FLOOR HEATING SYSTEM: FLOORING MATERIAL EDITION
Floor heating systems are the modern way to heat up your home. The system is installed underneath the flooring. When turned on, it radiates heat and heats up the flooring. Once the flooring is warm, the heat rises up and warms up everything in the room. It is an efficient and effective way to evenly heat up your house. However, it can only do so when the flooring material is a good conductor of heat. If the floor doesn’t get heated up, the room will continue to remain cold. Following are the ways you can install this heating system with different flooring materials.
Hardwood and Laminate Flooring
The radiant heating system can be installed under hardwood and laminate flooring. It works to add the warmth and comfort we associated with wooden flooring. With this flooring, the temperature shouldn’t go above 81 degrees Farenheight. Apart from that the heating system also needs to meet the heating requirement of the room. Before it can be installed, the technician will carry out a heat loss calculation. This will work to increase the heat output. It is imperative to keep in mind that the thickness of wood or laminate should not be above 18mm. If it is, it could impact the heating.
Tile and Stone Flooring
These flooring materials pair perfectly with the heating system. They are easier to maintain and highly durable. You can choose to install either electric or hydronic heating systems with these flooring materials. Most often, people prefer to opt for electric underfloor heating systems with tiled flooring. The mats used for the system can be easily installed in rooms that have an irregular shape or multiple fixtures. The best choice of system is dependent on the shape and size of the area and whether it is a renovation or new construction.
Vinyl Flooring
For the heating system to be installed with this type of flooring, one needs to ensure that the temperature doesn’t go above 81 degrees. For the system to be installed, the technician will carry out a heat loss calculation. This will help to ensure that the room is heating efficiently. The heating system can be installed in both dry and wet rooms. For a dry room installation, an insulated underlay is an ideal choice. Whereas for a wet room, you might want to opt for a sticky mat and a loose wire system. This is because the insulated underlay can expand because of moisture.
Carpet Flooring
A foil heater is installed when carpet flooring is being used. It is a super-thin heater made out of flat aluminium foil. This foil can easily cover a large and regular-shaped area. As it is super-thin, there is no visible raise in the flooring level. When renovating the house, it is a great choice that you should consider. For the heating system to be highly efficient the carpet should not be thicker than 1 inch. There should be no underlay as it could make the heating system less efficient.