*BZ Dependable Plumbing & Heating Inc. no longer offers radiant heating services. Check out our other heating services to find the perfect fit for your heating needs.
Radiant heating is gaining popularity as a more efficient alternative to traditional forced air heating systems. How do radiant heating systems actually accomplish this efficiency, though? Let’s take a look at how radiant floor heating works, and why you should consider upgrading.
PARTS OF A RADIANT FLOOR HEATING SYSTEM
The first step to installing a radiant floor heating system is to set small tubes between the floor and the subfloor in every room you want heated. These tubes are then connected to the boiler, which is usually in a garage or basement. The boiler heats water, then runs this hot water through the tubes set in the floor of each room. Heat radiates from these pipes, up through the floor and into the room. The heat is absorbed in turn by anything that is touching the floor, like couches and chairs. When someone walks across the floor or sits on the furniture, the heat is transferred to them. The air temperature itself is not affected all that much, but you still feel warm because you are interacting with the thermal energy in the room directly.
WHY RADIANT FLOOR HEATING IS SO EFFICIENT
This method of delivery is what makes radiant heating so efficient. Forced air systems typically lose a sizeable amount of thermal energy to duct leaks between the furnace and the vent. Radiant floor heating utilizes special watertight tubes to transport the hot water. As such, leaks are far less of a concern. This allows a much more effective delivery of heat throughout the house.
Radiant heating also has the advantage of heating a space much more evenly. Air flows can be affected by many factors, including drafts and the shape of a room. Radiant heating relies more on transferring thermal energy directly, thereby avoiding a lot of the external factors that could lessen the efficiency of a forced air system.
If you are interested in installing a radiant heating system, contact BZ Dependable Plumbing & Heating, Inc. We can install radiant floor heating anywhere in the Fair Lawn area.
