“With radiant heat, it heats up the floor and all the objects in the room and you don’t have the on-and-off cycles like you do with a forced-air system,” Sean says. Sean also says that a radiant floor is a great addition because it’s efficient and quiet, but it is expensive to install.
There are two kinds of systems: hydronic and electric. A hydronic system is usually designed to heat an entire house and installed during construction. An electric system is more typical in bathroom or kitchen remodels as an additional heat source.
Angie Hicks from Angie’s List says, “No one likes getting out of bed in the winter time when it’s chilly, but if you’re not going to invest in radiant floors, maybe an investment in fuzzy slippers kept by the bed will be just as good this winter.”
Angie says an electric radiant heat system should cost about $7-$10 per square foot. Keep in mind though, that it will also add to your monthly bill. A hydronic system can cost twice as much to install, but can save you about 20% in annual energy costs compared to a traditional forced air system.
