Do Radiant Heat Floors Have to Be on a Separate Circuit?

Hydronic Heating

• Hydronic heating systems are used for heating the entire house, but the systems can be used to heat a basement separately. Typically, hydronic heating pipes are installed in concrete floors. When the thermostat calls for heat, the boiler, which is on a dedicated circuit, sends heated water through the pipes to heat the floor and room. Hydronic heating is ideal for use with any type of flooring, including carpet, wood and tile.

Electric Radiant Heating

• Radiant heating is used for heating individual rooms for added heat or for rooms that don’t have forced-air heating. The flooring system is installed over a subfloor covered by carpet, wood, stone or tile. Radiant heating systems, which are controlled by a thermostat, can be installed by a professional or by a homeowner.

Electric Needs

• Electric radiant heating requires electricity to heat the floor. Warmly Yours, a retailer and installer of electric radiant heating, recommends using a dedicated circuit for the flooring. Heated flooring in large rooms will use 4 to 8 amps, and smaller rooms will use 1 to 4 amps. The size of the dedicated circuit must be 15 to 20 amps.

Flooring Cost

• Installing electric radiant flooring in a kitchen costs about $900 to $1,500, but this depends on the total square footage of the room. In larger areas, such as a basement, it may cost as much as $2,000 for a heated floor. Hydronic heating systems cost about $7,000 to $13,000 for an area that's 1,500 square feet. The cost of the flooring includes the boiler, which is needed to produce the heated water that flows through the tubes.