Your home
Estimated design heating load
—BTU/hr
Roughly — of heating capacity on a design (near-coldest) day.
Radiant hydronic could save about
—
a year on heating energy vs. forced air
— roughly — over 10 years
— roughly — over 10 years
Estimated annual heating cost
Per-year heating energy cost. Radiant's edge comes mainly from lower distribution losses — the comfort difference is on top of the savings.
Assumptions (educational, not precise): load = area × climate factor
(mild 25 / moderate 35 / cold 45 / severe 55 BTU/hr·ft²) × insulation factor
(poor 1.30 / average 1.00 / good 0.82 / excellent 0.68) × (ceiling ÷ 8).
Annual energy uses climate equivalent full-load hours (800 / 1,400 / 2,000 / 2,600).
Cost = heating-season delivered BTU ÷ system efficiency × about $8.50 per million purchased BTU,
with radiant system efficiency ≈ 0.90 (low water temps, no duct loss) and forced-air ≈ 0.75
(duct losses, higher distribution temps), held to one blended energy price for a like-for-like
comparison. Real results depend on fuel choice, prices, equipment, and a room-by-room heat-loss
calculation. Always confirm with a qualified installer.