People who live through long, cold winters know that in order to maintain a level of comfort and well being, a good source of healthy heat is essential. Ecorad is seeking to reestablish the warm comforts of radiant heating, combined with pinpoint temperature control thanks to programmable electronic thermostats. The system exploits the cast iron radiators main asset, a heavy thermal mass, to conduct heat through the ambient air. This is vastly different from typical forced air heating, which cooks ambient air to attain the same level of heat, however drying the air at the same time. The thermal mass of the radiator maintains a far more stable room temperature, avoiding the uneven or lack of air circulation experienced in a room heated by simple convection or forced air. The tangible advantage gained with the radiator system is the ability to set the thermostat at a lower level, which is in line with the main objective of Ecorad, an environmentally conscious approach to comfort and energy consumption. Our decision to reuse antifreeze recovered from the automotive industry in all of our radiators supports that approach.   Economic advantages With the pending decrease in the cost of electricity during non-peak hours, radiant heat reveals itself as a intelligent economic choice. The radiators capacity to store energy through their thermal mass, allows users to adjust thermostats accordingly. When radiators are exposed to the sun, in whole or in part, they are also energy absorbent. (maximize energy with our charcoal finish) Visit: Hydro-Quebec - Rate Project http://hydroquebec.com/heurejuste/en/index.html   Radiant vs. convection Convection heating can generate a 7.5°C variance in temperature between the upper and lower levels of a room, due to the air circulation patterns inherent to convection, whereas that difference would only be of 1.2°C with radiant heating. What this means simply is that you can set the temperature a few degrees lower to obtain the same room temperature. Radiant heating is healthier as it does not propagate germs as with forced air systems.   Electric vs. oil/gas The most efficient gas furnaces can only offer an output of 85%, meaning there is a 15% heat loss through the chimney; however, converted electric-based radiators offer 100% efficiency. By eliminating the boiler, power costs are greatly reduced. > source: AGENCE DE L'EFFICACITÉ ÉNERGÉTIQUE - Compare Your Energy Costs- (in French only) http://coutsenergie.aee.gouv.qc.ca/ Ecology The wasteful practice of scrapping old radiators inspired the creation of EcoRad. The radiators on these pages readily illustrate the quality of the design and workmanship that went into their creation and we should not allow them to be discarded and forgotten. This is where sustainable development starts. The impressive thermal qualities of the traditional cast iron radiator have been known for years, and we have now developed a simple way to integrate this piece of our architectural heritage into modern buildings.   > The ecological benefits are not limited to the recycling of used radiators.

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