More Product Guide
Ceramic tile is a desirable choice for bathroom floors because it is durable. Among its cons is the fact that many people find tile cold. For this reason, radiant heating under bathroom floors has become a popular upgrade. Here’s a look at the best options for warm bathroom floors and how much energy this comfort requires.
In general, radiant-floor heating offers some advantages. Overall, it is more efficient than baseboard heating, and it can be more efficient than forced-air heating in smaller areas with conventional ceiling heights. Hydronic, or water-based, radiant floor systems use the least electricity and can be combined with solar panels and ground-source heat pumps for maximum energy efficiency. People with allergies sometimes prefer radiant heat because it doesn’t distribute allergens like forced-air systems do. However, hydronic systems are expensive to install.
All radiant-heating systems have one characteristic in common. Namely, to warm a room, they must remain on continuously. Radiant floors for underfoot spot-warming in areas like bathrooms generally function as a supplemental heat source and have an advantage. These heated floors serve their purpose sporadically and are designed to warm up quickly without consuming too much energy.
ThermoSoft specializes in in-floor heating and offers both mat and loose-cable systems. They are categorized by flooring types that include tile, stone, wood, laminate, vinyl, carpet, and concrete. You may have seen their electric ThermoTile mats, which glue onto the subfloor with thin-set, and then ceramic tile lays directly over the top. The system consists of a thermostat with a floor sensor, so you…
This article is only available to GBA Prime Members
Sign up for a free trial and get instant access to this article as well as GBA’s complete library of premium articles and construction details.
Start Free TrialAlready a member?Log in
3 Comments
The resistance floor mats will likely burn out in time. I agree with most posters on GBA that in floor heat is not appropriate for a highly efficient home. Where I have seen hot water in floor heat work quite well is in a CO log home. Due to the rather low R-value of the log walls and the heat loss that comes with it, the floor temperature is kept somewhat above 70F. This house is at about 8,000 feet above sea level SW of Denver so the heating season is significant. The full basement has an insulated slab with PEX tubing and the above 2 floors have wood framing with PEX in gypcrete. There are 9 zones as I recall with a natural gas boiler. A very comfortable house to be in. The rest of the house is highly insulated, log walls are what they are, kind of expected in the mountains of CO. This house also has a masonry heater, a work of art in my opinion.
Fernando,
"Overall, it is more efficient than baseboard heating... Hydronic, or water-based, radiant floor systems use the least electricity "
"It becomes impossible to compare the energy efficiency of electric-resistance heat since all these systems work at 100% efficiency. In other words, all the incoming electric energy becomes heat. The cost difference in running the system comes with demand wattage (more powerful systems use more energy) and the local utility price. "
Can you maybe square the circle on these two comments? They appear to contradict each other - and the second one appears to contradict itself.
The new air to water heat pumps (electric) have COP reaching 3.8, so they are operating at much higher efficiencies than electric radiant. This coupled with aluminum plate emitters also make the hydronic systems more responsive, and operate at lower water temperatures than past systems. They also tend to keep the refrigerant out of the house.
Log in or become a member to post a comment.
Sign up Log in