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November 17, 2008 00:11 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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Volatile, skyrocketing, and record high fuel
costs provide reasons aplenty for so many people
to turn to Warmzone.com for guidance in finding
the best-possible radiant heating
system for their needs. Consumers are finding
themselves backed into a corner and are looking
for an efficient, comfortable, and practical
alternative. With our commitment to researching the best
options for radiant heat and assessing each job
individually, our research and design team is
prepared to design each project with the ideal
heating
system to meet the needs of our customers at the
best available prices.
Efficiency is high because radiant heat raises
the surface temperature of what it is warming,
thereby providing comfort at a lower room-air
temperature than other systems Radiant heating
systems provide uniform heat and has a comparatively
low cost of operation - up to 30% less than
conventional systems in most residences.
Heating Systems Tip:
With new advances in technology snow melting heating
systems for driveways, sidewalks, and patios are more
affordable, and economical than you might assume.
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December 25, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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As demands for
lower energy costs increase, homebuilders, househunters,
and home renovators alike are looking for energy-efficient
heating options for houses. We say they need
look no further than radiant
heaters for their ideal home heating solution.
In a nutshell, radiant
heating is among the most efficient forms of heat
available in today’s market. Significantly less
operating time is required to attain and maintain the
desired warmth compared to furnaces and other,
traditional methods of heating, which keeps operational
costs to a minimum.
High efficiency boilers or electric radiant
floor systems makes radiant heat one of your most
efficient ways to heat your home. Combined with a
well-insulated home, these radiant heater systems can
quickly warm your home and then shut down or wait idle
for long periods of time before being called upon by
the thermostat to operate.
Radiant Heaters
Tip: Being more environmentally friendly
doesn’t have to involve major renovations. Many
people waste a lot of energy by not sealing cracks, doors
and windows. Checking to make sure a home’s
insulation is in good shape and replacing it if
it’s not is another good surefire way to stop,
prevent, and reverse energy waste.
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August 07, 2007 00:08 AM  BY WARMZONE
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Upon hearing the words,
“What can Brown do for You? ®”
an immediate vision comes to mind of a large, brown
delivery truck with the name UPS emblazoned on
each side. United Parcel Service has done an
incredible job to bring their name to the forefront in
the package-delivery market. The same might
be said regarding “The Golden Arches
®,” McDonald’s famous advertising
ploy. Most highly-successful businesses are
easily recognized by a catchy slogan or an
eye-catching symbol.
We at Warmzone want to be
known in the radiant heat arena as the company
that will do everything possible to “just
make sense” of what might be a confusing array of
possibilities for consumers who are seeking
information on alternative heating sources.
Why are such vast
numbers seeking an alternative radiant heating source
?
Questar Gas Company, included
the following message with January’s fuel
bill mailing: “As you have seen,
natural gas bills this winter are significantly higher
than last year. Even with all the news about
higher natural gas prices, reality doesn’t
set in until your bill is opened.” Unless
customers have been oblivious to drastic increases
in fuel costs over the past two months, this was
somewhat of an understatement. More than just
reality has set in upon consumers! Caught
somewhere in the middle of paying a huge fuel bill
and taking a sick child to see a doctor, people
are taking a stand against such increases.
President Bush has encouraged
our nation to look for alternative sources as we
have become “addicted to oil.” In
his state of the union address on January 31, 2006 he
announced the Advanced Energy Initiative, a 22%
increase in clean-energy research at the
Department of Energy, “to push for breakthroughs
in two vital areas. To change how we power our
homes and offices, we will invest more in
zero-emission coal-fired plants, revolutionary solar and
wind technologies, and clean, safe nuclear
energy.” Quoting once more from the
Questar message: “As you can see, prices on the
open market are volatile and have increased to
record highs this year both nationally and locally.”
Volatile, skyrocketing,
record high fuel costs provide reasons aplenty for
so many people to turn to Warmzone.com for
guidance in finding the best-possible radiant heat
system for their needs. Consumers are
finding themselves backed into a corner and are
looking for an efficient, comfortable alternative.
