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RADIANT HEAT
A Better Alternative
Forced-air
heating systems were developed at a time when energy was
cheap and there were relative few alternatives to the
"same old same old". As such, builders have
continued to use forced-air furnaces because they
relatively inexpensive to purchase and install, and are
accepted practice. However, technological
breakthroughs in hydronic radiant heating systems, such
as pre-assembled control panels, modern boilers,
commercially available thermal masses, and best practice
installation methods (EasyFloor) have significantly
reduced the cost premium for installing radiant heat
systems. PEX tubing, especially the aluminum
composite PEX used in EasyFloor, has virtually
eliminated leakage problems in earlier radiant
systems. Accordingly, when coupled with the many
advantages
of hydronic radiant heat, astute builders and informed
consumers are increasingly demanding hydronic radiant heat -
the better alternative.
Don't be fooled by a "92% efficiency" rating on a forced-air
furnace. Radiant heat systems can be as much as 30-40% more
efficient than forced-air systems. Why the difference?
Because a radiant heat system is intrinsically a more
effective method to distribute the heat. Forced-air systems
can efficiently heat the air, but they lose efficiency when
you factor in distributing it throughout the house. Much of
the energy is trapped in the air higher up in the room.
Radiant heat gently warms the solid objects in the room and
then the air as it comes in contact with the
radiantly-warmed objects.
Forced-air furnaces have been used long before central air
conditional became popular. Adding an air conditioner to an
existing furnace was a simple way of bringing air
conditioning into a home. It was not the most efficient.
In fact, quite the opposite, because warm air rises and
cold air falls, the most efficient way to heat and cool a
home is to heat from the bottom up, and cool from the top
down. Modern radiant heat systems, combined with
attic-mounted air conditioning systems do just that.
The huge difference in efficiency and comfort between
heating and cooling a home with forced air and modern
radiant heat systems. With energy costs expected to rise
dramatically over the next five years, and increased
emphasis on healthy living and work environments, hydronic
radiant heat systems are clearly your best investment.
Radiant Heat Systems Deliver A Higher Quality of Living
- Even
Warmth
Radiant heat gently and evenly warms the
surfaces of objects in the room (the floor, the kids,
cat and carpet). The air in the room is warmed when it
comes into contract with the radiantly-warmed objects
(the largest being the floor). Heat loss from
occupants is reduced. In addition, with less air
temperature stratification, the higher temperature
near the floor keeps feet warm, while the slightly
lower temperature towards the ceiling provides greater
comfort at head level.
- Energy Efficient
The heat energy from hydronic
radiant heat remains in the lower portion of the room -
where most of us live. In addition, water is a
more efficient conductor of energy. Unlike
forced-air systems, rooms are not pressurized so
air/heat leakage is reduced. By conservative
estimates, energy savings are from 20% to 30%. Some
projects have shown savings as high as 50% over
traditional heating technologies.
- Even, precise temperature
Radiant homes typically
feature multiple heat zones specifically tailored to
the space usage requirements. With no dry,
hot-air drafts to cause fluctuations in humidity and
temperature, the system are designed to deliver
precise heat. And there are no restrictions on
room design, decoration or furniture placement.
- No Emitters.
No unsightly heat emitters, such as
radiators or air vents detract from the room
aesthetics or placement of furniture.
-
Quiet
A properly designed
and installed radiant system generates no noise from
the gently flowing water circulating through the
floor. The only sound made is from the operation
of the burner in the boiler.
-
Clean
and Health
In contrast to forced-air systems,
no dust, odors, germs or allergens are distributed
throughout the building. Because only 5% of the heat
transfer is by convection, room air circulation is
extremely gentle. Allergy sufferers find radiant
buildings a far better living environment.
-
Long-term
durability
Corrosion, impact, crush and pressure resistant, the Kitec® XPA™ composite tubing used
in EasyFloor radiant heating systems is a major
advance in improving the durability of radiant
heat.
EasyFloor Is The Best Radiant Heat Solution
The innovations of the EasyFloor System provide you with the
all benefits of a radiant heat system while eliminating the
shortcomings of other radiant heat solutions.
- EasyFloor is an extremely efficient
radiant heat system that will maximize your energy savings.
- EasyFloor is perhaps the only system
with an effective radiant barrier. Find out why a radiant
barrier is so important on our EasyFloor (hotlink) page.
- EasyFloor has the right amount of
thermal mass. See the EasyFloor page for more details.
- The EasyFloor system is designed to
be quiet. It does not have the pops and squeaks from the
expansion and contraction of the tubing that some systems
have.
- EasyFloor is the easiest system to
install and maintain. Its modular design makes
installation a snap. You should never have to fix a leak
in the tubing of an EasyFloor system, but if it ever
happens, you can easily get to the problem and fix it.
- EasyFloor is light weight so you can
use it on upper floors with no need for structural
enhancements to your home.
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