Radiant heat is a sustainable, healthy heat that is absorbed by the environment around it. Instead of overheating causing heat loss, radiant heat keeps areas warm longer and more consistently. Studies show that physical warmth improves a persons overall mood and well-being, it’s easy to see why radiant heating solutions have become as popular as they have. WarmlyYours is committed to providing homeowners with the luxury they’re looking for, all of our products supply comfortable, cozy warmth.
Not only does radiant heating provide comfort and warmth, but it also increases energy efficiency within your home. With the use of radiant heat as a primary heating source, temperature levels can be maintained more easily - and at a lower temperature - than any other form of heating. That means, for every degree you lower your thermostat, you can save 5% off your current heating bill. That’s 25-30% in annual savings. You can use our Cost Calculator to get an accurate operating cost within your home.
Radiant heating systems have been an affordable source of luxury and warmth for many years, stretching back to the first system invented during the Roman Empire, and will continue to be for years to come. Nothing compares to the feeling of a warm floor, towel, and room on a cold morning or during those long, frozen winter nights.
For more information about radiant heating, take a look at these informative, educational articles that will help further your knowledge on radiant heating technology.
The warmth of the sun and the heat from an open fire are radiant heat rays, so in an elementary sense, Radiant Heat is as old as the sun and man-made fire.
It is difficult to say when man first began to utilize radiant heating for his personal comfort. Anthropologists tell us that early man chose south-facing caves because the rock would warm from the sun during the day and radiate that heat into the cave at night.
Its application, as far as authentic records are concerned, dates back to early B. C. centuries. Excavations uncovered the remains of many Radiant systems constructed and used by the early Romans.
The famous baths of Caracalla, various baths at Pompeii, and some of the Roman Emperor's barges provide outstanding examples of engineering skill displaying in the design of these early “warm air” Radiant Heating Systems.
The next step was to introduce a hot water boiler with a system of large pipes through which the hot water was carried. The pipes were either exposed or placed under or behind grilles to give off heat in the various rooms. The earliest recorded date of this method seems to be in 1790 when Sir John Stone installed a heating system of pipes in the Bank of England. Gradually the importance of aesthetic considerations became manifest, and radiators were subsequently introduced to take the place of pipes in the rooms. Steam was utilized and took its place with hot water as a medium for heating.
It was not until 1908 that radiant heating was introduced on a commercial basis. It was then discovered by Prof. Arthur H. Barker that small hot water pipes embedded in plaster or concrete gave good results and formed a very efficient heating system. Prof. Barker developed the first design for what is now known as “panel” radiant heating and developed a floor method of heating used in the Liverpool Cathedral - fittingly enough, the warm air floor method used in the Cathedral was designated the “Romana” method of heating.
From that time, Radiant Heating was extensively adopted and successfully used throughout a wide range of structures. These buildings include houses, industrial plants, stores, office buildings, restaurants, schools, hospitals and churches.
Modern radiant underfloor heating systems use either electrical resistance elements ("electric systems") or fluid flowing in pipes ("hydronic systems") to heat the floor. Either type can be installed as the primary, whole-building heating system or as localized floor heating for thermal comfort. Electrical resistance can only be used for heating; when space cooling is also required, hydronic systems should be used. Other applications for which either electric or hydronic systems are used include snow/ice melting for walks, driveways and landing pads, turf conditioning of football and soccer fields and frost prevention in freezers and skating rinks
Electric heating elements or hydronic piping can be cast in a concrete floor slab ("poured floor system" or "wet system"). They can also be placed under the floor covering ("dry system") or attached directly to a wood sub floor ("sub floor system" or "dry system").
There are a multitude of reasons why business at WarmlyYours is based around our electric floor heating systems and many reasons why electric floor heating may be a beneficial choice for you.
Electric floor heating systems generate an even heat throughout your home and will not disturb dust – this reduces noise levels, keeps air from becoming too dry, and limits possible allergic reactions. The ease of installation, along with the lower cost and non-existent maintenance fees make electric floor heating systems a natural choice over water-based, or hydronic, alternatives.
The time it takes to heat the floor and room is also a reason why people may choose electric. Electric heating systems are placed above the sub-floor, just under the flooring material so that the heat can rise, usually within 30 to 60 minutes, this compares favorably to water-based alternatives which are often placed 1.5" or 2" into a cement slab and can take up to 7 hours to heat up when they are first turned on.
Because of how slow water-based heating systems are, many people simply leave them on for months at a time, which consumes far more energy over the period of time. This coupled with the thermostats that allow you to preset ON-OFF cycles to provide heat only when and where you need it makes electric systems the more energy efficient.
Other reasons that you may prefer to go electric: