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February 01, 2010 00:02 AM  BY WARMZONE
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Radiant Floor Heat vs. Baseboard Heating
The Battle
of the Home Heating Titans:
For years
baseboard heating has been the home heating system of
choice for many consumers. Relatively cheap and
easy to install, baseboard heating systems were
installed in new homes in the 70s, and without
knowing their other options, consumers have stuck with
it—until now.
Radiant
floor heating
is quickly trumping baseboard heating as the
titan of the home heating market. With its
superior heating capabilities and maintenance-free
logistics, radiant floor heating is persuading
consumers everywhere to make the switch from
baseboard heating to radiant heating.
By taking a
look at the pros and cons of each system,
you’ll quickly see that saying goodbye to
baseboard heating is one of the best
decisions you’ll make as a homeowner.
Weighing the
Differences
While both
baseboard heating systems and electric
radiant floor heating systems use similar
concepts, they are certainly not created equal.
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Radiant floor heating system installed
under hardwood floor.
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Baseboard heater installed on
hardwood floor.
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Efficiency: Baseboard heaters aren’t
exactly known for their efficiency. Heating a
whole room with a baseboard heater can take quite
a while, so you have to plan ahead if you want the room
to be warm when you’re home. Because they
take so long to heat up, baseboard heaters can
quickly rack up your electricity bill.
Because electric
heated floors heat the floor and the
objects around it, it takes half the time to heat
up a room. Radiant floor heating is 100 percent
effective, even at 50 percent capacity. Additionally,
100 percent of energy consumed by your radiant
heating system is used to heat the room.
Installation: Baseboard heaters are
relatively easy to install, but you have to waste a
large amount of wall space to do it. What’s
more, baseboard heaters are quite unsightly and
noisy, and they must be strategically placed as to not
conflict with furniture placement.
While under
floor heating systems require a
little more elbow grease to install, it’s not
difficult. Any motivated do-it-yourselfer can
install heated floors. Heat cable is also available,
pre-woven and spaced in mats to facilitate quick and
easy installation. And once installed, radiant
heated floors are out of sight, operate
silently, and require no wall space, so you don’t
have to worry about an unsightly heater sticking
out of your wall. After all, what’s a warm room
if it’s an ugly room?
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ComfortTile radiant floor heating cable
pre-spaced and woven into mat for easy
installation. |
Maintenance: Baseboard heaters use heat coils
that need to be frequently vacuumed. Dust on the coils
reduces the effectiveness and efficiency of the
heater, taxing your heating bill and reducing the
lifespan of the system in general. What’s more, a
dirty heater makes your house smell like burnt
dust—not the most pleasant smell in the
morning.
Radiant
heated floors require absolutely no
maintenance. It’s as simple as that.
There are no moving parts or coils to clean, and with
all the high-quality heat
cable and thermostat,
you can count on your floors to provide warmth for
years to come.
Safety: Consumers with baseboard heating
systems must take great care to keep furniture and other
objects away from the heater. This not only
interferes with design decisions, but also
presents a serious safety hazard. A home in Colorado was
destroyed after two suitcases leaning against a
baseboard heater ignited, causing $50,000 in
damages.
Radiant floor
heating is guaranteed to be safe. The heating cable used
is safely insulated and uses no high voltage, no
combustible gases, and doesn’t create any
hot surfaces. Warmzone radiant floor heating systems
also feature a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).
The GFCI is a fast-acting circuit breaker designed
to shut off electric power in the event of a
ground-fault within as little as 1/40 of a second,
further ensuring safe operation. When it comes to
efficiency, effectiveness and safety,
electric radiant heated floors can't be
beat.
continued (Part II)
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Electric Heated Driveways vs. Hydronic Heating Systems
'Ride the Current' or 'Go With the Flow'?
If you've
finally put down the shovel and decided to purchase a heated
driveway system, will you be going
hydronic or electric? If you're a newcomer to the
concept of driveway heating, hydronic and electric
are both popular, and extremely viable forms of
driveway heat, and Warmzone has the expertise, and
experience, to help determine which is best for
you. What these systems share in
common—four key components you should be familiar
with before purchasing a heated driveway system:
Of the components mentioned above, the
heating element and the control source distinguish
hydronic heated driveway systems from electric heated
driveway systems.
Hydronic Heated Driveway Systems: Going with the Flow
The heating
element for a hydronic snow melting system, as you
may have guessed, involves water. Specifically,
hydronic heated driveways use what is known as
closed-loop tubing to heat the surface of the driveway.
