Every year, for several weeks over the Christmas holidays, my family rents a cabin in the mountains at a ski resort.
The cabin allows us to step outside first thing in the morning and hit the slopes.
We can ski all day and then head back to the cabin in the evening. While I love to ski, my favorite part of the trip is spending time inside the cabin. Along with the natural beauty of the pristine snow and wonderful privacy, the accommodations are outfitted with modern features. We have stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, surround sound and a big-screen television. The best is the radiant heated floors. The heating system is entirely concealed under the tile, taking up no space inside the cabin. The operation makes no noise at all. Each room includes an independent thermostat, allowing for personalized settings. Family members can accommodate their preferences without affecting any other room in the cabin. The heat spreads evenly across the floor, leaving no cold spots and causing no drafts. I can step out of the shower or walk barefoot across the floor when it’s below freezing outside and be perfectly warm and cozy inside. It is a very gentle style of comfort. I wish that I could tear the furnace out of my house and replace it with hydronic heated floors. Rather than blasting hot air, causing insufficient humidity and introducing contaminants like my furnace, radiant flooring is clean and comfortable. It allows superior control, achieves greater energy efficiency and keeps running costs to a minimum. Unfortunately, the upgrade isn’t feasible.