Radiant heat has been used since ancient times, perhaps as far back as 4000 BC in Mongolia. The ancient Romans, too, made use of a type of radiant heating known as a hypocaust to heat their houses and public baths. Recent decades have seen more mainstream use of radiant heating in Europe, although it is finally gaining popularity in the United States, especially in new-home construction, where installation is more economical. While European inspectors have far more experience with these systems, American and Canadian inspectors should be prepared to encounter them with increasing frequency.

What isradiant heatin a house

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An installation of a radiant floor heating systems is either wet or dry (not to be confused with the aforementioned distinctions), and the decision to use one or the other is largely based on whether the system will be installed in new or existing construction. These two methods are briefly summarized as follows: