Heated Floors – The Complete Guide
Have you ever stayed in a hotel that had heated floors in the bathroom? Or perhaps you have a friend or family member that has heated flooring in their home? This luxurious feel of a heated floor isn’t only for the five-star hotels or spa breaks – it’s also attainable for your own home! No matter whether you’re currently designing a new home or simply renovating your current home, heated floors can offer a wide range of comfort and other advantages.
Within this article we will delve into the world of heated floors and explore the various options available, plus their advantages and disadvantages! From electric to water solutions, we hope that this article will help you to understand the different options available and which may be best for you.
Are you ready? Let’s explore everything you need to know about Heated Floors!
What Are Heated Floors?
Heated floors are a modern heating system. It involves installing heating elements beneath the floor surface to radiate warmth through the flooring that is spread evenly throughout the space.
Traditional heating systems push hot air into a space from a mid to high level, whereas heated floors provide heat from the ground up which is a more comfortable experience.
Different Types of Heated Floors
There are two main types of heated floors: electric and wet.
Electric heated floors have a heating element installed underneath flooring that generates warmth. This is usually done by using heating cables or heating mats. Cables are installed in a predetermined pattern to ensure even heat distribution, while the mats are pre-assembled sheets that have embedded heating cables within them.
Heating cables are typically suitable for tile, LVP/LVT, or carpet, while the heating mats are compatible with tile, stone, or engineered wood flooring. It’s really important that you choose flooring that is suitable for the heated floor system you choose. If in doubt, always contact the supplier before ordering any new flooring.
Wet heated floors on the other hand rely on pipes that have heated water running through them to provide the warmth underneath the floor. They do require a boiler or heat pump for this. The pipes are embedded into the screed or concrete layer beneath the floor.
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Advantages to Heated Floors
Generally speaking there are a lot of advantages to heated floors!
Heated floors provide consistent heat distribution, are energy efficient, and can last anywhere between 25 and 50 years! They are an extremely popular choice for modern and contemporary homes as they remove the need for radiators and therefore create a sleek look.
They can also be installed beneath a wide variety of different flooring types, such as carpet, tile, stone, and engineered wood flooring!
One advantage to heated floors that doesn’t get spoken about enough is that it’s a great source of heat for those that suffer from allergies. As there are no vents required for heated floor systems, there’s far less allergens getting pumped through the air which is beneficial for busy families or those that suffer with allergies.
Disadvantages to Heated Floors
While there are lots of advantages to installing heated floors, there are some disadvantages that should be considered carefully too.
Firstly, the installation costs are high. You can expect to pay anything from $6 to $20 per square foot for a floor heating system. This may vary by location, system required, and size of the space. Therefore, for a 2,300 sqf home you could pay $14K – $48K to heat the entire house.
Heated floors can also take longer to warm up compared to radiators but they provide a more evenly distributed heat to a space. If you live in a particularly cold state you may want to examine additional options for heating the house.
When choosing flooring finishes for your home, you will need to ensure whatever you choose is suitable for use with heated floors.
Similarly to having radiators in your home, it is recommended to flush your heated floors every year and get the system serviced to ensure everything is working correctly.
Conclusion
Ultimately, having heated floors installed (to either a new or existing home) is an investment. The high installation costs can be off putting for some, but one that is worthwhile for a clean and sleek look to the entire home, and an even distribution of heat in each space.
Make sure to obtain multiple quotes for installation, and that any flooring you choose is suitable for the heated floor system you have installed.