Everyone knows about forced air and traditional wall or baseboard based radiant heating systems, but not everyone has heard of in floor radiant heat. What is this system, and why are so many people choosing it? As it turns out, this type of heating has several advantages, which we will explore in this article.

Firstly, let's talk about how radiant floor heating actually works. A heating element is installed underneath your floor. The heat from this element radiates upwards through the floor, rather than being hot air coming from a duct somewhere in the room.

This approach has several advantages. One huge one is that since there are no ducts and no moving air, those with allergies and respiratory problems will suffer much less. Another advantage of radiant heating is that it provides a more even heat than forced air, since the heat comes through all the floor and not just through the ducts.

There are several different mechanisms for radiant floor heating. The most common system is the hydronic system. Water is boiled, and then pumped through a maze pipes underneath your floor. This even distribution of the heat is what gives a radiant system its distinctive feel.

This system has the advantage of being quite efficient and quiet. However, because of the requirement of having a boiler, it is hard to install after the house has been built. Still, though, this is a very popular choice.

If you're building an addition or remodeling, you might want to check into electric radiant floor heating. This system places a series of electric heating elements underneath your floor. These can be turned on and off at will, provided easy radiant heat.

Unfortunately, these electric systems tend not to be as efficient. However, the ease of installation and the flexibility of the system might just make them worth it for you.

So, you should now have a good idea of the basics of these heating systems. They aren't for everyone, but for many, the benefits are definitely worth the cost and effort associated with installing such a system.