Choice of heating system for a low-energy family house

Low purchase costs, practically zero maintenance costs, unattended operation, and precise regulation clearly speak in favor of electric heating. Electric heating is the most perfectly controllable heating system with the lowest specific energy consumption; users, due to perfect and inexpensive regulation, are able to fully adapt their heating regime to changing family and economic conditions. The acquisition costs of electric heating systems are significantly lower (by tens of percent) than those of other systems. This fact is particularly important in new buildings with low heat loss, and therefore also low heating energy consumption. Moreover, there are special tariffs for electric heating that allow the use of cheap energy in the so-called low tariff for other household consumption as well. This fact, given the increasing equipping of households with electrical appliances, is again a significant source of savings in overall household operating costs, and ultimately electric heating may prove to be the most advantageous from the perspective of operating costs.

The trend is large-area low-temperature heating systems; the largest domestic manufacturer of electric heating systems, FENIX Jeseník, offers heating mats and cables ECOFLOOR and films ECOFILM. Low-temperature heating is generally very positive in terms of energy consumption and optimal temperature distribution in living spaces, as heating elements are integrated into the structure and do not disrupt the perception of space.

Operational comfort and low costs are confirmed by a number of specific realizations; an interesting example is the series about the reasons, solutions, and experiences with electric heating in a low-energy house in Moravany near Brno. The house was designed primarily with floor heating using ECOFILM films, while ECOFLOOR heating mats were installed under the tiles in the bathrooms and kitchen. In two rooms, the author proposed ceiling heating with ECOFILM C films, all of course with central BMR regulation.

The answer to the question of whether to use heating mats or films is given by the composition of the floor and the chosen floor covering - for tiles, mats are suitable, while for laminate or wooden floors, films are recommended. Principally, however, both types work the same. Films can also be used for ceiling heating, where a higher power can be installed than in the floor. At the ceiling, a higher temperature (about 45°C) is not a disadvantage, which would be unacceptable for the floor; moreover, there is a larger effective heating area available compared to the floor—furniture is usually not placed on the ceiling! Electric convectors are increasingly used only as a supplementary heat source, providing the necessary dynamics for the heating system or as a heat source in ancillary spaces. But convectors also meet the requirements for modern heat sources—for example, radiant convectors have a modern design and can be very well regulated. Attractive and sought-after are radiant glass GR and marble panels.