Carpet Over Radiant Heat

Like the padding radiant heat works better with thin carpet.

Carpet over radiant heat.

This includes any underlays and overlays. The overall thickness of any materials above the heater needs to be taken into account too as this will ensure efficient heat transfer. What type of flooring should not be installed over radiant heat. Carpet is naturally an insulator which makes it more difficult for radiant heat.

Underfloor heating heats up objects rather than the air and does not cause air circulation. You will sacrifice cushion for heat transfer. You can use a few area rugs over the flooring but avoid large. You always have the option of putting a rug over a hard floor.

Carpet has insulation value so it will prevent some of the heat from transferring through into your home. It is the nature of the beast in floor radiant heat. While rubber pad costs more than other types of carpet padding it is inherently anti microbial and provides a great feel underfoot. The single most important choice you will make for your basement carpeting if you have radiant heat is the pad you select.

You don t have to rule carpeting out though. Carpet and in floor radiant heat work well together but it takes more coordination than usual. As with all radiant heating installations a thin slab foam rubber pad should be used in all cases. Radiant floor heating with carpet underfloor heating is well suited for use under carpet provided that care is taken when choosing the carpet.

To safely and effectively install wool over electric radiant floor heating it is best to have the wool carpet at 3 8 which will give it an r value of 1 575. Carpet thickness often ranges from about 1 8 inch thick to 1 inch but there is some variation. Rubber pad allows the heat to transfer from the carpet better than any other type of padding. The thickness generally correlates to.

Optionally if especially high point loads are anticipated on a floor it is advised that a thin layer of underlayment plywood be applied over ecowarm radiantboard prior to carpet and pad installation to protect the very tough pex radiant tubing. Both the heating system manufacturer and the carpet pad manufacturers will have to be consulted. If the carpet is thick then the r value is 2 1 a significant increase that will build a higher thermal resistance. Carpets tend to absorb dust.

You need to use carpet sparingly with radiant heat because of this. Radiant floor heating on the other hand is quite tolerant of carpeting although there are limitations.