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November 29, 2008 00:11 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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With the current housing market being so
unpredictable, we’re seeing an increasing
number of homeowners are opting to stay put in their
homes, rather than buy a new home. They find
that one way to make their current home a better
fit for them is to remodel the kitchen or
bathroom, or upgrade the home’s heating systems.
While there isn’t a single heating
system out there that is an ideal fit for every
project, there is an ideal system for every
project. Warmzone.com can provide you with the
heating
systems you desire, as well as consult with you on
which systems would be the best fit for your
project.
Hydronic under floor heating
systems are some of the most popular forms of
radiant heat. In the most recent hydronic
heating systems, PEX radiant tubing has been
installed in a concrete mass called Gypsum Concrete or
“Gypcrete.” This method of heating
system installation works very well in most
applications, but there have been developments
in the installation process of hydronic under
floor heating that make it easier to install for certain
situations. This new development is known as a
low-mass or modular board underlayment system.
Rather than embedding the hot water tubing in
concrete, the PEX tubing is laid in the grooves of
pre-cut wood panels. This new method is ideal
for remodeling and most new construction
projects.
Heating System Tip: The hydronic
under-floor heating
system was first used by the Romans; there have
obviously been significant developments since
that time.
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December 27, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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When the first day of winter arrived over the
weekend, it brought along cold weather and the
potential for incredibly high heating bills.
Installing radiant
heaters in a home under construction or in an
existing home is proven to cut heating costs. It
works by putting water lines in the
home’s concrete floors or under existing floors
and running hot water through them.
Radiant
heaters help to keep the whole house at a more
constant temperature. In this way, our regular
heaters don’t have to do as much to keep
things warm and toasty during the winter. It might take
a little effort, but being more environmentally
friendly doesn’t have to involve major
renovations. Many people waste a lot of energy by not
sealing cracks, doors and windows. Checking to make sure
a home’s insulation is in good shape and
replacing it if it’s not is another good
way to stop energy waste.
Switching to radiant
heaters will not only help save energy, and lower
heating costs, but you’ll soon find that
it really adds to your family’s comfort as
well. That is because it put the heat at our feet, which
are generally cold, and offers cooler air near
head level, where we are generally a little
warmer.
Radiant Heaters Tip:
If you are looking for a great way to save
energy and maximize comfort in your home at the same
time, then radiant
heaters may be the perfect solution for you.
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December 12, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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If you’ve ever stayed in a fancy hotel
and felt the warm tile beneath your feet
you’ve probably wondered how they heat the
tile.Well, it’s actually pretty simple
using radiant
heaters. Radiant heaters are economical, and easy to
install.This is how they work.
When a radiant heat system is
switched on, energy is forced through a
conductive material to create resistance or heat.
Majority of the time an electronic line-voltage
system is used. This system uses a special
thermostat that has an integrated GFCI breaker for
safety.
Dry radiant floor systems
allow even heating throughout the entire floor.
The heat radiates from the floor and warms objects near
the floor as opposed to forced hot air that
tends to rise to the ceiling. Radiant
heaters heat while reducing dust, draft, and noise
problems associated with forced air systems.
They can be more aesthetically pleasing than
other forms of heating because there are no heat
registers or radiators to obstruct interior designs.
Manufacturers claim radiant floor heating saves
20 to 40 percent on monthly heating bills as
compared to the other heating appliances.
Mostly the radiant heat panels are attracted to the sub
floor using approximately 10 screws per panel.
Manufacturer recommendations include screwing and
fastening adhesive when installing the panel. An
electrometric bonding material is placed in the grooves
prior to tube installation. The tube is pressed into
the groove flush with the surface of the panel. Though
the installation does not take much time, you may want
to consult the professionals at warmzone.com if
you’re considering installing your own radiant
heating system.
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December 24, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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What a pain! If
you or anyone in your family has asthma or dust
allergies, you know all too well how miserable these
ailments can make a person. Many allergy and asthma
experts will advise certain changes in housekeeping
habits to help alleviate allergy- or asthma-causing
conditions in your home. In addition, you might consider
changing your heat source to radiant heaters.
At first glance, you might not think that
radiant heaters could be such a simple solution to
helping keep your home healthy. In reality, radiant
heaters improve the air quality, which is important,
especially for anyone who suffers from either dust
allergies or asthma. Not having to change air filters
or clean heating ducts should also cut down
dramatically on dust or other allergens in your
home’s air.
