply the square foot of |
| provides even, uniform heat throughout the | | | | the mat by the watts per square foot to |
| room, without the visibility of heaters or | | | | figure total watts (40 x 15 = 600). Take the |
| losing floor space to heating units. | | | | total watts and divide by 1000 to determine |
| | | | total kilowatts (600/1000 = .60). Multiply |
| For installation, the subfloor should be | | | | the total kilowatts by the usage rate found |
| clear of debris and sharp edges or objects | | | | on the electric bill to figure how many cents |
| that might damage the element. Loose boards | | | | per kilowatt hours (.60 x .08 = $0.048 per |
| should be repaired and all gaps filled in to | | | | hour). It is important to realize even though |
| assure the mat will be installed over a | | | | a system is set to be on for several hours, |
| smooth and even surface. John O'Brien, | | | | it is usually only utilizing power for the |
| Director of Sales and Marketing for Radiant | | | | first hour or so in order to initially heat |
| Floor Warming, a company providing electric | | | | to the set temperature. The thermostat will |
| radiant systems, says, " Our mat is only 1/8" | | | | then be switching itself on and off from time |
| thick - ideal for ceramic tile and stone | | | | to time for short intervals in order to keep |
| since it will not add to the finished floor | | | | the surface temperature consistent. Assuming |
| height. Our material is fully covered by the | | | | it uses power for 2 hours during each time |
| thinset or underlayment used in the tile | | | | setting (1 hour for initial warm up and 1 |
| installation." The ceramic tile or stone is | | | | hour of usage to keep the heat consistent), |
| then installed according the manufacturers' | | | | in our example the power would be in use for |
| and industry standards. | | | | 4 hours. At the rate of $0.05 per hour, this |
| | | | adds only $0.20 daily to your electric bill. |
| Renovations as well as new construction can | | | | |