Guest Blog Writer: Ashley Calmers
Written exclusively for goldheat.com
America's heating system of choice — the traditional heating system — has not changed since the 1930s. However, years of innovation have created a more efficient alternative: electric radiant floor heating. Electric radiant floor heating uses infrared light beams to warm the floor by diffusing light from the wires under the floor to shine upwards across the home.
On average, electric radiant heat flooring can cost $20 per square foot. Homeowners can expect to spend between $19,000 and $36,000 for radiant heating in a 2,400-square-foot home. Though these numbers can appear intimidating, the improvement will undoubtedly give you a significant return on investment thanks to the costs it saves on maintenance and energy and the value it adds to your home.
According to a finance advice piece on Medium, knowing what increases the value of your home is essential. The site recommends speaking to a financial advisor to determine how much you should spend versus potential future profit. The type of financial advisor you get will also depend on your budget.
Extrinsic benefits refer to objective benefits that raise your home's selling price by a specific margin. The most significant extrinsic benefit of radiant heat is that it makes your home more energy-efficient.
By supplying heat directly to your floors, radiant heat eliminates the duct losses that are extremely common in conventional heating systems. Research has shown that buildings with radiant floor heating systems can reduce energy consumption by 7.3% to 15.3% per year.
Such efficiency can significantly reduce your energy costs, making your home more valuable to future buyers and renters. Studies have even shown that energy-efficient home improvements can raise a home's value by up to $2000, or 10% of the total value of the home's energy savings. If you're renting your property instead of selling it, reduced energy costs can improve tenant satisfaction, which reduces vacancy and tenant turnover rates.
Additionally, radiant heat requires less maintenance than traditional heating systems. Because they lack moving parts that can break, the system doesn't need regular repairs or cleaning. In most cases, radiant heating systems will have a warranty for the lifespan of the flooring material.
Intrinsic benefits refer to subjective benefits that improve the value of your home for you, the homeowner. Such benefits do not have a specific numerical value, but a future homebuyer will undoubtedly appreciate them.
The most significant intrinsic benefit of radiant heat is that it significantly improves a home's comfort levels. Heated floors can give any room a touch of modern luxury. The full-body heating experience floor heat is so comfortable that it can improve mobility in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis.
Additionally, radiant heating systems are highly effective at preventing mold growth and condensation in windows and bathrooms. Because floor heat requires no fans, it eliminates any possibility of dust build-up blowing around the room.
As such, radiant floor heating can improve an entire living environment. Such improvements will make your home more attractive to any buyer or renter. Increased demand comes with an increased selling price.
Though installing radiant heat can be pretty expensive, the benefits are a bang for your buck. But by both creating significant improvements to home comfort levels and generating significant savings in energy costs, maintenance, and cleaning, installing a radiant heating system can enhance the living experience. Such luxury raises the value of your home.
For more information about radiant floor heat or a general idea of how much it will cost, contact design@goldheat.com.
Guest Blog Writer: Ashley Calmers