Concerns Installing Carpet Over Radiant Heat

As long as proper precautions are taken it is perfectly fine to install laminate over a radiant heated floor.

Concerns installing carpet over radiant heat.

Radiant heat is considered a dry heat and if the heating season lasts for several months a humidification system should be installed to keep the relative humidity above 30. Carpet padding thickness it s best to use a thinner carpet padding rather than a thick padding. Underfloor heating is well suited for use under carpet provided that care is taken when choosing the carpet. In addition tile flooring will not expand as it warms or contract as it cools.

Most wood flooring can be installed over radiant heat providing all of the necessary conditions are met. Due to the excellent insulating properties of carpeting radiant heating systems will experience efficiency reduction and thus may require that the thermostat is turned up higher than it would be with hard flooring. The overall thickness of any materials above the heater needs to be taken into account too as this will ensure efficient heat transfer. For radiant floor heating you want the total r value to be as low as possible lower than 4 0.

Installing hardwood flooring over a radiant heating system. During the installation process one of the most important steps to take is to turn on the radiant heat system 1 2 weeks prior to the delivery of the wood. But adding radiant heating under carpeting may be redundant. Run the floor s heating system for at least 4 days at 64 72 degrees.

This gently warms the floor under your feet. To safely and effectively install wool over electric radiant floor heating it is best to have the wool carpet at 3 8 which will give it an r value of 1 575. Acclimate flooring in the room it will be installed in for at least 48 hours. Wood flooring manufactured and expected to perform at mc levels higher than 9 percent or in conditions above 50 percent rh should not be used with radiant heating systems.

In order to make this installation successful you need to. Radiant floor heating with carpet. According to a study conducted by the georgia institute of technology school of textile engineering. Porcelain and ceramic tile are great conductors of heat so your home will get the full benefit of the radiant heating system.

If the carpet is thick then the r value is 2 1 a significant increase that will build a higher thermal resistance.