Resistance Heating Options

Ceiling Cable

Ceiling cable heat, the traditional and least expensive radiant heat to install, uses cables running along the ceiling between the sheetrock and the insulation. Newer improved designs use continuous conductive mats that spread the heating over an entire panel, which is easy to install or replace, and also less likely to need repairs.

Ceiling radiant heat is only slightly more expensive than most baseboard systems and technological advances have made it much more reliable than in the past.

Cable heating systems heat surfaces in the room...not the air itself. The cable is a coated wire that is looped diagonally throughout the ceiling and enclosed in the plaster. Each room is controlled by a thermostat.

When the thermostat tells the system to turn on, heat radiates from the wires in the ceiling down to furniture and other surfaces in the room, warming them. The heat is then released from those surfaces to the adjacent air. The process is similar to how the sun heats: the sun radiates heat down to a rock and the rock then radiates that heat to the air around it.

TIPS:

• Insulate your attic. A poorly insulated attic will magnify heat loss through the ceiling because you're initially heating the surface of the ceiling.
• Use extreme care when installing additional items in the ceiling. A break in the wire will cause heat for the whole room to fail and may expose a person to electrical shock.

Floor Heating (Plenum)

Radiant heating can also be installed in the floor, heating the floor to about 80°F. Some homeowners consider floor radiant heat the most comfortable electrical heating option of all. However, floor radiant heat can be more expensive to install, and may require sophisticated controls to prevent overheating.

There are two main types of radiant floor heating systems; electric and hydronic. Electric radiant systems can be less expensive than hydronic heating systems. However, depending on the installation requirements and project size, the cost will vary.  Both systems are embedded into your floor. With each system, heat is spread evenly throughout the house. Most systems use a relay control operated with standard thermostats.

Electric radiant systems heat your living space electrically from beneath your flooring. The system uses the heat preservation of your floor to disperse the heat. Gradually, the heat rises to the ceiling naturally, warming the floor first.

Hydronic systems use hot water pushed through plastic tubes beneath your floor.  The temperature is controlled by regulating the flow of hot water, through the boiler that heats the water up and the pumps that keep the water circulating.

TIPS:

• Before making any final decisions, speak to a professional to be sure that your floor covering will work efficiently with this type of heat.

Baseboard Heating

Baseboard heaters, as the name implies, are installed where the wall intersects the floor.

These heaters have been used for many years in a wide variety of applications. Not requiring ducts, motors, or fans, they operate by drawing natural convective air currents from the floor (where the air is cooler) across an electric element (some models have liquid-filled elements) with several fins. The heated air flows out of the top of the baseboard and radiates from the unit itself.

When purchasing baseboard heaters, select the "low density" models (not more than 250 watts per lineal foot). This provides a more even heat distribution and prevents dark smudges from airborne particles collecting on the wall.  Also, choose a quality product and insist on construction features that eliminate snapping and popping noises caused by the thermal expansion and contraction of the components.

Each element contains a series of metal plates called fins that help send heat to a broader area. Cold air is drawn over the heated fins from the bottom of the baseboard and is directed into the room by a deflector hood. The heated air rises and forces the cold air to the floor, and the process repeats itself.

Baseboards take more time to heat a room than fan-assisted heaters. Plan ahead or just set thermostats to a temperature at the low end of your comfort range and leave it there.

TIPS:

• Vacuum the heaters on a regular basis.
• Comfort may be reduced due to furniture blocking the air flow or poor system design.
• Individual room temperatures are easy to control, however, considering the whole house as a system, it can be time consuming to ensure each thermostat is turned down when needed. A master control thermostat can be used to control multiple rooms.

ADVANTAGES

• As with other systems, each zone (or room) can be heated to different temperatures.
• Inexpensive to install and purchase compared to other heating systems.
• Baseboard heaters are versatile. They can be installed in various types of construction.
• No heat loss through ductwork.
• Low maintenance.
• Typically quiet to operate.

DISADVANTAGES

• Their large size may make it difficult to arrange furniture without blocking the heater.
• Being located in close proximity to the floor may cause a safety concern if blocked by combustibles. In most cases several thermostats are needed to adjust the temperature of the entire house.

Information Courtesy of Salem Electric & Clark Public Utilities