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December 15, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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Who isn’t a fan of saving energy,
especially if it’s easy? More than ever
before, homebuilders, househunters, and home renovators
alike are looking for energy-efficient heating
options for houses.We say they need look no
further than radiant
heaters for their ideal home heating solution.
Learn what many others are
learning every day: radiant
heaters are the most efficient form of heat
available in today’s market.
Significantly less operating time is required to attain
and maintain the desired warmth compared to
furnaces and other, traditional methods of
heating, which keeps operational costs to a minimum.
High efficiency boilers or
electric radiant floor systems makes radiant
heat one of your most efficient ways to heat your
home. Combined with a well-insulated home these
systems can quickly warm your home and then shut
down or wait idle for long periods of time before being
called upon by the thermostat to operate.
Radiant Heaters Tip:
It might take a little effort, but being
more environmentally friendly doesn’t have to
involve major renovations. Many people waste a lot of
energy by not sealing cracks, doors and windows.
Checking to make sure a home’s insulation
is in good shape and replacing it if it’s not is
another good surefire way to stop, prevent, and
reverse energy waste.
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December 24, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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You may not know that radiant
heaters for your home or business come in a variety
of forms – all efficient and providing
reliable, cozy warmth. Today we’re going to
discuss one form of radiant heaters: hydronic floor
heating.
Quite a name, isn’t it?
Hydronic floor heating is the oldest and most
popular type of radiant floor heating. These systems are
comprised of a boiler or hot water heater,
pumps, manifolds, PEX tubing, thermostat, and
either gypcrete (a concrete-like material) or wood
panels. Hydronic heating is the most complex of
all radiant
heat systems. These systems require trained
professionals to design and perform the
installation. Your best economies of scale are achieved
for hydronic systems in large areas or entire homes
because of their expensive components and
operational costs. Hydronic systems can be
installed under any type of flooring. Most hydronic
systems require hot water tubing to be installed
in a 2-4″ bed of light concrete and are
best installed during the initial construction because
of its weight load demands and adjustments to
floor height.
For heating smaller areas such
as a bathroom or kitchen, a hydronic floor
heating system may not be the best value for your
project. The complexity and cost of installing
the system, along with the long-term maintenance
and up-keep required, might not be worth the small
amount you will save in operational costs.
Radiant Heaters Tip: Many recent
developments have made hydronic systems more
convenient and possible radiant
heater solutions for major home remodeling projects.
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December 18, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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Quite simply put, radiant
heaters are the most efficient form of heat
available in today’s market.
Significantly less operating time is required to attain
and maintain the desired warmth compared to
furnaces and other, traditional methods of
heating, which keeps operational costs to a minimum.
High efficiency boilers or
electric radiant floor systems makes radiant
heat one of your most efficient ways to heat your
home. Combined with a well-insulated home these
systems can quickly warm your home and then shut
down or wait idle for long periods of time before being
called upon by the thermostat to operate.
More than ever before, homebuilders,
househunters, and home renovators alike are
looking for energy-efficient heating options for houses.
We say they need look no further than radiant
heaters for their ideal home heating solution.
Radiant Heaters Tip: It might take a
little effort, but being more environmentally
friendly doesn’t have to involve major
renovations. Many people waste a lot of energy by not
sealing cracks, doors and windows. Checking to
make sure a home’s insulation is in good
shape and replacing it if it’s not is another
good surefire way to stop, prevent, and reverse
energy waste.
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December 23, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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For homeowners or
renovators, it’s worth taking a look at several kinds
of radiant heaters for residences or
businesses. Today we’ll discuss the electric
cable heating system kind of radiant heaters.
Electric cable heating systems, often called
line- or high-voltage systems, are gaining popularity
and are ideal for heating smaller areas like
bathrooms, kitchens, and sun rooms. These systems are
comprised of a thermostat and a heating cable. On some
radiant
heater systems, the cable will be shipped to
you as a large spool of cable. These systems are
oftentimes less expensive, and give you the ability to
space the cable how you want and customize a layout that
will heat every square inch of your floor. Other
systems have the cable attached to a plastic mesh or
tape to create a mat to maintain its proper spacing.
