Two kinds of radiant floors
Hydronic or electric: which fits your project?
Hydronic radiant
- A boiler or water heater warms water to roughly 100–120°F
- PEX tubing carries it under the floor or set in a concrete slab
- Usually designed to heat a whole house or a large area
- Best planned during new construction, a slab pour or a major remodel
Electric radiant
- Heating cables or mats under tile, stone or engineered floors
- Usually extra comfort for a bathroom, kitchen or addition
- Runs on its own thermostat, ideally programmable
- Simpler to add to a single-room remodel
How it feels
Why people love radiant floors.
Instead of heating air and blowing it around, a radiant floor warms the floor and the objects in the room, which then warm you. Rooms feel comfortable at a lower thermostat setting.
- No registers, returns or blowing air
- Even temperature from floor to ceiling
- Silent operation
- Works best under tile, stone, concrete or hardwood; thick carpet slows it down
From Google reviews
What customers say about our technicians.
Service visit
“Frankie B was fantastic! He was prompt and communicated what we needed clearly.”
Service visit
“Armando and Freddy arrived early and were very efficient with their time and mine, appreciate how quickly I was able to get someone out to look at the problems I was having with my system! Will recommend”
Service visit
“Frankie did an excellent job on my HVAC service. He was professional, knowledgeable, and took the time to clearly explain what was going on and what needed to he done. His work was efficient, thorough, and done right the first time.”
Before you build
Planning a radiant floor project.
- Decide what it heats. Whole house, one level or one room changes everything that follows.
- Pick the heat source. Hydronic needs a boiler or water heater; electric needs a circuit and thermostat.
- Plan the floor. Tubing or cable goes in before the finished floor, so timing with your builder or remodeler matters.
- Plan cooling separately. Radiant floors don't cool, so many homes pair them with a ductless mini-split or heat pump for summer.
Radiant floors cost more to install than forced air. Their payoff is comfort and quiet, plus lower operating cost in many homes. Ductless cooling for radiant homes
Radiant heat questions
Radiant floor heating FAQ
What is radiant floor heating?
It heats a room through the floor. Warm-water tubing or electric cable under the floor warms the surface, and the floor warms the people and objects in the room.
Is hydronic or electric radiant heat better?
Hydronic is usually the choice for heating a whole house or a large area, while electric is usually used for a single room such as a bathroom or addition.
Can radiant floors be added to an existing home?
Often, yes. Electric mats are simple to add when a floor is being replaced, and hydronic tubing can sometimes be installed from below between floor joists.
Does radiant floor heating cool the house?
No. Radiant floors only heat, so homes that want air conditioning add a separate system, often a ductless mini-split.
What flooring works best over radiant heat?
Tile, stone, concrete and many hardwood and engineered floors work well. Thick carpet and pad slow the heat down.
Radiant floor heating
Planning a floor, a remodel or an addition?
Tell us your town and what you're building. Our office will call to talk through hydronic and electric options.
Office hours Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Tell us if it's new construction, a remodel or an existing radiant system that needs service.