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December 18, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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The home improvement world has seen many recent
developments in heating, making hydronic systems
more convenient and possible radiant
heater solutions for major home remodeling projects.
Today we’re going to discuss one form of
radiant
heaters: hydronic floor heating.
Hydronic floor heating is the
oldest and most popular type of radiant
floor heating. These systems are comprised of a
boiler or hot water heater, pumps, manifolds,
PEX tubing, thermostat, and either gypcrete (a
concrete-like material) or wood panels. Hydronic heating
is the most complex of all radiant heat systems.
These systems require trained professionals to
design and perform the installation. Your best
economies of scale are achieved for hydronic systems in
large areas or entire homes because of their
expensive components and operational costs.
Hydronic systems can be installed under any type of
flooring.
Most hydronic systems require
hot water tubing to be installed in a
2-4″ bed of light concrete and are best installed
during the initial construction because of its
weight load demands and adjustments to floor
height.
If you’re wanting to
heat smaller areas such as a bathroom or kitchen,
a hydronic floor radiant
heating system may not be the best value for your
project. The complexity and cost of installing
the system, along with the long-term maintenance
and up-keep required, might not be worth the small
amount you will save in operational costs.
Radiant Heaters Tip:
Radiant
heaters for your home or business come in a variety
of forms – all efficient and providing
reliable, cozy warmth
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November 14, 2008 00:11 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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If you’ve
been researching home
heating systems, chances are your head is
spinning right about now. It’s no wonder!
The number of types of radiant heaters available for
residences or businesses could make anyone dizzy in no time
at all. There’s really a lot of selection for
homeowners to choose from. Today we’ll discuss
the electric cable heating system kind of radiant
heaters. Electric cable heating systems are gaining
popularity in as radiant heaters and are ideal for
heating smaller areas (10-300 square feet) like
bathrooms, kitchens, and sun rooms. These systems are
comprised of a thermostat and a heating cable. On some
systems, the cable is be shipped as a large spool of
cable. These systems are oftentimes less expensive,
and give you the ability to space the cable how you want
and customize a layout that will heat every square inch of
your floor. Other systems have the cable attached to a
plastic mesh or tape to create a mat to maintain its
proper spacing.
Every available cable system is equally
effective, so when determining which radiant heater
system to purchase, you should look at the warranty of
the product, along with the ease of installation. Some
cables must be embedded in a separate layer of
concrete or mortar, whereas other systems can simply
be installed in the thinset.
Radiant Heaters Tip: When heating smaller
areas with a radiant heater, it is next to impossible
to beat the simplicity and price of an electric cable
heating system.
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December 13, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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Have you ever gone on a ski vacation for the
weekend and stayed at a little ski
lodge?A lot of the times, they’ll have a
huge fireplace in the main room with smaller
bedrooms up in the loft area or
second-story.But the problem is that when
you’re in the main room with the roaring
fire, you’re often overwhelmed by the heat
and retreat to the bedroom, where it’s far
chillier.You see, many vacation or
weekend homes weren’t built with air conditioning
ducts with which to deliver the heat to the different
rooms of the house. However, there is a solution
to adding heating to homes that have not been
built for traditional forced air systems: radiant
heaters.
As opposed to warm air systems
(such as a forced air unit heaters), radiant
heaters deliver the source of heat to the floor
level, not the ceiling. Radiant
heaters or radiant energy is the oldest form of
heating used to provide comfort and is the basis
for all heating systems.
Additionally, radiant
heaters also offer more comfort than forced air
heating by heating the atmosphere from the
ground up. Since heat rises, the heat will be
more evenly distributed, providing a much more
comfortable atmosphere.
Radiant Heaters Tip: Radiant energy is
totally pure radiation and is absorbed by an object
without physical contact with the heat source or by
heating the surrounding air, as is the case with
convective, forced air systems.
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December 11, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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In today’s housing market, it’s
not a bad idea to add value to your home in new
and innovative ways.For example, don’t
just think about renovating a bathroom, consider
using radiant
heaters to warm towel racks in the bathroom, or a
heated floor.Can you think of anything
cozier on a chilly winter morning than toasty
toes when you step out of the shower?
