Radiant Heating Systems: Calgary, Airdrie, & area

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Radiant heating systems function in a very different manner than traditional forced air heating systems. In contrast to a forced air heater that keep indoor spaces warm by blowing heating air around, radiant heaters generate heat internally and then radiate the heat to nearby objects.

People and objects in the heated area feel the warming effect much sooner than with a conventional heating system that operate from a centrally located main unit and a series of ducts and air vents. Radiant heat eliminates the inefficient heat loss created by rising heat, as warmth is not distributed through the air. These systems are allergy-friendly, while forced air pushes allergens throughout the house. There are many ways to heat your home with a radiant heat source.

Hydronic heating systems use tubing to run a hot liquid, such as water or glycol, through loops of plastic piping. Usually, these tubes are installed within a concrete slab foundation or floor joists as a radiant infloor heating system, and allow the heat to radiate evenly across the entire floor surface. The are also present along base board heaters or through radiators to heat a given area. They are energy efficient radiant heating system that allow temperature control to different rooms through zoning in contrast to forced air systems that usually have only one temperature setting to heat an entire home. Hydronic heating systems are energy efficient because you are able to feel comfortable at lower temperatures than conventional heating, which in turns lowers your monthly heating expenses.

The effectiveness of hydronic heating systems occurs with the following three series of events: 

1. Using conduction, a boiler system quickly and efficiently heats the water that will eventually circulate through the pex tubing laid within your concrete slab or under your floor joists. The water heated from the boiler system must first flow into a plumbing manifold system that is connected to a thermostat that directs the correct water temperature to various zones within your home.
2. Pumps then circulate the heated water throughout the house through the tubing heating the floor through conduction as well as radiating heat into the room.
3. The heated flooring surfaces then radiate the heat they acquired from the liquid circulated through the tubing into the room as well. Eventually the desired temperature is reached by the heat that radiates from the floor as well as the solid objects around the room. 

All Heating systems are composed of three essential parts: a heat source, a heat distribution system, and a control system; and every hydronic heating system will require the following devices to heat a home:

• Boiler System: Heats the liquid that runs through the tubing
• Heat Conductor: For hydronic heating systems water is most typically used, however some units allow other liquids or water and antifreeze mixes. Glycol is a common antifreeze that is added to a closed loop hydronic system.
• Manifold: The plumbing manifold (aka thermostat) of a boiler system is the control centre for controlling water flow and temperature.
• Tubing: PEX tubing is the standard and universal with all hydronic systems.
• Heat Exchanger: The baseboard heater, radiator, or in-floor component that transfers heat 
• Pump: Pumps constantly keep the heated liquid in a hydronic heating system in circulation to maintain a consistent room temperature

To fully understand why hydronic heating is so efficient it is important to understand how the process of heat transfer occurs. The transfer of heat occurs in three ways:

1. Conduction: This is the movement of heat through objects that physically touch, where heat transfers from a warmer object to a colder object. How dense an object is affects the efficiency of heat transfer and explains why liquids are much better conductors of heat than air and gases.
2. Convection: This occurs when fluids or gases transfer heat while they are being circulated from one area to another. Forced air heating systems are great examples of this method of heat movement. 
3. Radiation: Thermal radiation is heat that travels in invisible waves through an empty space. It is not something that can be lost to strong air currents or be moved. Instead, it is absorbed by an object that is in the path of the beam of energy, and is a far more efficient method of transferring heat.

Taking in consideration that hydronic heating systems use liquids as heat conductors, and liquids are better heat conductors than air, hydronic heating systems work so efficiently in keeping an area warm over forced-air systems because hydronic systems use conduction and radiation in heat transfer. In contrast, forced-air heating systems rely exclusively on convection and air to heat a given area. 

For most radiant heating installations that are not encased in concrete, heat transfer plates are necessary. The high efficiency of radiant systems only occurs due to the low required water temperatures to satisfy the heating load, therefore the lower the required water temperature to heat your home the more efficient the system becomes.

Keeping in mind that radiant heat works by transferring heat energy from one object to another, and that water and heat are much better carries of heat energy than air, heat transfer plates improve the conductivity of heat out of the radiant tubing, and increase the surface area to speed up heat transfer. Without heat transfer plates, higher water temperatures are required to produce the amount of heat needed - which ultimately increases your utility bills!

When comparing quotes for in-floor heating, double-check to make sure heat transfer plates are included in your quote. Heat transfer plates are not required by code to pass an inspection, and not every contractor uses them. Trying to save a few dollars may end up costing you a lot more down the road with increased utility expenses, and repairs for troublesome areas not receiving enough heat.