Radiant floor heating may be a luxury, but if you're looking to upgrade your home or you live in a cold climate, it's worth considering. Instead of walking on cold surfaces, you can enjoy a spa-like feel throughout your home. And it's not just your floors that get warm—since heat rises, everything in the room (including you) warms up.
Heated floors are usually installed when a home is built, but it is possible to add them later. And since they're reasonably priced, you won't need to spend a fortune on renovations.
Here's a breakdown of what you need to know about radiant floor heating systems:
Radiant floor heating is a way to heat your home. Historically, heated floors were only installed in bathrooms and kitchens because homeowners liked the feel of heat on their feet in those rooms. However, as technology has changed, some homes are now completely heated by radiant floor heating. Since heat is emitted from the ground up and heat rises, radiant floors can heat up the whole room.
There are different types of radiant floor heating options to choose from, including:
- Electric
- Hydronic
- Geothermal
- Solar
- Propane
We dive more into specifics about each of these below.
Radiant floor heating costs about $10 to $15 per square foot. The national average cost of radiant floor heating is $3,800, with a range of $1,700 to $6,000. You'll also need to factor in labor costs from a professional. In addition, how much you'll pay depends on where you live, the square footage of the floors you want heated and the type of system you choose.
If you're looking to add heated floors to just a few rooms, an electric system is often preferred. Electric radiant floor heating is easy to install because no additional plumbing is required. Instead, it involves heating cables inside mats, which can be placed under vinyl and wood floors. While this process is simpler than some other options, your floors will still need to be removed first. Electric radiant floors are typically used in kitchens, bathrooms and smaller rooms in your home.
Electric radiant floors are the easiest to install and are typically the most affordable option, at $8 to $15 per square foot. This type of heating is meant to be supplemental and shouldn't be used to heat your entire home.
With hydronic radiant floor heating, tubing is embedded into concrete floors or placed under wooden subfloors. Hot water, provided from an attached boiler, then runs through the tubes, which heat the floors. This type of floor heating system is typically found in homes located in colder climates. While ongoing heating costs are minimal with this type of radiant floor heating, upfront costs can be high because a boiler and plumbing must be installed.
Even though hydronic radiant floor heating is considered more cost-effective than an electric system, you're still looking at $6 to $20 per square foot for installation. In addition, you'll need to purchase a boiler, so your upfront costs could be significant.
Geothermal radiant flooring is similar to hydronic systems, but instead of using a boiler to heat the water, it uses a heat pump. Thermal energy found naturally in the earth is used to heat the water in the pipes found in the floors.
The average cost of geothermal radiant floor heating is $7 to $17 per square foot, but you also need to factor in the cost of installing a heat pump. The total installation cost typically ranges between $15,000 and $35,000.
As you can guess, solar radiant floor heating harnesses power from the sun to heat the flooring system. Just like other forms of solar power, solar panels are installed and store energy provided by the sun. That power heats the liquids in a tank, and the heat gets circulated underneath your floors.
The average cost of solar radiant floor heating is $18 to $25 per square foot. In most cases, one-third of your overall costs will be for the installation of the solar water heating unit. The total installation cost can range from $8,000 to $19,500.
Another way to heat your floors is by using a propane water heating tank. Similar to other systems, pipes must first be installed under your floors. A propane tank then heats the water that circulates through the pipes to warm up your floors.
You can expect to pay about $6 to $20 per square foot for propane radiant floor heating. This is actually one of the more affordable options, as the only other major cost is a propane water heating tank, which costs about $2,600.
Materials and labor costs make up the bulk of your expenses when installing radiant floor heating, but there are additional costs to consider. While it's unlikely that all of the following expenses will affect you, it's a good idea to review them because they may affect your overall renovation budget.
You probably know that the larger your square footage, the more it can cost to install heated floors. But what you may not realize is that the type of floors you have (or are considering) can also affect pricing. Vinyl flooring is typically the least expensive. Concrete is a bit more costly, but still reasonable for people on a budget. If you have high-end materials like marble, you can expect to pay much more to install heated floors.
When you purchase radiant heated floors, you typically install them in multiple rooms. To prepare for the installation, you'll need to clear the furniture from each room. While it's possible to shuffle items throughout your home, you may need to hire movers and pay for temporary storage while your floors are being installed.
Generally speaking, people who live in a densely populated area are charged less for heated flooring than those in a rural or remote location. That's because the installers need to factor in the time it takes to transport materials and laborers to your home. Also note that if the professionals are in high demand, they may charge more.
You can quickly estimate the cost of installing radiant heated floors by multiplying your floor space by the average cost of the materials you're considering. Let's say your floors cover 1,000 square feet and you want hydronic flooring. Since hydronic heated floors typically cost $6 to $20 per square foot, you can estimate spending between $6,000 and $20,000.
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Type of heated floor
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Average cost per square foot
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Electric
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$8-$15
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Hydronic
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$6-$20
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Geothermal
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$7-$17
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Solar
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$18-$25
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Propane
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$6-$20
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Since the cost of installing heated floors is not a small expense, you'll want to carefully consider the pros and cons before you commit. By looking at it from both sides, you can decide if heated floors are the right choice for you.
- Controlled heating: Heated floors can be connected to a smart thermostat so you can control the temperature of each zone in your home.
- Better air quality: Since there's no forced air with heated floors, there's less dust moving around your home, which could improve the air quality.
- Available with different surfaces: Heated floors can be installed on most floor surfaces, including vinyl and concrete.
- Upfront costs: Although you could save money on your energy bills in the long run, installing heated floors does come with an upfront cost.
- Big project: Installing heated floors is a major renovation. It will require multiple days to complete, and it's generally not a do-it-yourself task.
- Raises floor levels: When adding radiant floor heating, you may lose about half an inch of space. This could be significant if you have low ceilings.
Like all things in your home, heated floors will need to be replaced eventually. Here's how you can tell if you need new heated floors:
- You've noticed uneven heating coming from your floors.
- The overall temperature in your home varies from room to room.
- Your heating bills have gone up.
- The floors are reaching or have surpassed their life span (e.g., 25+ years for electric; 50 years for hydronic).
- Your flooring is damaged and you're looking to make an upgrade.
A line of credit, home equity line of credit or credit card are good options if you want to start your flooring project immediately.
The Synchrony HOME™ Credit Card offers 6 months of promotional financing when making purchases of $299 or more, wherever the card is accepted. Select Synchrony HOME partner locations may offer longer term promotional financing ranging from 12 to 60 months on qualifying purchases.*
While heated floors may be considered a luxury, there's no denying the comfort and potential for reduced energy costs over the long run. If you're looking to keep the heat regulated in your home or you want to improve the air quality, heated floors may be right for you.
Learn more about the benefits of the Synchrony HOME Credit Card today for your home renovation project needs.
* Subject to credit approval. Minimum monthly payments required. Promotional financing offers available at the time of purchase may vary by location. See store for details.
