Keeping a house evenly heated isn't easy. But Robert Rowan thinks he's found a way to do it: Vanguard's Hydronic Radiant Heating System. The company custom designs a piping system based on a home's sun exposure, window sizes, and supplementary heating systems.
Rowan then installs the system in a concrete subfloor. “It's a pretty simple system,” he says. He's employed the piping underneath several finish materials, including hardwood, ceramic tile, and carpeting, always with positive results. Rowan also likes stone-coated metal roofing shingles by both Metro and Gerard. They're lightweight, offered in several different colors, and give the look of slate or clay without the hefty price tag. And for a low-maintenance, attractive countertop material, he prefers Cosentino's Silestone, an engineered quartz stone. “We've used it on a couple houses recently,” he says. “It's harder than granite, you can cut on it and put hot pots on it. It's non-porous, so you don't have to seal it. It's also beautiful and offered at a good price point.”
Vanguard Piping System. 800.775.5039. www. manabloc.com. Circle 409.
Gerard USA. 800.237.6637. www.gerardusa.com.Circle 410.
Metro Roof Products. 866.638.7648. www. metroroofproducts.com. Circle 411.
Cosentino. 281.494.7277. www.silestone.com.Circle 412.
