radiant ceilling heating aprox37 years old

sylviane seguin

I'm interrested in buying a duplex with radiant ceilling heat.1st how does it work? is it cold? if it breaks how do I fix it? I was told there is no water it's a coil system like a stove??? the main floor has ceilling heat and the basement has ceiling heat too but it happens to be in the main floor floors.. would I feel it throught the floors too? or is it completly seperate??? Last question it's all electricity is that very expensive compared to forced air gas? we are talking aprox 3000 sq feet.

Thank you
Sylviane

Brad White

When you said

ceiling radiant, I thought "electric".

The operating cost all depends on your local rate. In many parts of the country it is two to three times the rate of fossil fuel heating. It used to be an easy 3-times but recent hikes in gas and oil has narrowed that, while electricity itself has moved up as well..

Electric radiant is no different in input to output as any electric heat be it baseboard or oil-filled portable heaters. Radiant is probably more comfortable.

I have come across electric radiant ceilings in townhouses here in Boston and it was universally disliked and new systems were installed.

It may well have been that it was installed during an incentive program back then when electric heat was being promoted. Often there is a separate "heating" meter which allowed a more favorable rate. Good luck getting that today.