About radiant floor heating systems

Archive for the ‘All About Radiant Flooring’ Category

Warmzone is your destination to become educated about your options in radiant heat. Contact us to help you design a radiant heat system for any project.

Here is an educational short video on our brilliant heating system we use in all of our houses. www.aikihomes.com

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The crew prepares to install a radiant heating system at 53 Lincoln Place. Thisvideo is part of Under Construction show hosted by John Desilvia, Johnny Palanca . SHOW DESCRIPTION :Under Construction goes deep into the world of big-city construction. The show follows John DeSilvia and John Palanca, owners of Design Tech in Brooklyn, as they build, demolish, renovate and refurbish projects all over New York. Beyond the massive construction projects, JD and Palanca deal with the daily drama of their small business including demanding clients, strict city officials and staffers with questionable work ethics. Funny, exciting and innovative, Under Construction breaks the mold of Do-It-Yourself television.

you want energy efficiency, floor warming,uniform warmth that good for you health , hydronic or radiant floor heating is the green way to go. It warms a room or structure from the ground up through a series of hot water tubing in the subfloor or concrete slab, will warm you floor. Easy to install, and good for the environment. it can easly be used with solar panels!!

Zurn Radiant Heating is more than a heating system. Zurn Radiant Heating is different – it’s comfortable, clean, quiet and efficient. An established concept in Europe, radiant heating systems are growing in popularity in the United States and around the world. Radiant floor heating provides even temperature distribution by circulating warm water through tubing embedded in the floor of a home or commercial building. By controlling the flow of water in the tubing, Zurn Radiant Heating provides an efficient, long lasting and safe way to heat a home.

Freestanding radiant heaters, also known as space heaters, are electric heaters that produce heat by using infrared waves.  For people who are looking for an inexpensive, immediate supplementary heat source, radiant heaters are a perfect solution.  You simply plug then into any outlet, and enjoy the warmth.

Radiant heaters warm a room by using infrared radiation, which is not absorbed into the air but passes through it, to directly warm objects in the room, including individuals.  This means that the person will almost immediately feel the heat the moment the heater is turned on.  In addition, because radiant heaters don’t circulate air they don’t circulate dust particles or produce strong odors.  This makes them a perfect solution for those individuals with allergies.  Radiant heaters are also very energy efficient, costing little more to operate than a single light bulb.  

Another added benefit of freestanding radiant heaters is they do not have an open flame or heating element.  In addition, many brands also include built-in safety features, such as self-regulating elements and automatic overheat protection, which lowers their risk of being a fire hazard, making them an ideal supplementary heat source for the elderly.

Radiant underfloor heating systems have been used for years throughout Europe and in recent years have begun to gain popularity in the United States. Nevertheless, what makes this form of heating so popular and why now? The answer to this question is because of the numerous benefits that radiant underfloor heat has to offer.
 
 To start with, radiant heating provides the most comfort. The warmer temperatures are closest to the floor, keeping your feet warmer. As the warm heat raises it decreases as in temperature as it nears the ceiling. However, the temperature variation between floor and ceiling is approximately 2°F to 4°F, with the ceiling temperature being approximately 2°F warmer than the ambient air temperature. Another reason for the increase comfort levels experienced with radiant heat is that the heat is evenly distributed throughout the room-with no hot or cold spots. Radiant heat directly warms objects within a room, including people and pets instead of warming the air like conventional systems.
 
 The next reason you should consider installing radiant heating is that it does not dehumidify the air, making it healthier to use than forced hot air, from a conventional system. In addition, radiant heating systems do not require fans, blower, or vents so that they will not circulate dust throughout your home making them a cleaner source of heat.
 
 Because there are no vents, children cannot accidentally drop toys, food, or other materials into the hot air ducts. In addition, because there are no fans, or vents, radiant heat systems are also quite, and practically invisible, with the thermostat or control panel being the only objects your guest will see. However, because sensors located in the floor control radiant heat systems, you can have the control systems and thermostats installed in a closet—making the systems completely unobtrusive.
 
 To sum it up as to why you should install radiant heating: It’s clean, energy efficient, quite, safe, and unobtrusive. Radiant heating has so much to offer, it’s a wonder why more homes don’t install radiant heating.

Radiant barriers work to maximize radiant heating systems by reflecting the heat back toward the living area and will decrease your energy bills. These barriers are manufactured from materials that reflect heat, such as aluminum.
 
 However, there are a few important items you need to consider when purchasing a radiant barrier. If you are planning to install the barrier yourself, then you should consider purchasing tear resistant radiant barrier, as it will make installation easier. Tear resistant radiant barriers usually have a woven mesh laminated between two sheets of foil. Other radiant barriers use bubble pack, which provides some added strength.
 
 Another thing to consider is that some radiant barriers can also be used as vapor barriers. Therefore, the area that you plan to install the radiant barrier will determine which type you should use. In addition, you do not want condensation forming by allowing warm air passing through the barrier onto a cold surface, as this will create serious problems. Therefore, where you plan to install the radiant barrier will determine the variety to purchase.
 
 When installing the radiant barrier, in order to receive the most efficiency from your radiant heating system make sure that you insulate all of your exterior rim joists. In addition, radiant in-floor/under-flooring heat systems will not properly work unless the joist space is closed.
 
