As a current
or future radiant heat consumer, you might fancy
yourself to be part of a growing trend towards
sustainable home heating. What you may not know is
that although it is considered an emerging,
“modern” trend among residential
homeowners, radiant heat technology is actually
thousands of years old.
The history
of underfloor heating began in 10,000 BC with the
Chinese, who used the word
“kang”(original meaning, “to
dry”) to describe what became known as a
heated bed. Inhabitants drafted smoke from fires
through stone covered trenches in the floors of their
subterranean dwellings. The hot smoke heated the
floor stones, radiating into their living spaces.
Evidence of heated floors based on this principle were
found in 5,000 B.C. in China and Korea.
The Greeks
and Romans finessed the process in 500 B.C. with the
hypocaust. Literally translated, hypocaust means
“heat from below,” from the Greek
word hypo meaning below or underneath, and kaiein, to
burn or light a fire. This system was more
efficient and less evasive than that of its Asian
predecessor. It used pillars to raise the floors,
creating a space underneath to circulate hot air.
Spaces were left inside of the walls so that hot
air and smoke from the furnace would pass through
enclosed areas underneath the floor and out of flues in
the roof, radiating heat through the walls along
the way. While the hypocaust was a marked
advancement in under floor heating, the process of
heating itself was labor-intensive and high in
fuel costs, making it a luxury for those living in
villas, and at the public baths.
It wasn’t until the 1980s that
standards were developed for underfloor
heating systems. Five years later, radiant heat
became a traditional system in residential
buildings in some European and Nordic countries,
and began to find its way into non-residential
applications. These modern under floor heating
systems use either electric resistance elements
(electric) or heated fluid flowing in pipes (hydronic)
to heat floors. Both can be cast in concrete,
placed under the floor covering, or attached
directly to the wood sub floor. Either type can be
installed as an alternative to forced air to
improve home air quality and reduce heating costs
associated with fossil fuels, or as a localized system
for thermal comfort.
Electric
radiant heat marks a growing trend in
residential heating. Electric radiant under floor
heating systems are less evasive and less costly to
install than hydronic systems, which require skilled
designers and tradesmen familiar with boilers,
circulators, controls, fluid pressures and
temperature for proper installation. Electric radiant heated
floors are more efficient than hydronic
systems. Powered by electricity, radiant heat
cables can heat a surface in 30 to 60 seconds, unlike hydronic
systems, which may take anywhere from 4-7 hours to
heat a surface—a considerable difference in
performance. Because there is a boiler involved,
hydronic systems may be fueled by natural gas, oil, coal
or wood, making them less environmentally friendly
and more costly to operate.
Whether you
choose electric or hydronic, Warmzone has the experience
and expertise to install a radiant
heat system that’s right for your
home and your budget. Whichever you choose,
you’ll have the comfort of knowing you’ve
done your part to reduce your carbon footprint,
improve your home’s air quality and
maintain a warm, comfortable environment for your
family. Be sure to visit www.warmzone.com for
more information on how Warmzone can customize a
sustainable home heating solution just for you!