Every available radiant heater cable system is
equally effective, so when determining which system to
purchase, you should look at the warranty of the
product, along with the ease of installation. Some cables
must be embedded in a separate layer of concrete or
mortar, whereas other systems can simply be installed
in the thinset.
Most cable systems can only be installed under
tile; on others, if the cable is embedded in mortar or
concrete, any flooring can be installed on top of the concrete.
Radiant Heaters
Tip: When heating smaller areas with a radiant
heater, it is nearly impossible to beat the simplicity
and price of an electric cable heating system.
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November 14, 2008 00:11 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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If you’ve
been researching home
heating systems, chances are your head is
spinning right about now. It’s no wonder!
The number of types of radiant heaters available for
residences or businesses could make anyone dizzy in no time
at all. There’s really a lot of selection for
homeowners to choose from. Today we’ll discuss
the electric cable heating system kind of radiant
heaters. Electric cable heating systems are gaining
popularity in as radiant heaters and are ideal for
heating smaller areas (10-300 square feet) like
bathrooms, kitchens, and sun rooms. These systems are
comprised of a thermostat and a heating cable. On some
systems, the cable is be shipped as a large spool of
cable. These systems are oftentimes less expensive,
and give you the ability to space the cable how you want
and customize a layout that will heat every square inch of
your floor. Other systems have the cable attached to a
plastic mesh or tape to create a mat to maintain its
proper spacing.
Every available cable system is equally
effective, so when determining which radiant heater
system to purchase, you should look at the warranty of
the product, along with the ease of installation. Some
cables must be embedded in a separate layer of
concrete or mortar, whereas other systems can simply
be installed in the thinset.
Radiant Heaters Tip: When heating smaller
areas with a radiant heater, it is next to impossible
to beat the simplicity and price of an electric cable
heating system.
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December 23, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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Even though
it’s now Springtime (and forecasted high energy
bills), homebuilders, househunters, and home
renovators alike are looking for energy-efficient
heating options for houses. In fact, as builders
and homeowners look for new ways to add value to homes
in a weak housing market, they often look for upgrades
that will add value and efficiency to their homes,
which will help them sell. We say they need look no
further than radiant heaters for their ideal home
heating solution.
In a nutshell, radiant
heaters are the most efficient form of heat available in
today’s market. Significantly less operating
time is required to attain and maintain the desired
warmth compared to furnaces and other, traditional
methods of heating, which keeps operational costs to a minimum.
High efficiency boilers or electric radiant
floor systems makes radiant heat one of your most
efficient ways to heat your home. Combined with a
well-insulated home, these radiant heater systems can
quickly warm your home and then shut down or wait idle
for long periods of time before being called upon by
the thermostat to operate.
Radiant Heaters
Tip: Being more environmentally friendly
doesn’t have to involve major renovations. Many
people waste a lot of energy by not sealing cracks, doors
and windows. Checking to make sure a home’s
insulation is in good shape and replacing it if
it’s not is another good surefire way to stop,
prevent, and reverse energy waste.
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December 11, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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In today’s housing market, it’s
not a bad idea to add value to your home in new
and innovative ways.For example, don’t
just think about renovating a bathroom, consider
using radiant
heaters to warm towel racks in the bathroom, or a
heated floor.Can you think of anything
cozier on a chilly winter morning than toasty
toes when you step out of the shower?
Not only is radiant heating is
one of the most comfortable ways to heat your
home, but radiant heaters also offer a surprisingly wide
diversity of applications. Radiant
heaters can be used in a number of applications,
including in tiled areas, hardwood flooring,
carpeted areas, cement floors, basements, and
garages. You see, radiant
heaters are a type of heater that warms objects
instead of air. Radiant heat uses objects, such
as the floor, to heat a home. The air in the
room is warmed when it comes into contact with the
warmed objects. 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.
Radiant Heaters Tip:
whether you’re building a new home or
updating your current home, you owe it to yourself to
check out the comfort that radiant heat has to offer.
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December 14, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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If you’re
in the market for a new home heating solution, you may be
wondering what kinds of home heating choices are there? A
majority of homeowners are probably most familiar with
forced air unit heaters and might not realize that
there are other options for heating a home – other
options that are more efficient and even more comfortable.
