Electric Radiant Floor Heating

I'm using electric radiant floor heating under kitchen and bathroom floors. It will keep the tile floors comfortable and supply even heat to the rooms. Floor heat is unobtrusive, inexpensive, and fairly easy to install. Electric radiant floor heating is also quiet and clean.

Radiant floor heating is supposed to be more energy efficient than other forms of heat, with savings up to 40%. By warming the floor, you heat the room where it is needed - in the bottom 6 feet. With electric radiant floor heat, the heat is greatest near the floor not up near the ceiling. Houses with traditional forced air systems are warmest in the empty top 3 to 5 feet by the ceiling.

My living room and bedroom will have passive solar heat supplemented by simple electric baseboard heat. I'm hoping to try some other forms of "green" sustainable heat sources in those rooms too.

My floor heat will be under slate tile. Slate tile works will with radiant floor heating because the stone absorbs heat and releases it slowly and evenly.

An electric radiant floor heating system consists of thin heating cables, like the wires in an electric blanket, installed under tile. Because the cables are so thin they don't raise the level of the flooring much.