DIY Network

Radiant Heating From "Healthy Household Workshop" episode DHHW-104

Heating and air systems, water heaters, dryers, kitchen ranges all can make our homes more comfortable and convenient. But these modern conveniences can also be health hazards. Here, host Fuad Reveiz discusses some healthy alternatives.

advertisement

You can't tell by looking, but this floor is warmed by radiant heat.

Health-Friendly Radiant Heating

Radiant heating has actually been around for awhile, despite its growing popularity. Radiant heating can be installed in walls and ceilings; but in this segment, it's installed in a more conventional area: the floor.

• Radiant heat can turn floor or ceiling into a large heating panel. A grid of metal tubes or plastic-tubed mesh filled with hot water or electrical wires transfers heat without heating air. Radiant heat should be used with an inert solid flooring surface such as tile or stone; synthetic products used in tandem with glue or resins should be avoided.

• People can be comfortable at lower temperatures and utility bills are lowered (although the radiant system itself can be expensive).

• It's a quiet, easily-maintained and healthier alternative: no sealing of joints, no dust blowing around, and no place for allergens to collect. On the other hand, it can cause gases to rise from plywood and carpet and requires a separate ventilation and AC system. Overall, however, it's a healthy choice.

If you're tired of shoveling snow and ice from your driveway and sidewalks, an outdoor radiant heat system can melt your troubles away.

Installation Overview

Expert Rodney Blackburn gives a brief overview of how he installs a radiant heating system.

• The radiant system is controlled by either an air sensing (ambient) thermostat (heats the entire room) or a floor sensing thermostat (heats floor only).

• To install the system to the floor, the electric radiant floor mat is hot glued to the a concrete slab (figure A).

• Thinset is applied over the mat (figure A), then a lightweight underlayment (ditra) is applied atop the thinset (figure C).

• After the thinset has dried overnight, the solid flooring can be applied.

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

RESOURCES :

Health House Consumer Information
American Lung Association
Web site: HealthHouse.org

GUESTS :

Rodney Blackburn
Warm Floor Center
Web site: WarmFloorCenter.com