Radiant heat has become very popular, mostly because it is associated with toasty floors in the middle of winter. This isnbt exactly wrong, but it isnbt the full picture of what radiant heat really is or how it can be used in your home. The heating specialists at Comfort Central, Inc., have a lot of years of experience with different radiant heating systems, so we can give you a quick overview of the two types of radiant heating systems available to homeowners.

What It Is

Radiant heating refers to any heating system that heats an object to heat your home. In the case of radiant heating, we are referring to two different types: hydronic radiant heating, which uses hot water or steam to heat, or electric radiant heating, which utilizes cable to heat via electricity.

Hydronic Radiant Heating

We mentioned a boiler system above, and you will need a boiler if you opt for hydronic radiant heating. However, you arenbt limited to using radiators or baseboards as outlets b you can use hydronic heating in floors. The key to hydronic radiant floor heating is the use of flexible PEX tubing. This tubing can be set in cement to create a radiant slab, or it can be installed on sub-flooring below your flooring. Hot water or steam flows through the PEX tubing, releasing heat.

Electric Radiant Heating

This type of radiant heating uses cable that emits heat when electrified. This kind of radiant heating can be using underneath flooring, in walls and above ceilings (although wall and ceiling heating isnbt quite as effective as floor radiant heating). For floor usage, the cable can be set in cement to create a radiant slab or laid out directly onto sub-flooring and installed.
Wondering if radiant heating is for you? Call us today and schedule an appointment for your home in Asheville, NC!