Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C in Plano, Texas provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps. Additionally, we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard) and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).
Al’s also provides full service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home. Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters. Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C is near your home in Plano, Allen, and Frisco. We service all homes in southern Collin and Denton Counties with no additional travel charge.
Call Al’s today to discuss any concerns or problems you have with your HVAC System or Plumbing. We will arrange an appointment at your convenience and offer 24/7 Emergency Service.
This Article Is About Electric, In-Floor Supplemental Heating Products
And Includes Retrofit Products For Existing Homes
NOTE: This Article Is Provided As A Courtesy To Our Readers. Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C Does Not Sell Or Install Radiant Floor Heating.
NOTE: Products Shown Are Not Endorsements. Al’s Does Not Endorse Specific Products As We Don’t Have Knowledge Of All Products Available.
The Beginnings Of In-Floor Heating
Aerial Photo Of Levittown, NY
Image Source: ShutterStock
In the 1930’s, architect Frank Lloyd Wright installed used hot water floor heating of many of his buildings. In 1947, Levittown, NY brought Hydronic (hot water), Radiant Heat (within the concrete slab) to mainstream America. Levittown Homes came with a heating-oil boiler with a pump that moved heated water throughout pipes in the slab floor.
Click Below To See Levittown Hydronic Radiant-Heating Water Coils Put Into Place Before The Slab Was Poured:
Hydronic Radiant Heating Coils In Place Before Cement Is Poured For The Slab Foundation
A Bit Of Nostalgia:
Levittown (Long Island), NY (25 miles east of Manhattan)
Was America’s First Tract-Home Community.
It Was Built By Levitt Homes. Levittown, NY And Has Become Known As “America’s First Suburb.”
Click Here To See People In Line To See A Levittown, NY Model Home: Waiting To See Levittown, NY Model Home
Click Here To See A Street In Levittown (scoll down a bit): Street View Of Levittown, NY
Click Here To See An Advertisement For Hydronic, Radiant Floor Heating: Ad For Radiant Floor Heating
Back To Today In DFW
Image Source: Pixabay.com
Because of Expansive Soils, DFW homes must be be built on a Slab, or Pier & Beam with a crawl-space. This lends itself to quite cold bathroom floors when Canadian cold-fronts descend upon DFW during winter.
Slab Foundation Under Construction. Ready For Cement To Be Poured.
Image Source: ShutterStock
Slab Foundation (after cement poured) Ready To Built Upon
Image Source: ShutterStock
In-Floor Supplemental Heating
In two-story homes, the 2nd story has much warmer floors than the first floor. This is simply because the upper floor is over heated space, while the lower floor is over the slab foundation. Adding supplemental in-floor heating may be a great solution for a two-story home. By adding supplemental in floor heating to areas on the first floor, the first floor can be more comfortable at a lower temperature. This further reduces the effect of the second floor being too warm in order to get the first floor warm enough.
There Are 2 Types Of In-Floor Heating
- Electric (for selected areas of the house)
- Water-based (hydronic — for the entire house) — Also Known As “Hot Water Heat”.
Ceramic tile is the most common and effective floor covering for radiant floor heating because it conducts heat well. Other floor coverings like vinyl & linoleum, carpeting, or wood can also be used. Floor coverings that insulate the floor from the room will decrease the effectiveness of the system.
The Biggest Problem With Whole-House Hydronic Heating
Why do we not hear much about in-floor heating in DFW? Whole-house, In-floor heating is ideal for northern climates where window or in-wall a/c units will effectively cool the home during summer. In southern, “cooling” climates there is more emphasis on air conditioning than heat.
If A New Home Is Built With Whole-House, Hydronic Heat, There Is No Ductwork For Central Air Conditioning. In order to have central a/c, ductwork & an air-handler (a furnace that only moves air and does not heat) must be added. The cost to do this is nearly the same as with a heat-producing furnace. This causes the costs of hydronic (whole-house heating) + central a/c to become very expensive — because to get central a/c, you end up paying for two heating systems.
Adding electric, in-floor heating (in addition to a forced-air furnace) to selected areas of the house provides warm floors where they are needed most (primarily baths & kitchen).
In floor heating provides a more consistent temperature between floor & ceiling. The heated air from a gas furnace is around 140 degrees. In-floor heating only needs to set at a temperature of 84 degrees or less (depends on the floor finish). The temperature at the floor ranges between 75°F to 95°F. Adding retrofit electric radiant floor heating to your existing home (with forced-air heat) may lower heating bills, based on how much area in-floor heating is added to.
