Radiantec

Jonathan S.

Based on my research I got the bright idea that I could install heated floors. The basement ceiling was exposed, so I could do fasten heat transfer plates to the subfloor, and be living in the future.

I looked around online for information for quite a while before I settled on Radiantec for having the most clearly understandable information about how radiant loops work, and what to expect of them. I placed my order, and was off to the races.

The first thing that you need to understand though is that an installation below the subfloor is the least efficient way to install a heated floor. I learned that the hard way as I had to turn the temperature progressively higher to satisfy the heat load for my building. That is not a criticism of Radiantec, but it is definitely worth noting if you expect to heat your home with 90 degree water. A subfloor installation calls for closer to 140 on the coldest days.

David at Radiantec was very helpful in answering my questions, and estimating what materials I needed for the system. Every home is different, but his estimate was nearly spot on. Their shipment also comes with a few repair couplings, because mistakes are inevitable, and their couplings are much more cost effective than a SharkBite alternative.

I also appreciated their comparison of the effectiveness of different aluminum plate widths. They seem to have optimized the plate for cost effectiveness, because it definitely gets the job done. When I compared their material prices to competing radiant system distributers, Radiantec was an excellent value.

The installation process was hard, tedious work, but so is all construction. I got it done, and was excited to finally activate my system. Let me just say that a radiant system is not terribly expensive if you do the work your self, but it is well worth it to never have to deal with a cold surface in your home again. That first day you wake up, and feel the heat coming off of your mattress is glorious. If you have some time and patience, I highly recommend this for a DIY project.