Stepping out of a relaxing hot shower or bath onto a cold tile floor can send chills up anybody’s spine. Imagine, instead, of stepping onto heated tile that keeps your feet and toes warm and comfortable. With radiant heated floors, this is possible.
Radiant heating systems lie under tile or stone, allowing heat to be directly supplied to the floor you walk on. This is the ultimate way to give your bathroom a spa-like feel. In our luxury condo units at 66 High Street, every bathroom has radiant heat under tile from Tile America.
There are three types of radiant heat systems: hydronic-based, forced air, and electric radiant heating. Hydronic based is the most popular and efficient and works by carrying hot water through tubes installed under floors. One nice feature about radiant heat is that it can be installed in a portion of a room, for instance, just in front of the bathroom vanity.
Although radiant heat can be pricey to install, the benefits may outweigh the cost. Benefits include:
Evenly Distributed Heat
With radiant floors, heat is more evenly distributed throughout the room. With typical forced hot air, the heat quickly rises, leaving the bottom of the room and floors cold. With radiant heated floors, the heat begins at the ground and naturally rises to heat the rest of the room, which keeps your feet and toes warm.
No Noise
Radiant heat is completely silent. No sounds are coming from the radiator or forced air vents. You feel the warmth, without hearing the heating system.
You Can Install in a Portion of the Room
You can choose to install radiant heat in an entire room or just a portion with a pre-sized heating mat. If you want heated floors when you step out of the shower, you can opt for a rectangular space of radiant heat right in that spot. You could choose a different tile to highlight this heated area for a visual cue. This will also allow you to repair without ripping up the entire floor, since the heating system is permanently under the flooring.
Radiant heat adds a luxurious feel to any space. With options for installation and pre-selected sizes, it becomes an affordable addition.
What room do you want to install radiant heated floors in? Let us know in the comments!