Should you choose electric or hydronic floor heating?

Do you live in a northern climate with several months of harsh weather during the year? It’s only natural that you’re fed up with frigidly cold floors that make you hate winter. So, this year, you’ve made up your mind: you’re determined to install heated floors! After all, you deserve it.

Once you’ve decided on floor heating, you need to know which option best suits your needs. Which system should you choose for your future floors? You’ve heard of water and electric floor heating, but which one should you choose?

To help you make an informed decision, here’s everything you need to know about the most popular types of floor heating.

Electric vs. hydronic systems

Two types of floor heating systems exist: electric and hydronic.

Hydronic floor heating, also known as glycol floor heating or hot water floor heating, heats the floor and the room by means of liquid circulating in pipes. The water or glycol solution is pre-heated by a heat pump or boiler and then distributed through the pipes under the floor.

Electric floor heating works by means of a heating cable connected directly to a thermostat. Its source of energy is therefore direct: an electrical connection.

However, both types of radiant floor systems have specific features and advantages. We’ll help you understand them so that you can choose the right system.

Electric floor heating

Electric floor heating is ideal for small rooms such as bathrooms and bedrooms and large rooms such as family rooms, living rooms and dining rooms. Whether you’re renovating or building a new home, you can install electric floor heating without any problems. Unlike hydronic floor heating, it can be installed in a single room or throughout the house.

• Quick and easy to install
• Uniform warmth for your feet
• Zero maintenance
• Lifetime warranty on the cable if installed by a Flexpert
• Invisible system: no mechanical room required
• Suitable for small or large areas or entire homes

Hydronic floor heating

Hydronic floor heating systems are only the better choice for large areas such as basements or entire homes, that is, for new homes under construction. Keep in mind that hydronic systems cannot be installed in a single room, such as a bathroom; they must cover at least one complete floor.

• Suitable for large surfaces only
• Uniform warmth for your feet if well installed
• Environmentally friendly if they use renewable energy
• Floor cooling possible in summer with a heat pump

Which system is more economical?

This question often yields improvised and somewhat biased answers. Analyzing your unique situation is the best way to form your own conclusion. It’s a good idea to do a cost analysis for each type of floor heating system. Below are some of the key elements to consider to this end.

1. Zoning for room-by-room temperature control

Regardless of the system chosen, installing floor heating is always a good investment. However, the initial cost of electric floor heating is lower than that of hydronic floor heating when you consider room-by-room zoning, which is the main advantage of an electric system. It’s essential to be able to control the heat in each room individually if you’re looking to maximize your comfort. On any given floor, there will usually be at least one bathroom where a higher temperature is desired and one or more bedrooms where the temperature needs to be lower. Because you can control the temperature room by room, you don’t pay for unnecessary heating, and you optimize your comfort.

Although it’s technically possible to have a zoning system with a hydronic floor, controlling the temperature room by room is much simpler and less expensive with an electric floor heating system. You can ask for zoning with hydronic heating, but the cost can be up to 25% higher than with the electric option.

2. Installation and maintenance

Hydronic floor heating is also more complex to install. Since you can use this type of floor in both summer and winter, however, the initial investment can be offset over the long term if you consider floor cooling important. Remember, though, that this system does require rigorous maintenance, and you should also consider the cost of regular servicing by professionals. This liquid-filled system needs to be drained at the frequency recommended by the manufacturer.

Over the years, you’ll undoubtedly need to replace mechanical parts that aren’t always guaranteed by the supplier. Even with rigorous maintenance, your system could break down, leak or cause water damage.

With electric floor heating, the situation is quite the opposite. No maintenance is required, and, when installed correctly, its durability is guaranteed.

3. Lower heating costs

Another undeniable advantage of installing floor heating is the overall savings on heating costs. In fact, floor heating can also heat your entire home. A radiant system acts like a thermal mass and can generate unimagined savings! Some studies even show savings of up to 28% compared with using a traditional heating system. Ultimately, floor heating is both comfortable and cost-effective! Each system has its own performance characteristics, but floor heating is an economical and advantageous choice.

Your floor heating installation project decision

The best floor heating option depends on your needs and the project you want to carry out. If you’re renovating your bathroom, you’ll only have the electrical system as an option.

Hydronic floor heating systems cannot be installed in small rooms (or only with difficulty during renovations). It’s best to install hydronic floor heating over large areas during the new construction process.

Another important point to consider before opting for a hydronic solution is the space available. The equipment that heats the liquid circulating in the floors can be bulky. This equipment needs to be installed out of sight in a mechanical room.

In a nutshell

An electric floor heating system is the right solution! Unlike hydronic floor heating systems, they are ideal for all situations. Whether you use them as your primary or secondary heating source, they’re economical, durable and maintenance-free! What’s more, you don’t need to set aside any space for this system. All you need to do is attach a thermostat to the wall!

Here is a table comparing hydronic and electric floor heating systems:

What type of warranty does your floor heating system come with?

One thing that’s always important to consider when making a purchase is the warranty. Hydronic systems include various parts covered by different warranties. These can vary from a few months to a few years, depending on the part and the quality of the product. Installation is also a key point in this warranty. Between system and installation warranties, make sure you’re making the right choice for the long term. The prospect of a repair can be costly.

For example, all electric floor heating cables and mats installed by a FLEXpert certified installer come with a lifetime guarantee!