Ever find yourself standing directly in the sun on an otherwise cold day? There’s nothing like the feeling of having the sun beat down upon you, its rays instantly warming your body and sheltering you from your otherwise chilly surroundings. If this type of scenario sounds good to you, then you might want to consider a home heating option that can help produce a rather similar effect — radiant heat. Walter Tulecki is the owner of WT Mechanical in Central New Jersey. According to him, radiant heat is becoming an increasingly popular choice among homeowners today due to the many benefits it offers.
Radiant heat works by warming objects rather than air to create a more constant, consistent level of heat throughout the home. Forced air heat, by contrast, works by warming air and circulating it all over a home using ducts and vents, whereas radiant heat will directly supply heat to the floor and let that heat radiate naturally all over the room instead of having it collect up at the ceiling. For many people, the feeling of radiant heat is similar to that of being directly warmed by the sun, a comforting option during those cold winter months. In fact, one benefit of radiant heat is that it tends to produce an “even” type of heat while eliminating cold spots within the house.
Another advantage to radiant heat is that it is quite energy efficient. The amount of energy it takes to generate and maintain a comfortable internal home temperature is significantly less compared to forced air heat. Radiant heat is often quieter than forced air heat, and since the distribution method does not involve forcing air throughout the house, it tends to be less of a dry heat; in other words, radiant heat is much better for the skin. Also, because radiant heat does not involve the circulation of air, it can be kinder towards people who suffer from severe allergies.
The one drawback to radiant heat is that it is significantly more expensive to install than forced air systems. However, what homeowners might pay in installation costs, they’ll gain by saving money on heating costs throughout the years. Another thing to keep in mind is that radiant systems can only be used for heating, not cooling. Despite these disadvantages, radiant heat continues to be the heating method of choice for many homeowners throughout the country.
Whether you’re looking to buy a new home or are considering a major heating system overhaul, you might want to put radiant heat at the top of your must-have list. Remember, when it comes to heating your home over the long term, you’ll want a system that works efficiently while producing the most comfortable household environment. And while radiant heat might come at an initial cost, there’s nothing like the feeling of kicking off those slippers and walking around on warm, heated floors on a cold day.