Not only is radiant heating is
one of the most comfortable ways to heat your
home, but radiant heaters also offer a surprisingly wide
diversity of applications. Radiant
heaters can be used in a number of applications,
including in tiled areas, hardwood flooring,
carpeted areas, cement floors, basements, and
garages. You see, radiant
heaters are a type of heater that warms objects
instead of air. Radiant heat uses objects, such
as the floor, to heat a home. The air in the
room is warmed when it comes into contact with the
warmed objects. Heat loss is reduced and the
radiant heat remains in the lower part of the
room, warmer near feet level and slightly less so at
head level, creating the perfect climate for
comfort.
Radiant Heaters Tip:
whether you’re building a new home or
updating your current home, you owe it to yourself to
check out the comfort that radiant heat has to offer.
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January 07, 2010 00:01 AM  BY WARMZONE
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The Radiant Heat Solution
Salt Sense:
Choose Radiant Heated Driveways and Avoid the Pitfalls
and Hidden Dangers of Snow Melting Products
In winter
months, rock salt and other snow melting products
present an array of hidden dangers. Not so
with radiant heated driveway systems. If you want
more bang for your ice-melting buck, and greater
peace of mind, you might want to consider radiant heat
as a safer, more permanent
snowmelt solution for your driveway and
those well-traveled sidewalks bordering your
home.
Salt and snow
melting products must be purchased in advance of
inclement weather. Most distributors recommend
that you not only pre-treat surfaces for enhanced
performance, but that you participate in
“early-buy” programs to ensure you
get an adequate supply at a competitive price. On
the other hand, heated
driveways are activated by a snow
sensor before a snowstorm to keep pavement
warm, clear and safe, with little effort.
Then there’s the danger of using the
wrong snow melting product, or misusing the
correct one. If you are having to use excessive
amounts of an ice melting product, there’s a
chance you are using the wrong one. Climactic
variables such as temperature can also dictate
just how well these products work. For example, you may
be spending more on calcium chloride than is
needed to respond to specific weather conditions,
when a less expensive rock salt “blend”
would be more efficient. In contrast, radiant
heating systems are durable, reliable, and
consistently and efficiently melt snow, every
time.
Because salt
attracts water, it can cause concrete that makes up your
drive and walkways to become more saturated than they
otherwise would. The extra water, in freezing
conditions, creates pressure within the concrete
matrix, causing the surface of the concrete to fail and
spall or flake off. Heated
driveway systems can be installed in a
variety of medium without harming these surfaces.
Some
manufacturers warn that oily-like residue from
snow and ice treated with calcium chloride
actually creates a slip and fall hazard! The excessive
application of rock salts can also create a
slippery situation akin to walking on marbles!
Radiant heated driveway systems create no slippery by
products or unexpected hazards.
Why bother to
sort through perils and pitfalls of snow melting
products when you can install a radiant heated
driveway? Once installed, a heated driveway
requires no surface pre-treating. The initial cost is
offset by low operational costs, and the
elimination of all those fancy snow melting
blends, and the damage they are inflicting. You
don’t even have to follow the weather. Heated
driveway systems are fully automated,
utilizing sensors sensitive to temperature and moisture
changes to trigger operation of the system before
snow can accumulate, eliminating the potential for
slippery conditions, and any worries you might have
about safety.
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Warmzone Radiant Heat Services - The Complete Package
Construction
Professionals, Reduce Your Worries and Expenses with
Warmzone
When it comes
to COMPLETE radiant heating solutions, Warmzone offers
the total package. From industry-leading products
at low prices and certified installer discounts to
comprehensive system design
services, Warmzone covers all the bases. Be
assured that all your questions will be answered and
needs will be met.
When working
with clients, it is especially crucial to anticipate all
costs and avoid any financial “surprises”
during project construction. When you work with
Warmzone to install a radiant
floor heating or snow
melting system, you can be assured that the
process has been well thought out by our design team.
After recommending the best possible options, our
professional designers evaluate your radiant
heating system from top to bottom and create a detailed
CAD of the system layout. You'll know the
electrical requirements, technical specifications
and system performance expectations before one foot of
heat cable is installed. This valuable service minimizes
any "installation surprises" that you may
otherwise encounter, which ultimately saves you
time and money in the long run.
Warmzone
personnel are experts in radiant heat who understand the
different demands of your clients. When it comes to radiant
heated floors or radiant heated
driveways and sidewalks, we know that
different brands and types of radiant systems offer
unique qualities, but no single system is perfect
for every type of job. That's why we offer a
variety of “best-in-class” systems and can
recommend the ideal solution for your project. Our
experienced staff will help you match the best
product for your client's home or business at the best
price possible. Since we don't promote one
radiant heating product for every application, we
can offer sincere, non-biased recommendations that
are best suited for you or your client’s
particular needs.
