Electric Radiant heat

JimL

We have installed a few with warmlyyours.com No problems so far. We consider them for small area's, second floor bath remodels and simply where there the house is primarily electric. They are not shy with the price at around $10-15/SF with the stat....Then you have to install it. Stat cost gets absorbed a little easier on the larger jobs.
Jim

Doug Elliott

Electric Radiant heat?

I'm interested in putting radiant floor (or otherwise) heat in a new house, probably combined with a heat pump primarily for a/c. The house will be super-insulated and all electric. Does anybody have experiences with that setup? Costs, brand or type preferences, longevity issues? I'll probably be putting in wood floors.

Unknown

i assume you're talking hydronic with electric heat source and not toaster floors which you should avoid like the plague.

electric boilers work well, but must be set-up with care esp. with regards to flow: to little flow going through the boiler will cause the elements to short-cycle and burn out the relay contacts prematurely. they run about $900-$2000 depending on brand.

i like Lion boilers the best: compact, smart element staging, outdoor reset. (you'd think i have stock i reccommend them so much although they are Canadian and may not be available Stateside yet.

you may have to change an element on average every 7 years or so.

Doug Elliott

No, actually I AM asking about the electric mat variety installed under a floor, I guess that's what you are calling a "toaster floor." Can you elaborate on why I should "avoid it like the plague"? Do you have specific experience with them? I want radiant heat but I don't want to install hydronic and I don't want oil or gas. The only other choice is a heat pump, which is fine but I like the feel of radiant heat.

Unknown

well

i don't have any direct experience with electric floors, but i have friends who have and i have read on the subject, basically if you break a wire you're screwed, your floor doesn't work, whereas with hydronic it can always be repaired. i'd go with an electic boiler.

singh

however

I have seen electric mats stapled from below, between floor joist, so I guess you may have access to electric mats should they break.
I have no experience with this,but it may be an option for you. Like all things, the first thing is a heat loss calculation, so you know what your limitations and options are with the mats.

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