Hydronic and Electric Radiant Heating
Systems - Comparing Operational Costs
If
you’ve decided to add a heated driveway or
underfloor heating system to your list of home
improvement projects, hydronic heat might be the
popular choice, but it’s not necessarily the
best, or least expensive way to go. Electric
radiant heat is a new, equally viable option that may
give you some pause when it comes time to fork over that
cash you’ve been stashing for your home
improvement projects.
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| Installing tubing for
hydronic floor heating system. |
Let’s
say you are considering adding radiant heat to your
bathroom-remodeling project. In a small space, typical
heating times can make all the difference, right
down to the floorboards. A hydronic heated floor
system installation requires PEX tubing placed 1½-2
inches into a cement slab for optimal results. At
this depth, you could be waiting a few hours for
things to heat up. To avoid the inconvenience of those
long wait times, most homeowners tend to leave
their hydronic heat systems on throughout the
winter months, consuming more energy. An electric
radiant heated floor can reduce that wait time by
as much as 6½ hours. Radiant heating mats can
be easily rolled out above the sub-floor, just under the
flooring material, and can heat a tile floor in 30 to 60
minutes flat. With more reasonable wait times,
programming the system to turn on and off
potentially saves you more dollars, and frankly, makes
more sense.
Installation
costs tend to be higher for hydronic heating systems.
Returning to our bathroom project, the $300 to $400 you
would expect to spend installing a radiant heated
floor will cost you upwards of $4,000 to $5,000.
The upfront investment for equipment, labor and floor
height issues make hydronic systems cost
prohibitive in small- to medium-sized areas.
Hydronic systems require a boiler, which accounts for a
big chunk of the budget. Unlike radiant heated
floor mats, hydronic floor heating systems also
elevate the floor by a couple of inches, a significant
difference that can cause big problems for you during
your bathroom remodeling job. Radiant heated
flooring installed will elevate the floor by only
⅛ of an inch. In this scenario, at least, it
probably would not make much sense to run hydronic
tubes in your bathroom.
Of course
there is the issue of maintenance and repairs. Hydronic
systems circulate continuously, and rely on a
system of valves and manifolds prone to
sedimentation, mechanical problems and maintenance
issues. If a hydronic heating system installation
is faulty, it is difficult to find a leak, and
because of the nature of the installation, even if the
leak is found, it is difficult to repair. With
electric radiant heat systems, fault detectors can
pinpoint the exact location of a break. After
breaking just one or two tiles, the electric cable can
be spliced and the tiles replaced, a far better
(and less costly) scenario than I’m
imagining with our hydronically-heated bathroom floor.
Fortunately, Warmzone’s electric floor
heating systems are built to last and feature the
best warranty in the business.
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Generally,
most homeowners opt for electric radiant heating.
It’s well suited for small- to mid-sized
home improvement projects. And the initial
investment is modest enough that you won’t find
yourself over your head, or under water when
it’s time to tap into your home improvement
budget.
The floor
heating mat (pictured to the right)
features pre-spaced heat cable woven into a durable
mat that simplifies the installation
process.