TECHNOLOGY
THE HEAT IS ON Advances in radiant floor heating systems
By Julia Billen
T
he proverb, “necessity is the mother of invention,” has perhaps never been truer than in the case of underfloor heating. Since the hypocausts of ancient Rome, the cold shock of a chilly stone floor on bare feet has inspired technological innovation. Influenced by hot springs and volcanic vents, the Romans realized supplying heat below a floor could provide pleasant warmth in winter. However, the hypocaust system required an entire half-storey of air, warmed by strategically located fireplaces that had to be fed constantly. Today, an electrically heated floor takes up almost no space and requires minimal upkeep to run. And the advancements haven’t stopped there.
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\\ December 2021
SMART THERMOSTATS
Over the last decade, accessible smart technology has expanded into every corner of the home. Starting with only media and lightbulbs, technological advancements have led to video doorbells, smart locks, voice-controlled garage doors, appliances and, of course, the smart thermostat. For years, a floor heating system was controlled by a simple wall-mounted thermostat that needed to be adjusted manually. Today, a third-party integration kit can be used to connect that same thermostat to the smart home. Just like using a smart outlet to turn a ‘regular’ lamp into an intelligent one, the third-party kit upgrades the thermostat
to one that can work with home automation systems, sometimes enabling voice control with both Google Home Assistant and Amazon Alexa. A select few WiFi-enabled floor heating thermostats now even come with voice control that is compatible with these cloud-based voice services, so there is no need for a third-party integration kit. Smart home control makes it possible for homeowners to turn their heated floors on and off and adjust the temperature to their comfort. Voice activation allows them to warm up the bathroom or kitchen floor before they even roll out of bed, eliminating even the first dreaded steps of walking on cold tile toward the thermostat.
