Efficiency Made Very Easy

December 15, 2008 00:12 AM  BY  STACEY BARRUS

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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Radiant Heaters Offer Reliability and Comfort Year Round

December 24, 2008 00:12 AM  BY  STACEY BARRUS

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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Hunting for a Heating Solution?

December 18, 2008 00:12 AM  BY  STACEY BARRUS

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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Radiant Heaters Provide Optimal Heating Solutions for Small Spaces

December 23, 2008 00:12 AM  BY  STACEY BARRUS

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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Too Many Choices for Home Heating Systems

November 14, 2008 00:11 AM  BY  STACEY BARRUS

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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Radiant Heaters Add Value and Efficiency to Homes

December 23, 2008 00:12 AM  BY  STACEY BARRUS

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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Added Value with Radiant Heaters

December 11, 2008 00:12 AM  BY  STACEY BARRUS

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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Consider This Before Buying a New Home Heating System

December 14, 2008 00:12 AM  BY  STACEY BARRUS

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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Warranties Are Not Created Equal

December 29, 2008 00:12 AM  BY  ROBERT COHEN

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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Bring the "Fancy" to Your Own Home

December 12, 2008 00:12 AM  BY  STACEY BARRUS

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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