Radiant Heat For Your Log Home

Should I consider radiant heat for my log home?

Radiant in-floor heating can be a fantastic option for a log home for several reasons.

First is efficiency. In a conventional forced-air system, heat is generated by a furnace and piped through a series of ducts, typically placed near the ceiling of a room. Since heat rises, the warmed air may have difficulty reaching the residents. This type of system also creates hot spots near the duct vent and cool spots farther away from the source, resulting in uneven temperatures even in small spaces. The same goes for differences between upper and lower floors.

Radiant in-floor heat, on the other hand, involves a system of coiled tubes that lie just below a home’s finished floor material, heating a room from the ground up. Whether the radiant system is electric or hydronic (water) based, this continuous system also allows for more even temps throughout the space.

And in terms of construction efficiency, it’s much easier to install radiant heat in a full log home’s floor than creating areas to run bulky ductwork.

Second is creating a better indoor environment. A forced-air system doesn’t just blow air – it propels all the dust, pollen, pet dander and other airborne contaminants right along with it. For people with allergies, this can present a very real and chronic problem. Not to mention that it deposits the dust around your home, and if you have round interior logs, that dust can settle and collect on top of them.

Without a blower to scatter these contaminants around the house, a radiant in-floor system can provide a cleaner, healthier indoor environment. And there are no noisy fans kicking on and off to disturb the peace.

And last, is the long term savings. It’s true that a radiant in-floor system likely will be more money (sometimes as much as double) in terms of up front costs than a forced-air system, but there’s quite a bit of long-term cost-saving to be had. A perfect example is that radiant heat’s “from the ground up efficiency” allows you to set temperatures at lower levels, saving on fuel and operational costs without sacrificing comfort. Even by conservative estimates, radiant heat can save 20 to 30 percent more energy than traditional furnaces, and some have seen annual savings in the 50-percent range. A slightly bigger investment at the onset could reap loads of comfort and financial benefits down the line.

Published on: August 18th, 2016

Like what you read? Need more information? Achieving energy efficiency for you log homes goes beyond the logs. We've asked industry experts, Katahdin Cedar Log Homes to help with the answers. Click here to see more.