The tubing is generally made of a flexible (and quite
durable) polymer or synthetic rubber to circulate
a mixture of hot water and propylene glycol
(antifreeze). The fluid is warmed to temperatures
between 140 to 180 degrees F to deliver enough
heat for snow melting.
A water
heater or a boiler is the chief source of heat for a
hydronic driveway heating system, which can be
powered by any energy source that satisfies the
btu requirements, including natural gas, electricity,
oil, wood, or even solar collectors. A circulating
pump and supply and return manifolds, installed in
an easily accessible location, transfer the water
between the heat source and tubing.
Electric Heated Driveway Systems: Riding the Current
Unlike
hydronic systems, electric
heated driveway systems use hot wires to
heat paved surfaces. These wires are surrounded by
layers of insulation, copper grounding braid and a
protective outer layer of PVC or polyolefin to form a
flexible cable about ⅛ to ¼ inch in
diameter. What’s great about the heat
cables is the flexibility of the application.
Cable is available on spools as well as pre-spaced and
woven into mats, and can be customized (cut) to
suit virtually any type of layout, including
driveways, common walkways and sidewalks.
After being
triggered by the snow
sensor, the control
unit then powers the heat cable to warm the
driveway. To reduce the power demands (and
operating costs), you can install cables in just the
tire tracks of a driveway rather than the entire
area. Warmzone offers several options and provides
complete system
design services to ensure that you receive
the best system layout and products
for your project.
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December 16, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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With the high cost of heating fuels today, many
homeowners are wondering what other heating
options there are out there. Quite simply put,
radiant
heaters are the most efficient form of heat
available in today’s market.
Significantly less operating time is required to attain
and maintain the desired warmth compared to
furnaces and other, traditional methods of
heating, which keeps operational costs to a minimum.
High efficiency boilers or
electric radiant floor systems makes radiant
heat one of your most efficient ways to heat your
home. Combined with a well-insulated home these
systems can quickly warm your home and then shut
down or wait idle for long periods of time before being
called upon by the thermostat to operate.
More than ever before,
homebuilders, househunters, and home renovators
alike are looking for energy-efficient heating options
for houses. We say they need look no further
than radiant
heaters for their ideal home heating solution.
Radiant Heaters Tip: It might take a
little effort, but being more environmentally
friendly doesn’t have to involve major
renovations. Many people waste a lot of energy by not
sealing cracks, doors and windows. Checking to
make sure a home’s insulation is in good
shape and replacing it if it’s not is another
good surefire way to stop, prevent, and reverse
energy waste.
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December 22, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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Are your eyes so tired from all the research
you’ve been doing because you’re
looking to warm your floors with radiant
heaters? We know, it sometimes can be hard to narrow
down what kind of radiant
heaters to install. There are dozens of products
available to purchase, and there are even more
companies telling you that their product is the
best.
For many homeowners, electric
cable heating systems, often called line- or
high-voltage systems, are gaining popularity and are
ideal for heating smaller areas like bathrooms,
kitchens, and sun rooms. These systems are
comprised of a thermostat and a heating cable. These radiant
heater systems are oftentimes less expensive, and
give the ability to customize a layout that will
heat every square inch of your floor.
Every available radiant heater
cable system is equally effective, so when
determining which system to purchase, you should look at
the warranty of the product, along with the ease
of installation. Some cables must be embedded in
a separate layer of concrete or mortar, whereas
other systems can simply be installed in the thinset.
Most radiant
heater cable systems can only be installed under
tile. However, on others, if the cable is
embedded in mortar or concrete, any flooring can
be installed on top of the concrete.
Radiant Heaters Tip:
When heating smaller areas, it is nearly
impossible to beat the simplicity and price of an
electric cable radiant
heating system.
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December 12, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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If you’ve ever stayed in a fancy hotel
and felt the warm tile beneath your feet
you’ve probably wondered how they heat the
tile.Well, it’s actually pretty simple
using radiant
heaters. Radiant heaters are economical, and easy to
install.This is how they work.
When a radiant heat system is
switched on, energy is forced through a
conductive material to create resistance or heat.
Majority of the time an electronic line-voltage
system is used. This system uses a special
thermostat that has an integrated GFCI breaker for
safety.
Dry radiant floor systems
allow even heating throughout the entire floor.
