Electric in floor heat works by conducting electricity through cables or mats installed in the subfloor of your home. Many use this radiant floor heat to supplement their central heating and air system.

Having a central heating and air system continually running during those particularly cold months usually adds up to a large monthly power bill.  There are systems that you can put in place that will help your home maintain consistent temperatures in the wintertime while giving your main heating system a break.

Electric, in floor heat works by using electrically conductive cables or mats installed in the sub floor.  These cables are heated up which then heats the flooring above. Since heat rises, the heat then disperses throughout the house, warming it to more comfortable temperatures.  This heat is often present long after the system has been turned off. This “charging” of the system is often done at night during lower power usage rates.  Since demand for power is highest during the day, power companies will often charge higher rates during these peak times.   The radiant heating generated in the floor will continue to warm the house throughout the day until needing to be recharged at night.

If you have a large home or have a home that has an add on room, the installation of electric in floor heat can be a cost effective way to keep the entire house at consistent temperatures. In the case of an add on room, extending the central heat to the new room can be very costly.  Many who have these add on rooms find that they don’t use them much in the wintertime because they are unable to keep them warm enough to be comfortable.  Using a supplementary heating system will often solve this problem so that now the additional space can be used as intended.

Some people have found that the use of electric in floor heating has all but virtually eliminated the need for their central heating unit.  In these cases, the radiant heated floors have taken over heating the whole house.  The cost savings are significant since the radiant heating flooring is only running at night when electricity rates are cheaper.

If you’ve been looking at ways to reduce your heating bill in the winter, electric in floor heat may be an answer to those high monthly bills. Do a little research and find out what is offered in your area. If your power company has time of usage rates, you could see a significant savings on your monthly heating costs.