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Featured articles: 1) All About Radiant Heat (text below) 2) Types of Hydronic Radiant Heat 3) History of Radiant Heat

All About Radiant Heat

A Featured Article Exclusively on The Radiant Heat Encyclopedia!

The warmth and comfort we feel from the sun on a cool spring day or in front of a crackling fire on a cold winter's night is radiant heat. Radiant floor heating uses a very subtle form of this same radiant energy. Radiant heat gently and evenly warms the surfaces of objects in the room. The air in the room is warmed when it comes into contact with the warmed objects, the largest of which is the floor. 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.

Most of us are used to homes being heated by air, either forced air, which is blown from a duct by a fan, or air that is heated by a baseboard heater or wall radiator, which is then distributed by convection.

The beauty of a radiant system is because the entire floor surface is so large, the temperature can be quite a bit lower than that of baseboard or wall radiators. Radiant Panel Association guidelines require that radiant floors should not exceed 85° in high traffic areas. To give you a feel for how moderate that temperature is, touch your own forearm. Human skin temperature is usually between 85° and 90°

Radiant heat has recently been enjoying an explosion of popularity in the United States. In Europe, more than 50% of all new construction uses radiant heat in both commercial and residential buildings.

Heating contractors throughout the country are taking notice of the trend in radiant heat and it won’t be long until a majority of home improvement projects by these heating contractors involve radiant heat installations.

Ask your local heating contractor about the possibilities of using radiant heating in your home improvement project!

What are the benefits? Why choose radiant heat?

1) Comfort - Radiant heat is the most comfortable form of heat, since (like the rays of the sun) it heats objects rather than air. The heat radiates to your body and you feel warm and comfortable. With conventional forced air, heat collects near the ceiling – not exactly where you want it – with radiant heat, the floors are the warmest part of the room. Heat right where you want it!

2) Energy Efficiency – Hydronic radiant systems such as Warmboard use very low water temperatures resulting in significant energy savings over traditional forced air heat. Furthermore, because it warms your body rather than the air, you feel comfortable at a lower temperature and you can keep your thermostat set to lower temperatures.

3) Appearance or more aptly - disappearance Once installed, a radiant system is "invisible." There are no heat registers in your floor or radiators on your walls. This can be a big advantage when planning your living space – no obstruction of furniture or unsightly interruptions to your hardwood floor.

3) Healthy and quiet – Forced air systems, with even the best filtration, still blow dust, pet dander, pollen, mod spores and dirt throughout your home. Radiant heat operates quietly and because there is no circulating air, some owners have even reported reduced incidences of asthma and other allergy related health problems.

A list of heating subjects can be found at our hydronic heating menu.

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Warmboard Heats Up Antartica!
In the coldest, driest, wettest, windiest, most extreme place on Earth, Warmboard was chosen as Radiant Flooring System for U.S. Government Retrofit Application

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Learn about Radiant Heat and all things related with The Radiant Heat Encyclopedia Hot List:

Hydronic Heating
Radiant Heating
Subfloor System
Radiant Floor Heat Layout
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