Should I install radiant floor heating in my Ottawa addition for comfort?

Radiant floor heating can change how a room feels through a long Ottawa winter, and an addition is a good time to install it because the floor is being built from scratch. Whether it makes sense depends on the type of addition, your existing heating system and how you'll use the space.

Hydronic radiant floor heating circulates warm water through PEX tubing embedded in or beneath the floor. It is usually the more efficient option for heating a whole room. If your home already has a boiler, or you are installing one as part of the project, the incremental cost is lower because the heat source already exists. If not, the boiler or water heater, pump, manifold, mixing valve and controls all add to the price.

Electric radiant floor heating uses resistance cables or mats under the finished floor. It costs less to install, but it is usually more expensive to run as a primary heat source. Electric radiant tends to work best as supplemental heat in a specific area, such as a bathroom or a mudroom entry, where you want warm floors underfoot.

The comfort case is real. When it's very cold outside, forced-air systems cycle on and off and can leave noticeable differences between the thermostat and the far corners of a room, with warm air rising to the ceiling. Radiant heat warms the floor and the objects in the room evenly, which many people find more comfortable, especially on a slab or over an unheated space.

For ground-floor additions built on a slab, radiant heating works particularly well because concrete stores and slowly releases heat. The tubing is placed before the pour, and insulation under the slab is important so the heat goes up into the room rather than down into the ground. A slab system responds slowly, so ask about controls that anticipate temperature changes.

There are practical points to consider. Radiant floors work best under tile, stone, engineered hardwood and polished concrete. Thick carpet with heavy underpad acts as insulation and reduces the effect, so if you plan to carpet the addition, radiant heat may not deliver the comfort you expect. Gas-fired boilers and water heaters are installed by a TSSA-certified gas technician.

Sizing still matters. The system should be designed from a heat loss calculation for the addition, so it can keep the room comfortable on the coldest nights or so you know how much backup heat you need. Ask whether the designer plans radiant as the only heat source or alongside forced air, and why. As perspective, not a quote, a hydronic system for a single room can range from a few thousand dollars to considerably more depending on whether a heat source must be added. Ask heating contractors for itemized quotes that separate the tubing, the controls and the heat source.

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Looking for experienced contractors? The Ottawa Construction Network connects homeowners with qualified professionals:

• Homeupgraders
• JC Carpentry
• MAK Construction and Development Inc
• Renovo Construction
• Custom By Arie