That just makes sense!
With our commitment to
researching the best options for radiant heat and
assessing each job individually, our research and
design team is prepared to design each project with the
ideal system to meet the needs of our customers at the
best available prices.
Warmzone is a different kind
of company. Unlike a manufacturer, we do not
favor one system over another. We
acknowledge the fact that there are dozens of brands
and types of radiant systems that offer unique
qualities, but no one system is the answer for
every project. We take great interest in
your project goals, requirements and budget and then
provide you with a quote for the best system
available to complete your project. We may
suggest using an electric, hydronic or a combination of
these technologies. There are clear
advantages and disadvantages to each system and
technology. We will explain why we prefer one
system over another for your particular
project. At Warmzone.com, you can expect
simple, honest explanations for our suggestions to you.
Customer service is at the
top of our priority list. As with
“Brown” or the “Golden
Arches,” we would be nothing without you,
the consumer. We are committed to helping
people install the latest in innovative radiant heat
systems by providing:
1. High quality materials
2. Installation packages that simplify the
work.
3. Design assistance
4. Installation advice and support.
5. The latest ideas in energy efficiency and
alternative energy. We are not satisfied
until you are satisfied. That, of course,
makes perfect sense!
Radiant heat systems are
constantly evolving – which can be a
challenge when it comes to deciding which is the
best system for your project. You can be assured
that Warmzone will consider every system and then
offer you the best technology for your project.
Most of the systems we design
and sell can easily be installed by any plumbing
and heating professional or general
contractor. But if you cannot find either
professional in your area, our products can be
installed by any reasonably-competent
handyman. Custom design and engineering packages
are also available to assure that you are getting
off on the right foot with your heating
investment. These plans take the guess work out of the
installation and become a road map for your system
for future reference or to pass on to the next
home owner.
We welcome your inquiries and
are prepared to help you with your radiant heat
decisions. Warmzone is the only
company matching individual heating projects to
solutions that make sense among the wide variety
of available choices. We’re not
“brown,” nor are we “gold,”
but we are leading out to assure customers make
the right choice in the ever-increasing radiant
heating market.
Visit us online at www.warmzone.com or
speak with one of our representatives by calling
us directly at 1.888.488.WARM
©
2006 Warmzone Media. “What Can Brown Do for
You?” is a registered trademark of United
Parcel Service of America, Inc. “The Golden
Arches” is a registered trademark of
McDonald's Corporation. Additional copyrights and
trademarks are held by their respective owners.
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February 01, 2010 00:02 AM  BY WARMZONE
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Of Water and Wires: Hydronic Heated Driveways vs.
Electric Heated Driveways
'Ride the Current' or 'Go With the Flow'?
If
you’ve finally put down the shovel and decided to
purchase a heated
driveway system, will you be going
hydronic or electric? If you’re a newcomer to the
concept of driveway heating, hydronic and electric
are both popular, and extremely viable forms of
driveway heat, and Warmzone has the expertise, and
experience, to help determine which is best for
you. What these systems share in
common—four key components you should be familiar
with before purchasing a heated driveway system:
Of the components mentioned above, the
heating element and the control source distinguish
hydronic heated driveway systems from electric
heated driveway systems.
Hydronic Heated Driveway Systems: Going with the Flow
The heating
element for a hydronic snowmelt system, as you may have
guessed, involves water. Specifically, hydronic heated
driveways use what is known as closed-loop tubing
to heat the surface of the driveway. The tubing is
generally made of a flexible (and quite durable) polymer
or synthetic rubber to circulate a mixture of hot
water and propylene glycol (antifreeze). The fluid
is warmed to temperatures between 140 to 180
degrees F to deliver enough heat for snow melting.
