Heated Floor Savings Tips That Will Warm You Up
Cold weather is terrible, in my opinion. And when my feet are cold, I am miserable. My body was made for summertime, but not everyone enjoys that kind of heat.
Regardless of whether you enjoy cold or hot weather, it's a safe bet that you'd prefer to keep your home at a comfortable temperature in the winter. If you can do that, keep your toes warm, and save some green at the same time - well, that's just icing on the cake.
Heated floors are one of the best ways to meet all of those goals, but the upfront costs can put a dent in your bank account. Fortunately, there are some great ways to minimize that dent.
What Are Heated Floors and How Do They Save on Heating?
Heated floors are systems placed underneath your floor covering that provide heat to your home. This heat can come through forced air, electricity, or warm water.
There are several characteristics of heated floors that help save on heating costs. The heat in heated flooring comes from the bottom up and spreads evenly throughout the space. As such, it does not need to run constantly like regular HVAC systems. And most homeowners can set their thermostats six to eight degrees lower with heated floors, meaning they save more money.
Understand How Much You Save Overall
Before you dive into trying to save on heated floors, it is important to understand that this is an investment. It is great to save money where you can, but compromising the installation and system quality can cost you more money over time.
To make the sting of this investment a little less painful, you have to understand how much you will save by installing it correctly. Here are two short facts to help:
- A traditional HVAC costs about $20 to run non stop for 24 hours. Radiant heating systems for your floor only cost $1-5 for 24 hours
- The average home saves anywhere from 15 percent to 40 percent on energy bills. That often adds up to thousands each year, and these systems can last for up to 35 years
Though installing your system can hurt a bit upfront, it can certainly help you save much more throughout its lifetime. Keep this in mind as you prepare to get your heated floors.
Saving on heated floors is a combo move. One part is, of course, saving during purchase and installation. The second part is to ensure that the decisions you make during that time get you the best heated floors for your home.
Making both steps a priority means that you save more money in the beginning and throughout your system's usage while making sure it lasts for the full life expectancy. The steps and tips listed below can put you on the path to save the maximum amount on heated floors for your home.
Breakdown the Cost
To save on heated floors, you need to know how much they cost and what that cost includes. Let's take a look at some average costs. Don't let these numbers scare you, though, because they can go down.
HomeAdvisor says that you can install a hydronic system throughout an entire 2,400 square foot home for approximately $14,000 to $48,000. Electric systems through the same home typically range from about $19,000 to $36,000. These prices are said to include materials and professional installation.
The materials can cost anywhere from $5 to $15 per square foot. The costs depend specifically on the materials you choose.
Professional installation usually costs $45 to $200 per hour. However, these labor costs can be impacted the rates in your location, the workload involved, and how far the contractor has to drive.
To save on heated floors, you will have to focus on both the material costs and the installation costs. The following tips should help you do just that.
Choose the Best Type Of System
There are three types of systems to choose from.
1. Air-Heated
Let's start with air-heated systems. I want to say upfront that this is the least cost-effective system for homes, so it's best to avoid it. However, as you will likely hear the term, it's important to mention.
There is actually a very simple reason why air-heated systems do not save much: Air does not hold much heat. Therefore, air-heated systems are constantly running to supply your floors with heat and are likely not going to keep you as warm as you'd hoped. Bottom line: Air-heated systems are not the choice to make when trying to save on bills.
2. Electric
Electric heated floor systems use heating cables (usually in a mat), a sensor, and a thermostat to heat the floors. This is the simplest type of system and the easiest to install- easy enough that you can do it on your own. They can last up to 35 years with little to no upkeep. There are, of course, downsides. As these use electricity, it does not quite save as much as hydronic systems do.
If something does happen during that 35 years- like a malfunction or failure- that requires you to make repairs, it's not a simple fix. Repairs require replacing the entire mat and the flooring on top.
3. Warm Water or Hydronic
A hydronic system circulates hot water from your boiler system through a pipe underneath the floor. These systems are more complicated and are best left to a professional. They also require higher upfront costs.
However, they are the least expensive way to heat a whole home. You can save up to 30 percent more on energy usage with a hydronic system than an electric system.
Before you move any further, it is best to determine which type of system you want to work toward. Remember, electric systems cost less upfront but more overall. Hydronic systems cost more upfront but can save you almost another 30 percent on your heating bills.
Deciding whether you are more concerned about saving now or saving more throughout the entire lifespan of the heated floors is important. Regardless of which you decide to go with, though, there are still ways to save.
Installation
Installation costs can multiply your overall price exponentially, so it is a great place to save on heated floors. DIY installation is almost always going to be cheaper than hiring a professional.
One of my favorite ways to get things done is by trading out work with someone else. For instance, if my cousin has experience in electric work, I might offer to clean his home a few times or babysit his kids in exchange for help. Even if I pay him instead, it still costs me less than a professional.
