Why choose Thermalboard over Radiantec?

Design and Performance Issues with Underfloor Systems

Inefficient Design & Wasted Heat

Underfloor heat transfer systems are installed beneath the subfloor. Heat travels from the tubes and must penetrate first the subfloor layer, and then up through the floor. Because the tubes are installed in the floor cavity, wasted heat also travels downward where it remains trapped beneath the subfloor. 

Installation is Laborious and Expensive

Underfloor heat transfer systems are often promoted to the DIY market because the components by themselves are relatively cheap. While the aluminum plates may only cost $1 / sq.ft, installing this type of system properly is extremely labor intensive. It is far easier and faster to install Thermalboard on top of the subfloor rather than beneath it. It’s also more heat efficient.

Slower Response Time

Because the PEX tubing is so far away from the floor, it takes much longer for heat to travel to your hardwood, carpet, or tile. Our panels are constructed with highly conductive aluminum that is installed directly beneath the floor — resulting in greater efficiency and a much faster response time. 

Thermalboard vs Underfloor Heat Transfer Plates / Radiantec / Staple-Up Systems

Understanding the Poor Efficiency of Radiant Heat Transfer Plates

Underfloor heat transfer plates sandwich PEX tubing against the underside of the floor. The heat generated from the water in the tubes must overcome the resistance of the poor conducting subfloor. Additional heat is lost downward as it fills the floor cavity. 

Due to their inefficient design, underfloor systems require far higher water temperatures than Thermalboard. Our radiant heat panels are covered in a layer of highly conductive aluminum and are installed above the subfloor, rather than below. The heat from the boards makes direct contact with your floor resulting in the fast and efficient delivery of comfortable radiant heat. 

Example: Thermalboard only requires a supply water temperature of 108°F, compared to an underfloor aluminum plate system, which requires a whopping 145°F water temperature for the same heat load!

Put simply, a high supply water temperature requirement will lower the system’s efficiency, since it must work much harder to maintain a comfortable level of heat. In contrast, an efficient radiant floor heating system like Thermalboard will save you thousands of dollars in energy costs over the lifetime of your building.

Life Cycle Costs

Radiantec and other radiant heat transfer plate systems result in much higher lifetime operating costs due to the hotter water temperature required to heat the room.

Underfloor Radiant Systems Are Noisy

There is a long history of underfloor aluminum plates making irritating expansion noises when turning on the system. These sounds occur when the required high temperatures come into contact with cooler plates. Proper installation is critical and seemingly evasive. You should also use weather responsive controls to lower the supply water temperature when employing this application to avoid high temperatures shocking the system. 

Extra Insulation Required

It is critical that one installs two or more inches of foam board under these systems with zero infiltration leak paths. Fiberglass batt is neither effective or durable in horizontal subfloor application. Meticulous installation that avoids “points of infiltration” is critical in lowering the already higher heat loss of these systems.

Why Choose Thermalboard Radiant Floor Heat?