A water
heater or a boiler is the chief source of heat for a
hydronic driveway heating system, which can be
powered by any energy source that satisfies the
btu requirements, including natural gas, electricity,
oil, wood, or even solar collectors. A circulating
pump and supply and return manifolds, installed in
an easily accessible location, transfer the water
between the heat source and tubing.
Electric Heated Driveway Systems: Riding the Current
Unlike
hydronic systems, electric
heated driveway systems use hot wires to
heat paved surfaces. These wires are surrounded by
layers of insulation, copper grounding braid and a
protective outer layer of PVC or polyolefin to
form a flexible cable about ⅛ to ¼ inch in
diameter. What’s great about the heat
cables is the flexibility of the application.
Cable is available on spools as well as pre-spaced and
woven into mats, and can be customized (cut) to
suit virtually any type of layout, including
odd-shaped driveways, common walkways and sidewalks,
etc.
After being
triggered by the snow
sensor, the control
unit then powers the heat cable to warm the
driveway. To reduce the power demands (and operating
costs), you can install cables in just the tire
tracks of a driveway rather than the entire area.
Warmzone provides complete system
design services to ensure that you receive
the best system layout and products
for your project.
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Do You Have Warm Air, but Cold Toes?
Heating
from the Ground Up, Just Makes Sense
If
you’re like most folks, the first thing
you reach for as you get out of bed in the
winter are your slippers. Then you check the
thermostat to see if the room is really as
cold as it feels. The problem isn’t in
your furnace, and it isn’t your circulation;
it’s your floors. The simple fact is
heat rises.
Heated
floors, however, allow heat to start where
it’s most needed and then radiate up through
the room. With radiant heated floors, the
first thing to get warm are those cold toes,
followed by the rest of the room. If you have
small children or pets, they spend a lot more
time close to the floor than you do. They’ll
feel the difference of a heated floor right away.
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Radiant floor heating cable, pre-spaced
and woven into an
easy-to-install mat.
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The other
thing you’ll notice or won’t notice
with radiant
heated floor systems, is the constant
white noise of the furnace. A heated floor
silently goes about it’s job of heating the
room without a lot of noisy commotion from
burners lighting up and fans blasting autumn dust
throughout the house.
Do
yourself and your toes a favor and look into how
easy and affordable it can be to install
heated floors this year. You’ll love the way
you feel, and you’ll love not having to
hunt around for your slippers.
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Radiant Heat for Custom Applications
Finding a
Radiant Heating Solution as Unique as You Are
As
temperatures plummet and heat bills skyrocket, consumers
everywhere are turning to radiant heating systems.
As the most affordable and customizable option out
there, radiant heating is quickly making a name
for itself as a titan in the heating market.
So
radiant heating
is the latest and greatest, but what exactly
is so great about it and what can it do for you? One
word: customization.
When it comes
to radiant heating, the possibilities are endless.
Warmzone can design
a radiant heating system completely
customized for your home and lifestyle, and it's as
easy as one, two, three!
Choose
The first
step of your radiant heating revolution is choosing the
type of radiant heat you want.
Indoor Radiant Heating
Radiant heating can be installed under just
about any surface, including tile, carpet,
wood, etc. Put it in your bathroom, your kitchen,
your living room—anywhere you need heat. Each
room, or zone, can be controlled with its own thermostat.
giving you great flexibility along with
outstanding efficiency. Radiant
floor heating is an affordable way to keep
your house perfectly warm without racking up the
electricity bill.
Outdoor Radiant Heating
You can also
enjoy the benefits of radiant heating outdoors. Exterior
snow melting systems keep your property safe by
preventing pesky snow and ice buildup. There
are several outdoor radiant
heating products and options, including
heated driveways, sidewalks, roof heating, pipe tracing,
and portable
heating mats; all of which will make your
life a little easier in the harsh winter months.
Design
We realize
that your radiant heating system isn't the same as the
next customer's, so we'll work with you to come up
with a radiant heating system tailor-made to your
needs.
Once we assess your project's requirements,
our team will design a custom CAD drawing of your radiant heating
system telling you exactly what you get, where
you'll get it, and how much it will cost you.
