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Saturday, 15 November 2008 11:01 |
There is no doubt that radiant floor heating is a superior method of heating your home. Its popularity is steadily increasing as people discover that not only is it the most comfortable form of heating, but also the most cost efficient.
Though comfort and cost are the two biggest benefits of this heating system there are many others:
-Silent operation – no hum or whistle of a forced air system.
-Inconspicuousness of the system – you don’t see vents or air blowing.
-A healthier home – forced air systems can spread dust, pollen, and germs.
-Even, quiet warmth: even with wood, tile, or uncovered concrete floors.
-Also, radiant heat is less likely to dry out your breathing passages and skin.
The warmth of the floor on a cold winter morning would probably be enough to convince a lot of people that radiant floor heating is the best thing since sliced bread. However, after discovering the cost savings, there is usually no going back.
Radiant floor heating concentrates the heat in the lower half of a room where the human body needs it most. Since heat is evenly distributed in the floor, the thermostat can be set 2 – 4° less than a forced air heating system. This can reduce energy cost by 10-30%. Homes and building with high ceiling will save even more in heating costs as heat generated by forced air systems quickly rises to the top of these structures, where it is of little use.
Whereas a forced air system delivers heat which quickly rises to the ceiling – a radiant floor heating system radiates heat from the floor and delivers the heat evenly throughout the rooms.
In a radiant floor heating system warm water circulates through tubing beneath the floor. This turns the flooring into an efficient, low temperature radiator.
Though Radiant Floor heating is not a complicated system, there are components which are required, and that the homeowner should be aware of – The Heating Source, The Boiler, The Pump and the Tubing.
The heating source can be electricity, solar, natural gas, propane, oil, wood, or any other heating source.
The boiler, with a certified efficiency rating houses the water to be heated. This same boiler can also be used to heat the pool, snow melting, heating a hot tub, or and domestic hot water needs.
A Pump is required to circulate the water though the tubing located under the floor.
The tubing for a radiant floor heating system is located either in the concrete, under wood subfloors, or on a subfloor of wood, precast concrete or concrete slab-on-grade, then covered with gypsum.
Once a homeowner makes the decision to install radiant floor heating system, contacting the right installer is imperative.
Some companies who design radiant floor heating systems may also install the system.
A qualified System Designer and a qualified System Installer will work together and know which components work well together, capacities of various systems, special considerations for installations in your area, and manufacturersÂ’ warranties and reliability.
The designer should do a room-by-room heat loss analysis of your home or building done as well as a step-by-step system sizing process.
Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com
Harvey Juric, is a veteran custom home builder in Southern Ontario. If you like this article, there is more at: Ontario Home Builder , Luxury Home or Repairing/Building Contractor.com
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Thursday, 11 September 2008 03:00 |
There is nothing like a round of swimming in a warm-water pool in chilly winters. A warm water swim/ bath is a perfect exercise for your whole body and mind. In fact it is extensively used for therapeutic purposes all round the world. So installing a pool heater is a must for you if you are living in an extremely cold place. And a warm water bath in the pool would also give you an exotic spa effect in your swimming pool.
But installing a pool heater is not all. You have to maintain your pool heater as well to extend your swimming season. Proper maintenance can take forth the swimming season by weeks or even months. Though, the upholding of your pool heater depends entirely upon the type of heater you have.
Gas heaters are the most common type of pool heaters being used presently. The gas heaters work on natural gas or propane tanks. The gas heaters are favorite hide out of spiders and other insects. It is recommended to regularly clean the spider webs and the debris off the heater. For it can clog off the burner openings. You can clean them manually or with the help of a vacuum cleaner as well.
The most important thing about maintaining the gas pool heaters is to check the gas supply regularly. Check out the pipes to detect any leakages. You can easily detect the leakages using a soap solution. Prepare a liquid dish soap and warm water in the spray bottle. Now spray the solution on the pipe joints. If you find any bubbles emerging from the surface, you immediately need to repair the pipes. Never use the heater until the pipes are replaced or repaired by a qualified plumber.
Electrical pool heaters are also getting popular these days. The heaters produce the heat with the help of heating elements. The element can get coated with certain minerals present in the atmosphere. This hampers the heating process. You can easily take it out and clean with a wire brush. Some elements get damaged beyond repair. You have to replace the element. Take along the old element with you while looking around for a new one in the market.
It is absolutely vital to change the element otherwise it can send some current in the swimming pool. First of all, turn off the power supply to the heater to avoid any injuries. Open up the drain pipe and take out water from it. Fix the new element and test the heater by filling water in your swimming pool so that the heater can work to its full efficiency.
You can enhance the performance of the swimming pool heaters by having a time setting system. This can be greatly helpful in maintaining the efficiency of your heater as the water will only be heated as much as you want. Go for annual checks and get the heaters repaired immediately if you find any problems.
Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com
Marcus Grant, www.pool-heater.info/
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Wednesday, 30 July 2008 07:00 |
Mention the word solar in relation to a home and most people get ideas of panel systems on roofs. In truth, any home with windows is using solar energy.
Easy, Free Energy
You may not realize it, but you live in a solar home. In fact, every home you’ve lived in was powered with solar in one form or another. This concept is known as passive solar and can be used to save you serious money on utilities.
In every home, there is a room or set of rooms that bake in the sun during the day. Many people know this, but don’t realize it, when they complain about certain rooms burning up during the day while others are cold. The hot rooms, of course, are sitting in the sun all day. Since the sun is essentially a nuclear reactor, the power is sends to the earth is immense. Rooms can heat up to sweltering temperatures within 30 minutes as a testament to this power. Given some thought, you can use this power to passively heat your home.
Sunlight is very easy to put to work in a home. When you want heat, let it in. When you don’t, block the access areas. When sun energy enters an area through a window, the area is known as an isolated gain location. For instance, light streaming through a bedroom window will make the room an isolated gain area that heats up if you close the door. There are two excellent ways to put this to your use.
You can use sunlight to passively heat your home by adding isolated gain areas that track the path of the sun. Heat rises and evens out through a home. If the home has isolated access areas that track the path of the sun, you can gain free heat throughout the day. Most homes will have windows at the end of each home, but limited sunlight access through the roof. A good way to add heating to your home is through sun room roofs or skylights.
A second method for turning the sunlight into heat involves materials. Certain materials take longer to heat up in the sun, but also will generate heat longer once the sun has set. This is known as using thermal mass to heat a home. For instance, masonry materials universally collect and hold energy from the sun. Used for flooring below a window, the materials will heat up throughout the day. Once the sun sets, the materials will continue to expend heat for hours on end. If you doubt this, give some thought to how long your fireplace continues to radiate heat after the fire has gone out.
Using sunlight to heat your home passively will never replace the need for utilities. Minor home improvements, however, can help create heat during the day and make your home more comfortable.
Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com
Rick Chapo is with www.solarcompanies.com – a directory of solar energy and solar power companies. Visit www.solarcompanies.com/articles to read more solar electricity articles.
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