How to Warm a Hallway: Underfloor Heating

The hallway is probably an area of the home you don’t think about when it comes to staying warm. For most people, it’s a transition area from one room to another, or from the entryway to the main living quarters. However, we spend a lot more time in the hallway than we imagine, and this part of our home can actually make other rooms less comfortable, as the heat in the connected rooms is drawn out to warm a cold hallway.  

This article will compare some common options for heating a hallway.

Challenges of Heating a Hallway

Most new homes (and old) never consider running heat ducts in the hallway because of the added expense or space the heater would take up. However, the cubic feet of air in a hallway can equal a small room and needs to be considered separately. Take for instance, a 10 foot long hallway, 3 feet wide, with a 9’ ceiling. That is 270 cubic feet of air. In a colder climate, the heating unit would have to provide 11,000 BTU to properly heat the hallway alone. You can understand how that would cause a drain on a main system that wasn’t properly sized. Most heating units are sized based on the square footage of the home, but since hallways are isolated from the heat in the adjacent rooms, warming them up will be difficult without their own heat source.

Ideas for Warming a Hallway

Here are some options that will help reduce the heat drain on the system.

Rugs

Rugs are part of your interior design plan but they can also be used to help make the hallway more comfortable. They provide additional insulation by keeping the cold beneath the surface of the floor, thereby making the room slightly warmer. However, rugs alone will not add significantly to the comfort level in the hall without an additional heat source.

Radiant Underfloor Heating

Electric radiant underfloor heating is an excellent option for adding heat to a hallway:

  • There is no ductwork required.
  • It doesn’t take up any wall space.
  • It is silent – fans aren’t required to distribute the heat.
  • It is economical – heats the objects in the space, not just the air.
  • Doesn’t produce hot and cold spots like conventional forced air units.

Warmup can provide an underfloor heating system for most types of finished surfaces, including carpet, ceramic, wood and laminates. Combined with the new “Smart” thermostats, these systems work in conjunction with your current heating unit to warm your hallway completely and efficiently.

Foil System

A foil system is easy to install because it goes on top of concrete or wood subflooring, and no self-leveling compound is required. It is the perfect solution for carpeted flooring, and the only additional item needed is Warmup’s insulated underlay for additional efficiency. The entire system, including insulation, only adds about ½” of height to your floor.

Heated Floor Mat System

Warmup’s floor mat system is perfect for hallways, since it is available in both 20” and 36” widths. The mats are self-adhesive and come complete with heat cables already attached. Simply roll out the mat, cover, and level with quickset and you are ready for the finished flooring! 

The mat system can be used under any flooring, including carpet and vinyl. For other Warmup underfloor options, their floor insulation is recommended as a buffer between the existing subfloor and the heating mat. 

Another advantage is that the system is available in both a 120V and 240V configuration, which can save you money if your heating requirements don’t require a 240V circuit. The mat system is only ⅛” thick and when combined with the underfloor insulation, it adds less than a 1⁄2” to your floor height. If you install ceramic or porcelain tile over the mat, it can be done simultaneously, eliminating the wait that other systems require.

DCM-PRO System

Warmup’s DCM-PRO system was designed for rooms with non-rectangular dimensions. It combines the heating cable and an anti-fracture membrane in the same package.  

The membrane serves two purposes:

  • It provides a structured path to lay the heat cable.
  • It separates the movement of the subfloor from the finished floor.

This is especially important when installing ceramic tile. Without the membrane, settling of the home can cause fractures and breaks in the tile and grout. The separation it provides keeps the heating cable system and the tile surface intact whenever settling occurs. Warmup’s membrane is the highest-rated product for underfloor heating systems.

The DCM-PRO membrane is available as a self-adhesive and fleece-backed option.  The fleece-backed option must be adhered to the subfloor with modified thinset. The self-adhesive option is the fastest and allows you to set your tile the same day you install the membrane. As with the heat mat, this option is suitable for almost any finished flooring, but it was designed with tile in mind.

The Best Way to Warm a Hallway: Warmup Radiant Underfloor Heating

Warmup has been developing and improving radiant underfloor systems for over 25 years, and our products have been used around the globe. Easy installation and the delivery of comfortable radiant heat to any room in your home have been our focus since we began. Warmup also has systems for deicing roofs, driveways, and sidewalks. Our team of professional customer service representatives are standing by to answer your questions, so contact us today for a free quote.