Enjoy
With radiant
heating, your only job is to sit back, relax, and enjoy
your custom radiant heating solution. Let your heated
floors warm your home evenly and efficiently.
Sit back and watch from the warmth of your living room
as your radiant heated driveway does the shoveling
for you. And sleep in peace knowing that your
gutters and pipes are safe from nasty and
potentially devastating snow and ice buildup.
Why settle
for an out of the box heating solution? Let us help you
customize a radiant heating system that meets your
needs, fits your budget, and keeps you and your
family warm and safe.
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December 12, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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We’d risk
a guess that a majority of homeowners are probably most
familiar with forced air unit heaters and might not realize
that there are other options for heating a home
– other options that are more efficient and
even more comfortable. One such option is radiant
floor heating, which, as opposed to warm air
systems, delivers the source of heat upwards from the
floor level, not from the ceiling. Radiant
heaters or radiant energy is the oldest form of heating
used to provide comfort and is the basis for all
heating systems. Radiant energy is heat efficiently
radiating outwards, and is absorbed by an object
without physical contact with the heat source or by heating
the surrounding air, as is the case with convective,
forced air systems.
It might be hard to believe, but under floor
heat was first used by the Romans. While under floor
heating was initially reserved for the rich, it
eventually became increasingly commonplace in public
buildings and villas. This form of radiant heating was
used particularly in the colder regions of the Roman
Empire. The Roman system was based on hypocausts,
comprising ducts that underlay the floor (itself built on
raised brick piles) and flues that were built into
walls. Hot air or steam from fires circulated up
through this system, warming the floor and walls, with heat
passing into the rooms.
If you’re looking for efficient,
comfortable heat for your home, radiant floor
heating could the solution you’ve been looking
for.
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December 18, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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Quite simply put, radiant
heaters are the most efficient form of heat
available in today’s market.
Significantly less operating time is required to attain
and maintain the desired warmth compared to
furnaces and other, traditional methods of
heating, which keeps operational costs to a minimum.
High efficiency boilers or
electric radiant floor systems makes radiant
heat one of your most efficient ways to heat your
home. Combined with a well-insulated home these
systems can quickly warm your home and then shut
down or wait idle for long periods of time before being
called upon by the thermostat to operate.
More than ever before, homebuilders,
househunters, and home renovators alike are
looking for energy-efficient heating options for houses.
We say they need look no further than radiant
heaters for their ideal home heating solution.
Radiant Heaters Tip: It might take a
little effort, but being more environmentally
friendly doesn’t have to involve major
renovations. Many people waste a lot of energy by not
sealing cracks, doors and windows. Checking to
make sure a home’s insulation is in good
shape and replacing it if it’s not is another
good surefire way to stop, prevent, and reverse
energy waste.
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December 14, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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If you are looking for a great way to save
energy, and maximize comfort, then radiant
heaters may be the perfect solution. Installing radiant
heaters in a home under construction or in an
existing home is proven to cut heating costs. It
works by putting water lines in the
home’s concrete floors or under existing floors
and running hot water through them. Radiant
heaters help to keep the whole house at a more
constant temperature. In this way, our regular heaters
don’t have to do as much to keep things
warm and toasty during the winter.
Switching to radiant
heaters will not only help save energy, and lower
heating costs, but it ads to comfort as well.
That is because it put the heat at our feet,
which are generally cold, and offers cooler air near
head level, where we are generally a little
warmer.
Many times, what first springs
to mind when people think of eco-friendly energy
and heating is solar power. While solar panels are
expensive, there are other eco-friendly ways to cut your
power bill. In fact, energy savings can be found
right beneath your feet:
radiant
heaters.
Radiant Heaters Tip: Many people waste a
lot of energy by not sealing cracks, doors and
windows; checking to make sure a home’s
insulation is in good shape and replacing it if it’s
not is another good way to stop energy waste.
