In this episode of the ceskestavby.cz podcast, Miroslav Petr from FENIX Trading discusses the options offered by modern electric heating today – and for whom it really pays off. In the interview, he focused on comparisons with heat pumps and gas boilers, highlighted the impact of legislation and subsidies, and presented a practical example of residential heating. In the podcast, you’ll also learn why electric radiant heating does not meet the criteria for state support, how the rules for final building inspections have changed following the amendment to Decree No. 264/2020 Coll. and how electric radiant heating can function as part of a smart home or an energy-self-sufficient house equipped with solar panels and a battery.
In the interview, Miroslav Petr emphasises that there is no single, universally best method of heating. The first step should always be to reduce the building’s heat demand – through high-quality insulation, replacing windows and minimising heat loss – and only then should the technology be chosen based on the type of building, how it is used and the overall costs. According to him, electric radiant heating is best suited to new-builds and well-renovated houses with low heat consumption. It is simple, affordable to install, virtually maintenance-free and, thanks to individual regulation in each room, responds precisely to actual needs. Furthermore, the radiant principle enhances thermal comfort even at lower air temperatures. For a model house with a floor area of 100 m², he quotes a purchase price of approximately 80,000–130,000 CZK, whilst a hot-water system with a heat pump can cost in the region of 350,000 CZK.
He is particularly critical of the automatic promotion of heat pumps in modern low-energy houses. According to him, the technology itself works, but the problems tend to be the high purchase price, the thermal inertia of hot-water distribution systems, and poorer regulation when heat demand is very low. The interview also touches on legislation and energy performance certificates, which have long put electric heating at a disadvantage; however, the amendment has boosted the importance of domestic photovoltaics and improved its standing. Petr mentions the growing interest from property developers, the ease of measuring consumption in flats, and integration with smart household systems. He also highlights the unconventional use of heating cables to protect roofs, pavements or vineyards from frost, and concludes that electricity, as a versatile source that can be generated in various ways, will play an increasingly important role in the energy sector of the future.
Listen to the full interview here:
