Top 10 Best Circulator Pump For Radiant Heat Based On User Rating

Circulator Pump For Radiant Heat Buying Guide

Radiant heating is a different method of heating than forced air or hot water heat. This type of heat works by warming objects and then absorbing the heat into the air. As the objects around you slowly warm up, so do you! Radiant floors heat very quickly, in some cases warming a square foot of floor five times faster than forced air heat. The pump is a critical part of your radiant heating system because it moves the necessary amount of water through the system without any leaks.

Drawbacks of Radiant Underfloor Heating

There are several different types of pumps for radiant heating systems; we'll cover them in more detail later. But for now, we want to focus on circulator pumps which move water through a radiant underfloor heating system.

One of the biggest drawbacks to radiant floor heating is that it requires a boiler and results in higher installation costs. Another drawback to underfloor heating is the upfront installation costs. Heating a home with radiant underfloor heat does require an investment, but it doesn't require as much labor as a forced-air or hot water system and reduces the operating costs of a furnace.

Energy Efficiency

Radiant heating is an efficient way to heat your home, the underfloor radiant system utilizes fewer BTUs of energy than forced air or hot water systems. It's important to note that like all heating systems, the layout of your house can affect how quickly it warms up.

Materials of Construction

Over the years, manufacturers have developed several different materials for radiant underfloor heating. The first material used was copper tubing that was usually covered with a plastic mesh. This type of system is common in Europe where they slowly heat up the water before it reaches the thermostat. The drawback to this method is that full power isn't reached until after the thermostat is satisfied.

The next advancement in radiant heating was the use of Pex tubing. The advantage with this method is that heat is evenly distributed throughout the heating length of the tubing so it warms up more quickly than systems using copper tubing and plastic mesh.

Applications

Sizing a circulator pump in a radiant underfloor heating system is critical as this pump runs 24/7 and can make a huge difference on your energy bill. In the past, homebuilders often used boiler-based furnaces that were also oversized for radiant floor heating.

Power consumption

In radiant heating systems is less than that in forced air furnaces, but the inefficiencies of one oversized pump can negate any savings.

The last advancement is flat-panel heaters. These are typically thin panels made with aluminum fins over an element and are installed directly in front of the floor registers. The drawback to this type of system is that they usually require a separate pump and do not work well in humid areas.

FAQs

How long does a circulating pump last?

Typically, compared to other types of pumps, radiant heating pumps can last several years or even decades. These types of pumps are often the only moving part in a system and do not require many repairs.

How much energy is required?

In general, most homes with radiant underfloor heating already have a boiler with a separate circulator pump, which typically use less energy than a furnace. Larger pump sizes mean that more BTUs are used, but the efficiency of heating your home with radiant underfloor heating can make up for this marginal increase in power consumption.

How much does it cost to install a circulating pump?

This depends on what you consider a circulator pump. In many homes, the boiler has a built-in circulator that is designed for radiant heating and does not require an external pump. In these cases, it's more of a replacement cost depending on the age of your boiler and how well it functions.

Can I turn off my hot water recirculating pump?

The best way to determine if you have a recirculating hot water heater is to look at the temperature of your incoming cold water. If it is noticeably warmer than the rest of your house, then your hot water pump may be operating in a recirculation mode. In these cases, there are two options: You can turn off the recirculating pump or you can manually turn it on and off. In our experience, the best option is to simply turn it off. If you find yourself turning it on and off more than once a day, your boiler may not be sized properly for your home.

Conclusion

In this article, we have discussed the three most common types of radiant heating systems and their components. We emphasized that understanding how your house warms up is critical to selecting the right pump size for your system. If you plan on integrating a solar water heating system into your radiant floor heating or hot water baseboard configuration, be sure to read our article on sizing this type of hybrid system.