Making the case for in floor heating
Mike Holmes is a huge fan of in-floor heating and believes you will be too. In-floor heating is the most energy efficient way to heat your home because it heats the floor, instead of the ceiling like convention systems. In-floor heating can also be zoned allowing you to have different thermostats for separate areas in your house to deliver heat only to the areas where it is needed - saving both energy and money.
The problem with convection, or blown air, heaters is that they keep the ceilings warmer than the floors because the heated air blowing up through the vents is forced up by the cold air below. The other problem with convection systems is that while it is blowing hot air throughout your house it is also blowing around dust and allergens.
There are two different types of in-floor heating systems available and both are easy to install. Hydronic systems pump hot water through tubes laid under or within the floor. Electric systems, which are great for a bathroom or kitchen with tile flooring, use wires laid on top of the sub-floor and embedded in a thin layer of cement.
(All cited quotes & figures are from The Globe & Mail, Mar 16)