So guys, you’re feeling pretty good about your Christmas shopping choices aren’t you? After all, your wife seems to wear those big fuzzy slippers a lot when she gets out of bed in the morning and while relaxing in the evening.
We don’t want to burst your bubble, but is it possible she’s tired of having cold feet all the time and would rather ditch the slippers around the house? Merts Heating & Air Conditioning wants you to think about ending her cold feet issues forever with a radiant floor heating system. It might be the most luxurious addition you ever make to your home.
In years past, radiant systems circulated hot water through radiators in each room. Nowadays in-floor heating is the most common form of hydronic heat. A system of pipes installed under the floor carries warm water. The “heater” is most often a high-efficiency water boiler. The warm water doesn’t heat the air directly. Instead, the warmth radiates up from the floor warming other objects and transferring the heat to the air. It’s just like the sunshine streaming through a window. It doesn’t heat the air directly but warms everything in the room.
Radiant heat comes with many advantages:
- No blowing air carrying dirt, dust and allergens
- Different rooms can be set to different temperatures
- Less noise than the fans and blowers of a forced air system
Because radiant heat doesn’t need ductwork, it is ideal in new construction or major remodels. It’s also why radiant is generally more efficient than forced air heating. There’s no heat loss as the conditioned air moves through the ducts. All of those are good reasons to consider radiant floor heating, but for some, the most important advantage is the feeling of luxury. The floor under your bare feet is always warm, no matter how cold it is outside.
For those lucky people who already have some form of radiant heat, here’s a question: How old is your boiler? If it’s 10 years old or older, chances are it’s very inefficient compared to new models. In those situations, Merts urges you to consider a boiler replacement because it could save you money every month.
Don’t ignore maintenance on your existing radiant system. It’s easy to let it slide because the system works so quietly, you forget it’s even there. A boiler does require regular maintenance for safe operation, and water treatments are necessary to prevent corrosion and leaks.
Here’s the bottom line guys, we’re not saying she doesn’t like the slippers you bought her. They are cute, really. But it’s not quite the same as the luxury of having a warm floor when the wind and snow are whipping across the plains and battering your house. And hey, after you add the luxury of radiant floor heating, you can already start making plans to buy her something really nice for your next Christmas. You know, something sparkly to make her forget about the slippers. To learn more, call Merts Heating & Air Conditioning serving Chicagoland and Northern Indiana.