Heat that starts at your feet
Radiant floor heating warms your home from the ground up by circulating warm water through tubing beneath the floor. Instead of blasting hot air that rises to the ceiling and leaves cold spots, radiant heat warms the floor and every object in the room evenly. The result is a comfort most Utah homeowners describe the first time they feel it as simply "different" — quiet, draft-free, and consistent from wall to wall.
At Phillips Hydronics, radiant is at the core of what we do. We design and install hydronic in-floor systems for everything from a single chilly basement to a whole custom home, and we engineer each one specifically for your floor assembly, climate zone, and finished flooring.
Why radiant is a great fit for Utah homes
Utah's cold, dry winters and big day-to-night temperature swings make radiant especially worthwhile. Because the system heats surfaces rather than air, rooms hold their warmth longer and feel comfortable at a lower thermostat setting — which usually means a lower heating bill. There are no blowing drafts to stir up the dry winter dust, and no furnace noise. For homes with tile, stone, or polished concrete floors — common in Utah builds — radiant turns cold hard surfaces into one of the most comfortable parts of the house.
Even, room-to-room comfort
No hot ceilings or cold floors — consistent temperature across the whole space.
Quiet & invisible
No vents, no blowers, no ductwork. The system is hidden entirely beneath your floor.
Lower running costs
Comfortable at lower thermostat settings, especially when paired with a high-efficiency boiler.
Cleaner air
No forced air means less dust, allergens, and dryness circulating through the home.
How we install radiant systems
Every project starts with a heat-loss calculation for your specific home — we don't guess. From there we design the tubing layout, loop lengths, and manifold locations, then size the boiler or heat source and controls to match. Tubing can be installed several ways depending on your construction:
- In-slab — PEX tubing tied into the rebar before a concrete pour, ideal for basements, additions, garages, and new builds.
- Over-floor panels or plates — a low-profile option for retrofits over an existing subfloor.
- Under-floor (staple-up) — tubing installed between the joists from below, great for remodels where you can access the floor from a basement or crawlspace.
We zone the system so different areas — bedrooms, living spaces, a cold bonus room — can be controlled independently, and we commission and balance every loop before we call the job done.
New construction or retrofit
The best time to install radiant is during new construction, when tubing goes in cleanly before floors are finished — so if you're building anywhere in Utah, talk to us early in the process. But radiant isn't only for new builds. We regularly retrofit radiant into existing homes during remodels, basement finishes, and additions. If you're already opening up floors or pouring new slab, it's often the perfect moment to add it.
Frequently asked questions
How long does radiant floor heating last?
A well-designed hydronic radiant system can last 30+ years. The PEX tubing embedded in the floor is rated for decades, and the boiler and controls are serviceable, replaceable components — so the system as a whole far outlasts a typical forced-air furnace.
Is radiant floor heating expensive to run?
Operating costs are typically lower than forced air because radiant keeps you comfortable at a lower thermostat setting and loses less heat. Pairing it with a high-efficiency boiler maximizes the savings. Upfront installation costs more than forced air, but the comfort and efficiency pay back over time.
Can you add radiant heat to an existing home?
Yes. We retrofit radiant during remodels, basement finishes, and additions using under-floor staple-up or low-profile over-floor panels. If you have access to the floor from below, or you're already pouring new slab, it's very doable.
What floors work with radiant heat?
Almost all — tile, stone, and polished concrete are ideal because they conduct and hold heat well. Engineered wood, LVP, and carpet also work when the system is designed for them. We account for your finished flooring in the design.