Radiant floor heating opinions - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

acci · 01-24-2004, 12:28 AM

Can anyone with experience (good or bad) in radiant floor heating willing to tell me of their experience? Anyone have used Warmboard for radiant floor heating? How efficient is the system compared to forced air? All input would be appreciated. Thank you.

hatchet · 01-24-2004, 02:35 AM

Personally I don't think it's a replacement for forced air. But forced air could be used for supporting the radiant heat. Why I say this is that if you have a cold snap it will take a while to get the radiant flooring to heat the mass of the floor and begin to radiate heat to the spaces of the home. In those instances you can have the forced air kick in to supplement the radiant until the radiant heats the mass of the slab.
Also with the forced air already in place the you can use the ductwoork for a/c.
Just my .02

Bjd · 01-24-2004, 05:38 AM

I use Wirsbo type radiant pex pipe, and use "fast Track" for the flooring system.

The stuff is great, and the water temps are very low as not to over heat.

Radiant heat heats the room and furnishing where as forced hot air heats the air first, a little faster on the take up but also may have to run longer.

Raidant is great stuff, however complex in design and expensive ti install.

BJD

01-24-2004, 11:15 PM

Thanks for responding. Do you have any opinion on Warmboard panels.
They are plywood subfloors with channels for the piping. BJD how much was the installation and energy cost for your system. Thanks.

hatchet · 01-25-2004, 02:26 AM

I've never used the warmboards - only put it in gypcrete. I like the gypcrete a little better because it has the mass to hold the heat longer. Although it takes a bit longer to heat the mass up too.

Bjd · 01-25-2004, 08:31 AM

Well thats a tough question, a good system is designed for both the inside and outside
temps. Also systems are designed for the size of the home and for makeing hot water for domestic use.
The design is quite complex as it requires many parameters as for flooe insulation as well as walls, also window sizes and doors.
All of these have to be taken into account, or a system could be a nightmare.
Design loops are limited to a number of feet in length, if you should excced this lenght design changes must be made, or the system will not operate a the designed temps.
The old the system of " looks like the one we did last week" does not apply to this type design.

Cost is hard to do with out these parameters installed into the bid design, anyone who has installed these systems will agree that with out them you are guessing the outcome of a system by the seat of your pants.

Bernie

Grumpy · 01-25-2004, 01:27 PM

I think radiant floor heating is the most comfortable. Forced air will warm the place quicker though. These are just my opinions. My brother who is in HVAC says radiant heat is the best to have.

hatchet · 01-25-2004, 02:44 PM

The best thing about radiant heating is that the heat is where it's supposed to be - low and rising. Forced air does just that forces the air up past a body before actually warming it. As far as efficiently heating a space - radiant does a 10 times better job(no backup just a number).

tania · 01-28-2004, 11:39 AM

All we have in germany is radiant heat. So this forced heat is new to me, it doeswarm up the place quick but I prefer the radiant heat. You can hang waterthings on the radiator and it moistens the air, so the air is not as dry. Plus I can control the temperatur better. And if you are realy cold you can sit on it or lean against it, warm towels...

I also have a question about floor heating; can I just install floor heat in one level of the house? Like the lowest level? Do they have to tear the whole floor up or how does that work???

Grumpy · 01-28-2004, 01:12 PM

Tania, it can be done from below by tearing out the ceiling too

Infact when I see it done in new construction, it is usually done from below. I don't know if that is poor planning or the normal order of operations.

Basically heated floors consist of a flexible tube that is then snaked throughout the floor joists. The tube connects to a boiler and hot water runs throught he tube, thus heating your floor.

tania · 01-28-2004, 02:43 PM

Sounds pretty easy. But I may want it done in the basement, it`s not a basement really, but it is the last level and nothing under that. The floor is really cold because of the tiles(they are pretty

..), and we plan to have that for a toyroom( kids..). So I thought floor heat would be best. But they can remove the tiles (carefully) and put them back?

Grumpy · 01-28-2004, 06:25 PM

I know of many people that have houses on slabs and have radiant heating. The only draw back may be if the house shifts and the slab cracks...

Anyways the concrete floor would have to be broken and re-poured OR a new floor would have to be built over the existing concrete floor. You will lose a few inches building an other floor.

tania · 01-30-2004, 11:20 AM

Hmm now that don`t sound to good. Guess I have to think this floorheating over again.. Maybe a very thick rug...
Thank you

03-01-2004, 11:39 AM

I just designed and installed my own system. I installed tubing in gypcrete upstairs and concrete downstairs. Two zones run off two taco pumps, pump relay and two thermostats feeding 120 F hot water provided from a standard 55 gallon, 42,000 BTU water heater.

The system was far cheaper than any quotes I recieved and works very well. Non-oxygen barier PEX is less expensive and may be use in a system without any cast iron or components that will rust. Installing tubing in gypcrete or concrete provides a significant buffer for minor errors in tubing design, length and spacing, and maintains a superior level of comfort. Your feet and sinuses will love it.

Alternatively, placing tubing between floor joists or beams is risky business, since wood strenght, beam composition and floor glue are degraded by increased temperature over time. Check the specifications with your structural engineer regarding building material temperature ratings, including finished floor coverings.

03-01-2004, 11:41 AM

I just designed and installed my own system. I installed tubing in gypcrete upstairs and concrete downstairs. Two zones run off two taco pumps, pump relay and two thermostats feeding 120 F hot water provided from a standard 55 gallon, 42,000 BTU water heater.

The system was far cheaper than any quotes I recieved and works very well. Non-oxygen barier PEX is less expensive and may be use in a system without any cast iron or components that will rust. Installing tubing in gypcrete or concrete provides a significant buffer for minor errors in tubing design, length and spacing, and maintains a superior level of comfort. Your feet and sinuses will love it.

Alternatively, placing tubing between floor joists or beams requires higher temperatures (180 F) and is risky business, since wood strenght, beam composition and floor glue are degraded by increased temperature over time. Check the specifications with your structural engineer regarding building material temperature ratings, including finished floor coverings.

03-10-2004, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I just designed and installed my own system. I installed tubing in gypcrete upstairs and concrete downstairs. Two zones run off two taco pumps, pump relay and two thermostats feeding 120 F hot water provided from a standard 55 gallon, 42,000 BTU water heater.

The system was far cheaper than any quotes I recieved and works very well. Non-oxygen barier PEX is less expensive and may be use in a system without any cast iron or components that will rust. Installing tubing in gypcrete or concrete provides a significant buffer for minor errors in tubing design, length and spacing, and maintains a superior level of comfort. Your feet and sinuses will love it.

Alternatively, placing tubing between floor joists or beams requires higher temperatures (180 F) and is risky business, since wood strenght, beam composition and floor glue are degraded by increased temperature over time. Check the specifications with your structural engineer regarding building material temperature ratings, including finished floor coverings.

Have you investigated a product call Warmboard. It is a panel product with channels for the piping. They say it can be used instead of a subfloor. What is the energy cost to operate?