Customer
service is at the top of our priority list, and you can
expect simple, honest explanations for our
suggestions to you. We are committed to
matching custom projects with the best products for that
particular application by providing:
- Top quality materials
- Installation packages that simplify the
work
- Comprehensive system design services
- Installation advice and support
- The latest ideas in energy efficiency and
alternative energy
Call Warmzone
today to receive a
FREE quote
or to learn more about the radiant heat
options available to you (888.488.9276).
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December 03, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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When replacing a
home heating system, there are a lot of questions that
people have in regards to new home heating
systems. Here is a questions that was recently
asked.
Q: My 1,200
square foot home used to be heated by a furnace from 1949
that ran at 25,000 BTU. Recently I changed the system to a
newer, 7,000 BTU system. I thought this newer heater
would be more efficient, but I find that it takes much
longer to heat the house than the older system did. Is
there something wrong with my furnace or do I need one that
has a higher BTU?
A: It’s a good idea to replace old heating
systems with newer, more efficient models. These new
models can work just as well or better than old
systems, but they do work differently. Where old
furnaces could be turned on and heat the house within a
matter of minutes, new heating systems can take
longer. If you want your home to be warm at a certain
time, set the heat to go on about 45 minutes prior to that.
Another important factor is whether your home is
“weather-tight.” Make sure all doors and
windows are properly sealed. If not, you may be losing
heat at the same rate your heating system is producing it.
Check with a heating contractor who can tell you
whether the new unit is sized correctly for your
home’s square footage.
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February 01, 2010 00:02 AM  BY WARMZONE
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Of Water and Wires: Hydronic Heated Driveways vs.
Electric Heated Driveways
'Ride the Current' or 'Go With the Flow'?
If
you’ve finally put down the shovel and decided to
purchase a heated
driveway system, will you be going
hydronic or electric? If you’re a newcomer to the
concept of driveway heating, hydronic and electric
are both popular, and extremely viable forms of
driveway heat, and Warmzone has the expertise, and
experience, to help determine which is best for
you. What these systems share in
common—four key components you should be familiar
with before purchasing a heated driveway system:
Of the components mentioned above, the
heating element and the control source distinguish
hydronic heated driveway systems from electric
heated driveway systems.
Hydronic Heated Driveway Systems: Going with the Flow
The heating
element for a hydronic snowmelt system, as you may have
guessed, involves water. Specifically, hydronic heated
driveways use what is known as closed-loop tubing
to heat the surface of the driveway. The tubing is
generally made of a flexible (and quite durable) polymer
or synthetic rubber to circulate a mixture of hot
water and propylene glycol (antifreeze). The fluid
is warmed to temperatures between 140 to 180
degrees F to deliver enough heat for snow melting.
A water
heater or a boiler is the chief source of heat for a
hydronic driveway heating system, which can be
powered by any energy source that satisfies the
btu requirements, including natural gas, electricity,
oil, wood, or even solar collectors. A circulating
pump and supply and return manifolds, installed in
an easily accessible location, transfer the water
between the heat source and tubing.
Electric Heated Driveway Systems: Riding the Current
Unlike
hydronic systems, electric
heated driveway systems use hot wires to
heat paved surfaces. These wires are surrounded by
layers of insulation, copper grounding braid and a
protective outer layer of PVC or polyolefin to
form a flexible cable about ⅛ to ¼ inch in
diameter. What’s great about the heat
cables is the flexibility of the application.
Cable is available on spools as well as pre-spaced and
woven into mats, and can be customized (cut) to
suit virtually any type of layout, including
odd-shaped driveways, common walkways and sidewalks,
etc.
After being
triggered by the snow
sensor, the control
unit then powers the heat cable to warm the
driveway. To reduce the power demands (and operating
costs), you can install cables in just the tire
tracks of a driveway rather than the entire area.
Warmzone provides complete system
design services to ensure that you receive
the best system layout and products
for your project.
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Do You Have Warm Air, but Cold Toes?
Heating
from the Ground Up, Just Makes Sense
If
you’re like most folks, the first thing
you reach for as you get out of bed in the
winter are your slippers. Then you check the
thermostat to see if the room is really as
cold as it feels. The problem isn’t in
your furnace, and it isn’t your circulation;
it’s your floors. The simple fact is
heat rises.
