The Pros and Cons of Heated Flooring

Contrary to popular belief, heated floors are not a new invention. They go all the way back to Ancient Rome when many floors in upper class buildings and structures were made with marble. The floors were designed to be elevated off the floor so that slaves could fan wood-burning fires underneath to heat them up. Today, heated flooring is made with the thought that heat can be radiated through the floor to heat the house instead of through the air as it usually is. While this method seems effective, it can have its drawbacks like any other product. Here are the pros and cons of heated flooring.

PROS

Even Heating System

Radiant heating flooring is the most common type of heated flooring. It uses electricity to heat the floor from underneath. Instead of slowly warming a room through the air, a radiant heating system will directly heat the people and objects of the room. Just like an air-conditioning unit, heated flooring uses a thermostat to control the temperature, which can go up as high as 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Even if the air of the room is colder and would usually make a person feel chilly, radiant flooring uses heat radiation to heat a room, so a person would be feeling quite warm no matter what. The heat is always dispersed evenly, unlike a normal heating system that spreads heat through air vents, creating pockets of warm and cold air.

No Noise or Air Disturbances

In my home, the air intake vent is situated in the corner of the living room. Everytime the air kicks on and starts cycling air through vents, the room becomes too loud and annoying to spend time in. When people are outside and it is quiet, the air inside the house will come on and the outside unit will also come on to help cycle clean air throughout the house. If a radiant heated floor was installed throughout the floors of my home, we would never have any issues with loud and annoying air conditioning noises at all hours of the day. Radiant heating systems are known for being completely silent.

Saving Energy

When heat is produced through the air, much of the actual heat is lost to its surroundings and is never used to heat the room. When heat is produced through a heated flooring system, it goes straight into the object being heated and much less heat is lost in the process. On average, a flooring heating system is about 25% more efficient than a HVAC system. 

Floor heating systems disperse heat much faster than other methods as well, so they don’t have to be run for so long, while also allowing people to set different rooms at different temperatures.

CONS

Installation

Heated flooring systems are kept underneath the floor, which means that during installation the floor has to be ripped up before laying the heated floor. Many people decide to switch to heated flooring during complete house renovations just because of this fact. The old floor cannot be put back on top of the new heating system because it will be ripped up and old. People must not only invest in the heating system, but also in a new set of floors.

Cost

Although radiant flooring saves energy, it can be much more costly than normal HVAC systems. The cost of the flooring alone can range anywhere from $10 to $20 a square foot, which is why many people decide to only put heated floors in smaller spaces like bathrooms and hallways. When thinking about getting heated floors, you should also investigate the cost of electricity in your area. If the cost is high, then your bill will go up after the installation because radiant heated flooring uses a lot of electricity to heat.

Too Slow

In some situations, heated floors may be slower than HVAC to heat up an entire area. Even if the heat is spread evenly, it will spread much slower. In more extreme weather scenarios, people may be forced to turn on the air to get the house warm enough, making themselves pay the price of two different heating systems at the same time. Because the heating system is under the floor, it is a bigger ordeal to get it repaired, so if the heating system does break, people will most likely turn to HVAC anyway for the time being.

Even with all the innovations and advantages that heated flooring has, no product is without its drawbacks. If you are looking for a certified and licensed flooring contractor in Foley, Alabama, or the surrounding area then contact W&W Flooring and Design. We provide a wide range of flooring services including flooring installation, flooring repair, and complete flooring replacement. Call us today at 251-9705244 or visit www.wandwflooring.com. Be sure to connect with us on Facebook and follow @W&WFlooring on Twitter!