RADIANT FLOOR HEATING

Radiant Floor Heating in Plymouth & the West Metro

Brass Tacks Plumbing, Heating & Cooling installs and repairs hot-water (hydronic) in-floor heating for homes, garages and shops in Plymouth and the West Metro. We also purge air from the lines, track down cold zones and service the boiler or water heater that runs the system.

SCHEDULE FLOOR HEAT SERVICE
Call (612) 888-1234
Hydronic in-floor heating setup in a basement with a gas water heater, circulator pump, pressure gauge, copper piping and expansion tank
How it works

How Hydronic Floor Heat Works

Hydronic radiant heat pumps warm water through tubing in the floor, so the floor itself becomes the heater. The U.S. Department of Energy calls hydronic systems the most popular and cost-effective radiant heating for heating-dominated climates like Minnesota.

Tubing in the floor

Loops of tubing run through a concrete slab or a thin layer over the subfloor (a “wet” install), or under the floor in the joist space (a “dry” install, which has to run hotter).

A heat source

A boiler heats the water in most systems, and some smaller systems use a dedicated water heater. A circulator pump moves the water through the loops.

Zones and thermostats

Each zone has its own loop and thermostat. Zone valves or pumps control how much hot water each loop gets, so rooms can be kept at different temperatures.

No duct losses

The DOE says radiant heating is more efficient than baseboard heat and usually more efficient than forced air, partly because no heat is lost through ducts.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Saver: Radiant Heating

Where it fits

Where In-Floor Heat Works Best

Radiant floor heat is at its best where floors are hard and cold, and where you can plan the tubing before the floor goes in.

Garages and shops

Tubing laid on foam insulation before the concrete is poured turns the whole slab into a heater. It’s a common choice for heated garages and shop buildings.

Basements and slab homes

Concrete floors feel cold underfoot. Floor heat warms the slab and the room evenly, without blowing air.

Tile bathrooms and kitchens

The DOE notes ceramic tile is the most common and effective floor covering for radiant heat. Carpet insulates the floor, so if you use it, choose thin carpet with dense padding.

Additions and remodels

New floors are the easiest place to add tubing. In existing homes, a dry install under the subfloor can work where the joists are accessible.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Saver: Radiant Heating

From our records

Recent Floor Heat Jobs

Recent in-floor heating installs and repairs from our records, with names and addresses left out.

NOV 2025 · NOWTHEN

In-floor heat for a new shop

Installed in-floor heating in a new shop building, built to the contractor’s plans with all materials on site.

AUG 2025 · DAYTON

In-floor heat and a gas piping test

Installed in-floor heating and air-tested the building’s gas piping.

DEC 2025 · NOWTHEN, 2006 HOME

Floor heat not working

The home’s floor heat runs off its own water heater, separate from the one for household hot water. Domestic hot water was fine but the floors weren’t heating, so we troubleshot the system.

JAN 2026 · SAINT FRANCIS, 2002 HOME

Purging air from the floor heat

Purged trapped air from the in-floor heating loops and talked with the homeowner about flushing the combination water heater that supplies them.

JUN 2026 · OAK GROVE

Troubleshooting and repair

The floor heat system wasn’t working correctly. We tracked down the problem and repaired it.

Installation

How We Install In-Floor Heat

A radiant system is planned before the floor goes in, so most of the work happens early in a build.

01

Plan zones and loops

We work from your plans or the contractor’s to lay out zones, loop lengths and where the manifold and heat source will go.

02

Lay and test the tubing

Tubing is fastened over insulation before the slab is poured, then pressure-tested so any leak is found before it is buried in concrete.

03

Set up the mechanical room

We install the heat source, circulator pump, expansion tank, valves, gauges and controls, and connect the gas line where needed.

04

Fill, purge and start up

We fill the system, purge the air, check pressure and temperatures, and set the thermostats. Slabs warm slowly, so the first heat-up takes time.

Financing available

Pay Over Time

Brass Tacks offers financing through GreenSky, so you can add in-floor heat now and pay over time with approved credit. Financing is subject to credit approval and terms offered by participating lenders.

Explore financing options
Common Questions

Radiant Floor Heating FAQs

Hot water from a boiler or water heater is pumped through loops of tubing in or under the floor. The floor warms up and gives off heat to the room. Each zone has its own loop and thermostat.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, radiant heating is more efficient than baseboard heating and usually more efficient than forced air, partly because no heat is lost through ductwork.
Yes. Some smaller systems, including some homes we’ve serviced, use a dedicated water heater as the heat source. Larger systems usually use a boiler.
Air trapped in the loop, a stuck zone valve, a failed circulator pump, a thermostat problem or low system pressure can all leave one zone cold. A technician checks each one in order.
Gurgling or rushing water sounds usually mean there is air in the lines. Purging the air from each loop typically quiets the system and restores heat.
Have the boiler or water heater that runs it checked once a year, like any heating system, ideally in the fall. The visit should include system pressure, the pump and the expansion tank.
Ceramic tile is the most common and effective covering, according to the DOE. Anything that insulates the floor reduces efficiency, so if you want carpet, choose thin carpet with dense padding.
Yes. The best time is before the slab is poured, when the tubing can be laid over foam insulation and pressure-tested before the concrete goes in.
Often, yes, with a dry install where tubing runs under the subfloor between the joists. It needs access from below, such as an unfinished basement, and runs at higher water temperatures than a slab system.
A concrete slab holds a lot of heat, so it warms up and cools down slowly. The DOE notes this slow response makes big thermostat setbacks hard, so most slab systems work best at a steady setting.
Yes. Financing through GreenSky lets you pay over time with approved credit. Visit our financing page for details.
Radiant floor heat

Planning In-Floor Heat or Fixing a Cold Floor?

Tell us about your project or what your floor heat is doing. We’ll explain your options and give you an upfront price before any work begins.

SCHEDULE FLOOR HEAT SERVICECall (612) 888-1234