In floor heating is a great alternative to hot-air heating systems or traditional radiators. The benefits of heated or radiant floors are overwhelming. They keep your bathroom floors dry and offer space heating in the cold rooms. The best in floor heating system for your home will depend on the type of heat source you have and sometimes your personal project.
If you choose an electric in floor heating system, you may still have other options of this type of in floor heating that you can choose from. That is, an electric in floor heating system depends on a network of wires installed under your floor. These wires often sit on an insulation layer. In place of these wires, the electric heating system can use foils, loose cables, in-slab heating cables, mats, or insulation boards as discussed here:
Foil Heating
Foil heating systems are streamlined systems of electric radiant heating. This type of electric heating will deliver heat evenly in your floor and has the ability to withstand minor incidents in the floor. Foils are versatile because they are designed for effective use under fixed-size panels or carpet, cork, hardwood, and laminate floors among others.
Loose Cable
Loose cable electric heating systems are ideal for heating irregular shaped and small floors. This system will provide you the type of heating you want for your house without necessarily raising your floor levels. You will find it most suitable for your home if you have tiled, stone, carpet, ceramic, wood, or vinyl floors.
In-Slab Heating Cables
If you have multiple floor finishes in different rooms, you may find this type of heating system very suitable. This is because the heating cables offer easy installation in floors of any size. In addition, in-slab heating cables are ideal for providing heat in thicker floor finishes like flagstones.
Heating Mats
Heating mats are another excellent electric heating option that you can find efficient for your home. This system involves radiant heating cables that are attached to tough fiberglass meshes that form the mat. The mat is then rolled out before your flooring is laid and connected to a thermostat. The tough fiberglass mesh makes heating mat systems durable. In addition, heating mats will cover large areas.
Insulation Boards
Insulation boards will work well when used together with the in floor heating system because they act as thermal barriers for your heated floors. They reflect most of the radiant heat upwards to prevent it from being absorbed by your subfloor. This reflection reduces the heat up time for your floor.
