Yeah, I’ve noticed the same thing with my electric bill since switching to floor heat—definitely not as scary as I expected. I did a ton of research before pulling the trigger and honestly, the install was way smoother than I thought it’d be. I went with a mat system under tile, and it was basically just rolling it out and wiring up the thermostat. Compared to the hydronic stuff (which my cousin tried in his 70s ranch... yikes), it’s night and day.
Insulation is such a game changer, though. I cheaped out on underlayment in one room and you can totally feel the difference—warmer floors where I did it right, colder where I didn’t bother. Local rates are all over the place too; my buddy in the next county pays way more per kWh, so his savings weren’t as good.
Had one cold spot at first, turned out I’d overlapped the mat a bit in that area. Rookie mistake, but easy enough to fix once I spotted it with an IR thermometer. Now it’s even throughout. Not perfect, but way better than baseboards or messing with forced air.
Totally agree on the insulation—skimping there just isn’t worth it. I’ve had tenants complain about cold floors in units where I tried to save a few bucks, and it always comes back to bite me. Did you notice any difference in warm-up time between rooms? In my experience, thicker tile slows things down a bit, but once it’s up to temp, it holds heat way better than laminate. Forced air just dries everything out and never feels consistent anyway.
Did you notice any difference in warm-up time between rooms? In my experience, thicker tile slows things down a bit, but once it’s up to temp, it holds heat way better than laminate.
- Definitely noticed the same thing with tile vs laminate. Thicker tile in my kitchen takes a good 30-40 minutes to feel warm, but once it’s there, it stays cozy for hours—even after the system shuts off. Laminate in the bedrooms heats up faster but cools off just as quick.
- Forced air is a pain for me too. It’s always either too dry or just uneven. I’ve tried humidifiers but it’s never quite right.
- I’m curious—did you do anything special with underlayment? I used a cork layer under the tile and it seemed to help with both sound and heat retention, but I’m not sure if it made a huge difference or if it’s just in my head.
- Also, have you tried programmable thermostats with your setup? I set mine to preheat the bathroom before I get up and it’s made winter mornings way less brutal.
Wondering if anyone’s experimented with different insulation types under the floor—foam board vs. spray foam, etc.?
I used a cork layer under the tile and it seemed to help with both sound and heat retention, but I’m not sure if it made a huge difference or if it’s just in my head.
Funny you mention cork—I did the same under my bathroom tile, mostly for sound, but I swear the floor feels warmer compared to the kitchen where I skipped it. Could be placebo or maybe just wishful thinking after all that crawling around on the subfloor. Haven’t tried foam board yet, but I’ve heard it does a better job blocking heat loss, especially over a cold crawlspace. Anyone ever notice a weird “springy” feel with foam board under tile, though? I always worry about cracking grout.
As for programmable thermostats, total game changer. I set mine to start heating the kitchen before I even roll out of bed. Makes those early mornings way less miserable. Forced air is still king for quick heat, but nothing beats stepping onto a warm tile floor in January.
Curious if anyone’s actually measured the difference in energy bills after adding insulation under their floors. I feel like mine dropped, but hard to say if it’s the insulation or just wishful thinking again...
I’ve actually tried foam board under tile in my mudroom, and yeah, there’s a bit of a bounce if you use the thicker stuff—almost like those old gym floors. I went with 1/4" XPS and used a ton of thinset to keep things solid, but still, it’s not quite as firm as cork. Never had grout cracks yet, but I’m always half-expecting it. As for energy bills, I tracked mine for a year after insulating the crawlspace and adding underlayment—saw about a 10% drop in winter usage, but it’s tough to separate out what did what since I also sealed up some air leaks at the same time. Anyone ever try those radiant heat mats under tile? Wondering how they stack up for both comfort and efficiency...