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According to Energy Star, over 50% of many household's energy bills go to heating and cooling. This means that any changes you make to your Heating, Cooling, and Ventilation systems to make them more efficient can not only lead to the seamless operation of these systems but more money in your pocket.

Sure, you know about the benefits of having your HVAC system. You may also understand how making sure your air conditioning system is working as it should, ensuring your furnace is high energy and that your home is not losing heat through your windows, may be great. But do you know there is something else you could do that could potentially lower your energy needs significantly? Or at least lead to a smaller bill. We are talking about shifting from using furnaces and heating tools to underfloor heating.

What is underfloor heating?

Underfloor heating, sometimes referred to as radiant floor heating, refers to heat distribution in your home through the floors, either through electric or water-based systems. Geothermal underfloor heating refers to heating the floor of your home through pipes carrying hot water laid beneath the floor. In the case of geothermal underfloor heating, the water in the pipes is kept hot by heat from a geothermal source.

What are the benefits of switching to geothermal underfloor heating?

Some of the benefits of underfloor heating include.

a. Effortless to use

Once the system has been set up, underfloor heating can work with little to no input on your part. The plumbers will set up the pipes and connect them to a control system you can then use to switch them on and off. Automatic switches can ensure that the system runs automatically, and a thermostat can ensure that the heating only works when needed. Some people chose to set up smart Wi-Fi-controlled systems that allow the heating to turn on, on a fixed schedule.

b. It is a very efficient heating method.

Consider that hot air rises while cold air falls because hot air is less dense than cool air. This scientific fact is why underfloor heating works better than radiators when distributing heat in a room. When a radiator is heating a room, the warm air starts circulating from where it is located to the rest of the room. This means that it may take some time for the room to warm up, and some places may be too hot while other places in the room are still cold.

When you heat the floor, the warm air on the flow rises and is replaced by cold air. Thanks to convectional currents, the hot air will keep rising, and the cold air falling until the entire room is hot. If the heating systems are well distributed on the floor, the room will heat up faster and evenly.

c. Are heated floors more comfortable?

If you have ever accidentally stepped on a cold tile floor during winter, you can undoubtedly appreciate how comfortable underfloor heating can be. Besides making the walking experience around the room more comfortable, underfloor heating makes staying in rooms during winter more comfortable. This is especially true when you compare it to using a radiator which can leave certain cold spots in the room.

d. Save on space

With underfloor heating, you do not have to think about how to organize your room to fit the radiator. This leaves you with more space in your room to do what you want. As an added bonus, you don't have to keep wondering if your radiator is well placed to provide optimum heat to the room.

e. Does underfloor heating save you money?

According to Save on Energy, using wet underfloor systems can save you as much as 30% in heating costs. This is because it requires less energy to run than radiators. If you spend $200 per month on heating costs during winter, with 20% savings, you would be able to save $40 dollars every month effortlessly. You can then redirect that money to other pressing financial costs.

f. What type of floors can benefit from underfloor heating?

One of the best things about radiant floor heating is that it can work on all types of floors. Whether you have carpets, tiles, wooden floors, laminate, stone, or carpet, you too can benefit from underfloor heating in your home.

What are some of the disadvantages of underfloor heating?

Some of the disadvantages of underfloor heating include.

1. Heating a room can take some time- Underfloor heating can take a little longer to heat the room than a radiator. However, if you connect it to an automatic system, you can set it to switch on at specified temperatures or times, so your room starts heating even in your absence.
2. The initial costs can be high- Before the systems are installed, you may have to contend with spending a lot of money. Some of the costs will go into tapping into the geothermal spot, tearing down your floors (if it's not a new house under construction), and laying down the necessary pipes or coils that will heat the room. The good thing is most of these costs are only at the beginning, and the systems can be operational for years to come without needing a lot of upkeep.
3. Initial installation can be messy - This mostly applies to changing your home heating system from a radiator to underfloor heating. You will have to be content with messed-up floors as the heating system is installed.

If you would like to get radiant floor heating for your house, then you have to find a professional company to ensure that the job is done right.

With Comfortec, you can be sure that you will get the professionals you need to get the job done right. No project is too big or small for us. Contact us today for a quote and to learn more about how you can make your home heating, ventilation, and cooling systems more efficient.