Do understand, though, that you have to be careful with who you get to help. I'm not saying that your helper has to be a working electrician- just that you do not want someone careless to help you. There are many great sources online, including the Family Handyman website, that gives step by step instructions for installing your heated floors. As long as you- and your helper- follow those directions, you should be good to go.
Hydronic systems are more complicated to install, but that does not necessarily mean a DIYer cannot do it. Some people can install the flooring and hire a plumber to hook it to the plumbing system. The more you can do on your own, the less you have to pay someone else to do.
If you choose to go with professional installation, get estimates from several contractors in your area. If they are too far away from you, they might increase their price to compensate for the long trip to your home.
If you choose to go with professional installation, get estimates from several contractors in your area. If they are too far away from you, they might increase their price to compensate for the long trip to your home.
Strategic Placement
Another great way to save on heated floors is to be strategic with where you place the flooring. Doing so means that you do not necessarily have to put it throughout the entire house, saving you a lot of money. It also means that you can do it a little at a time while still being warm and using less energy.
When planning your placement, prioritize the following areas:
Places where you stand often - This includes locations such as in front of kitchen and bathroom sinks.
Heavy traffic areas - Walkways, family areas, and similar spaces
Under furniture - Adding heated floors beneath couches, beds, and tables make you more comfortable when you are hanging out at those spots.
Some people start with only one heated area in the most commonly used rooms and then add on as time goes. Others just add a couple in the beginning and leave it alone.
However you choose to get started, there are a couple of things to keep in mind.
1. If you add more than one mat in a room, place them side by side for the maximum effect. Spreading them out can decrease the amount of heat you feel and leave cold spots.
2. Including insulation around the flooring increases the efficiency of any heat your floors put out.
3. The type of floor covering you choose can increase the amount of heat produced and impact the upfront costs. We'll dig a little more deeply in the next section.
Choose the Best Floor Covering
Part of installing heated floors is covering them with the type of floor you want. Heating flooring works with carpet, tile, stone, wood, laminate, and vinyl, so you are free to choose your style. Before you jump onto that, though, let's take a look at some important facts.
The best type of floor covering for heated floors is ceramic tile. The material conducts heat better than others and stores that heat.
All other floor coverings act somewhat as a barrier between you and the heat, so your system works harder and uses more energy.
You can find ceramic tile for less than 50 cents per square foot from wholesale stores so that it can be as cheap or cheaper than the other flooring options. And it comes in many styles, so you are not limited with the look.
Shop Around
Any time you make a purchase or start a project, it is incredibly important to shop around - for everything. In this case, you need to shop around for the heated flooring system, the floor covering, the tools needed for the installation, and professional installation if you are going that route. Here are a couple of tips to find the best prices on each:
Heating System
Many places sell the systems. Most hardware stores have them as well as many online retailers. On some, you will need to buy everything separately, but others have everything ready to go. The best thing to do is to check prices on multiple websites to ensure you find the right price.
Floor Covering
Typically, the best way to save on floor covering is by shopping through a wholesaler. However, I have found some great deals at hardware stores in places people usually do not look.
Let's say you go into Lowe's for laminate flooring, and you have them cut it to the right size for your room. What do you think they do with the leftovers if you do not take them? If they are a usable size and in good enough condition, they sell them at a discount. You will not find it back on the flooring aisle, though. You will need to go back to the cutting area and ask if they have any discounted materials.
Tools
If you do not have the tools you need, the absolute best way to save money on them is to borrow them. Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, or friends might have what you need and be willing to loan them. If not, many hardware stores rent out tools for a project. This is the best way to go if you will not need the same tool later.
If you need to buy the tools, there are several ways to save:
First, hit thrift stores, yard sales, and pawn shops. It can be hit or miss, but you just might find a $200 tool for $30 - I know because I have done it.
Stores like Harbor Freight have great prices on tools. Lowe's and Home Depot have sales throughout the year. You can also check Amazon and similar websites.
If you are buying the tools new, sign up for Rakuten. After creating an account, you can search for the tool you need in their search bar or find your favorite store on their site. I've got hundreds in cashback just by shopping at my regular stores through their site.
You might also consider adding the Honey extension to your browser. It can help you locate the lowest price for your item on the Internet.
Saving Can Be Fun. Visit the Billry Shop And See It For Yourself!
Potential Credits
For a few years now, the government has been giving tax credits for homes' energy-efficient improvements. These can include heated flooring systems.
There is constant talk of the credits expiring, but they have also been extended several times. Either way, check with a tax professional about any federal or state tax credits you might get for installing heated flooring.
And do check before starting your project as they sometimes have specific requirements. It would be terrible to do all of the work, believing you would get a tax break, only to find out that you did not meet one requirement.
Conclusion
There are several ways to save on heated floors. Sometimes, the savings are upfront. Other times, it is in cashback. Either way, you can certainly enjoy the benefits of toasty toes while saving money with these tips.