Pros and Cons of Radiant Floor Heating

Highlights of the Post:
Types of Radiant Floor Heating
Pros of Radiant Floor Heating
Cons of Radiant Floor Heating

Radiant floor heating, most popularly known as floor heating, is a symbol of luxury, comfort, and contemporary decor. Although they are mostly used in colder regions of Pakistan, they remain the best way to keep your home warm during winters in every locality.

Is the flooring option worth the cost? Is it safe and worth the hassle? Should you stick to traditional methods to keep your abode warm? These are some of the popular questions to pop-up on your mind as a homeowner. Well, the huge cost and the amount of work that goes into installation is a key factor to why people don’t pay much attention to installing heating systems in their house. 

Similar to our recent post on roof heat insulation, this blog focuses on all the pros and cons of installing radiant floor heating in your house. However, before we start talking about why you should or shouldn’t be installing floor heating systems, we’ll take a look at the different types of radiant heating available in Pakistan. 

Let’s begin! 

Types of Radiant Floor Heating

There are two main types of radiant heating systems available in the market: 

• Electric Heating 
• Hydronic Heating 

When it comes to installation of heated floors, every homeowner has a different preference. However, most people go for hydronic heating due to its cost. As you’d expect, the cost of installing hydronic heating systems is lesser than electric heating systems.

On the other hand, electric heating takes longer to heat up the house and comes with increased costs. Whether you choose to invest in hydronic or electric, it will largely depend on the size of your house, the money you want to spend, etc. 

So, if you’re planning to install the radiant floor heating system, we’ve discussed the advantages and disadvantages of investing in a heating system. 

Pros of Heated Floors 

These are some of the advantages of installing radiant heating in your house: 

• Energy Efficient
• Safe & Comfortable 
• Works with Diverse Floor Coverings 

Energy efficient

If you’ve second thoughts about heated floors, you should know that they provide benefits in the long run. One of the strongest benefits of installing radiant heated floors is that it uniformly heats up the floor, saving upto 40% energy as compared to when you opt to use forced air systems. 

Since traditional heating systems are built on a stop and start mechanism, the constant fluctuation of the heater consumes more energy. Comparatively, floor heating warms the rooms uniformly and more effectively. 

Although it takes longer than usual to heat up, it is much more efficient than any other kind of heating systems available in the market. 

Safe & Comfortable 

People from colder regions can relate to this one: after a long, windy, and cold day, all you want to do is walk in a house that is well-heated. Which is why investing in a floor heating system is one of the best options for you. The uniform heating mechanism of heated flooring provides a cosy and warmed environment. 

Moreover, radiators other than radiant floor heating can be a huge safety hazard. The thermostat installed within the heated floors let you adjust the temperature according to your own likes and dislikes instead of turning it off completely when you start to feel a little warmer. 

Works with Diverse Floor Coverings 

Radiant floor heating systems are adaptable to different floor covering types and it is among their biggest selling points. Whether it is concrete, stone, laminate, or wood, you can easily install these heating systems making it one of the most loved choices for homeowners in Pakistan. 

It doesn’t matter if you want a cozy environment for your kitchen, bathroom, garage, or basement, radiant floor heating is the answer! 

Cons of Radiant Floor Heating

Here are some of the disadvantages that come with getting floor heating systems installed in your homes: 

• Time consuming 
• Costly Installation
• Space Considerations 

Time Consuming

The biggest disadvantage of installing radiant floor heating is its installation time. Covering a whole floor with a heating system only to reseal it and then apply floor covering can easily take 7-10 days of labour work. Since the task is extremely time consuming, most homeowners avoid going for the heating system. 

Costly Installation 

The installation cost of a radiant heating system would vary depending on the per square feet used for your home. The whole installation process is extremely expensive and luxurious since the electric work and laying down wires can be done solely by a professional handyman. 

Your costs would vary depending on the area that needs to be covered and the labour that goes into it. Nonetheless, the overall cost of installing a radiant floor heating system is extremely high, which makes it unaffordable for the masses. It is also why homeowners choose to not make hefty investments in heating systems and stick to traditional heating systems. 

Space Considerations 

The room may appear smaller if you install radiant heating systems since it increases the height of the room by an inch or two. The excessive use of cables under the floor is bound to take up the space unless you choose to opt for extremely thin cables. This would mean that you will be spending more money on customised wires. 

Final Word…

In conclusion, radiant heated floors are an integral part of a home, especially in areas where the temperatures are extreme. Whether you choose to install floor heating depends largely on personal requirements. 

In this blog we have listed a number of pros and cons of installing the radiant heating systems, to help you make a definite decision. We hope this information was useful to you and will help in deciding whether or not to invest in the radiant floor heating system.

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