Radiant Heat Information

• Benefits of Radiant Heat
• Radiant Heat Defined
• Radiant Heat Applications
  

• Electric Radiant Heat vs. Hydronics
• Radiant Heat vs. Forced Air
• Radiant Heating Information

What is Radiant Heat?

Have you ever strolled barefoot along the beach on a sunny day and felt the warm sand underneath your feet? Or held a warm mug? If so, then you have felt radiant heat. Objects absorb radiant heat until they are the same temperature as the heat source, after which the heat slowly escapes to other areas that are colder.

A good example is a car that offers two types of heat. The first is from the heating vents forced hot air and the other is from heated seats (radiant heat). Both contribute to warming the environment yet their qualities are very different. Forced hot air from the vents tends to be dry, dusty and even loud. Conversely, heated seats are comfortable, quiet and extremely effective.

When an electric Radiant Heat system is turned on, energy is forced through a conductive material to create resistance or heat. For most areas an electric line-voltage system is used. These systems use a special thermostat that has an integrated GFCI breaker for safety right at the power source. They are available in 110 or 220 voltage. The line-voltage products we recommend are ComfortTile and Warmzone In-Slab heat cables.

Low-voltage systems use the same voltages and consume the same amount of power as line-voltage products. The main difference is the use of a step-down transformer which reduces the voltage supplied to the heating materials. Due to their safe low-voltage current (8-30v) products like FloorHeat can be nailed and stapled down to secure the product to the floor and are therefore useful for installation under hardwood and carpet. The low-voltage product we recommend is FloorHeat. (The Myths of Low Voltage versus Line Voltage Radiant Heat Systems.)

All of our radiant heating systems offer you a choice of a thermostat that is controlled by a floor sensor to measure floor temperature or with an ambient sensor to control the actual temperature in a specific room. Radiant heat can be used and controlled as a primary source of heat or used as a supplemental heating source to add comfort to your living spaces.

To view an image demonstrating the effectiveness of radiant heat warming a room compared to a forced air system, click on Radiant Heat vs. Forced Air above.

Learn more about Warmzone's Radiant Heat Products and Services.

What are Heated Floors?