Ask Your Plumber About Hydronic Heating

There are several different ways to heat your home, and a plumber can walk you through several of them. Plumbers are often responsible for some electrical and gas work, which oftentimes includes heaters. Also, they’re obviously responsible for anything involving water. That means that they’ll handle your hot water heater. There’s a type of heating that has grown in popularity that you need to ask your plumber about; that’s hydronic heating.

Hydronic Heating

Hydronic heating is a fairly simple process. Pipes are installed underneath your floor. The pipes are connected to a boiler or a hot water heater. The boiler or hot water heater will pump water through the pipes underneath the floor. The hot water will radiate heat throughout the floor. Since heat rises, it will rise up from the floor and heat your entire house. Research has found that radiant heating through the floor can actually be more efficient than a standard heater. That’s because air does not retain heat as well as water, flooring, or furniture. Air will cool down rapidly and the heater will need to come back on; alternately, heating up the floor will keep it warm for a much longer time.

Ask Your Plumber

You should ask your plumber about hydronic heating. Since there are two popular ways to heat the water for the hydronic heating system, you should ask the plumber which one is right for you. Your home likely already has a hot water heater; therefore, that installation will be much simpler. However, the hot water heater might not be the most efficient way to heat the water. A boiler actually boils the water, which will make it warm the room much faster. However, if you don’t already have a boiler, you’ll need to have one installed.

These are the types of things you would ask a plumber. The plumber will be able to tell you which types of boilers or hot water heaters might work best with your setup, whether hydronic heating is right for you, and what types of costs you can expect. Many people find that they save money in the long run after an initial investment.

Maintenance

Lastly, you should ask the plumber about maintaining your hydronic heating system. Hydronic systems will need to be maintained much like plumbing. They’ll require upkeep; if the system is not connected to your water main, you’ll need to refill it occasionally as well.

These are all things a great local plumber will help you with; you’ll be able to make an informed decision about your home’s heating.