According to National Multi Housing Council (NMHC) there’s an estimated 4.5 million apartments in 25 of the largest US cities alone, with apartments accounting for as much as 50% of all housing in cities like New York and as much as 42% in Los Angeles.
Living in the city certainly does offer certain advantages such as public transportation, easier access to shopping, healthcare facilities, entertainment and others, but also inevitably comes with a number of disadvantages. Among these is the inability of apartment residents to choose an alternative heating system for their home. Older buildings typically have hot water baseboards or steam radiators. Newer often have PTAC’s or similar forced air heating equipment. All of them are time-proven to be uncomfortable methods of space heating, often with side effects such as dry skin or breathing problems. The later is especially common for residences with forced air heating units which not only dry air, but also suspend dust and other allergens in the air causing respiratory issues.
Radiant floor heating (RFH) is, without a doubt, the healthiest way to heat any part of the home – be it a chilly bathroom floor or a bedroom. However, not every type of radiant heating system can be installed in a typical apartment building.
Hydronic (Hot Water) RFH systems, for instance, are not a suitable option - not only because restricted by building codes, but also because they are impossible to install. Considering an average apartment size, there’s simply no place for all the equipment, including boilers, tanks, pumps, piping, valves, controls and the rest.
Electric radiant floor heating, on the other hand, will only require a dedicated circuit breaker and minor electrical work. Since heating cable weighs only a fraction compared to PEX tubing filled with water and is only 1/8” thick, it does not require any special architectural considerations or bulky and expensive equipment and will not raise the floor height significantly.
Talk to your contractor today and see if HeatTech electric floor heating system is a suitable choice for your apartment.