Radiant Floor Heating Maintenance Tips

Radiant heating is an ideal solution for homeowners wishing to keep their homes warm and toasty while maximizing efficiency and minimizing costs. While most people choose to install radiant heating in their floors, you can also consider installing it in your ceiling and walls. However it makes more sense to install it in your floors since this is where you make most contact during your stay in the house. Once installed, it is important that you take proper steps in maintaining your radiant heating.

Don’t Flush The System

Tempting as it is, do not flush your system unless it is absolutely necessary, and even then it is best if you let a professional do it for you. As long as the pressure is sufficient, there should be no reason to flush the system. Sufficient pressure is one that falls within the ranges of 10 to 20 lbs. It is important to keep monitoring your system so that you can ensure the pressure stays within this range, and so that you know when to call a professional for flushing if the pressure dips.

Handling Leaks

Radiant heat systems are closed systems which tend to last for a long time. However, in the course of usage, some wear and tear tends to happen and leaks might develop. If you notice a leak in a copper pipe, it is a good idea to have it repaired. However, if the pipe is made of steel, a leak is indication that the wear and tear is so extensive and intensive that only a replacement would properly fix the problem. A leak is an indication that the system is no longer closed and as such oxygen is making its way into the pipes. The end result would be corrosion which might result in an even bigger problem.

Noise

Usually, modern radiant heating systems work noiselessly since the pumps are properly sealed at the factory. Older systems might have some bit of noise though. It is important to be keen so that you are able to notice when the noise becomes excessive, as this is an indication that you should be planning to get a replacement. When a system becomes too noisy, it shows that some parts are not working as they should be. This could be indicative of a much larger problem and as such should be addressed swiftly once detected.

Inspections

Instead of waiting until there’s a clear sign that something is wrong, it is best to have inspections done so that any impending problems can be detected in good time. Inspections should be done once every year. However if you feel this is too much for you, you can push it to once every three years, but not beyond that.

When properly maintained, a radiant floor heating system can last for decades. As a homeowner, it costs you less to maintain the applications in your house compared to installing new ones. It is therefore in your best interest to ensure that you take steps to ensure proper maintenance of your heated floors system.