> was was the better choice overall

- are you suggesting then that current electric resistance radiant heating products include some 'breakthrough' technology perhaps? ...... why exactly was hydronics originally the 'better choice overall'? -

- does anyone know of a source for reviews of current electric resistance offerings by neutral third parties? -

- this idea is sounding most interesting to us -

It is simply math and the numbers speak for themselves. How does the cost of a btu generated by electricity compare the same btu gererated by your locally available fossil fuel.

The answer in most of the US and Canada is simply that electricity costs more in over 90% of the country where fossil fuels are used to create electricity which in turn is tranmitted -at considerable cost - to the end user in a most refined form, only to be used in the crudest possible fashion i.e. resistance heating.

I design, specify and install both systems. Small projects - generally under 1000 sq.ft. still make economic sense for a well insulated home with plenty of space left in the service box. However, most of us are better off using the cleanest and cheapest fuel available, that being natural gas. The statistics are clear.

The rest I'm afraid is all salesmanship.

MA

quote:

- are you suggesting then that current electric resistance radiant heating products include some 'breakthrough' technology perhaps?

I wouldn't call it "breakthrough" because it turns out that it's been around for a while. (poor marketing...??) However, if it were as inefficient to use as all the arguments portray, my client in Mass. wouldn't be getting the costs to use that the aforementioned numbers stated. I'm not saying that the "bronze screen" element shows a savings but they are certainly competitive with the rest of the market where I'm installing it. Now take into account all the other issues that come inherent with hydronics...construction, maintenance, ifa leak occurs; the peripheral damage, the quantity of moving parts, etc...

Look at the Hydronics forum all by itself. Look at the issues that arise. I've only been in this business for 3 years and I have been on 6 service calls. In 3 Years!

quote:

- does anyone know of a source for reviews of current electric resistance offerings by neutral third parties?

Let me know if you find one.

Let me just state clearly that these are my own personal experiences and I am not in any way saying that hydronics don't have a place. But the opposite, I believe, can no longer be said about low voltage electric radiant using the "bronze screen" element. (sorry, can't use brand names)

Why are there more hydronic than electric heating systems?
The hydronic people have worked a lot to promote their systems; there are more companies involved as there are more components, e.g., tubing, boilers, pumps, valves, manifolds, controls, etc.
In the radiant industry hydronic is being sold as primary heat and electic is offered as floor warming.
Many states have restrictions on electricity and promote gas.
When people think of electric heating, they think of baseboard convectors and quartz heaters, which use a lot of electricity.
As radiant grows, more people will get to know about the many electric radiant heating panels available which include, from total heating to floor warming, for large to very small areas, easy to zone and install in new construction or renovations. You also have products for outdoor applications, for snow melting, and roof and gutter de-icing.
With the promotion of renewable energy, you have low-voltage systems that are AC and DC and can be connected directly to solar or wind power.

This is why the RPA has an Electric Committee to help their members learn about the products available, where to use them and how to design and install them.

Interested in Electromagnetic Field (EMF)?
All alternating current (AC) power lines, electrical wiring and appliances produce EMF. Anytime a current is passed though a conductor an electromagnetic field is created. It is a matter of the intensity that is the relevant factor and here we are referring to low level electromagnetic fields (extremely low frequency). Since we live in an era where electrical appliances surround us, we are constantly exposed to EMF. An electric radiant panel is no different than any electrical appliance, but there are ways of minimizing the EMF. Some panel manufacturers use shielding while others use two parallel elements or connect opposite polarities side by side that cancel out each other's magnetic field. Direct current (DC) does not induce electric current in humans.

Help!! we are in the process of buying a home, but one has ceiling heat with a little mold in one corner of a room and the same in another room. Is this serious or could this be an easy fix?

My question back on May 30th was mold pertaining to heated ceilings, if there's a small amount of mold in one corner of the ceiling, is that cause for alarm? does radiant heat leak or give off steam? and is it an easy fix?...

If the radiant system installed in your ceiling is electric in design, then the mold issue is just (for the lack of a better term) a mold issue. It will not effect the system.

If you have a hydronic radiant system in your ceiling, you should repost this on the hydronic portion of the site to get a response.

radiant heating isn't supposed to leak or give off steam.

I have no idea why your mold is there or whether it is cause for concern, but it's not "normal".