Radiant Heat is Super Comfortable Knowing just a few basic principles of heat can help you make an informed decision when choosing the most comfortable, energy efficient heating system for your client’s home, office, or building. Radiant heat functions by a principle of physics called thermal radiation, a form of heat transfer generated by electromagnetic waves. It is due to thermal radiation that we feel the sensation of heat on our skin when standing outside on a hot summer day. Radiant heat operates under the same principle. It works by warming people and objects in a room from the ground up, rather than blowing hot air like forced-air systems. With radiant heat, one feels true thermal comfort.

Radiant heat excels at eliminating cold spots. With traditional forced air systems, heat is distributed unevenly throughout the room, even with the thermometer set to 70 degrees. Like walking from direct sunlight into shade, although the air temperature remains the same, our perception of comfort varies significantly. This change in sensation is due to heat loss. Radiant heat loss is a term used to describe the transfer of heat from a warm body to a cooler object. In fact, almost half of our body’s total heat output is released by radiation. When we are in proximity of objects cooler than ourselves, our bodies radiate heat towards those objects to warm it. This forces our bodies to work harder in an attempt to equalize the heat between us and the environment. Let’s say you live in a cold climate and have a home office with your back towards a North-facing window. That large, cold window will have a much greater influence on your perception of comfort than any other surface in the room, regardless of the air temperature.

Radiant floor heating warms the objects for us, so our bodies don’t have to, and cold spots are eliminated because each object is heated at the same time. Radiant heat eliminates cold spots, drafts, and uneven heat distribution common in traditional forced-air systems. Another example of heat loss is through airflow. We experience “wind chill” whenever air flows past us at a temperature lower than our bodies. Although wind chill is usually thought of as an outdoor phenomenon, it can also occur inside. The faster the airflow, the colder you feel, even though the temperature hasn’t changed. The word “draft” is used to describe this (usually undesirable) effect during the heating
season. To maintain comfort, heating systems must avoid creating noticeable drafts. Another benefit of radiant floor heating is just that…it keeps your feet from getting cold. From toddlers playing on the ground to octogenarians with poor circulation, everyone appreciates the way radiant floors keeps your feet warm. As an added bonus, dogs and cats love heated floors too!

Radiant Heat is Less Intrusive. There are many reasons to employ radiant floor heating in your custom home design. The first reason is from a design perspective – since it cannot be seen, radiant floor heating permits a wider variety of aesthetic home design options. Radiant heat gives homeowners the freedom to enjoy their entire room without the use of unsightly wall terminals, return air locations, radiators, grills, or large ductless HVAC units. With radiant heat, your clients can showcase a statement art piece; achieve a modern, minimalist aesthetic; utilize floor-to-ceiling bookcases or wall units, and much more.

Radiant Floor Heat is Silent Decerning custom home designers are addressing sound pollution from outside and inside the home, so people can hear only what they want. A radiant system uses super quiet, small circulators, not fans, making radiant systems inherently more quiet. Good location of the mechanical system and the use of quiet heat sources seal the deal!

Radiant Heat Can Solve Space Problems

• Ducts: Forced air ducts have long been the bane of home designers forcing often unfortunate esthetic design compromises
• Air-to-Air Heat Pump Terminal Units: Many designers wish to avoid the boxy wall heat pump terminal units and go to ducted heat pump systems. Back to ducts.
• Tall Ceilings: We’re all familiar with the large, vaulted spaces favored in custom homes and modern log and timber cabins. As beautiful as these homes are, when it comes to heating they can be very inefficient. Hot air rises and fills the top of these tall rooms first, wasting energy and creating drafts; not too comfortable or efficient. As hot air from forced air systems enters the room, it immediately begins rising upwards. After reaching the ceiling, it falls back down again, losing much of its heat in the process. Air near the floor is noticeably colder – 20 degrees or more – than the air five or six feet above the ground. The uneven heat distribution of forced air systems creates multiple hot and cold spots throughout the home.