NOTE: In DFW, Electric In-Floor Supplemental Heating Is For Comfort More Than Savings. It’s highly unlikely that electric, in-floor heating would be less expensive to operate than a gas furnace. It may save money with a gas furnace if the room’s temperature can be lowered (which is likely). Additional savings can be achieved if the in-floor heating is runs only during times when the room is being used (as compared to 24/7). If you home has electric heat, in-floor electric heating will be somewhat less expensive to operate because it can be set to a lower temperature.
Click Below For A Calculator To Determine Operating Costs For Supplemental, Electric In-Floor Heating:
Heating Costs With Electric In-Floor Heat
The Calculator Shows Operating Costs For In-Floor Electric Heating Based On:
Location, Amount (in sq. ft) Of In-Floor Heating, How Many Hours Per Day It Will Run & Price price per kWh.
What Is Thermal Stratification?
During winter, cooler air sinks and stays near the floor — creating layers of air with different temperatures. It is called thermal stratification. Because DFW is a “cooling climate” — most air vents are in the ceiling, which lends itself to providing warm air where it’s needed least. This often results in keeping the home’s temperature higher to help minimize cold air at the floors.
Click Below For A Diagram Of Thermal-Stratification In A Home With Forced-Air Heat & One With Hydronic, In-Floor Heat:
Air Temperature Stratification — Forced-Air Heat Versus Hydronic Heat
Adding to natural thermal stratification is that warm air exits the home at the ceiling (through air leaks). As warm air exits at the ceilings, cold outdoor air enters the building (through air leaks) to replace the existing air. Many of those cold air leaks are at the bottom of doors & windows and electrical outlets. To witness this on a large scale, open an outside door during winter. Large amounts of cold air enter at the bottom of the door while warm exists at the top of the door.
** SOURCE: https://www.warmup.com/blog/pros-cons-of-radiant-floor-heating
Reducing Thermal Stratification
The Easiest Way To Reduce Air Temperature Stratification During Winter Is To Run Ceiling Fans Blowing Up (clockwise). This forces the warm air at the ceiling to move downward along the walls and mixes with the air at the floor where air temp is lowest.
Click Here To See Air Movement With The Ceiling Fan Blowing Down (summer) And Up (winter): Ceiling Fan Air Movement
Thermal Stratification In Summer
During summer, hot air pushes cooler indoor air downward from the ceiling and out through air leaks near the floor. Though we think of hot air rising, heat — heat actually moves from areas of higher temperature (like a hot attic during summer) into areas of lower temperature. Temperature difference is actually what drives heat to move in any given direction.
Click Here To See Air Temperature In Attic During Summer: 170 Degree Attic In Summer
** SOURCE: https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/50616/Heat-Rises-and-Falls-Stack-Effect-Air-Movement-Heat-Flow
Adding Supplemental, Electric, In-Floor Heating In An Existing Home
Image Source: Pixabay.com.
Electric Floor Heating Mats Can Be Used Under Floating Wood, Laminate & Vinyl Flooring (Not Glued Down)
In floor heating supplemental heating can be easily added during new home construction. For existing homes, there is a retrofit solution (when installing new floor coverings). Electric, Radiant Floor Heating Mats provide radiant heat in a bathroom and other areas where a warm floor is desired.
Shown: Electric Radiant Floor Heating Mat For Floating Floor-Coverings (not attached to slab) Floor Coverings
Click On Image To: See Product, View Details, or Buy From Amazon.com
DETAILS:
- 120-Volt Radiant Heat Film Available in 4 mat sizes.
- 0.016 in. thick (16/1,000 th of an inch). The mat is roughly 4 times the thickness of copier paper.
- Installs over any subfloor, or over an insulating underlayment.
- Can be used under most floating engineered-wood, laminate, carpet and other floating floor coverings. Not for glued-down flooring such as ceramic or marble.
- Easy installation. Cut length to fit if needed. Run (pre-attached) wires to a wall thermostat.
- No mortar required.
- Mat uses 12 watts per square foot. 1,000 watts for 1 hour = 1 kWh. (around 10.5 cents).
- About 85 sq. ft. of heating mat uses 1kWh (each hour) or 10.5 cents per hour to operate.
Image Source: Pixabay.com.
