Furnaces and heat pumps both work by heating air and circulating it through the living areas. While this will get the job done, it has a number of weaknesses as a heating strategy:
- Air isn't an efficient carrier of heat, meaning that the indoor temperature may vacillate as new air is introduced, the air cools, and the furnace or heat pump engages again.
- Air circulation is vulnerable to loss or obstruction. Air leaks in the ductwork can lower heating efficiency, and clogged air filters can cut off the warm air supply and cause strain on your system. In addition, furniture may be blocking air vents, leading to poor heating in places.
- Air circulation can stir up dust, as well as carry particle pollution through ducts.
- Depending on the placement of vents in your home, heating may not be even throughout the rooms.
How Radiant Floor Heating Compares
Radiant floor heating avoids all of these inefficiencies. By installing hydronic (hot water) or electric heating in the floor itself, you'll get an even, steady distribution of heat without having to worry about vent placement.
Because floor heating introduces heat into rooms directly, you don't have to worry about dust or allergens being blown through the air. And many systems allow you to control the heating room by room, something which – with the exception of zoned heating systems and ductless mini splits – forced-air heating systems have trouble with.
Best of all, you'll never have to worry about stepping out onto a cold floor during winter. And because heat steadily rises from the floor up through the vertical living space, you don't have to worry as much about all your heat escaping to the ceiling. Floor heating can offer a new dimension of home comfort.
To learn more about how radiant floor heating can work in your home, contact us at Rodenhiser Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning.
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