With a radiant heat system, you never need to flinch away from a cold floor again. This luxurious home heating option wins over many who experience it and leaves them asking, "Could this work for my house?" In most cases, the answer is yes. But while the installation process itself is usually painless, you'll need to decide on the right flooring to install over your new system.

Radiant heating works by channeling hot water through a maze of pipes running below your floor. The floor and surrounding air absorb the heat, providing warmth where it's most needed. This process reduces waste and makes radiant heating one of the most energy-efficient systems on the market. To truly get the most out of it, however, consider the following factors while picking out new flooring.

Thermal Conductivity 

The best flooring materials for a radiant system possess high thermal conductivity. This property dictates how much heat your floor absorbs from the pipes and passes on to the air above. Carpeting, for example, is often a poor choice, because its underlayers have strong insulative properties. Too much insulation and your system will waste energy trying to warm your space. Instead, choose a material like ceramic tile, natural stone, bamboo, laminate, vinyl, or hardwood, which all diffuse heat better. 

Heat Capacity 

Of course, too much heat can also cause problems with some flooring types. Materials like stone, tile, polished concrete, or laminate withstand high temperatures without issue. Vinyl and hardwood floors, meanwhile, may expand and contract within the normal temperatures of a radiant heating system. This isn't true for all vinyl and hardwood types, so check with your heating installer and floor dealer to find out which brands to use or avoid. 

Water Resistance

Most radiant systems last their intended lifespan without springing a leak. But for a big investment like flooring, it's always wise to be prepared. If one of the pipes beneath your floor begins to leak for whatever reason, it can damage the flooring above. Stone, laminate, ceramic tile, and concrete all handle moisture without much trouble. Vinyl, carpet, wood, and other organic floorings may need to be completely replaced. 

Aesthetics

As you can see, radiant heating systems work with a wide variety of flooring materials and offer you plenty of flexibility. While staying within these minor limits, you can still focus primarily on which flooring looks best for your unique living space. If you have any questions about what will or won't work with your new system, don't hesitate to call your heating installation team for advice. 

Reach out to a company like Mills Brothers Climate Control to learn more.