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December 12, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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If you’ve ever stayed in a fancy hotel
and felt the warm tile beneath your feet
you’ve probably wondered how they heat the
tile.Well, it’s actually pretty simple
using radiant
heaters. Radiant heaters are economical, and easy to
install.This is how they work.
When a radiant heat system is
switched on, energy is forced through a
conductive material to create resistance or heat.
Majority of the time an electronic line-voltage
system is used. This system uses a special
thermostat that has an integrated GFCI breaker for
safety.
Dry radiant floor systems
allow even heating throughout the entire floor.
The heat radiates from the floor and warms objects near
the floor as opposed to forced hot air that
tends to rise to the ceiling. Radiant
heaters heat while reducing dust, draft, and noise
problems associated with forced air systems.
They can be more aesthetically pleasing than
other forms of heating because there are no heat
registers or radiators to obstruct interior designs.
Manufacturers claim radiant floor heating saves
20 to 40 percent on monthly heating bills as
compared to the other heating appliances.
Mostly the radiant heat panels are attracted to the sub
floor using approximately 10 screws per panel.
Manufacturer recommendations include screwing and
fastening adhesive when installing the panel. An
electrometric bonding material is placed in the grooves
prior to tube installation. The tube is pressed into
the groove flush with the surface of the panel. Though
the installation does not take much time, you may want
to consult the professionals at warmzone.com if
you’re considering installing your own radiant
heating system.
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December 28, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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Are you having a
hard time deciding which radiant
heat system is right for you? We know,
it sometimes can be hard to narrow down what kind of
radiant heaters to install. There are dozens of
products available to purchase, and there are even more
companies telling you that their product is the best.
For many homeowners, electric cable heating
systems, often called line- or high-voltage systems,
are gaining popularity and are ideal for heating
smaller areas like bathrooms, kitchens, and sun rooms. These
systems are comprised of a thermostat and a heating
cable. These radiant
heater systems are oftentimes less expensive,
and give the ability to customize a layout that will
heat every square inch of your floor.
Every available radiant heater cable system is
equally effective, so when determining which system to
purchase, you should look at the warranty of the
product, along with the ease of installation. Some cables
must be embedded in a separate layer of concrete or
mortar, whereas other systems can simply be installed
in the thinset. Most radiant heater cable systems can
only be installed under tile. However, on others, if the
cable is embedded in mortar or concrete, any flooring
can be installed on top of the concrete.
Radiant Heaters Tip: When heating smaller
areas, it is nearly impossible to beat the simplicity
and price of an electric cable radiant heating
system.
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December 18, 2008 00:12 AM  BY STACEY BARRUS
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The home improvement world has seen many recent
developments in heating, making hydronic systems
more convenient and possible radiant
heater solutions for major home remodeling projects.
Today we’re going to discuss one form of
radiant
heaters: hydronic floor heating.
Hydronic floor heating is the
oldest and most popular type of radiant
floor heating. These systems are comprised of a
boiler or hot water heater, pumps, manifolds,
PEX tubing, thermostat, and either gypcrete (a
concrete-like material) or wood panels. Hydronic heating
is the most complex of all radiant heat systems.
These systems require trained professionals to
design and perform the installation. Your best
economies of scale are achieved for hydronic systems in
large areas or entire homes because of their
expensive components and operational costs.
Hydronic systems can be installed under any type of
flooring.
Most hydronic systems require
hot water tubing to be installed in a
2-4″ bed of light concrete and are best installed
during the initial construction because of its
weight load demands and adjustments to floor
height.
If you’re wanting to
heat smaller areas such as a bathroom or kitchen,
a hydronic floor radiant
heating system may not be the best value for your
project. The complexity and cost of installing
the system, along with the long-term maintenance
and up-keep required, might not be worth the small
amount you will save in operational costs.
Radiant Heaters Tip:
Radiant
heaters for your home or business come in a variety
of forms – all efficient and providing
reliable, cozy warmth
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