As winter nears and snow begins to fall, the last thing we want is to step out of the shower and be greeted with ice-cold bathroom floors. There’s nothing quite like that icy shock straight through your feet…
One solution our clients love for keeping their bathrooms toasty and cozy are heated floors. They are an excellent way to warm up your bathroom and get the most out of it—especially in the winter months.
So, what exactly are heated floors? They come in two primary types:
Electric Heating Floors
Electric heating floors use a radiant floor heating system that utilizes thermal radiation technology to “radiate” heat through your floor, bringing your room to a nice, cozy and even temperature as the heat rises from the floors. The heat comes from loose cables (or in matts, depending on your floor type) that are placed beneath your chosen bathroom flooring.
Electric systems are easier and cheaper to install than their hydronic counterparts, though they may cost more in the long run, making them better suited to smaller spaces.
Hydronic Heating Floors
Hydronic heating floors use a series of tubes filled with hot water that run beneath your flooring. Attached to thick plywood boards or mortar, these tubes are typically heated by a hot water heater or boiler. They are also referred to as hot water radiant systems. They are another fantastic option for keeping your floors—and your bathroom—delightfully warm.
While hydronic systems can require more time and money to install (including a possible boiler, gas lines and other required equipment), they are ultimately more cost effective. When installed throughout a home, they can rival and even surpass HVAC systems, making them a great choice for whole-house heating.
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