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Methods of Heating Radiant Floors: Water and Electricity

The two most common methods of delivering radiant floor heat are:

Electrically, through heated cables, mesh, preformed mats or elements embedded in plastic films
Hydronically, through tubing that circulates water heated by a boiler or water heater

Your choice will often depend on the energy costs in your area and the size of the project. Electric systems tend to be less expensive upfront than hydronic systems, according to the Radiant Panel Association, because they are simpler in construction. If you live in an area where electricity is more affordable than other power options, electric could be the way to go. Most systems operate on 120 or 240 volts and require a separate circuit breaker. However, low-voltage systems are available that can operate on as little as 24 volts, using a transformer to reduce the line voltage, according to RPA (see Radiant Heating with Electricity). Some electric radiant systems are intended only for warming floors in specific rooms; others are designed for use as whole-house primary heating.

With hydronic systems, you have more flexibility in choosing a power source. The boiler that heats the water can be powered by electricity and almost any fuel (including natural gas, propane, oil and wood). You can also use environmentally friendly alternative heat sources that don't consume fossil fuels, such as a geothermal heat pump or solar energy. However, you don't always have to buy a separate boiler. You can save money and use the same water heater you use for hot water and get double duty out of it. New high-efficiency water heaters are available that are powerful enough to provide both space heat and domestic hot water.

PEX Tubing vs. Metal Pipe:

Heating concrete floors hydronically isn't a new technology. In the 1930s, architect Frank Lloyd Wright piped hot water through the concrete floors of many of his structures. Thousands of tract homes built at Levittown on Long Island and in the San Francisco Bay area during the 1950s also used a system that circulated heated water through steel or copper pipes embedded in concrete slab-on-grade floors. Unfortunately, many of these older systems failed, because the metal pipes reacted chemically with the concrete and eventually corroded and leaked.

ConcreteNetwork.com
Hydronic Tubing

Today, most hydronic systems circulate the water through PEX tubing—a tough, flexible plastic made of cross-linked polyethylene. PEX has properties that make it ideal for radiant floor heating and plumbing applications. Unlike copper pipe, PEX is flexible and can easily be laid in serpentine loops and bent around corners and obstacles. It also resists corrosion and scale buildup, eliminates hammering noise, muffles the sound of rushing water, and ensures tight seals without the need for soldering. (Read what the NAHB Research Center says about the advantages of PEX).

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