Under Floor Heat
System
Summary:
Installing an under floor
heat
system is a good idea, and it can be an easy project for the DIY
homeowner. Discover the best DIY under floor
heat
system that will allow you to get your job done
quickly and easily.
An under floor radiant heat system is much easier to
install than a hot water system.
Installing a DIY under floor heat system
is a popular project because many people simply don’t like walking
on cold floors. Walking on heated floors is far better than the
shocking experience of stepping on cold floors, especially during
the winter.
Some of the under floor heating systems are easy
to install while others require the skill of a professional.
Installing electric floor heating mats is very popular because they
are easy to install. Simply unroll the floor heat mat, connect them
to the electrical system and cover them with a flooring material.
Ceramic tile, granite flooring and most any other natural stone
product work very well with electrical under floor heating mats. The
heating mats are very thin and are easy to install.
However, a hot water floor heating system is much more complex.
To produce sufficient heat to warm the floors heating water systems
must have an inside diameter pipe size of one-half inch or larger.
The pipes can't be easily covered with flooring materials, so they
often are installed within the concrete slab or under the wood
subflooring.
A hot water floor heating system requires a boiler or water
heater to generate the hot water to circulate and heat the pipes
under the flooring. It takes the skill of an experienced plumber to
properly install and connect the hot water system to the floor heat
piping systems.
When installing an under floor radiant heat system do not
undersize the system. It is very important to make sure the correct
amount of heating is being installed to heat the floor adequately.
Not every house needs the same amount of heating mats. In severe
climates where floors get colder in the winter than a mild climate
will require more Btu’s. Study the sizing guide produced by the
heating product manufacturers to determine how much matting you
require.
Attaching the electrical wiring is very important when it comes
to installing under floor electric heating systems. If you are not
an accomplished electrician I recommend that you consult one before
attaching the heat mat system to the electrical source. An
electric heat system should be wired on its own circuit and the
circuit should be properly fused to prevent overloading of the
circuits. Improper wiring and hook up can cause overheating and a
fire.
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Radiators to Heat Your
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Space
Heaters