Radiant Heat
Also called heat transfer, the theory of radiant heat is that heat will be transferred from one object that is hotter to another object that is colder. An example can be seen when you pour hot water into a coffee mug: The water's heat leaches into the mug, making it hot. Then if the mug is placed on a table, it will heat the table as well. The idea of radiant heat has been used to create systems that will control the temperature in a home through heat transfer between walls, floors, ceilings and other objects.
Installation
There are several different radiant heat systems that can be installed in a house. If a person is intent on installing a radiant heat system in the ceiling (particularly if the ceiling is between two floors of a structure), the most common option will be a system that uses pipes filled with hot water. These pipes will be installed by drilling holes in the ceiling joists to accommodate the system. The pipes will be installed with extra supports, and there will also be shields placed on either the top or the bottom of the pipes to direct the heat in a certain direction. Once this is complete, and the pipes are hooked up to a boiler, the system will be ready for action.
Considerations
Heat rises. This is the main principle that discourages many people from installing radiant heat systems in their ceilings. If the ceiling is the floor of an upstairs room, then the radiant heat will move up into that room and heat it through the floor. Radiant heat that has to move down into a room, however, must be turned up very high, and it will rarely reach the floor of the room. Additionally, if the radiant heat system is installed in a room with a high or arched ceiling, then chances are good that the occupants of the room won't feel the heat unless they were to stand up.
Tags: radiant heat, heat system, , heat that, heat transfer