In-Floor Heating Calgary — Hydronic Radiant Design, Install & Service

It depends on the area, the application, and whether there's already a boiler to run it — and we won't quote it over the phone, because a number given sight-unseen is a number that changes.

The things that move it most: total floor area and zone count, whether it's going into a new pour or over an existing slab, whether you need a new heat source or can tie into an existing boiler, whether the loops need glycol, and the controls.

A basement in-floor loop tied into an existing boiler is a very different job from a whole-home system with a new boiler and eight zones. We assess, design, and give you the full scope and the all-in price in writing at no charge. Financeit monthly payments are available.

In a basement or garage, usually yes and it's often straightforward — particularly if the slab is being poured or the space is being developed anyway.

Over an existing slab you're looking at a low-profile panel system or an over-pour, both of which raise the finished floor height. That has knock-on effects for door clearances and stair risers, so it needs checking early.

Between floor joists from below — staple-up with heat transfer plates — is possible on upper floors, but it needs higher water temperatures and doesn't deliver the even, steady performance a slab does. We'd rather set that expectation upfront than have you disappointed by it.

Depends entirely on scale.

For one bathroom floor, electric is usually the sensible answer. A mat under the tile, its own thermostat, no boiler involvement, and a much simpler install.

For anything larger — a basement, a garage, a whole floor, a whole house — hydronic wins on running cost. You're heating with gas rather than electricity, and in Calgary across a seven-month heating season that difference is substantial.

The crossover point is roughly where the electricity bill starts to matter. We'll tell you honestly which side of it you're on rather than selling you the bigger system by default.

Almost always one of two things: a stuck zone valve actuator, or air trapped in that loop.

Both are typically diagnosed and fixed in one visit. We isolate at the manifold, confirm whether the valve is actually opening when the thermostat calls, and purge the loop if it's air.

If it's neither, the next candidates are a failed circulator or a balancing valve that has drifted out of adjustment — still usually same-visit work. It's the most common radiant call we get and it's rarely anything serious.

Tile and stone are ideal — they conduct well and they tolerate the temperature cycling without complaint.

Engineered hardwood works within the manufacturer's temperature limits, which need respecting rather than hoping about. Solid hardwood is riskier because it moves more with moisture and temperature.

Carpet is the one to watch. A thick carpet with a heavy underlay is effectively insulation between the heat and the room, and it can push required supply temperatures high enough to undermine the efficiency you installed the system for. If carpet is going down, tell us at design stage and we'll allow for it.

It can, and radiant is actually one of the better matches for one, because it runs at low water temperatures and heat pumps lose efficiency as they push water hotter.

The practical constraint in Calgary is our design temperature. An air-source unit needs a backup heat source for the coldest stretches, so in most cases you're looking at a hybrid arrangement rather than a heat pump alone.

It has to be designed as one system from the start — sizing, buffer, and controls all interact. See heat pumps, and we'll give you an honest read on whether it pencils out for your house.

In any loop that could drop below freezing, yes. That means garage slabs, shop floors, and snowmelt without exception.

Inside a heated house, plain water is normally fine and is actually the better heat transfer fluid — glycol carries slightly less heat and is harder on pumps.

What matters is that glycol isn't fit-and-forget. The corrosion inhibitors in it deplete, and depleted glycol turns acidic and attacks the metal in the system it was installed to protect. It needs testing periodically and replacing when it's spent. If nobody has tested yours since it went in, that's worth doing.

Run properly, it's efficient — often more so than forced air, because you can be comfortable at a lower air temperature when the floor itself is warm, and because low return water temperatures let a condensing boiler operate where it's most efficient.

Run badly, it's expensive. A system with no outdoor reset, unbalanced loops, or supply temperatures set high to compensate for a design that didn't account for the flooring will cost more than it should for its entire life.

That's the whole argument for commissioning it properly. The difference between the two isn't the equipment — it's whether anyone set it up correctly.