Eliminating dust mites that live in your home
would also go a long way towards helping keep your
home healthy. Since dust mites love a warm moist
environment, towel heaters and other radiant heater systems
aid in maintaining a consistent room temperature and
keep it moisture-free…and dust mite-free,
too. Furthermore, mold and mildew are also caused
from excessive moisture especially in bathrooms with
insufficient ventilation.
Radiant Heater Tip: By placing radiant
heaters or a radiant heat towel rack in the bathroom
you can combat the spread of germs for only pennies a
day.
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December 13, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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Have you ever gone on a ski vacation for the
weekend and stayed at a little ski
lodge?A lot of the times, they’ll have a
huge fireplace in the main room with smaller
bedrooms up in the loft area or
second-story.But the problem is that when
you’re in the main room with the roaring
fire, you’re often overwhelmed by the heat
and retreat to the bedroom, where it’s far
chillier.You see, many vacation or
weekend homes weren’t built with air conditioning
ducts with which to deliver the heat to the different
rooms of the house. However, there is a solution
to adding heating to homes that have not been
built for traditional forced air systems: radiant
heaters.
As opposed to warm air systems
(such as a forced air unit heaters), radiant
heaters deliver the source of heat to the floor
level, not the ceiling. Radiant
heaters or radiant energy is the oldest form of
heating used to provide comfort and is the basis
for all heating systems.
Additionally, radiant
heaters also offer more comfort than forced air
heating by heating the atmosphere from the
ground up. Since heat rises, the heat will be
more evenly distributed, providing a much more
comfortable atmosphere.
Radiant Heaters Tip: Radiant energy is
totally pure radiation and is absorbed by an object
without physical contact with the heat source or by
heating the surrounding air, as is the case with
convective, forced air systems.
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October 10, 2008 00:10 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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Have you ever
gone on a ski vacation for the weekend and stayed at a
little ski lodge? A lot of the times, they’ll have a
huge fireplace in the main room with smaller bedrooms
up in the loft area or second-story. But the problem
is that when you’re in the main room with the roaring
fire, you’re often overwhelmed by the heat and
retreat to the bedroom, where it’s far
chillier. You see, many vacation or weekend homes
weren’t built with air conditioning ducts with
which to deliver the heat to the different rooms of
the house. However, there is a solution to adding
heating to homes that have not been built for traditional
forced air systems: radiant heaters.
As opposed to warm air systems (such as a forced
air unit heaters), radiant heaters deliver the source
of heat to the floor level, not the ceiling. Radiant
heaters or radiant energy is the oldest form of heating
used to provide comfort and is the basis for all
heating systems.
Additionally, radiant heaters also offer more
comfort than forced air heating by heating the
atmosphere from the ground up. Since heat rises, the
heat will be more evenly distributed, providing a much more
comfortable atmosphere.
Radiant Heaters Tip: Radiant energy is
totally pure radiation and is absorbed by an object
without physical contact with the heat source or by
heating the surrounding air, as is the case with
convective, forced air systems.
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December 28, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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If you are looking to warm your floors with radiant
heaters and are trying to research what kind of
radiant heaters to install you might find
yourself scratching your head at this point.
There are dozens of products available to purchase, and
there are even more companies telling you that
their product is the best.
So which product is the best?
Should you install a hydronic heating system
that pumps hot water through your floors, an electric
cable heating system, or a low-voltage screen
system? The answer lies in the type of project
you are doing. Not every system is ideal for every
project, but there is an ideal system for every project.
Hydronic Heating Systems
Hydronic floor heating is the
oldest and most popular type of radiant floor
heating. These systems are comprised of a boiler or hot
water heater, pumps, manifolds, PEX tubing,
thermostat, and either gypcrete (a concrete-like
material) or wood panels. Hydronic heating is the most
complex of all radiant heat systems. These systems
require trained professionals to design and
perform the installation. Your best economies of
scale are achieved for hydronic systems in large areas
or entire homes because of their expensive
components and operational costs.
Hydronic systems can be installed under any
type of flooring. Most hydronic systems require hot
water tubing to be installed in a 2-4″
bed of light concrete and are best installed during
the initial construction because of its weight load
demands and adjustments to floor height. Recent
low-mass products have been developed to avoid
these challenges by fitting the tubing into pre-cut
wood panels, making hydronic systems more convenient and
possible for most major remodeling projects.
