There's nothing quite like radiant floor heating. Over the past several years, radiant heating has become the single fastest growing segment of the heating industry, offering numerous advantages over the more traditional alternatives.
Radiant Floor Heating Benefits — Why is radiant heating becoming so popular with home and building owners? The answer lies in its many advantages over other heating systems — primarily forced air.
Forced Air — The common forced-air system heats air to the temperature necessary to overcome the heat loss of the building. Hot air then forces itself into the occupied space through blowers and ductwork. The heat loss of the building determines both the temperature and speed of the air that building owners must endure. If the heat loss is high, the air temperature must be uncomfortably high to maintain the thermostat setting (typically 70 to 72°F). If the heat loss is low, the thermostat can be satisfied by blowing short blasts of excessively high-temperature air or blowing low-temperature air into rooms — leaving occupants subject to wind-chill situations. In any case, people feel uncomfortable.
Comfort — The goal of radiant floor heating is to keep people warm. Wirsbo's radiant heating system turns floors into radiators that can be zoned to provide comfortable and even heat throughout homes or in difficult-to-heat areas such as bathrooms, entryways and garages. Because the heat is delivered at floor level, it warms people, furniture and other surfaces. Warm radiant floors are ideal for today's homes and rooms with vaulted ceilings and expansive windows. The comfort system concentrates the heat near the floor — where people are located.
Efficiency — Radiant floor heating is the most efficient mode of heat delivery in existence. Floor heating is a low-temperature system and can be precisely controlled in each room. Because floor heating warms people and objects directly (as opposed to heating air), and controls the heat loss of a person, comfort may be achieved at lower thermostat settings. Floor-heating systems can provide energy savings of 20 to 40% over forcedair systems. Buildings with high ceilings, large windows, high infiltration or a combination of these and other factors typically experience greater savings. Energy savings vary depending on building use, occupancy, design and construction.
Clean and Healthy — Because radiant floor heating does not rely on circulating air (as forced air or convective baseboard do), dust particles do not readily spread throughout a home. The spread of other airborne particles, such as pollen, is also greatly reduced.
Quiet — Radiant floor heating is virtually silent when it operates. There are no noisy fans, clunky ductwork or pinging pipes.
Complete Design Freedom — Because the heating system is in the floor, radiant heating allows a room to be decorated the way a home or building owner would like. Furniture may be placed anywhere in the room without blocking a forced-air grill or a radiator.
More Usable Space — With no bulky radiators or baseboards, homes with radiant floor heating tend to have more usable floor space.
Aesthetically Pleasing — Since the heating system is virtually invisible, radiant heating does not detract from the appearance of a room. There are no messy heating grills or bulky radiators to look at or to collect dirt.
Low Maintenance — Floor-heating systems require very few moving parts. There are no fans, belts or blowers that need replacing, and no ducts to clean. The only items that will ever need service are simple and inexpensive to repair or replace.
Increased Property Values — In many parts of the country, homes with radiant heating have enhanced property values compared to similar homes with other heating systems. In nearly all cases, homes with radiant heating systems tend to attract buyers.
Perfect for Concrete Slabs — Radiant floor heating is the only solution for basement slabs. Turning a cold slab into a cozy, warm floor can convert these traditionally difficult-to-heat areas into comfortable, livable spaces. This can also increase property values.
Clean, Dry, Safe Floors — Because the floor surface is warm, cleaning and drying are quick and easy. Quick-drying floors help prevent slick spots, especially in bathrooms, where people can slip and fall.
Choice of Heat Sources — Wirsbo hydronic radiant floors can be heated by any source of energy, such as gas, oil, electricity, geo-thermal or wood. All the system needs is warm water. The Wirsbo radiant floor will outlive the energy market, and can be converted to more cost-effective fuels if the home or building owner so desires.
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Wirsbo Radiant Floor Advantages