Underfloor Heating vs Forced Air – What should you get?

Your largest home energy expense, accounting for 45% of monthly energy bills according to the U.S. Department of Energy, home heating is often a source of budgetary and comfort frustrations for homeowners. Because of these concerns, it can make choosing a new home heating source an especially nail-biting experience, especially with the broad array of systems and technology on the market today. Among common choices for a heat source are forced air and radiant heat systems, two quite different but effective heat delivery methods. Which one is best for your home?

Uncovering the Advantages & Disadvantages of Forced Air & Underfloor Heating

• Forced Air
  Forced air systems, as their name implies, force warmed air through ductwork in the home with the help of blower components. These include gas and electric furnaces, as well as heat pump systems. Though forced air systems can warm rooms quickly, rooms cool equally as fast. This transference of heat through the air isn’t as efficient as other options, leaks and holes in ductwork, as well the cold temperatures where ductwork tends to be located (attics, basements) can lead to significant heat loss with forced air systems. Because heat also rises, lower levels and floors can be left cold. Air movement from vents can also create hot/cold zones, stir up dust and allergens, and have the paradoxical effect of cooling you even though the air blown on your body is warm. Retrofitting older homes for necessary ductwork and mechanical components can also be challenging.

• Underfloor Heating
  In radiant floor or underfloor heating systems, heat produced by water, electricity or air is distributed through the home via direct contact with surfaces from under-floor tubing/components. Transferring thermal energy directly to surfaces, heat is later transferred to you and other objects in your home via infrared radiation. Allergy-friendly and consistent, these systems better eliminate heat loss due to rising heat, proving more efficient than forced air systems in studies. They also provide more quiet, even heat distribution with far less unsightly equipment – however they are not without their drawbacks. Though underfloor heating systems maintain a more constant temperature than their breezy cousins, sub-floor components can be difficult to access should maintenance needs arise. And the flipside of the continuous level of warmth these systems provide: It takes a longer time to reach comfortable temperatures. It is also difficult – but not impossible – to use these systems for cooling (which would require a chiller or geothermal heat pump). Installation cost is also higher than forced air systems, with retrofits in older homes resulting in additional expense and complication, however radiant systems can save considerable money over the long run in higher efficiency.

Is there a Customer Favorite?
Although forced air systems are more common, advancements in underfloor heating are making it an increasingly popular option, with many homeowners choosing to incorporating both forced air and underfloor heating in the home, most typically incorporating (standalone) radiant systems in kitchens and baths, and ever more frequently throughout the home.

What’s the most advantageous heat source for your home and budget? Uncover your options. Contact H&H Heating & Air Conditioning today.

This blog was originally posted at https://www.delcohvac.com/underfloor-heating-vs-forced-air-get/

Radiant Floor Heating 101

Tired of riding out the winter in sweats because you can’t afford those heating bills? Radiant underfloor heating is among the most efficient heating methods on the market, keeping not only your toes toasty, but everything in the room from floors to furnishings warm and cozy – and that’s not where the benefits of radiant heating end…

Hydronic advantages
With proven efficiency up to 30% better than forced air systems, hydronic (liquid) based radiant floor heating loses no warmth to duct loss, as well as far less to leakage (air loss around doors and windows) than forced and convection-style radiators. Quick response times and individual control of each and every room offer additional energy savings. Allergy sufferer? Radiant floor heating systems do not dry out nasal membranes and distribute allergens throughout your home like forced air systems. Hydronic systems also require little electricity, providing off-the-grid operation and the potential for use with a wide variety of energy sources for heat – natural gas, propane, fuel oil, wood or solar heat, ground source heat pumps, boilers, and more, alone or in combination.

What does hydronic mean?
Hydronic means liquid based. Liquid based systems are the most popular and cost-effective of radiant floor heating methods, utilizing a heat source (boiler, solar, etc.) to warm water to between 100 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit, then circulating it though tubing laid in a pattern under the floor to provide warmth. Typically designed to heat an entire house, zoning valves may also be used to separate areas of your home and better regulate room temperatures. While today’s designs employ updated technology, this subfloor heating method has been around since ancient Roman baths, and was even used in Frank Lloyd Wright’s late 1800s housing designs.

Does it have to be installed on a new home, or can it be retrofitted?
Radiant floor heating can be used in both new and existing construction thanks to varied installation methods…

• Wet installations
  Wet installations place tubing or cable in a thick concrete foundation slab or in a thin layer of concrete atop subfloor. They are the oldest form of modern radiant floor heating systems. Professional installation is necessary for these installations, as additional floor support may be necessary for slabs not resting on solid earth.
• Dry installations or “sandwiches”
  Dry installations “sandwich” radiant floor cables or tubing in an air space between two layers of plywood. Rapidly gaining in popularity, they are faster and less costly to build, however these systems must operate at a higher temperature to maintain warmth as they heat an air space versus a solid mass (concrete), which is better able to contain heat.

How much does a radiant heat system cost?
The installation cost of hydronic radiant floor heat varies by the size of your home, location, type of installation (wet or dry), floor covering, and necessary labor. To schedule a free quote by our radiant heat installation professionals, contact H&H Heating & Air Conditioning today.