Heated Floors Are The Future of Smart Homes

 

With technology evolving every day, many cool advancements are now being integrated into our homes to make them more efficient and convenient. From controlling your lights, interior temperature, home security system, fridge and more with a click of a button from your smartphone- heated floors have also joined the list and are the future of smart homes!

A homeowner’s ultimate satisfaction is often defined as comfort. Heated floors easily contribute to that satisfaction! Having heated floors is not a necessity, but rather a functional (and comfort-inducing) investment that can take the performance of your smart home system to a whole new level, particularly in the colder months of the year. 

What Is Radiant Heating & How Does It Work?

With in-floor heating, also known as radiant heating, you can distribute optimal heat around your space and combat cold floors. With its customizable nature, this multi-zone heater allows you to choose whether to put the heat in one room or to distribute it throughout the entire house. This feature is usually found in newer homes. However, it can also be incorporated into existing homes. It is an upgrade that is often requested in order to increase the overall value of the home.

In modern flooring, thin cables are installed under the surface of the floor to heat it electrically. Often, these wires are grouped into mats, which are easily rolled across the subfloor. Another type attaches the cables directly to a subfloor by spacing them evenly. Similarly, if your flooring includes an underlayment, the heating elements will be installed on top of that. Heat is produced in both cases by electrical charges that move through these wires. In most cases, these systems are controlled by wifi programmable smart thermostats.

SCHLUTER® PROGRAMMABLE TOUCHSCREEN THERMOSTAT

 

It is simple to install electric floor-heating systems, and even a handy DIYer can do it! You can buy them in rolls that already have a serpentine pattern of the heating cable attached. Therefore, the installer just needs to roll them out and cut and turn them as necessary to cover the space. You can also order them as loose cables with an installation membrane that has square-shaped “studs” to hold the cable in place. The installed membrane offers crack prevention benefits as well. Radiant floor heating also has the advantage of eliminating the need for additional ductwork, which can be expensive and time-consuming.

EASY HEAT® 120V CABLE KIT

Materials Used In Heated Floors

A variety of flooring materials can cover an electric-heated floor, but some work better than others.

The most common types of heated floors are:

• Ceramic
• Stone
• Porcelain Tiles

These materials conduct heat efficiently and will not warp or get damaged due to temperature. In contrast, installing a heating system under wood floors is trickier as it can affect the moisture content of the wood, causing cracks and gaps. If you are looking to install a heating element under your hardwood floors, one of our flooring experts would be happy to assist you. Due to the wood content of the base layer, laminate floors tend to generally feel warm. It is advisable to install a heating system under a laminate floor only in very cold rooms. The thin nature of vinyl flooring, like laminate, means that it can also easily conduct heat from a floor heating system making it compatible with heated floor systems. 

Why Is Heated Flooring A Good Idea?

In addition to providing extra warmth, heated floors can also help reduce energy costs. Since the floor is evenly heated, the need to turn the heat up to achieve a comfortable temperature is eliminated. This can save a considerable amount of money on energy bills over time. Electric floor heating is at least 25% more efficient than forced-air heating because they don’t allow the heat they produce to escape. As a result, virtually all of the heat is retained. Another benefit of heated floors is that they can help improve indoor air quality. By circulating warm air throughout the home, they can help reduce the amount of dust and other allergens in the air. The quiet nature of heated flooring systems make them highly desirable.  

Heated floors can add an element of luxury to any home. They’re often found in luxury hotels and can make a home feel more inviting, comfortable and savvy! If you’re looking for a way to add a touch of luxury to your home, heated floors are definitely worth considering! 

We hope this was helpful and informative, if you have any questions and require guidance on heated flooring, feel free to reach out to one of our experts at 1 (866) 473-7222 or explore our website for more blogs and information.