Residential Radiant Heat
Boilers used for radiant home heating are most often found in older homes here in the tri-state area of Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa. Many vintage and historic homes have an unmatched charm and detail seldom found in homes being built today and the latest radiant heating high-efficiency upgrades or renovation can work very well with your family’s preference.
But, what about cooling in warm weather months? It’s possible now to have the best of both worlds, using an energy-efficient boiler system for underfloor radiant heat and by adding ductless electric mini split units with heat pumps that can both cool or supplement heat to individual rooms or zones. Mini-splits can also aid in creating air-flow that may be missing with radiant heat.
Whether your existing home uses radiant heat or you’re considering a radiant heating system upgrade, it’s important to work with a professional contractor, experienced not only in heating & cooling, but plumbing as well. Molitor Plumbing, for over 35 years, has proudly serviced and installed all types of heating & cooling systems for homes in the tri-state.
How Do Radiant Heat Systems Work?
Boiler Systems
Most boilers for home heating today are sized to the home and are far more efficient than in the past. Even though it’s called a boiler, it doesn’t heat water to boiling temperatures. Normally the heat delivered to the system is in a range of 90-150 degrees.
The boiler fuel source should be powered by natural gas or propane. As the water heats in the boiler tank according to thermostat settings, it travels through a circulator that controls water flow rate and the pressure out and back via piping (or even PEX tubing) to either floor radiators, baseboard heating or an under-floor radiant system. The process is continuous as your programmable thermostat reaches its set temperature. Boilers 25 years and older should be replaced and upgraded to a newer high-efficiency model. A thorough inspection of the existing boiler, circulator, flue system, radiators and return lines are needed as a safety precaution.
A professional contractor, experienced in radiant heating systems, should first be consulted to discuss options for type, size and design of the distribution system that best fits your home and budget requirements.
Boiler/Water Heater Combo Units
Now there is a high-efficiency way to save space and money in heating your home and on hot water used for bathing, hot water fixtures, clothes washers and dishwashers! These combination central heating boilers and cylindrical water heaters are compact and can significantly reduce installation and operating costs.
These units are designed to heat both your home’s indoor space and your domestic hot water. The boiler/water heater’s unique heat exchanger design can use existing copper piping for space heating and for domestic hot water generation.
A gas-fired (natural gas or propane) boiler/water heater can generate domestic hot water in several ways. It can be used as a tankless water heater with or without a storage tank. The boiler/water heater is equipped with an electronic controller, which ignites the burner and continuously monitors the flame throughout each call for heat.
Modulating condensing gas-fired (natural gas or propane) boilers are designed to heat both the indoor space and uses an indirect domestic hot water storage tank for bathing, sink fixtures, clothes washers and dishwashers in homes with multiple bathrooms.
Your Molitor Plumbing technicians are ready to assess your personal preferences based on home size and layout for the proper use and installation of combination boiler/water heater options.