Best Thermostat for Radiant Floor Heating in 2022
Cold floors are uncomfortable and a potential health hazard. In fact, when temperatures fall below 16 degrees, the risk of catching respiratory diseases increases. One of the best ways to heat every section of your home and get desired temperatures is through radiant floor heating.
However, since you are conscious about your energy costs, you need a thermostat to help in temperature regulation. So, which is the best thermostat for radiant floor heating?
One major issue that many people face is, having the wrong thermostat which means your floors won’t heat properly. It is mostly caused by using a thermostat which is not specially designed for the purpose. If you still have a problem achieving a comfortable temperature through floor heating, then you need to get a great thermostat with true radiant.
What Are the Different Types of Floor Heating?
There are three types of radiant floor heating. However, Radiant heating can also be categorized in terms of installation. The three types are:
Electric Radiant Floors
It works using cables and conductive mats that are installed into the floor that heat up and as a result, heating the floor above. The cost of this could potentially be so high, and that is why you have to have a concrete floor built just before the actual floor of your home.
Hydronic Radiant Floors
These are the most commonly used since it is cost-effective. It uses pumps that run water under your floor using tubes. The tubes are laid in a pattern of your choice hence running the water from a broiler under your floors. It is so popular since it is also energy saving as well as easy to control so your floors won’t overheat.
Air-Heated Radiant Floors
It is the rarest of all the options since air doesn’t hold much heat, so it is not cost-effective nor does it work correctly. When you use this system, it is usually combined with solar heating which is also not great since it is only useful during the day.
The Best Thermostats for Radiant Floor Heating
Here are the best thermostats for radiant floor heating that you can find in the market right now.
| NAME | VOLTAGE | |
|---|---|---|
| Honeywell TH115-AF-GA/U | 120V | |
| Nuheat Home | 120V/240V | |
| Sun Touch Connect 500875 | 120/240V | |
| Honeywell TH140-28-01-B/U | 24/120/240V | |
| Honeywell TH135-01-B/U | 24/120 | |
| Nest T3017US | 20-30V |
Honeywell TH115-AF-GA/U
Honeywell thermostats are popular since the company makes lots of great products. If you are looking for a good thermostat for your radiant floor heating system, then go for the Honeywell TH115-AF-GA/U. This particular one is quite simple and pretty straightforward to install and use.
It has true radiant, so you don’t have to worry about your floors getting too hot or cold. It also has an on and off switch so you can turn it off whenever you need.
You have the choice of three settings on this unit and works well with most radiant floor systems. If you would like to do the installation yourself, the manufacturer has detailed video guides that you can follow.
Pros
- Simple and easy to install and use at home.
- It has an on and off switch, so it doesn’t always have to be on.
- It has true radiant which automatically helps you achieve the perfect temperature.
Cons
- It has a relatively short lifespan of about six years.
Nuheat Home Programmable Thermostat
It is a programmable thermostat for radiant floor heating systems that not only looks great but it is so easy to use. It has a 3.5-inch color touch screen that allows you to program your thermostat for up to seven days.
You can set the different temperatures for days depending on your schedule to help you save on power consumption. The thermostat also allows tracking how much energy you consume; hence you can adjust accordingly.
It is easy to set up and is useful on both tiles and stone floors. It also allows you to limit the temperature when you have laminated floors.
Pros
- A large touch screen that is easy to use when installing settings.
- Smart technology for temperature limiting as well as consumption monitoring.
- Great for an upgrade from your old thermostat.
Cons
- The wiring might be a bit different if you used a different thermostat.
Sun Touch Connect 500875
The technology on this Wi-Fi thermostat for hydronic radiant floor heating is a bit more advanced, so it offers you more options.
You can monitor the temperature through their app or a browser if you connect to Wi-Fi logged on to the system. It has a beautiful 3.5-inch touch screen so you can easily configure your thermostat as you wish.
The thermostat is also programmable, and since you can access the system from anywhere, you can change these settings at any time.
Pros
- It has true radiant that saves you so much while making it easy to heat your floors.
- Wi-Fi connection makes it perfect for access from anywhere in case you need to change something.
- It can be turned off from the screen or through the app.
Cons
- It is quite costly.
Honeywell TH140-28-01-B/U
An excellent True Radiant thermostat doesn’t have to be expensive, and this unit proves that perfectly. It is a simple system that works well with central and hydronic floor heating.
The unit provides for remote control via a telephone controller which allows you to change temperature settings. Programming is quite easy, so you don’t need a contractor to help with that.
It is the best thermostat if you are looking for something simple and straightforward.
Pros
- It has a simple design with easy to understand instructions on how to install and program.
- You can change temperature settings using a telephone controller.
- It has a useful battery indicator for when you need to change the batteries.
Cons
- Not suitable if you need a complex system loaded with features.
Honeywell TH135-01-B/U
If you are fine having a nonprogrammable thermostat, then this is your best option. A nonprogrammable thermostat remains at the same temperature so you cannot change it.
It also has the telephone controller so you can access the thermostat remotely. It is quite compact; hence it is perfect if you don’t want a massive system.
The thermostat also has True Radiant so that the temperature may not go over your desired level or lower than that.
Pros
- A quality non-programmable thermostat with a simple interface
- It has true radiant that learns how to achieve your desired temperature.
- Gives a gentle reminder to change the batteries when they are almost dead.
Cons
- It is simplistic and nonprogrammable, so it may not work for many complex systems.
Nest T3017US
This unit is an all-inclusive one that will give you everything you need in a good thermostat. One great feature is that it works with Alexa voice control, so you don’t have to program or change anything manually.
The display is beautiful and bright. It features a feature called far sight that allows the screen to light up and display the temperature, weather or time.
Since it is a True Radiant thermostat, it learns your preferences in temperature to help you achieve it without fail. It works with most heating systems so it can be an excellent replacement for your old thermostat.
Pros
- Gorgeous exterior with different color options to match your home.
- It has True Radiant.
- Easy to install and configure.
- Farsight allows you to check the temperature without having to get up.
- Works with Alexa and can be controlled from your phone.
Cons
- It may be a bit complicated for some.
Your thermostat for hydronic radiant floor heating can make your life comfortable at home or completely ruin it.
That is why you need a great thermostat that will not only save on power but help you achieve the desired temperature for the floors. You have many options so it comes down to your budget, type of floor heating and what would be most convenient for you.