The heat radiates from the floor and warms objects near
the floor as opposed to forced hot air that
tends to rise to the ceiling. Radiant
heaters heat while reducing dust, draft, and noise
problems associated with forced air systems.
They can be more aesthetically pleasing than
other forms of heating because there are no heat
registers or radiators to obstruct interior designs.
Manufacturers claim radiant floor heating saves
20 to 40 percent on monthly heating bills as
compared to the other heating appliances.
Mostly the radiant heat panels are attracted to the sub
floor using approximately 10 screws per panel.
Manufacturer recommendations include screwing and
fastening adhesive when installing the panel. An
electrometric bonding material is placed in the grooves
prior to tube installation. The tube is pressed into
the groove flush with the surface of the panel. Though
the installation does not take much time, you may want
to consult the professionals at warmzone.com if
you’re considering installing your own radiant
heating system.
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December 19, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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Sometimes can be
hard to narrow down what kind of radiant
heaters to install. There are dozens of products
available to purchase, and there are even more
companies telling you that their product is the best.
For many homeowners, electric cable heating systems,
often called line- or high-voltage systems, are
gaining popularity and are ideal for heating smaller
areas like bathrooms, kitchens, and sun rooms. These systems
are comprised of a thermostat and a heating cable.
These radiant
heater systems are oftentimes less expensive,
and give the ability to customize a layout that will
heat every square inch of your floor.
Every available radiant heater cable system is
equally effective, so when determining which system to
purchase, you should look at the warranty of the
product, along with the ease of installation. Some cables
must be embedded in a separate layer of concrete or
mortar, whereas other systems can simply be installed
in the thinset. Most radiant heater cable systems can
only be installed under tile. However, on others, if the
cable is embedded in mortar or concrete, any flooring
can be installed on top of the concrete.
Radiant Heaters Tip: When heating smaller
areas, it is nearly impossible to beat the simplicity
and price of an electric cable radiant heating
system.
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November 03, 2008 00:11 AM  BY RILEY PETERSON
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Danfoss offers a
myriad of cables for all kinds of projects, but figuring
out the differences can be pretty tricky. I won’t go
into technical details here, rather go over some basic
differences that will help you choose which cable to
use for which project.
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Danfoss LX Cable
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Interior Cable, best for
tile, marble, and slate flooring |
A thin 3/16-inch diameter
electric radiant heating cable made
specifically for tile installations. Because of the
thinness of the cable, it can go directly
into the tile thin-set (thin-set must not
be more than ¼” thick or else it will
crack the tile). |
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Danfoss TX Cable
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Interior Cable, tile, marble,
hardwood, slate |
A thicker ¼-inch
diameter radiant heating cable, made to be installed
directly into concrete slab. The thickness of the
cable makes it more durable to withstand
heavier concrete pours. |
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Danfoss GX Cable
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Outdoor Cable, concrete,
asphalt, brick pavers |
A thick ¼-inch diameter
radiant heating cable, made for use in
outdoor driveway, walkway, and sidewalk snow
melting. Heavy cable built to withstand
concrete pours and hot asphalt. |
All of the
Danfoss products give you the option of choosing between
individual cable in lengths (it comes on a roll) or in
woven mats, which has the cable rows pre-spaced and
makes installation much quicker and easier. The only
difficulty with the radiant mats is that it works best
with rectangular areas; however, the mat can be cut to
accommodate corners and custom layouts. (Just don't
cut the heat cable!) If you have a
complicated, odd shaped area to heat, you may
be better off with installing the individual
heating cable.
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December 14, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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If you’re
in the market for a new home heating solution, you may be
wondering what kinds of home heating choices are there? A
majority of homeowners are probably most familiar with
forced air unit heaters and might not realize that
there are other options for heating a home – other
options that are more efficient and even more comfortable.
One such option are radiant
heaters, which, as opposed to warm air systems, delivers
the source of heat to the floor level, not the ceiling.
Radiant
heaters or radiant energy is the oldest form of heating
used to provide comfort and is the basis for all
heating systems. Radiant energy is totally pure
radiation and is absorbed by an object without physical
contact with the heat source or by heating the surrounding
air, as is the case with convective, forced air
systems. Believe it or not, under-the-floor heaters
were first used by the Romans. While under floor
heating was initially reserved for the rich, it eventually
became increasingly commonplace in public buildings
and villas. This form of radiant heating was used
particularly in the colder regions of the Roman
Empire. The Roman system was based on hypocausts, comprising
ducts that underlay the floor (itself built on raised
brick piles) and flues that were built into walls. Hot
air or steam from fires circulated up through this
system, warming the floor and walls, with heat passing into
the rooms. Radiant Heaters Tip: Health
experts agree that radiant heaters can help in
eliminating dust mites that live in our homes, and since
dust mites love a warm moist environment, towel
heaters aid in maintaining a consistent room
temperature and keep it moisture free.
