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December 24, 2008 00:12 AM BY STACEY BARRUS
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You may not know that radiant
heaters for your home or business come in a variety
of forms – all efficient and providing
reliable, cozy warmth. Today we’re going to
discuss one form of radiant heaters: hydronic floor
heating.
Quite a name, isn’t it?
Hydronic floor heating is the oldest and most
popular type of radiant floor heating. These systems are
comprised of a boiler or hot water heater,
pumps, manifolds, PEX tubing, thermostat, and
either gypcrete (a concrete-like material) or wood
panels. Hydronic heating is the most complex of
all radiant
heat systems. These systems require trained
professionals to design and perform the
installation. Your best economies of scale are achieved
for hydronic systems in large areas or entire homes
because of their expensive components and
operational costs. Hydronic systems can be
installed under any type of flooring. Most hydronic
systems require hot water tubing to be installed
in a 2-4″ bed of light concrete and are
best installed during the initial construction because
of its weight load demands and adjustments to
floor height.
For heating smaller areas such
as a bathroom or kitchen, a hydronic floor
heating system may not be the best value for your
project. The complexity and cost of installing
the system, along with the long-term maintenance
and up-keep required, might not be worth the small
amount you will save in operational costs.
Radiant Heaters Tip: Many recent
developments have made hydronic systems more
convenient and possible radiant
heater solutions for major home remodeling projects.
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October 10, 2008 00:10 AM BY STACEY BARRUS
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Have you ever
gone on a ski vacation for the weekend and stayed at a
little ski lodge? A lot of the times, they’ll have a
huge fireplace in the main room with smaller bedrooms
up in the loft area or second-story. But the problem
is that when you’re in the main room with the roaring
fire, you’re often overwhelmed by the heat and
retreat to the bedroom, where it’s far
chillier. You see, many vacation or weekend homes
weren’t built with air conditioning ducts with
which to deliver the heat to the different rooms of
the house. However, there is a solution to adding
heating to homes that have not been built for traditional
forced air systems: radiant heaters.
As opposed to warm air systems (such as a forced
air unit heaters), radiant heaters deliver the source
of heat to the floor level, not the ceiling. Radiant
heaters or radiant energy is the oldest form of heating
used to provide comfort and is the basis for all
heating systems.
Additionally, radiant heaters also offer more
comfort than forced air heating by heating the
atmosphere from the ground up. Since heat rises, the
heat will be more evenly distributed, providing a much more
comfortable atmosphere.
Radiant Heaters Tip: Radiant energy is
totally pure radiation and is absorbed by an object
without physical contact with the heat source or by
heating the surrounding air, as is the case with
convective, forced air systems.
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December 15, 2008 00:12 AM BY STACEY BARRUS
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Who isn’t a fan of saving energy,
especially if it’s easy? More than ever
before, homebuilders, househunters, and home renovators
alike are looking for energy-efficient heating
options for houses.We say they need look no
further than radiant
heaters for their ideal home heating solution.
Learn what many others are
learning every day: radiant
heaters are the most efficient form of heat
available in today’s market.
Significantly less operating time is required to attain
and maintain the desired warmth compared to
furnaces and other, traditional methods of
heating, which keeps operational costs to a minimum.
High efficiency boilers or
electric radiant floor systems makes radiant
heat one of your most efficient ways to heat your
home. Combined with a well-insulated home these
systems can quickly warm your home and then shut
down or wait idle for long periods of time before being
called upon by the thermostat to operate.
Radiant Heaters Tip:
It might take a little effort, but being
more environmentally friendly doesn’t have to
involve major renovations. Many people waste a lot of
energy by not sealing cracks, doors and windows.
Checking to make sure a home’s insulation
is in good shape and replacing it if it’s not is
another good surefire way to stop, prevent, and
reverse energy waste.
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December 28, 2008 00:12 AM BY STACEY BARRUS
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Are you having a
hard time deciding which radiant
heat system is right for you? We know,
it sometimes can be hard to narrow down what kind of
radiant heaters to install. There are dozens of
products available to purchase, and there are even more
companies telling you that their product is the best.
For many homeowners, electric cable heating
systems, often called line- or high-voltage systems,
are gaining popularity and are ideal for heating
smaller areas like bathrooms, kitchens, and sun rooms. These
systems are comprised of a thermostat and a heating
cable. These radiant
heater systems are oftentimes less expensive,
and give the ability to customize a layout that will
heat every square inch of your floor.
Every available radiant heater cable system is
equally effective, so when determining which system to
purchase, you should look at the warranty of the
product, along with the ease of installation. Some cables
must be embedded in a separate layer of concrete or
mortar, whereas other systems can simply be installed
in the thinset. Most radiant heater cable systems can
only be installed under tile. However, on others, if the
cable is embedded in mortar or concrete, any flooring
can be installed on top of the concrete.
Radiant Heaters Tip: When heating smaller
areas, it is nearly impossible to beat the simplicity
and price of an electric cable radiant heating
system.
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December 21, 2008 00:12 AM BY STACEY BARRUS
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In today’s volatile and topsy-turvy
housing market, it’s not a bad idea to
add value to your home in new and innovative
ways.Don’t just think about renovating a
bathroom, consider using radiant
heaters to warm towel racks in the bathroom, or a
heated floor.Can you think of anything
cozier on a chilly winter morning than toasty
toes when you step out of the shower?
Not only is radiant heating is
one of the most comfortable ways to heat your
home, but radiant heaters also offer a surprisingly wide
diversity of applications. Radiant
heaters can be used in a number of applications,
including in tiled areas, hardwood flooring,
carpeted areas, cement floors, basements, and
garages.
Radiant
heaters are a type of heater that warms objects
instead of air. Radiant heat uses objects, such
as the floor, to heat a home. The air in the
room is warmed when it comes into contact with the
warmed objects. Heat loss is reduced and the
radiant heat remains in the lower part of the
room, warmer near feet level and slightly less so at
head level, creating the perfect climate for
comfort.
Radiant Heaters Tip:
The variety of high efficiency boilers or
electric radiant floor systems makes radiant
heat one of your most efficient ways to heat your home.
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