The Idea Zone

Warm Feet, Warm Heart

If you curse the cold floors in your house during the winter months, underfloor heating can be a great solution that can heat not only your floors but also your entire house. You may be interested to learn that this kind of heating has a long history; in fact, it dates back to Roman times. In ancient Rome, wealthy people sometimes used a variation of underfloor heating that consisted of ducts, or channels, that traversed the underside of the house’s floor. Hot air flowed into these ducts from fireplaces that were built into the house’s walls.

In Asia, particularly in Korea, underfloor heating also has a long tradition that has persisted to the present day. Many houses are heated by pipes carrying hot water beneath the floor, with the heat radiating up into the house. This helps explain why, in some Asian societies, customs like removing one’s shoes upon entering the house and sitting and sleeping on the floor exist. Since heat rises (or more accurately, since hot air floats), this type of heat can be more efficient that hot air systems that blow heat in all directions. It can also be a boon for allergy sufferers compared to hot air heating, since far less air movement is produced, making allergens easier to clean.

Another advantage of underfloor heating is its aesthetic appeal. If you are designing your dream house or just remodeling your current one, radiators and heating ducts can be eyesores. With radiant heat, you are free to design a completely customized living space that reflects your personality and style. And, you will also take comfort in the fact that you are saving money: radiant heat is often more efficient that traditional heating systems, with a high percentage of the heat created entering the room.