If you want to heat smaller areas
like a bathroom or kitchen, a hydronic floor
heating system may not be the best value for
your project. The complexity and cost of installing the
system, along with the long-term maintenance and
up-keep required, is not worth the small amount
you will save in operational costs.
Electric Cable Heating
Electric cable heating
systems, often called line- or high-voltage
systems, are gaining popularity and are ideal for
heating smaller areas (10-300 square feet) like
bathrooms, kitchens, and sun rooms. These
systems are comprised of a thermostat and a heating
cable. On some systems, the cable will be
shipped to you as a large spool of cable. These
systems are oftentimes less expensive, and give you the
ability to space the cable how you want and
customize a layout that will heat every square
inch of your floor. Other systems have the cable
attached to a plastic mesh or tape to create a
mat to maintain its proper spacing.
Every available cable system is equally effective, so when
determining which system to purchase, you should look
at the warranty of the product, along with the ease of
installation. Some cables must be embedded in a
separate layer of concrete or mortar, whereas other systems
can simply be installed in the thinset. Most cable
systems can only be installed under tile. However, on
others, if the cable is embedded in mortar or concrete,
any flooring can be installed on top of the concrete. When
heating smaller areas, it is nearly impossible to beat
the simplicity and price of an electric cable heating
system.
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December 27, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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Time to treat yourself! Whether you’re
building a new home, or updating your current
home, you owe it to yourself to check out the comfort
that radiant heat has to offer. Now is the
perfect time to look into your heating options.
Radiant
heaters can be used in a number of applications,
including some that might surprise
you!Among those spots that can use
radiant heaters are tiled areas, hardwood flooring,
carpeted areas, and even cement floors.
Not only is radiant heating is
one of the most comfortable ways to heat your
home, but radiant
heaters also offer a diversity of applications.
We’d be willing to bet that after that
first winter with the radiant heaters in place, you
may find yourself wondering how you ever got along
without them in the past.
What’s interesting here
is that, rather than warming the air, radiant
heaters are a type of heater that warms objects.
Radiant heat uses objects, such as the floor, to
heat a home. The air in the room is warmed when
it comes into contact with the warmed objects. Heat loss
is reduced and the radiant heat remains in the
lower part of the room, warmer near feet level
and slightly less so at head level, creating the
perfect climate for comfort.
Radiant Heaters Tip:
Are you looking for efficient,
comfortable heat for your home? We think that radiant
heating could be just the solution you’ve
been looking for.
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December 26, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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We couldn’t say it any plainer than this:
radiant
heaters are the most efficient form of heat
available in today’s market.
Significantly less operating time is required to attain
and maintain the desired warmth compared to
furnaces and other, traditional methods of
heating, which keeps operational costs to a minimum.
High efficiency boilers or
electric radiant floor systems makes radiant
heat one of your most efficient ways to heat your
home. Combined with a well- insulated home these
systems can quickly warm your home and then shut
down or wait idle for long periods of time before being
called upon by the thermostat to operate.
More than ever before, homebuilders,
househunters, and home renovators alike are
looking for energy-efficient heating options for houses.
We say they need look no further than radiant
heaters for their ideal home heating solution.
Radiant Heaters Tip: Being more
environmentally friendly doesn’t have to
involve major renovations. Many peoples’ homes
waste a lot of energy by not sealing cracks, doors and
windows. Checking to make sure a home’s
insulation is in good shape and replacing it if
it’s not is another good surefire way to stop,
prevent, and reverse energy waste.
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December 15, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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Yes, it might take a little effort, but being
more environmentally friendly doesn’t
have to involve major renovations. Many people waste a
lot of energy by not sealing cracks, doors and windows.
Checking to make sure a home’s insulation
is in good shape and replacing it if it’s
not is another good surefire way to stop, prevent, and
reverse energy waste.
Quite simply put, radiant
heaters are the most efficient form of heat
available in today’s market.
Significantly less operating time is required to attain
and maintain the desired warmth compared to
furnaces and other, traditional methods of
heating, which keeps operational costs to a minimum.
High efficiency boilers or
electric radiant floor systems makes radiant
heat one of your most efficient ways to heat your
home. Combined with a well-insulated home these
systems can quickly warm your home and then shut
down or wait idle for long periods of time before being
called upon by the thermostat to operate. Don’t
waste expensive heating fuel another day.
Radiant Heaters Tip: More than ever before,
homebuilders, househunters, and home renovators alike are
looking for energy-efficient heating options for
houses. We say they need look no further than radiant
heaters for their ideal home heating solution.
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