Fairfield radiant heating systems are nothing new, but hundreds of homeowners throughout the area have no idea how energy efficient this heating system alternative is, or how much it can improve home comfort. Radiant floor heating can transform bathrooms into tranquil spa-like retreats, kitchens into a much more inviting area, and any room in the home suddenly becomes an enjoyable and relaxing space.
How does radiant heating work? It's simple: just think of a cup of coffee or hot cocoa. You pick it up, and the heat transfers - or radiates - out to pleasantly warm up your hand on a cold winter day. This is the same concept for how radiant heating systems work. Like the sun, radiant heat travels through the air until it finds an object.
Have you ever put on clothes that seemed to be cold? How about crawled into a bed that seemed rather chilly under the covers? That's what happens with convective heating systems like forced air central heating units - the air is warm, not the surrounding objects in your home. With a forced air heating system, your skin is tricked into thinking the environment inside your home is convertibleness is, until your skin has to give up its heat to another object! This is not the case with radiant floor heating, which relies on transferring heat rather than heating the air.
Energy use in radiant panel heated buildings in the Fairfield County area are typically 10% to 30%less in homes, and up to 60% less in commercial buildings. Heat loss and energy cost are primarily dependent on the difference in temperature between inside air and outside air.
Since a radiant system operates with a lower inside air temperature, this heat loss is considerably less. This is particularly true with a hot air system where the hottest air rises to the ceiling and the heat escapes through the roof. A radiant floor system can be zoned any way you like. You can have a thermostat in every room if you wish. As a result you don’t have to overheat most of the building just to get it hot enough in a single area. This adds up to a far greater comfort level and lower fuel bills.
You can move as much heat through a 1 inch pipe with water as a 8 by 24 duct using forced air. As a result, the heat lost trying to get it from the source to the area you are trying to heat is substantially less with any radiant heating system. The heat lost with a radiant heating system operating at 110 degrees is also substantially less than a baseboard system which typically runs at 180 to 200 degrees, and is mostly on an outside wall. The large thermal mass of typical radiant panel systems means very slow temperature changes, which also increases overall system efficiency. In almost every case we have studied, the reduced cost of operation has more than offset any increase in installation cost in a short period of time.
Whether you are looking to have radiant panels installed or would like more information on radiant floor heating solutions, your Fairfield heating contractor at Steve Basso Plumbing, Heating & AC, LLC is ready to assist. From radiant heating repairs and maintenance to installation and troubleshooting, our heating contractors are here to help you achieve optimum home comfort.
When you contact a local heating and cooling company for heating installation or replacement, you're probably aware of the fact that you have options. Although many homeowners make the choice to stick with a traditional forced air system, it's often only because it's the only system […]