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October 26, 2008 00:10 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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Winter weather is on the way. Start thinking
about heating
system solutions for the coming winter months or
spend the season shivering and wishing
you’d planned ahead. Leaving decisions like this
to the last moment (for example, when your furnace up
and dies in the middle of a brutal
Nor’easter) causes unnecessary stress, expense,
and, most obviously, a freezing cold house.
Whether you are building a new home from the
ground up, preparing to replace your heating
systems are using electricity instead of natural gas
or heating oil. Not only does this cut down on
heating costs, but it is also more efficient and
eco-friendly as well. Radiant heating
systems are quickly replacing traditional furnaces.
Heating Systems Tip: Choosing the best
heating
systems for a new home or to add supplemental heat
to a cold spot in your home now takes a little
homework. The radiant consultants and designers
at Warmzone have been trained in all of the latest
heating systems to properly assess your project
and prescribe a system that will add value to
your home within your budget.
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December 15, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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Yes, it might take a little effort, but being
more environmentally friendly doesn’t
have to involve major renovations. Many people waste a
lot of energy by not sealing cracks, doors and windows.
Checking to make sure a home’s insulation
is in good shape and replacing it if it’s
not is another good surefire way to stop, prevent, and
reverse energy waste.
Quite simply put, radiant
heaters are the most efficient form of heat
available in today’s market.
Significantly less operating time is required to attain
and maintain the desired warmth compared to
furnaces and other, traditional methods of
heating, which keeps operational costs to a minimum.
High efficiency boilers or
electric radiant floor systems makes radiant
heat one of your most efficient ways to heat your
home. Combined with a well-insulated home these
systems can quickly warm your home and then shut
down or wait idle for long periods of time before being
called upon by the thermostat to operate. Don’t
waste expensive heating fuel another day.
Radiant Heaters Tip: More than ever before,
homebuilders, househunters, and home renovators alike are
looking for energy-efficient heating options for
houses. We say they need look no further than radiant
heaters for their ideal home heating solution.
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November 20, 2007 00:11 AM  BY WARMZONE
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Heating systems
for homes and businesses are faced with an increasing
number of options to consider for their primary and
secondary heating. While fire places and coal burning
stoves become less popular, other alternative heating
methods are quickly becoming more common. Traditional
furnaces as a primary heating system are now being
challenged from radiant baseboards, radiant floor
heating systems and even radiant ceiling heaters. Many
of these new heating systems are using electricity
instead of natural gas or heating oil.
Space heaters are
also becoming a less expensive option to upgrading a
poorly insulated home or to add supplemental heat to cold
areas. Thermostone heaters and
heated
towel warmers
from
Climastar
mount to a wall and are a couple of heating
systems that have been commonly used in Europe for decades
are now gaining acceptance in the United States. Many
interior designers are adopting these electric heating
systems as fashionable accessories to bathrooms,
basements and home offices.
A common
challenge to traditional heating systems is the inability to
zone your home for specific areas of the home without
heating the entire home. Electric radiant heating
systems can be easily designed to be independently
controlled by zone which enables a home owner to increase
the temperature for defined areas of the home during
occupancy and conversely allows a particular zone to
remain off during down times. This strategy not only
saves the home owner money, it gives you complete
control to efficiently warm you most used living spaces
without comprising cost.
Choosing the best
heating system for a new home or to add supplemental
heat to a cold spot in your home now takes a little
homework. The radiant consultants and designers at
Warmzone have been trained in all of the latest
heating systems to properly assess your project and
prescribe a system that will add value to your home
inside of your budget. Contact us by phone or email to
learn more about your home heating goals and we will
sell you a heating system that works for you.
About Warmzone
Warmzone provides consumers with
energy-efficient, radiant heating solutions for homes
and businesses. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah,
Warmzone's electricians and radiant heat experts will help
you determine the best radiant heating solution,
ranging from electric heated floors to large
commercial snow and ice melt projects. Send us a plan or
drawings and we'll be happy to provide you with a
FREE estimate
and options for your
roof
heating and ice melting
project.
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