Greater Seattle and Eastside Cities Radiant Floor Heating Installation

Cardinal Heating & Air prides itself on delivering the most comfortable home environmental systems but what does it mean to be comfortable? When we ask this question of our clients the normal response is “we want the indoor environment to be the right temperature when we are in the space without having to think about it.” That makes sense. Comfort is “Just Right” without having to do anything or notice anything. At Cardinal Heating & Air we have a unique ability to provide this with the combination of Radiant Floor Heating and Air Conditioning systems.

Radiant Floor heating systems have become very popular over the last decade in modern homes. It provides warm floors to keep us warm where we live and allows our body to react to the indoor environment the way it is most natural. This type of system while popular now has been around for thousands of years. However the ability to provide an indoor setting that creates that “Just right” feel requires several different skillsets that very few companies’ in this area can provide. Technologies have changed over the last two decades and it takes constant training and education to stay on the leading edge of advancements in the industry. With Licensed Plumbers, Electricians, and Sheet metal mechanics on staff we have all the skills to provide that “just right” feeling in your home.

What is Radiant Floor Heating?

You might think of a home heating system as a utility (usually a heat pump, boiler, or furnace) that warms the air to comfortable levels, and then that air gets transported throughout the home in order to change the room temperature of the home to acceptable levels – this is true with most standard heating systems. Radiant floor heating is different than traditional heating systems in a few ways, however.

The biggest difference in radiant floor heating is that the system uses water as the element of delivery for the warmth it creates.

Why water? Air itself is not a very good insulator, which is why we use air conditioners and heaters to “condition” the air in our homes to be more comfortable. The element water is actually a much better insulator than air – think of using hot water bags to warm yourself. Radiant heat systems take advantage of water’s insulation properties by warming a batch of water through the use of a boiler, geothermal heat pump, or even a solar water heater, and then that warmed water gets pumped through the floors of your home warming the ground beneath your feet. As heat rises, it more effectively warms the air in the home from the ground up. This is an effective and efficient way of keeping your floors warm, and the indoor air temperature a comfortable level.

Home Zoning with Radiant Floor Heating

Zoning is the practice of heating your home in a series of zones, or areas that have been selected for their usage and patterns; for instance you can zone your home into sleeping areas and living areas and have the heating settings customized for when and how you use those areas of your home. The same can be achieved with radiant floor heating.

Should I Choose Forced Air Heat or Radiant Floor Heating?

While the choice is completely up to the preference of the homeowner, radiant floor heating has some very strong benefits. Simply looking at the visualization of how heat travels through a room or space will tell you a lot about how inaccurate and chaotic the air flow is with a forced air system, and how evenly the heat dispersal is with a radiant floor heating option.