Radiant Floor Heating Cost
| Typical Cost | $6,800 |
|---|---|
| Typical Range | $5,000–$7,500 |
| Low End | $1,000 |
| High End | $7,700 |
Radiant Floor Heating Cost
Heated floor installation typically costs about $6,800. While prices often range from about $5,000 to $7,500, high-end projects can cost up to $7,700. Of course, the scale of your project will have a big impact on cost, so it’s useful to consider that the price of radiant floor installation usually falls between $10 and $15 per square foot. The total cost of your project will depend on a variety of factors, including square footage, whether you use an electric or hydronic system and how much labor is needed.
Table of Contents:- How much does it cost to install heated flooring?
- How much do electric and hydronic radiant heating systems cost?
- What is involved in installing a radiant floor heating system?
- What are the pros and cons of radiant floor heating?
- What types of floors work well with radiant heat?
Radiant heating is a luxurious and energy-efficient way to warm your home. Instead of hot air blowing from vents high on your ceiling, coils or tubes are installed underneath your flooring to provide a warm feeling underfoot. Heated floors also make more sense: Heat rises, so starting from the ground ensures that you actually feel all of the heat being generated. In contrast, with conventional heating systems, a lot of the warm air rises before flowing down and throughout the home. That’s why homes with radiant floors usually need less energy to make a room feel warm to those inside.
While it can be expensive to install radiant floors throughout an entire home, especially if the house is already built, you can also opt to install them in smaller spaces. Heated floors go a long way in providing comfort, so it’s not always necessary to go for the whole house. A small bathroom with radiant heat, for example, can be quite luxurious at a lower cost. Keep in mind that installing heated floors is an intensive job that requires the work of an HVAC professional. While it’s easier to install radiant heat while constructing a new home or an addition, even then it’s wise to hire a licensed heating installation contractor who’s familiar with radiant floors.
Radiant floors are commonly available as electric or hydronic systems, each of which uses a different heat source to warm your home. Hydronic systems work by pumping hot water from a boiler into a series of pipes underneath the floor. Steam from the hot water rises to produce warmth in the room. Electric radiant systems work by sending an electric current through a system of coils to essentially create a heated mass under the floor.
Electric systems typically cost about $14 to $15 per square foot, while hydronic systems usually cost $10 to $15 per square foot. While electric systems are usually more expensive to install than hydronic systems, it will likely make the most sense to match your heated floors to whatever energy source you already use. If you rely on an electric water heater, for example, it might make sense to go with electric floors. On the other hand, if you use a boiler, you might want to choose a hydronic system. If you’re starting from scratch, consider that hydronic systems typically have lower operating costs than electric systems.
Radiant Heating System Cost Per Square Foot:- Electric: $14 to $15
- Hydronic: $10 to $15
If you choose to go with a hydronic system, you’ll have a choice between PEX and copper tubing. PEX tubing has become much more advanced in the past few decades, and it’s a good choice because leaks don’t happen as often as with copper, and the material is highly flexible. Still, as a plastic, PEX isn’t as environmentally friendly as traditional copper piping.
You can also use solar energy to power your radiant floors. Harnessing energy from the sun can greatly lower your energy bills, though this type of system can be more expensive to install. If there’s not a lot of sun in your area, you may need to have a backup system installed.
What is involved in installing a radiant floor heating system?Because heated floors contain a series of coils or tubes underneath them, installation is always an intensive process. If you are installing a radiant heat system in a house that has already been built, labor costs will be even higher. Your contractors will have to tear up your existing floor and install the coils or tubes either above or below your subfloor. The coils or tubes also will need to be connected to the main electrical system, a boiler or a solar-energy system. Finally, flooring will need to be reinstalled over the heating system and subfloor. Of course, if you’re working with new construction, installing radiant heat before putting in your tile or wood planks will make the process easier and less costly.
Given all of the benefits of heated floors, you may wonder why they are not more common in the United States. While there are many good reasons to install radiant heat in your home, it’s not without its drawbacks. Read on for a breakdown of the pros and cons of radiant floor heating.
Pros:- Energy-efficient heating system
- Comfortable and luxurious feeling
- Can lower your energy bills
- No visible venting inside
- Hypoallergenic, as dust isn’t blown around
- Silent heating
- Better heat distribution
- Not ideal for carpet or wood floors
- Expensive installation in existing construction
- Costly repairs
- Not ideal for a cooling system
- Can create excess humidity
Because radiant heating systems work by directly heating the floor that you walk on and rest your furniture on, it matters what kind of flooring material you have in your home. Radiant heating systems have actually been used for centuries, including by the ancient Romans. So it makes sense that radiant heat goes well with tile and stone floors. These materials take up heat very well, which will in turn warm you up faster.
Wood floors can be paired with radiant heating systems, but they may expand and contract and respond unfavorably to the extra humidity. In fact, engineered wood floors are a better option to use with radiant heat, as they won’t expand as much as solid wood planks. Carpet is also not an ideal choice for use with a radiant floor system, because it’s highly insulating. The heat from the coils or tubes below won’t transfer past the carpet very well, so you’ll have a lot of heat loss.
Spaces like bathrooms, mudrooms and entries can be great spots for radiant heating systems, as they often have tile or stone floors. They’re also small areas in which some extra warmth can make a big difference, so you’ll get a big improvement at a lower price point. Of course, installing heated floors in your entire house is also possible and may lower your heating bills over time.
More: Is Radiant Heating or Cooling Right for You?
Note: Costs are estimated at the U.S. national level. Variations depend on factors such as the quality of materials, type of products installed and labor costs. The typical range is assumed to be between the 20th and 80th percentiles. The high-end and low-end costs are the maximum and minimum, respectively. Costs assume that the homeowner manages the project and hires subcontractors as needed. They include a subcontractor markup of 10% for materials and labor. Costs can be higher if a general contractor is managing the project. All numbers are rounded.
Source: 2019 Houzz Remodel Costs Database