It’s no secret that radiant heating is a bit different from forced-air heating. For starters, you’re dealing with heating sources like electrical lines or water instead of a big fan that blows hot air from your furnace. These differences can mean some pretty interesting things from the perspective of your customers, tenants, or employees.
Not only does radiant heating in Franklin Township, NJ operate differently in terms of efficiency, but it can also feel quite different than a building that’s being heated with a forced-air heater. The results can be so different that building owners might jump from one system to another based on personal preference.
In this case, we think it’s a good idea for our potential commercial HVAC customers to learn all they can about radiant heating units, so we can decide together if this system is the right one to install in your building.
Radiant Heating Is Energy Efficient
People might look at radiant heating systems like boilers as old and outdated, but that’s widely a misconception. Radiant heating is as ancient as heating methods come, but that’s for a very good reason. They work exceptionally well and they don’t require very much energy.
For electrical resistance, all that’s required is some electrical lines that run through the baseboards of your building. The floor heats up, the heat rises, and your building becomes nice and comfortable. This is 100% efficient since all of the electricity consumed gets turned into heat.
For boilers, water has an exceptionally high heat capacity–meaning it holds heat very well and can use that heat to warm the space in your building. This means that your boiler might keep things cozy without consuming very much natural gas or electricity!
Comfort Matters
Another major reason why some people go with radiant heating is because of how it feels. Radiant heat doesn’t work like forced-air heating, it radiates heat through objects. This is similar to the heat you feel from being out in the sun, since it can heat up rooms and objects that aren’t in direct sunlight.
A forced-air heating system, for instance, will only heat up the air in your building. Objects might still feel cold but the air should be warm.
Many people prefer the first method of heating and find that it feels “cozier.”
They Last Longer
One other thing to keep in mind is that radiant heating systems can last longer than forced-air heaters due to there being fewer moving parts. A boiler can last upwards of 20 years, which can ultimately mean savings for you and your business.
Great for Older Buildings
If your building is an older one that used to have a boiler, chances are likely that it would be more expensive to install ductwork and set up a forced-air heating system than to just use the existing infrastructure to set up a radiant heating unit.
This can work for both electrical radiant heating systems as well as boilers, but the system you choose is going to depend on factors like budget and your desired fuel type. Boilers can be fueled via natural gas or electricity, whereas electrical resistance is only created by using electricity.
Schedule heating installation with Schaible’s Mechanical today.