If you have been looking for a comfortable and innovative way to keep your family toasty this upcoming winter, floor warming probably looks like an exciting option. After all, wouldn’t you rather walk around on luxuriously warm floors in your bare feet than tiptoe across freezing cold tiles just to get into the shower? Some homeowners, however, are worried about how safe this sort of heating is and are hesitant to install it in their home.
The main concerns that homeowners seem to hold are the risk of getting burned (as the system is directly beneath your feet), the risk of a potential fire hazard, and the risk posed to children or pets. We want to stress that floor warming is a perfectly safe method of keeping your home toasty.
- Is there a risk of accidental burning?
One of the best things about this sort of heating is that there are no exposed elements for someone to burn themselves on (this is a common problem with older radiators and the like). The system is also designed to only reach a certain temperature, so there is no way that the floor or adjoining furniture will grow that hot that they burn to the touch. - Is there a risk of fire breaking out?
Unlike other systems, floor ones do not require a pilot light. The lack of an open flame inside your home goes a long way towards lowering any fire hazards. If your boiler is gas fired, it will require a pilot light but this will be located outside the home (which also lessens the risk). The risk of a fire breaking out is much the same as with your hot water service. - Is there a chance children or pets could become hurt?
As mentioned above, there are no exposed elements involved with this system, so children and pets will have no opportunity to accidentally burn themselves. Many systems have very little parts to speak of (and those components are either hidden beneath the floor or out of reach), so there is nothing for a child or pet to become caught on. - Is the system harmful to my health?
Another great thing about this sort of heating is that it actually fosters the health and well being of your family. There is no air movement, which means that dust and harmful allergens will not be circulated around the home, giving asthma and allergy sufferers some relief. You will also find that the quality of the air is much cleaner, which is certainly good for you.
So, if you have previously held concerns about the safety of floor warming, we hope that we have put many of your fears to rest. The way that the system has been designed prevents someone from accidentally burning themselves, there are no more associated fire hazards than there are with any other appliance in your home, the temptation for children and pets to touch something they shouldn’t has been removed, and it actually fosters your health!
