I want to come right out and say that I’m a fan of in-floor heating systems because when you stand on a warm floor during the cold days in winter it makes you feel good. It literally puts a smile on your face!
In-floor heating, also called radiant floor heating, is a luxurious home feature and a popular trend in new housing and remodeling and additions. Although there’s no denying a warm floor feels good but is it worth the extra cost and hassle?
Pros
Energy efficient heating – Radiant floor heating can be installed in two ways: electric and water-based systems. Both provide heating in a room from the floor up for consistent, efficient warmth. Warm water systems run hot water through pipes to create heat, whereas electric underfloor heating heats wiring beneath the floor to generate heat.
For water-based systems, you have to heat the water to warm the floor and the first thought that comes to mind is heating water can get pricey. Right? Wrong! The use of water is actually cheaper to heat and you don’t have to heat the water very high to get warm so you actually spend 15% less then you would for traditional heating.
Traditional radiators need to be heated to a high temperature (between 149-167 degrees Fahrenheit) in order to heat up a room effectively, whereas floor heating only needs to run at a temperature of 84 degrees Fahrenheit
Effortless to run & works will all floor coverings. Even cement!
Underfloor heating requires virtually no maintenance and most systems come with a 30 Year Guarantee for peace of mind and you can set up your system to operate off a WiFi set up through your thermostat complete with a timer.
Easy to install
Underfloor heating is easy to install, especially if you make it part of a build or renovation project. Some systems like the Warmup’s StickyMat solution can be installed as a DIY project as it is simple to lay down with the electric wire being all pre-spaced and readily attached to the mesh, ready to be rolled out in place. It’s that simple and you can get these types of products just about anywhere including Amazon.
Cons
Installation Cost
This is where the decision has to be thought out carefully. When estimating the cost of an installation, a safe cost estimation bracket is between $10 to $20 per square foot dependant on the type of system you choose for your home.
The other issue for cost is that you may need to contact an electrician to hook the system up to your electric panel. Any qualified DIY’er can do this but to be safe you will need to call a pro and that could run you around $250.00. The world doesn’t end at that price and if you run the wires to the box yourself and all they have to do is hook it up it should take 20 minutes of their time.
Other cons
These negatives some people complain about are not a negative for me. If it takes two days to install it so be it. What’re two days and most of that time is drying time for adhesives. Two days is nothing for me.
The other negative is that a floor heating systems will rais the height close to a half inch. Once it’s down that half inch is easily forgotten. You don’t even think about it anymore.
Is it worth it?
YES…! Do it if you can, especially in the bathroom. Trust me when I say that you’ll love it and think you’re spoiled rotten.