Engineered Flooring Toronto
People are beginning to choose engineered flooring Toronto as their number one choice for hardwood, and for a few good reasons. However, one of the more appreciated advantages of using engineered hardwood over other types is that it can be used in conjunction with radiant heating. Due to the increasingly effective technology behind radiant heating systems, they have been accessed by more and more home owners alike. It is becoming a popular choice because of how it can heat the home while being energy efficient at the same time due to how its heat travels. There are less reasons to have a traditional heating system in your homes these days, which is why you need to choose flooring that can complement current heating technologies. But why does engineered hardwood stand a better chance with radiant heating systems than solid hardwood?
Engineered Flooring Toronto and Radiant Heating
Radiant heating is becoming a popular choice due to its improved efficiency over older heating systems such as furnaces that function by releasing heat into the air. Radiant heating creates warmth by conducting heat through a series of tubes containing water and electricity that can run throughout the home. Since all these tubes are set up underneath the floors, radiant heat will actually rise from the floor instead of blowing into the room through a furnace. Another added benefit is that it prevents airborne allergens from being transferred into the house. Furnaces will blow air that can contain unwanted debris, causing a concern for those with allergies or even asthma. Radiant systems also provide a more uniform heating throughout the home. Furnaces on the other hand create “hot spots” in some areas, and “cold spots” in others. This reduces the living comfort of some rooms versus others which is something most home owners want to avoid.
It was previously thought that you could either have radiant heating for your home, or hardwood finishes to your floors but not both. Hardwood’s previous sensitivity to changes in humidity and temperature made it a less than ideal choice for heating systems that heat the house through the floor. However, engineered flooring is a more stable form of hardwood that can withstand temperature changes a lot more effectively than solid hardwood. So this means that the floors are less likely to contract and expand, leading to less change in size over time. Keep this in mind next time you want to install hardwood floors, but are unsure if you can do so with radiant heating.
