Have you ever thought about the possibility of installing radiant floor heating systems in your own home? Maybe you are one of those fortunate people who live in the tropics or in a warm country and you don’t even need heating in your house.
On the other hand, if you live in the USA, Canada, or Northern Europe, then I am sure you are aware of what it feels like to jump out of bed in the winter, specially if you live in a non floor heated house.
It is early in the morning, still dark outside, and you need to get up and go to the bathroom. You muster the courage to get out from under your nice warm covers and as your bare feet touch the cold tiles, you cringe and feel like getting back into bed. But you need to soldier on and march barefooted to the bathroom, probably you can’t find your slippers..didn’t you leave them right beside your bed last night?
Can you imagine how it feels when you place your warm feet on the bare tiled or wooden floor in a freezing morning, and instead of that awful cold feeling, you are rewarded with that heavenly warmth that only installing radiant floor heating on your floors can provide? You may think that this is a choice for the very rich, and you are partially right, because they know how to live in comfort and are well able to afford it. Nevertheless, you would be surprised to know that installing radiant floor heating is not as costly as you may think. There are many options that cater to most budgets.
You have two main basic choices: Water or Electricity.
a) Installing hydronic radiant floor heating will require a good combi boiler (water heater) and an intricate system of tubes and pipes under the tiles. If you prefer to heat the water in a more natural way, you can use other sources of energy, like solar energy, wood burning stoves, a fireplace, etc.
b) Installing electric radiant floor heating, which will require a large mesh of electric wire carefully laid under your tiles.
Both systems require some floor insulation to avoid the heat loss upwards or downwards. Counsel with your local experts and professionals, who would be able to guide you to the best possible options for your personal situation, your house and your wallet.
Another possibility is installing radiant floor heating under your driveway. The heat melts the snow and ice, making your driveway safer and easier to keep clean. Forget about snow shovelling!
