Engineering Effectiveness & Efficiency

Everyone wants to reduce their impact on the environment, but no one really wants to go back to living in sod huts. Radiant heating (often called low-temperature systems) offers a way to reduce your carbon footprint without sacrificing comfort.

How it Works

Here’s how it works: Radiant heating works by warming the floor, people, and other objects in the room rather than trying to directly heat the air. The result is that the room feels warmer, even at a lower temperature, allowing you to decrease energy expended. Additionally, because the heating surface is much larger than other systems, a much lower temperature is required to achieve the same level of heat transfer.

When you want to heat outdoor areas, like a patio, radiant heat really excels. Because the outdoor air is constantly moving, trying to warm it with forced-air heating is like trying to wash a moving car; it just doesn’t work. Radiant heat, on the other hand, allows specific areas to be targeted, warming only the people and objects in its path.

Radiant heating has been used for centuries. Archeological digs have turned up evidence of use throughout the world. Modern systems have evolved dramatically from the days of using heated stones and now includes pumping warm water through flexible tubes embedded beneath the floor. This ‘closed loop’ system provides exceptionally quiet operation, improved indoor air quality, and peerless comfort.

Studies have even shown that radiant heating aids in moisture control and establish temperature conditions that are less favorable to supporting mold, bacteria, viruses, and dust mites. Radiant heat has also been recognized for its ability to reduce allergen sensitivity by reducing overall airflow throughout the home.

How about this statement from the US Department of Energy: Hydronic (liquid-based) radiant heating systems are the most cost-effective radiant heating systems for heating-dominated climates.