Heated
floors, however, allow heat to start where
it’s most needed and then radiate up through
the room. With radiant heated floors, the
first thing to get warm are those cold toes,
followed by the rest of the room. If you have
small children or pets, they spend a lot more
time close to the floor than you do. They’ll
feel the difference of a heated floor right away.
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Radiant floor heating cable, pre-spaced
and woven into an
easy-to-install mat.
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The other
thing you’ll notice or won’t notice
with radiant
heated floor systems, is the constant
white noise of the furnace. A heated floor
silently goes about it’s job of heating the
room without a lot of noisy commotion from
burners lighting up and fans blasting autumn dust
throughout the house.
Do
yourself and your toes a favor and look into how
easy and affordable it can be to install
heated floors this year. You’ll love the way
you feel, and you’ll love not having to
hunt around for your slippers.
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Radiant Heat for Custom Applications
Finding a
Radiant Heating Solution as Unique as You Are
As
temperatures plummet and heat bills skyrocket, consumers
everywhere are turning to radiant heating systems.
As the most affordable and customizable option out
there, radiant heating is quickly making a name
for itself as a titan in the heating market.
So
radiant heating
is the latest and greatest, but what exactly
is so great about it and what can it do for you? One
word: customization.
When it comes
to radiant heating, the possibilities are endless.
Warmzone can design
a radiant heating system completely
customized for your home and lifestyle, and it's as
easy as one, two, three!
Choose
The first
step of your radiant heating revolution is choosing the
type of radiant heat you want.
Indoor Radiant Heating
Radiant heating can be installed under just
about any surface, including tile, carpet,
wood, etc. Put it in your bathroom, your kitchen,
your living room—anywhere you need heat. Each
room, or zone, can be controlled with its own thermostat.
giving you great flexibility along with
outstanding efficiency. Radiant
floor heating is an affordable way to keep
your house perfectly warm without racking up the
electricity bill.
Outdoor Radiant Heating
You can also
enjoy the benefits of radiant heating outdoors. Exterior
snow melting systems keep your property safe by
preventing pesky snow and ice buildup. There
are several outdoor radiant
heating products and options, including
heated driveways, sidewalks, roof heating, pipe tracing,
and portable
heating mats; all of which will make your
life a little easier in the harsh winter months.
Design
We realize
that your radiant heating system isn't the same as the
next customer's, so we'll work with you to come up
with a radiant heating system tailor-made to your
needs.
Once we assess your project's requirements,
our team will design a custom CAD drawing of your radiant heating
system telling you exactly what you get, where
you'll get it, and how much it will cost you.
Enjoy
With radiant
heating, your only job is to sit back, relax, and enjoy
your custom radiant heating solution. Let your heated
floors warm your home evenly and efficiently.
Sit back and watch from the warmth of your living room
as your radiant heated driveway does the shoveling
for you. And sleep in peace knowing that your
gutters and pipes are safe from nasty and
potentially devastating snow and ice buildup.
Why settle
for an out of the box heating solution? Let us help you
customize a radiant heating system that meets your
needs, fits your budget, and keeps you and your
family warm and safe.
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December 24, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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What a pain! If
you or anyone in your family has asthma or dust
allergies, you know all too well how miserable these
ailments can make a person. Many allergy and asthma
experts will advise certain changes in housekeeping
habits to help alleviate allergy- or asthma-causing
conditions in your home. In addition, you might consider
changing your heat source to radiant heaters.
At first glance, you might not think that
radiant heaters could be such a simple solution to
helping keep your home healthy. In reality, radiant
heaters improve the air quality, which is important,
especially for anyone who suffers from either dust
allergies or asthma. Not having to change air filters
or clean heating ducts should also cut down
dramatically on dust or other allergens in your
home’s air.
Eliminating dust mites that live in your home
would also go a long way towards helping keep your
home healthy. Since dust mites love a warm moist
environment, towel heaters and other radiant heater systems
aid in maintaining a consistent room temperature and
keep it moisture-free…and dust mite-free,
too. Furthermore, mold and mildew are also caused
from excessive moisture especially in bathrooms with
insufficient ventilation.
Radiant Heater Tip: By placing radiant
heaters or a radiant heat towel rack in the bathroom
you can combat the spread of germs for only pennies a
day.
