Why is my builder pushing back on radiant heat?
The short answer
Builders run on schedules, and something new looks like a delay. Once they install a ThermaRay system, most are surprised how simple it is. Premier Energy USA works with builders, remodelers and homeowners from ordering through installation.
Seeing it from the builder’s side
You’ve picked a reputable builder and agreed on doors, windows, flooring and trim. Then you mention radiant heat, and the conversation changes. For a builder, everything is about production and efficiency. They have a system for finishing a project on schedule, and an unfamiliar heating system looks like extra time, or so they think.
Local builders and remodelers are usually easier to persuade than national builders, but both can be.
What changes their mind
Contractors who install a ThermaRay system once are usually surprised by how easy it is, and start using it on other projects. Premier Energy USA works with builders, remodelers and homeowners every day, from planning and ordering through installation, to keep the job on schedule.
Many homeowners do the install themselves, too, with layouts and support from Premier Energy USA.
Answer drawn from Premier Energy USA’s blog. Read the original post.
More questions.
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Costs and Efficiency
How efficient is radiant heat, really?
Efficiency percentages are mostly marketing. Real operating costs are a better test: ThermaRay systems typically cost 30% to 60% less to run than forced air, baseboard, hydronic or infrared heat, with no maintenance or replacement. -
Costs and Efficiency
Why doesn’t thermal mass floor heat need insulation underneath?
Heat only moves toward something colder. The panels warm the slab and ground until it reaches the earth’s temperature, about 2 to 2½ feet down, and then stop. That deep mass stores heat, and the bigger it is, the lower the operating cost. -
Costs and Efficiency
Does thermal mass floor heat work in large buildings?
It works better. A 1,200 sq ft building may need 10 to 12 watts per square foot, while a 100,000 sq ft building typically needs 5 to 8. High walls, lots of glass and dock doors are hard for forced air, but radiant heat only has to warm the bottom 6 feet, where people are.
Have a question of your own?
Call or describe your project, and you'll get a straight answer, with real operating costs from similar buildings.