With traditional heating systems, the hotter your home becomes, the more fuel you need to keep things warm and comfortable. Radiant heating systems, on the other hand, work differently. Rather than heating the air inside your home with fuel, these systems heat the space surrounding the home with no impact on indoor air quality. This means you can enjoy the benefits of a cozy home even if the outdoor temperature is unseasonably chilly or even freezing. There are two types of radiant heating systems: hydronic and electric. Hydronic systems use water as the heating element, while electric systems use a combination of water and electricity. Both types of heating systems operate by channeling heat from a source to the space where you live. In the case of hydronic systems, that source is typically a central boiler or pump; in the case of an electric system, it’s your home’s electric panels. In either case, that source is connected to what’s called a “radiator” that sits in a central location in your home, such as in a closet or a bathroom. That’s where the heat from the source flows into the home through the floor and into the walls, ceiling, and other areas where you want to be warm.

A hydronic system is made up of three parts: a boiler, a pipe network, and one or more heat exchangers. The boiler burns fuel to create steam. The steam flows through the pipe network, which is a series of PVC pipes that run through the walls, floors, and ceilings of your home. Each pipe is called a “radiator” and is filled with a special solution that is cooled into a liquid by the water pumped through the system. As the steam travels through the pipe network, it transfers its heat to the cooled solution in the radiators, which then heats the air around the pipes. This heated air then flows out of the house through vents in the floor and/or walls, providing warmth to the areas where you want it most.

An electric system includes a central heating unit, which is fed by your home’s electric panel. The unit consists of a large metal box that contains a large heating element and a fan to distribute heat throughout the house. The central unit is connected to a “radiator” (also called a “heat exchanger”) that sits in a closet or a bathroom. The unit pumps water from the central line through the heating element and then out the other side through the pipes in the closet or bathroom. The water flowing through the pipes is cooled by the air in the closet or bathroom, and the cooled water is pumped back to the central unit to be reheated. The heated water then flows out of the closet or bathroom through the pipes again, this time as a liquid that flows to the other side of the radiator. From there, the liquid flows through the pipes in the walls, floors, and ceilings of your home. This process heats the air around the pipes, creating a warm, comfortable space inside your house.

Regularly checking the performance and efficiency of your hydronic or electric system will help ensure that it keeps your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. To do this, you can use a thermostat, which will let you know when the temperature of your home is too high or too low. You can also use a programmable thermostat to set the temperature to your liking, and then have the system automatically adjust the heat and air conditioning to match. To clean your hydronic or electric system, you can use a pressure washer to clean your pipes and other components. If your system runs through PVC pipes, you can use a PVC cleaner to prevent buildup and extend the life of your pipes.

- Know your heating needs: Before you buy a hydronic or electric system, you need to know what size system you need. To do this, you can use a simple calculation based on the square footage of your home, the average number of people in the home, and the average number of hours in which you use your home. When it comes to hydronic and electric systems, size is measured in British thermal units (or Btus). One Btu is enough energy to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. It’s important to keep in mind that smaller systems are typically more efficient than larger systems. This means that if you’re on a tight budget, you may want to consider a smaller system that will use less energy.- Check your property’s ductwork: Before you buy a hydronic or electric system, you need to check the ductwork in your home to make sure that it’s in good shape. This is particularly important if you have an older home, or if you live in a place that experiences cold winters, as the ductwork can be an easy place for leaks to occur.- Check your insurance: If you have a home that you’re planning to install a hydronic or electric system, you may want to check with your insurance company to find out what they recommend. Many insurance companies require their policyholders to install an energy-efficient heating system in their homes.