Electric Floor Heating Mats Designed For Glued-Down Flooring
Click On Image To: See Product, View Details, or Buy From Amazon.com
DETAILS:
- This product is designed to be used under glued-down flooring, such as ceramic or marble.
- This product must be completely embedded in a thin-set, cement-based mortar.
- It is recommended that the mortar have a curing period of 1 month (to ensure it’s completely dried) before installation of floor covering.
- While this product can also be used under floating floor coverings, it still must be embedded in mortar regardless of floor covering type.
- This product is ideal for floor coverings that must be attached. For floating floor-coverings, installation of the first product shown is much simpler (no mortar).
- The heating element is less than 1/8″ thick
Radiant Electric Floor Heating Mats For Large Areas
Image Source: Pixabay.com. Photographers: Kirk & Mimi
If you are installing new floor coverings, you can add electric radiant floor heating to large areas. The product (link below) can be cut to fit, so no special sizes are required. The heating mats can be installed within concrete (for glue-down flooring) or on top of the concrete slab (for floating floor coverings).
Click Below To See One Brand Of Large-Area Under Floor Electric Heating Mats:
Large Area Electric Radiant Heating Mats Under Floor Covering
Radiant-Heat Mats For Use Under Area Rugs
We often use area-rugs at sitting areas to keep our feet more comfortable. This can be taken to a higher degree of comfort by adding electric heating mats under the area rug (and on top of the existing floor). There are several brands and sizes of under-rug heating mats available.
Image Source: Pixabay.com. Photographer: Doka Ryan
Shown: 5.75 x 5.75 Foot Heating Mat For Use Under An Area Rug.
Click On Image To: See Product, View Details, or Buy From Amazon.com
Click On Image To: See Product, View Details, or Buy From Amazon.com
Wireless Control Plug-In Thermostat
Click On Image To: See Product, View Details, or Buy From Amazon.com
Expand the convenience of heating mats by controlling them with a plug-in thermostat. You choose the room temperatures when you want the heating mat to operate.
Carpeted Radiant-Heat Mat For Desks
If you find yourself wanting a small heated surface for your feet while at a desk, this product might be ideal.
Shown: 17.5″ Square Carpeted Heating Mat For Desk.
Click On Image To: See Product, View Details, or Buy From Amazon.coms
Rubber Radiant-Heat Mat For Garage
Have warm feet while in the garage. Rubber mat does not need to be covered and is easily kept clean.
Click On Image To: See Product, View Details, or Buy From Amazon.coms
SUMMARY:
While DFW is not an idea location for whole-house hydronic (hot water) in-floor heating (because a hydronic-heat home does not include ductwork needed for central a/c), adding electric, radiant-heat mats in selected areas (before installing new floor coverings) will make those areas far more comfortable. There are radiant-heat mats designed for floating flooring, and other mats designed for glued-down flooring (explained above).
Electric, radiant in-floor heat can be added to an existing home without changes to the concrete floors. Contrary to its name, these electric mats sit on top of the existing concrete floor. This makes them a viable solution to rooms with unacceptably cold floors. Radiant heating can be installed under; carpet, & floating vinyl, wood-laminate, & plastic laminate. Other styles for designed for glued-down flooring such as ceramic, wood plank, and marble flooring. You need to consult with the manufactuer’s specifications to ensure you are not overheating the flooring you have chosen.
With electric heat, you can reduce heating bills notably with supplemental, electric, radiant heating. This is because the heat comes from the floor, where the air is the coldest. In DFW, Forced-air furnaces typically add heat at the ceiling where it’s needed the least. The combination of the two will keep the lower areas of the room warmer and likely allow you to set the thermostat lower.
If you have gas heat, you may be able to reduce heating bills with supplemental, electric, radiant heating (because it’s warmer at the floor which may allow you to turn the thermostat down. But, in DFW, radiant floor heating is more for comfort than heating bills savings with gas heat.
We offered additional radiant-heat products for under area rugs, at a desk and in the garage. These air on top of the concrete floor and require no installation beyond placing them where you want them.
Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C in Plano, Texas provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps. Additionally, we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard) and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).
Al’s also provides full service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home. Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters. Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C is near your home in Richardson, Garland, and northeast Dallas. We service all homes in southern Collin and Denton Counties with no additional travel charge.
Call Al’s today to discuss any concerns or problems you have with your HVAC System or Plumbing. We will arrange an appointment at your convenience and offer 24/7 Emergency Service.