Give Your Feet a Treat

This radiant-floor-heating system is relatively easy to install, won't
leak, and doesn't cost a lot to operate.

by Tim Snyder

Stepping onto ice-cold bathroom tile is a cruel way to wake up in the
morning. It's no wonder so many of us invest in extra-thick slippers
and giant bath mats. But what if we were able to shed our slippers and
step barefoot onto tile that's toasty warm? Radiant-floor heating
makes that possible. And you can install it in your home with far less
trouble and expense than you might expect.

Radiant-floor heating has been around for centuries. The principle is
simple: The floor radiates heat to your feet, warming you all over.
Most familiar are hydronic systems that heat your entire house. They
produce wonderful heat, but they require serpentine runs of plastic
tubing, water heaters or boilers, pumps and manifolds. This makes
hydronic systems expensive and complicated to install. A simpler, less
expensive alternative for just a single room is one of the electric
systems discussed here.

System Basics

An electric radiant system consists of thin heating cables, like the
wires in an electric blanket, installed under ceramic tile. Because
the cables are so thin they don't raise the level of the flooring
much; this makes them great for remodeling. They're installed where
warm floors are appreciated: bathrooms, mudrooms, and kitchens.
Controlled by their own thermostat, these systems don't replace your
main heating unit — they augment it.

To install an electric radiant floor in an existing room, you'll need
a dedicated 15- to 20-amp GFCI-protected circuit to power the system,
and an excuse to lay a new tile floor. If you're remodeling, it's a
good time to satisfy both requirements.

A bathroom-size warm-floor retrofit will cost $400 to $700 including
the cost of the new tile. This system will consume about the same
amount of electricity as three 100W lightbulbs.




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"This became a credo of mine... attempt the impossible in order to improve your work."
-- Bette Davis