Since the boilers are extravagant approve for radiant floor heating, many people have now switched to using water heaters instead. The one possible reason for that it is inexpensive but efficient and knows what temperature is right for you–usually, they are rendered by stainless steel that undoubtedly makes them durable. Continue reading to find out the differences as well as similarities that a boiler and water heater have.
First, let’s get to know what they both are.
What is the difference between a boiler and a water heater for the radiant floor?
A water heater is an energy-efficient and eco-friendly device to warm the water. The radiant floors heat is maintained with the help of warm water which is usually preferred to be retained by water heaters instead. This is because the boilers are engineered to heat or boil the water for the radiator.
Most of the time, there are some models that are incapable of running perfectly at a low temperature or, require additional components without causing any damage.
On the contrary, the water heaters are constructed to heat the water even at a low temperature, making them more efficient. They are further available in two units either tankless or with tanks.
How does the radiant floor heater work?
Well, the working of the floor heater is way more complicated than it is expected as its duty is to keep and maintain the warmth of your home by heating floors. This will need to retain the level of temperature for which a special PEX tubing is installed on the subfloor.
The working of PEX tubing is to bend without the help of joints which requires a length of the tubing being laid around 9 inches apart.
What size tankless water heater do I will need for radiant heat?
If you are going for tankless water heaters that all you have to do is increase the temperature of the water incoming from 40 degrees F to 105 degrees F. Thus, a water heater with minimum a rise of 60 degrees temperature is capable of producing 5.2 gallons every minute.
What size water heater for a family of 4?
There are a variety of sizes available for the water heater The size of the heater is determined by the usage. If you like alone then, the tank size of 30 gallons would be fine but, if you have a small family like members of 3 to 4, then, go for a heater with a minimum of 50 to 60 gallons of capacity.
In case you have a bigger household like having 5 to 7 people then definitely it would not be enough so, go for the one with a heater that has a capacity of 60 to 80 gallons of the water tank.
How long can a water heater last?
Well, to be honest, it depends upon the type of system that your heater has. Another possible reason that contributes to the life of your water heater is the water condition of your locality.
A water heater operating with the help of gas can last for around 8 to 12 years whereas, an electric water heater is designed to have a life for almost 15 years.
In case your heating system starts to make weird noises or begins to leak, take it as a sign for replacement.
How big should I invest in radiant heaters?
To be honest, for every square foot of your flooring, you will need a minimum of 10 watts of power for heating. This clearly indicates that the heater you have or going to buy will need to heat up the from by consuming 1500 watts for every 150 sq. ft. of your floor.
Features for a Water heater
It is not often to buy a radiant floor heating system so, spend your money wisely. In order to do so, we have featured some specifications that your radiant floor heater must have. This implies that make sure your heater must have
The power source
For that, you might have two different options as a power source; the natural gas supply or the electricity. A gas power supply is recommended as it will surely cut down some costs without compromising efficiency.
Energy efficiency
Get a water heater that has an energy efficiency rate of a minimum of 0.90 as the rating determines the performance of your unit.
Heating performance
Well, sometimes, it becomes crucial to determine what type of heater you should go for as the heating degrees vary. This is the reason that the water heaters are classified on their heating output measured in watts (electric ones).
On the other hand, the gas units are measured in the BTUs every hour. The hour rating for the water heater indicated the power of the heater. The higher the wattage or the BTU rating, the high the power exertion would be.
The flow rate
People living in cold weather conditions will require a high flow rate which is possible because of hydronic floor heating as it would be more feasible for them. This will, however, assure the maximum amount of water flow in the pipelines under the floor. Make sure the product you are getting has a minimum of 4 GPM flow rate.
Budget
While you are going to select the space-heating gadget for your home, apart from the features, we fix an amount within which we need to get our product. Usually, these are classified into two categories; gas and electric water heater that definitely have an impact on the cost itself.
The electric heaters are expensive and have a large operational expense whereas, a gas water heater works with the natural gas heater that can easily be attached to the gas supply to your home.
In case you are going for the hydraulic floor heating system then, it will cost you additional as it will require a professional technician for its installment. The installment is usually charged according to the square feet. Taking about installation, the electric water heater for radiant floors is less complex for installation as compared to the gas water heating system.
Closing notes
As the winter season is upon us, we are looking to have a certain prep for that. No doubt the best water heater for radiant floor heat saves energy as compared to boilers or other heating technologies. Additionally, they are capable of putting a visible cut to your bills without compromising the performance. Such products are not only efficient by quite as well as update of providing hot water in the entire house.
In this blog, we have managed to cover the common quirks that might occur in our minds when we are going to make a purchase for the best water heater. So, shop wisely.