It’s worth it when you value comfort, quiet heat, and steady temperatures—and when the system is designed properly for your home. Radiant is especially “worth it” in basements, slab-on-grade builds, bathrooms, and garages. The biggest deciding factors are your floor assemblies, the strength of your building envelope, and whether you want whole-home radiant or targeted zones. If the budget is tight, selective radiant (bathrooms, basement, main living areas) can deliver most of the comfort without paying for full coverage everywhere.

Hydronic uses warm water in tubing and is typically the whole-home solution (especially in new builds and slabs). Electric uses cables/mats and is usually best for small zones like bathrooms and entries. Hydronic involves a heat source, pumps, manifolds, and controls; electric is simpler to install but can be costly to run over large areas. The best choice depends on your goals: “whole home heat” usually points to hydronic; “warm bathroom floor” often points to electric.

It depends on the floor assembly. Slabs have high thermal mass and warm up slowly, but they also stay stable and comfortable once dialed in. Underfloor systems can respond faster. The best radiant systems don’t rely on big setbacks and rapid recoveries; they maintain steady comfort with good controls. If you want fast response, you design for it. If you want “always comfortable,” slabs are excellent—just plan control strategy accordingly.

Yes, hydronic radiant can be primary heat when designed from heat loss calculations and installed with correct loop layout and controls. The important note: radiant does not provide ventilation. Ontario homes still need compliant mechanical ventilation (often HRV/ERV) to manage fresh air. If radiant is the only heat source, you simply plan ventilation as a separate but coordinated system—especially in tight, high-performance homes.

Yes—especially engineered hardwood—when the radiant system is designed and controlled to respect manufacturer limits for temperature and moisture. The key is stable control strategy and correct floor surface temperature targets. If hardwood is your priority, design the radiant output and controls around that choice rather than “hoping it’s fine.” For a detailed guide, see: Radiant Floor Heating & Hardwood Floors.

Sometimes, but not always. Radiant can be efficient because it can operate at lower water temperatures and provide comfort at slightly lower air temperatures. But operating cost depends on fuel/electric rates, equipment efficiency, and—most importantly—how well the system is designed and insulated. The biggest “cost mistake” is poor insulation under the tubing, especially in slabs, because you end up heating downward. When insulation and controls are done right, radiant can be extremely competitive and often feels more comfortable in real life.

Yes. Insulation beneath the tubing (and strong slab-edge details) is what prevents heat loss into the ground or structure below. Without it, your radiant system will run hotter and longer, comfort will be weaker, and operating costs can rise. In other words: insulation is not optional if you want radiant to behave like a high-performance system.

Skipping heat loss and insulation details. People get excited about equipment and skip the fundamentals. Heat loss determines how much output is required. Insulation determines whether that output goes into the home or disappears into the ground. When those two are done properly, radiant becomes simple and stable. When they’re skipped, radiant becomes a “mystery” that people keep trying to fix with higher temperatures.

Electric radiant can be perfectly reasonable for small areas (bathrooms, entries, mudrooms) where run time is limited. It can become expensive if used as whole-home primary heat over large areas, depending on electric rates and usage patterns. The best approach is usually to use electric radiant as a comfort layer where it delivers the most “feel-good” impact, and use hydronic or another system for whole-home heating.

Radiant doesn’t dry air the way forced air can feel “dry,” because it doesn’t rely on moving heated air around the home. Winter air in Ontario is naturally dry, and ventilation affects humidity regardless of heating type. Many homeowners find radiant feels comfortable at slightly lower thermostat settings, which can improve comfort without the “blast” sensation of forced air.

Yes, but the method matters. Retrofits often use low-profile panels, underfloor plate systems, or targeted zones rather than full-home coverage. The most practical retrofit approach is usually selective radiant: bathrooms, basement, and key living areas first. A good retrofit plan starts with floor access, allowable floor height build-up, and whether you want hydronic or electric for each zone.

There isn’t one universal temperature. The correct supply temperature depends on heat loss, floor assembly, tubing spacing, and finish flooring. The design goal is typically to run as low as practical while still meeting the load, because lower temperatures often improve efficiency and comfort stability. Outdoor reset control is a common strategy that automatically adjusts supply temperatures based on outdoor conditions so the system doesn’t overheat.

If you use the garage as a workshop, daily entry, storage area, or simply want a dry and comfortable space in winter, radiant can be a huge quality-of-life upgrade. The key is zoning and controls so you aren’t heating the slab unnecessarily. For garage-specific design considerations, see: Radiant Heated Garage Slab Ontario.

If you’re doing hydronic radiant—especially whole-home or large zones—heat loss calculations are the correct starting point. They prevent undersizing (cold rooms) and oversizing (short cycling and inefficiency). Even in renovations, a heat loss check helps confirm output requirements and temperature strategy. You can get a starting estimate using the Heat Loss Calculator Ontario 2026, then refine with proper mechanical design.

For system basics and options, start with: In-Floor Heating and Floor Heating. For Ontario pricing drivers and what affects the final number, see: Cost of Hydronic Radiant Floor Heating in Ontario.