Hydronic vs. Electric Heating: Which is Better?

When choosing a heating system for your home, there are many factors to consider, including efficiency, cost, and comfort. Two popular options are hydronic and electric heating systems. Both systems have their own advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to weigh the pros and cons before making a decision. In this article, we will compare the heated floors for both systems.

Hydronic Floor Heating

Hydronic heating uses water to heat your home. A boiler heats water, which is then circulated through pipes to radiators or baseboards located throughout the house. The heat from the water warms the air and surfaces in your home, creating a comfortable and even temperature. For hydronic floor heating, it uses radiant heating panels with PEX tubing that go under the flooring.

Advantages of Hydronic Heating

Efficiency: Hydronic heating is very efficient, transferring up to 95% of the heat generated by the boiler to your home. Depending on the hydronic heating system capabilities, the efficiency could be even higher with low water temperatures.
Comfort: Hydronic heating provides radiant heat, which is a very comfortable and even heat. Radiant heat warms objects in your home, not just the air, so you’ll feel warmer even if the thermostat is set lower. Also, they are more silent than other type of heating solutions.
Versatility: Hydronic heating can be used to heat a variety of surfaces, including floors, walls, and ceilings. This makes it a good option for homes with radiant floor heating or other specialty heating needs. You can also use it with a wide variety of flooring options, ranging from hardwood, tile, marble to carpet.

Disadvantages of Hydronic Heating

Complexity: Some hydronic heating systems may be more complex than electric systems, so they require more maintenance. Warmboard Comfort System simplifies the engineering complexity for you. Our in-house design team creates a customized mechanical design for your project.
Potential for leaks: Hydronic heating systems use water, so there is really low potential for leaks.

Electric Floor Heating

Electric heating uses electricity to heat your home. There are a variety of electric heating systems available, including baseboard heaters, wall heaters, and central heating and air conditioning systems. We are focusing just on electric floor heating:

Advantages of Electric Heating

Cost: Electric heating systems may be less expensive to install than hydronic heating systems but have higher operating costs.
Safety: Electric heating systems do not have the potential for leaks.

Disadvantages of Electric Heating

Efficiency: Electric heating is not as efficient as hydronic heating.
Comfort: Electric heating does not provide radiant heat, so it can feel less comfortable than hydronic heating.
Operating cost: Electric heating can be more expensive to operate than hydronic heating, depending on your electricity rates. That is way is only recommended for small spaces or rooms.

Which type of heating is better for you?

The best type of heating for your home depends on your individual needs and budget. If you are looking for the most efficient and comfortable heating system, especially for whole home or large areas, hydronic heating is a great option. If you don’t have much money or only need to heat a small area, electric heating is a good choice.

The infographic you provided summarizes the key differences between hydronic and electric floor heating:

Both hydronic and electric heating systems have their own advantages and disadvantages. The best type of heating for your home depends on your individual needs and budget. If you are looking for the most efficient and comfortable heating system, hydronic heating is the way to go.

Overwhelmingly, homeowners choose hydronic radiant floor heating for comfort. If your home doesn’t have radiant heat, you’re missing out on the luxury of walking through perfectly heated rooms. Additionally, you could save hundreds of dollars in energy every year.

Warmboard offers top-quality hydronic radiant heating systems for improving your home’s heating. These systems come with good warranties and have wide market approval. Warmboard rises above all other radiant options to provide faster and more simple installations, greater performance and energy efficiency, and incredible comfort through our industry-leading panels and controls in our Warmboard Comfort System.

To learn more or request a quote, submit your floor plans today to get a free preliminary design and cost estimate.