Don’t go with the base requirements of Building Code, we would recommend at least 6 inches below a heated slab in most parts of Canada, and even more in the colder regions. One final thought we would share – be careful not to get talked into installing an insufficient amount of insulation below the slab. Radiant heat is a very comfortable heat, so as you choose the more affordable fuel source and the system is properly designed to heat the space and the install cost is affordable, you will probably be happy with the results. Heated floors can be done with electric wires, hydronic tubes, but there is also one company that installs air-heated tubes in slab on grade foundations, powered either by electricity or gas. If you are planning on doing it yourself, watch some DIY videos and see which you find to be easier, here is our video of a hydronic tube installation, it is really quite easy but gets a little more complicated hooking up a manifold and boiler. An Ontario resident installing a radiant floor would probably choose hydronic with a gas boiler.Īs for install cost, you may find electric wire systems to be a bit cheaper, but get a quote for each to be sure. Quebec electricity rates are among the lowest, while Ontario rates are among the highest, for that reason very few people are currently installing electric heat sources in Ontario, but it is the most common heat source in Quebec. In-floor heating can be a wonderful way to add a bit of luxury to your home, and make chilly bathroom floors a thing of the past. Keep in mind that a boiler for a hydronic floor can be powered by either electricity or gas, so any difference in operational cost would be determined by your local gas and electricity rates. That means you can expect to pay anywhere from 450-700 for electric floor heating in a small to medium-sized bathroom to 9,000-20,000 to install floor heating to an entire 1,600 square foot home. Any form of electric resistance heat generation (heated floors, furnaces, hair dryers, kettles, baseboard heaters etc.) would cost the same on a ‘BTU per watt’ scale. It could turn out that the recent advances in traditional forced air heating systems, like high efficiency burners and multi-speed brushless fan motors, are just what the doctor ordered after all.Good question, but a tough one, so I’ll start with the easy part first - When powered by electricity there would be virtually no difference in operational cost between those two systems. The result is that electric radiant systems are best confined to specific rooms and used in conjunction with timers in order to avoid wasted energy.Īs always, discussing installation and operational considerations at the early stages is the best way to avoid disappointment and deliver the heating, cooling and ventilation best suited to your client. Electrical costs vary across the country (Heaven help Ontario residents!) but suffice it to say that electricity is expensive, far more than natural gas on a net BTU basis. Secondly, there are the operating costs of electric. A Niagara Falls area contractor was fined over $530,000 for improper installation and failure to have an inspection performed on an electrical radiant floor heating system that resulted in second and third degree burns to an elderly homeowner after he was stranded on the floor after a fall. First, the installation must be done professionally and properly. A heated bathroom floor underfoot in the morning or an entrance hall that keeps footwear warm can be very popular. How about electric floor heating? Certainly the products available on the market allow for much simpler installation, particularly in retrofit applications. Because of this, if you have a garage with a high ceiling, you can experience a big cost savings on your heating bill by using a radiant system. Great if you’re in Quebec, not so great if you aren’t. However, unless the renovation is a near-total gut job and the customer is prepared to tear up the existing floor to install, even temporarily, a radiant floor system may be financially out of the question and structurally impractical.Įlectricity cost vary greatly across Canada and the USA. The good news is that in a new-build home, the homeowner has a blank slate with which to work, and therefore the options are far greater than with a retrofit or renovation. Air cannot hold large amounts of heat, so radiant air floors are not cost-effective in residential. Good news for new-builds not so good for renovators The average cost to install radiant floor heating is 5.80 to 8.85 per square foot for a hydronic system including a boiler. However, radiant floor heating may not be suitable in all situations. And as a bonus for dust and allergy sufferers, radiant systems offer relief from air-born irritants. Some even claim radiant is as much as 25% more energy efficient than the standard HVAC system. It operates silently, delivering a continuous, all-encompassing heat to every corner of the home with an efficiency that stop-and-start forced air systems cannot match. Radiant floor tubing, installed over a new sub floor, insulated with foam boardĬertainly radiant floor heating is popular.
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