What Is Hydronic Heating?
Hydronic heating systems are growing to be more popular in Australian homes, with little reliance on traditional gas and electric methods for heating your home.
Hydronic heating systems use water to move heat from a sources such as gas boilers or heat pumps through piping to each room. It’s often installed in concrete slabs, secondary topping slabs, radiator panels & hydronic towel rails. This efficient way to heat your home is a cost-effective form of in-home heating that combines smart energy with innovative technology to produce the most efficient heating system.
Widely considered as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional heating methods, hydronic heating allows you to heat specific areas of your home along with water having the ability to retain heat more efficiently compared to air.
How Does Hydronic Heating Work?
Water is heated in a boiler and then distributed quickly around the house through piping in the walls. It then travels into panel radiators which are installed in each room and then transferred out into the air spreading evenly around the room. Or in the case of floor heating the water is distributed around coils of piping under a concrete slab which then heats the whole surface area.
How do you power Hydronic Boilers?
The boilers may be fuelled by a variety of sources including gas, electricity, wood, biofuels. Boilers with low-water content are the most efficient. No matter what your local fuel source is, there will be a boiler that is suitable for your home.
How do Hydronic Heat Pumps work?
You can alternatively heat your hydronic system with the help of a heat pump. A heat pump uses a fan and refrigeration gases that extract heat from the surrounding air, that is then transferred into the water. The heated water is then transferred from the heat bump and into a buffer tank to be used within your hydronic heating system as needed.
What type of Radiators are available?
Radiators also come in a diverse range of styles and materials, from the traditional steel panels, to the latest aluminium or cast iron designer panels. At Fosters we have an extensive range of designer radiators offering elegant and unique shapes, size and materials to suit any space.
Hydronic heating offers a large array of design choices to accommodate different buildings types, sizes, and individual taste, needs, usage, and budget. Systems can be installed easily into new or existing houses with full or partial installation of homes available.
The Benefits of Hydronic Heating
Hydronic Heating Increases Comfort
Hydronic heating distributes even heat with balanced air moisture and avoids uncomfortable hot spots, warm draughts, or smells. Hydronic systems also enable you to personalize your heating requirements and they operate silently allowing you to enjoy the comfort of your home.
Hydronic Heating is Good for Your Health
Hydronic heating produces a gentle, hygienic, pleasant form of heat. Many common heating systems circulate airborne contaminants, allergens, and dust around homes and buildings. Forced air heating (wall and central heating) also dry out the air which can affect our skin, eyes, sinuses and throats.
Hydronic heating is also referred to as radiant heating, although radiant heating can use either electricity or hydronic systems. Radiant heating is based on the principle of radiant energy which transfers heat from a source to an object, just like heat from the sun. By mimicking nature, hydronic heating produces improved air quality and healthier homes.
Hydronic Heating is Efficient
There is a number of reasons why hydronic heating is the most efficient system to operate. Firstly, water is a better conductor of heat than air, so heat is transferred with great ease around spaces. Secondly hydronic heating evenly distributes heat, unlike other forms of heating where there is always one part of the room that is warmer than the rest. With forced air heating units and systems, the warmest air gathers around the ceiling and with traditional wood heaters heat escapes out the chimney. Radiant heat does not increase the air pressure so it prevents warm air being pushed out through cracks and small cavities in the home. This also makes hydronic heating the most effective system for homes with high-ceilings. Due to the even heat distribution, rooms can be kept at lower temperatures which means less energy is consumed.
Control where you want your heating
Modern hydronic heating systems also enables you to control the temperature of each area with a thermostat so they can be adjusted according to which rooms are occupied and individual needs. For example bedrooms can be maintained at lower heating to communal living areas. This minimizes heat loss and energy consumption which means lower environmental impact and power bills.
Hydronic heating is also used in universities, schools, nursing homes, hospitals, airports and many other public and commercial buildings as it’s the most efficient and effective heating system to operate and it also has very low maintenance costs.
Hydronic Heating is Eco-Friendly
Installing Hydronic Heating in your home keeps you warm during the winter, but also contributes to helping you long-term. The Australian Government has confirmed that Hydronic Heating can be up to 35% more energy efficient compared to other forms of heating. This means not only the minimisation of greenhouse gas emissions, but also reduced heating bills for you!
Hydronic Heating is Safe
Being completely sealed through pipes, and further through either in-slab hydronic heating or radiators, hydronic heating is extremely safe. With no exposed flames, the water circulates through the pipes to keep your home warm through even the coldest winters.
Installing Your Hydronic Heating System
Installing a hydronic heating system in your home will differ depending on if you are looking to install in a new build or an existing build. We recommend looking to install hydronic heating in your new build, however a system can be retrofitted in an established build with some challenges.
For underfloor hydronic heating the system including the pipes are installed before the slab is poured in an efficient pattern to appropriately heat your home efficiently. Similarly for radiators, the pipework is installed to transfer the water to the radiators and heat your room.
We recommend choosing your installation specialists carefully to make sure you have a hydronic heating system that best suits your needs.
Foster Hydronic Heating Installers
Experience the benefit of hydronic heating in your home year-round and get the professional team at Foster Hydronic Heating install your hydronic heating system today. Our team of experts makes sure that you receive the best service so you can enjoy a warm home for years to come. Get in touch with us today to get a quote today, or give us a call on (03) 9569 9559 to talk to our friendly team!