Which underfloor heating is more economical infrared or cable?

Comparing purely electric types of underfloor heating, the question also arises which one is more economical with them.

Consumers are also wondering: why isn’t cable underfloor heating called infrared, like film floors? After all, in theory, any heated object can be considered an infrared emitter, for example, the same radiators, convectors. The thing is that the heat transfer of these heaters by infrared radiation has low rates. When the area of the device from the outside is large, then more heat in the form of infrared radiation is transmitted.

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In the film floor, the area of heat radiation is large, and the heating of the thermal film is insignificant, so it is referred to as infrared. The conductive elements of IR film are graphite strips. When current flows through the film, infrared radiation is released from it. Infrared radiation warms the floor, which in turn transfers heat to the air.

The cable has a small outer surface, but in the underfloor heating system it is used quite often. The efficiency of the cable and film is high, up to 98%. And there is no significant difference what the surface will be heated: with an infrared film or a heating cable, because it is the heated coating that is the emitter of infrared waves.

However, experts believe that infrared flooring is more economical than cable flooring.

This statement has been repeatedly proven in practice. And although the efficiency of converting electricity into heat in IR films and heating cables is about the same, the efficiency and speed of heating the flooring in these systems are different.

Infrared underfloor heating, with the same specific power as cable, warms up a square meter of flooring faster. Due to this, such a warm floor saves electricity, in comparison with wired heating.
The real savings are about 20%.

In well-insulated houses, the average electricity consumption of film floors is 40-60 W / m2, when used as a source of main heating and 10-30 W / m2 when using underfloor heating as additional heating.

Infrared flooring is considered the most economical also due to the fact that it is laid directly under the laminate (linoleum).

Working, such a system does not need to heat a layer of tile glue or cement mortar, as it would be when using cable underfloor heating.

Conclusion: the most profitable underfloor heating among electric types is infrared. A large heat transfer area and a high radiating thermal component exceed cable floors by about 20% in terms of saving parameters. However, the disadvantage of the film floor is that in rooms with high humidity (bathroom nodes, bathrooms, etc.) it is not recommended to use it!

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