How To - Heat Source Selection
What Heat Source Should you Choose for your in-floor heating system?
(Video coming soon)
Back to How To Home Page
Choosing a Heat Source for your in-floor heating system
The PEX Pipes and Hydronic Distribution Installation will not heat your home alone, you need to add a heat source.
The easiest, most common heat source is an on-demand water heater, rated for radiant in-floor heating.
These come in 2 main options: Electric and gas (both propane and natural gas)
The average new home, built to code, with in-floor heating as the only source of heat, in Minnesota, requires about 22-25 Btu per square foot to keep warm. The gas heaters are rated by Btu. If your house fits these criteria: take your square footage times by 25 Btu for total Btu needed.
For electric water heaters, using the same criteria, you will need about 7kw for every 1,000 sq ft of heated space.
Dual Fuel
It is easy to do a dual fuel and/or off peak heating with HUG Hydronics in-floor heating system.
Hugh the Ducky's 5 steps to Off-Peak Bliss
- Contact your electric company to discuss how they do dual fuel/off-peak, and sign up. Ask about rebates. (Right now our local power co-op is offer $400 rebate in addition to the Federal rebate of $300).
- Order our system sized to your home/building.
- Order both the electric and gas heaters (drop a note to our sales team that you are doing dual fuel/off peak and they will have your HUG Hydronics in-floor heating unit configured for both your heaters before it's shipped to you).
- Install the heaters and HUG Hydronics In-floor heating system, according to instructions, but setting both pumps 9 & 10 up as heat source pumps.
- Set up the off-peak/dual fuel connection as your electric company instructs.
- Relax and enjoy your savings!
What's Happening in Cottonwood?
Extreme Panel's demonstration house brings building techniques into the real world. As a sponsor, HUG Hydronics is providing Heat-Sheet, PEX, and the in-floor heating distribution system for the project.
Fellow EP Summit sponsor BUILD Show Network is documenting the process with cameras, interviews, and a closer look at each step of the process, leading up to the January 2027 Summit.
See the build come together.
Take a closer look at the project, then explore what radiant in-floor heating could look like in your own home, shop, or garage.
Start the HUG Product Wizard
What HUG Hydronics Brings to the Project.
- Start below the slab
- Heat-Sheet insulation provides the foundation for the project's radiant floor.
- Put warmth underfoot
- PEX loops carry heated fluid through the floor, turning the slab into part of the heating system.
- Bring it together with HUG Hydronics
- The HUG Hydronics system brings pumps and controls into a compact system simplifying the mechanical setup that serves the floor.
No. The Wizard is designed to walk you through the basics in plain language. Homeowners and building professionals can use it to explore what their project may need.
HUG Hydronics is sponsoring Extreme Panel's project by providing its in-floor heating materials and system. BUILD Show Network is a fellow EP Summit sponsor documenting the demonstration house. The summit is planned for January 2027.
Yes. Call HUG Hydronics at 218-587-5001 or email sales@hugllc.com. Additionally, completing the HUG Wizard is a useful first step toward discussing your program.
Nope, and we love Extreme Panel's way of building, however this project showcases only one type of application of HUG's system. HUG Hydronics can also be used in other homes, shops, garages, and ag buildings where radiant floor heating is appropriate.
Have your floor plan or approximate dimensions handy, along with basic details about your insulation, ceiling heights, and windows. Think about which spaces you'd like to control with separate thermostats. The Wizard will guide you through the planning process, and HUG's team can help review your project's needs.