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January 13, 2010 00:01 AM  BY AMY MORBY
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Why Settle When
you can Customize?
Finding a Radiant Heating Solution as Unique as You Are
As temperatures
plummet and heat bills skyrocket, consumers everywhere
are turning to radiant heating systems. As the most
affordable and customizable option out there, radiant
heating is quickly making a name for itself as a titan
in the heating market.
So
radiant heat
is the latest and greatest, but what exactly is
so great about it and what can it do for you? One
word: customization.
When it comes to
radiant heating, the possibilities are endless. No
matter what you want or where you want it, Warmzone can design
a radiant heating system completely customized
for your lifestyle, and it’s as easy as 1,2,3.
1. Choose
The first step of
your radiant heating revolution is choosing the type of
radiant heat you want.
There’s no
limit to what radiant heating can do. Whether you’re
looking to warm up your home or prevent snow and ice
buildup on your property, there’s a radiant
heating option that’s sure to fit your needs.
Indoor Radiant Heating
Turn any room into a cozy paradise with radiant
floor heating. Radiant heating can go under
virtually any surface, including tile, carpet, wood, etc.
Put it in your bathroom, your kitchen, your living
room—anywhere you need heat. Each room, or
zone, can be controlled with its own thermostat.
Given the flexibility and outstanding effectiveness of
radiant
heated floors, it is the most affordable way
to keep your house perfectly warm without racking up the
electricity bill.
Outdoor Radiant Heating
You can also enjoy the benefits of radiant heating
outdoors. Radiant
snow melting systems keep your property safe
by preventing snow and ice buildup. You can choose one or
all of the following options to make your life a
little easier in the harsh winter months:
2. Design
Once you decide
which radiant heating options are right for you, the
Warmzone team will help you design a customized plan of
action. We realize that your radiant heating system
isn’t the same as the next customer’s,
so we work diligently with you to come up with a radiant
heating system tailor made to your needs.
Once
we assess your project’s requirements, our team
will design a custom
CAD drawing of your radiant heating system
telling you exactly what you get, where you’ll get
it, and how much it will cost you. We’ll keep
you involved in every step of the process to make sure
that your custom radiant heating system exceeds your
expectations.
When we’ve
got your customized radiant heating system designed,
we’ll make sure you have everything you need
for a quick and easy installation. If you’re
not comfortable doing it yourself, we’ve got a list
of contractors ready to bring your radiant heating
plans to fruition.
3. Enjoy
Because we help
you with the planning and design process, you’re only
job is to sit back, relax, and enjoy your custom
radiant heating solution. Let your heated
floors warm your home evenly and efficiently. Sit
back and watch from the warmth of your living room as
your radiant heated driveway does the shoveling for you. And
sleep in peace knowing that your gutters and pipes are
safe from nasty and potentially devastating snow and
ice buildup.
Why settle for an
out of the box heating solution? Let us help you
customize a radiant heating system that meets your needs,
fits your budget, and keeps you and your family warm
and safe.
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December 14, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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If you’re
in the market for a new home heating solution, you may be
wondering what kinds of home heating choices are there? A
majority of homeowners are probably most familiar with
forced air unit heaters and might not realize that
there are other options for heating a home – other
options that are more efficient and even more comfortable.
One such option are radiant
heaters, which, as opposed to warm air systems, delivers
the source of heat to the floor level, not the ceiling.
Radiant
heaters or radiant energy is the oldest form of heating
used to provide comfort and is the basis for all
heating systems. Radiant energy is totally pure
radiation and is absorbed by an object without physical
contact with the heat source or by heating the surrounding
air, as is the case with convective, forced air
systems. Believe it or not, under-the-floor heaters
were first used by the Romans. While under floor
heating was initially reserved for the rich, it eventually
became increasingly commonplace in public buildings
and villas. This form of radiant heating was used
particularly in the colder regions of the Roman
Empire. The Roman system was based on hypocausts, comprising
ducts that underlay the floor (itself built on raised
brick piles) and flues that were built into walls. Hot
air or steam from fires circulated up through this
system, warming the floor and walls, with heat passing into
the rooms. Radiant Heaters Tip: Health
experts agree that radiant heaters can help in
eliminating dust mites that live in our homes, and since
dust mites love a warm moist environment, towel
heaters aid in maintaining a consistent room
temperature and keep it moisture free.
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