In-floor hydronic heat: What is it?

What is in-floor hydronic heat?

In-floor hydronic heat is a specific type of underfloor heat storage that relies on water or other liquids to create heat that’s stored in a heat reservoir — most often a bed of sand beneath the slab floor.

In-floor hydronic heat can be placed in the slab of a single-story structure. Or combined with a hydronic furnace to create a full hydronic system for a multi-level building.

Benefits of in-floor hydronic heat

Nothing beats the feel of warmth under your feet. Heat is evenly distributed across your floor, radiating to reach every corner without drafts or dry air. In-floor hydronic heat is also:

• Clean — Dust is not circulated, meaning the system is clean and quiet.
• Convenient — No vents means no limits to where you place your furniture
• Effective — You can heat an entire building, or you can supplement another heat source
• Efficient — 100% energy efficiency and eligible for some types of off-peak rates

How do they work?

Like all thermal-storage systems, you can think of in-floor hydronic heating as a kind of “heat battery.”

Similar to other underfloor heating systems, in-floor hydronic heating is installed below the concrete slab in a bed of sand during construction. Heated water or other liquids flows through the pipes, heating the sand and providing radiant heat across the entire floor of the building.

Rebates are available

Install an in-floor hydronic heat storage system on a qualified discounted off-peak rates and receive a rebate. See details in our program pages below.