One such option are radiant
heaters, which, as opposed to warm air systems, delivers
the source of heat to the floor level, not the ceiling.
Radiant
heaters or radiant energy is the oldest form of heating
used to provide comfort and is the basis for all
heating systems. Radiant energy is totally pure
radiation and is absorbed by an object without physical
contact with the heat source or by heating the surrounding
air, as is the case with convective, forced air
systems. Believe it or not, under-the-floor heaters
were first used by the Romans. While under floor
heating was initially reserved for the rich, it eventually
became increasingly commonplace in public buildings
and villas. This form of radiant heating was used
particularly in the colder regions of the Roman
Empire. The Roman system was based on hypocausts, comprising
ducts that underlay the floor (itself built on raised
brick piles) and flues that were built into walls. Hot
air or steam from fires circulated up through this
system, warming the floor and walls, with heat passing into
the rooms. Radiant Heaters Tip: Health
experts agree that radiant heaters can help in
eliminating dust mites that live in our homes, and since
dust mites love a warm moist environment, towel
heaters aid in maintaining a consistent room
temperature and keep it moisture free.
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December 29, 2008 00:12 AM  BY ROBERT COHEN
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The Mystery
Warranty
How much
do you really know about the warranties offered
by manufacturers? Sure it may say “25 Year
Warranty” on the package, but what exactly does that
mean? Most manufacturers of radiant heating systems
offer a warranty, but a 25 year warranty isn’t
always better than a 10 year warranty and this is why:
I chose the
Danfoss GX electric radiant heat cables to build an asphalt
heated driveway at my residence. The heat of the asphalt
combined with heavy weight, caused me to wonder how
the GX cables were going to hold up, and what would
happen if a problem occurred. I was pleased to
discover that Danfoss products have a 10 year warranty, that
covers up to 5 times the cost of original
installation. Why is this exciting? Because the
failure of a radiant heating system isn’t like a
vacuum cleaner breaking down, you can’t throw
it in your car and bring it back to the store for a
refund. Fixing a severed cable requires tearing up the
surface of the driveway – or in the case of indoor
radiant heating, tearing up your brand new tiles or
wood flooring. The process of tearing up a floor or
driveway is time consuming and costly, not to mention
annoying. Many manufacturers will replace the bad product,
but you still have to pay out of your own pocket to
tear up the floor and hire someone to fix the problem.
Danfoss is so
sure that you won’t have any problems, their warranty
is the best offered by radiant heat manufacturers. Not
only do you get brand new Danfoss product, but they
will cover the cost of floor removal, and
reinstallation (up to 5 times the cost of the original
installation). So when you install your radiant floor
or driveway, you can rest easy knowing that unexpected
problems are already covered.
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December 12, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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If you’ve ever stayed in a fancy hotel
and felt the warm tile beneath your feet
you’ve probably wondered how they heat the
tile.Well, it’s actually pretty simple
using radiant
heaters. Radiant heaters are economical, and easy to
install.This is how they work.
When a radiant heat system is
switched on, energy is forced through a
conductive material to create resistance or heat.
Majority of the time an electronic line-voltage
system is used. This system uses a special
thermostat that has an integrated GFCI breaker for
safety.
Dry radiant floor systems
allow even heating throughout the entire floor.
The heat radiates from the floor and warms objects near
the floor as opposed to forced hot air that
tends to rise to the ceiling. Radiant
heaters heat while reducing dust, draft, and noise
problems associated with forced air systems.
They can be more aesthetically pleasing than
other forms of heating because there are no heat
registers or radiators to obstruct interior designs.
Manufacturers claim radiant floor heating saves
20 to 40 percent on monthly heating bills as
compared to the other heating appliances.
Mostly the radiant heat panels are attracted to the sub
floor using approximately 10 screws per panel.
Manufacturer recommendations include screwing and
fastening adhesive when installing the panel. An
electrometric bonding material is placed in the grooves
prior to tube installation. The tube is pressed into
the groove flush with the surface of the panel. Though
the installation does not take much time, you may want
to consult the professionals at warmzone.com if
you’re considering installing your own radiant
heating system.
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