Can I Use A Hot Water Heater For Radiant Floor Heat

We will also be installing 2 separate water heaters.

Can i use a hot water heater for radiant floor heat.

For most residential applications you can use the same hot water heater to heat water for the radiant heat system and for domestic drinking water showers cleaning etc use. Because the slab installations will require less than 140 deg f water it is safe to use a water heater to heat the radiant slabs. We ve been doing this longer than anyone with great success. Radiant floor company pioneered the use of on demand tank less water heaters for radiant floor heating nearly 20 years ago when many in the heating industry believed that on demand water heaters would never work for radiant heat we disagreed.

Every heating unit that radiant floor company recommends and offers is designed rated for space heating. A high quality water heater is more energy efficient and friendlier to the environment. Water based radiant floor heaters are expensive to connect since they require a water source a boiler and pump unit. This type of radiant floor heating system may use either one or two hot water heater tanks depending on the hot water needs and the size of the home heating system.

You really only need a maximum of 120 f for your floor. Many people use a water heater instead of a boiler for radiant floor heat because it costs less. Lower water temperatures are becoming more common because they are safer for. It is the safest choice as well.

This is called a dual purpose system. As such we rate it with 5 stars out of 5. However once installed they are exponentially cheaper to operate than electric heaters and as such after the second year recover their initial cost. The best tankless water heater for radiant floor heat is the takagi th3 natural gas.

The saving are extraordinary. Contained systems run two sets. Certainly cost is important but there are many other important factors as well. Also there is very little maintenance which can be done by the homeowner.

A hot water heater saves money when used in this way. It is important to note that the same cannot be said for cheap low end water. One to supply domestic hot water and a separate water heater to supply the radiant floor. Water heater for radiant heat water heaters are good for radiant floor heating because they maintain a low temperature.

Water heaters can t produce hot enough water typical boiler systems use a design temperature of 180 f or higher which produces scalding hot surface temperatures at cast radiators and convector units and is too hot for radiant floor applications. In fact an electric hot water tank can be used to heat a house with in floor radiant and they are thousands of dollars cheaper than boilers and if they fail cost very little to replace.