 Radiant barriers are not a new concept on the market. In fact, radiant barriers have been used for decades as an effective way to save homeowners energy and money. However, many homeowners either don’t know about radiant barriers or don’t realize just how much they will improve their radiant heating systems. Consider having radiant barriers installed in your home—you’ll be glade that you did.

Hydronic dry system radiant flooring is installed beneath your finished flooring. There are several manufacturers that have dry radiant systems where the radiant floor tubing can be place between two layers of plywood above the floor, or underneath the floor beneath the subflooring.
 
 Hydronic radiant floor systems use pumps to force heated water through tubing that is located in loops underneath the flooring. The heated water then heats the surrounding air as well as the surrounding flooring material, which directly warms the objects in the room.
 
 When installing hydronic radiant above floor systems, grooved wood panel are installed beneath the finished floor. The size of the panels will vary, depending on the manufacturer. PEX also known as cross-linked polyethylene tubing is inserted into the grooves, which allows the tubing to set flush with the panel’s surface. These panels can be used with the majority of different floor coverings including most tiles, marble, vinyl, hardwood, and carpeting.
 
 The panels for hydronic above flooring systems can be purchased separately in an accordion style. The accordion style has six panels, which are connected with fiber tape. The panels can then unfold to cover larger surfaces. These panels are also grooved and can accommodate 5/16” PEX tubing. The bottoms of the panels are covered with aluminum, which acts as a reflective barrier to reflect the heat into the living space.
 
 Dual function panels provide the structural requirements of a subfloor, and a radiant floor heating system. The sizes of the panels are 4×8-foot, and 1-1/8-inch thick, and are tongue-and-groove. Dual function panels are designed to use ½-inch PEX tubing and are available in 3 types, with straight grooves, 90-degree turns, and 180-degree turns.
 
 With hydronic radiant below flooring systems, the PEX tubing can be attached to the to the bottom of the subfloor or they can be suspended from the subfloor. If you are planning to retrofit a home, then this type of system is less expensive to install than the above floor systems. However, below hydronic radiant floor systems do require a higher temperature source in order for it to perform equally well as an above floor system.
 
 Whether you install above or below floor hydronic radiant heating, the systems are extremely energy efficient. Hydronic radiant systems heat the air directly above the floor. Radiant heated rooms feel warmer than rooms heated with forced air system, because the heat tends to rise with forced air systems, which makes the lower air seem cooler. With hydronic radiant systems, the temperature in the room remains constant. Therefore, less energy is used.
 
 However, it does take longer to feel the warmth from a radiant floor heating system than it does from a conventional forced air system. This is because of the heat transfer through the floor’s thermal mass. Another factor that should be considered is that when retrofitting a home with above floor systems the existing finished flooring will have to be removed. However, with a below floor systems holes will have to be drilled through the floor joists for the PEX tubing to pass through.
 
 The average price per panel to attach to the subfloors range from $11.oo to $13.00 depending on the size of the panels. The accordion style panels are more expensive ranging in price from $75.00 and $90.00 and the dual function panel are the most expensive costing approximately $130.00 for the straight grooved panels and $135.00 for the curve-grooved panels.
 
 For those of you who think this is expensive, you must consider the 20% to 40% reduction in heating bills that you can receive once you install a hydronic radiant floor system. The amount of money you will be saving on your energy bills will more than pay for the cost of installation. Every year the cost of heating a home keeps going up, wouldn’t it be nice to finally see a reduction in your energy bills?
 
 Another reason many people are hesitant about installing a hydronic radiant floor is the fact they feel that it will be difficult. However, most installations are very easy. Simply attach the panels to the subfloor using approximately 10 screws per panel. Then run a bead of caulking in the grooves to hold the tubing in place. Make sure that the tubing is in the grooves and pressed flush with the panel’s surface so that the tubing does not rise above the panel.
 
 Dual function panels can be used for joists that are spaced at 12?, 16?, and 24? on center. Most manufacturers of dual function panels recommend that they are both screwed and fastened using an adhesive during installation to firmly secure the panels. The recommended adhesive is an elastomeric bonding material, which is used in the grooves before the tubes are installed. As with the grooved panels, the tube must be pressed down into the groove flush with the panel’s surface.
 
 There are two methods for installing below floor hydronic radiant systems. The first method involves installing the PEX tubing into the grooves of an aluminum sheet, which is then attached using staples to the bottom of the subfloor. The other method involves the hanging of the PEX tubing several inches below the subfloor. However, with this method, insulation must be installed underneath the tubing, allowing a 2” to 4” air space between the insulation and the subfloor. Both of these methods require that the floor joist be drilled so that the PEX can be passed through the joists.
 
 The average warranty for a hydronic radiant system ranges from 10 to 25 years depending on manufacturer and if the system was installed by a certified contractor. In addition, the warranty for the boards and fittings can vary, with the warranty for the boards sometimes being for the life of the structure, whereas the warranty for the fittings only lasting from 18 months to 2 years. Therefore, if longevity of a warranty is important to you, then make sure that you read and understand the warranty and what will void it, before you install your hydronic radiant system. Some warranties are voided if the recommended materials are not used.
 
 There are several reasons why you should consider Hydronic radiant systems. First, they provide even heating throughout the entire floor and room eliminating any  hot or cold spots. Second, because they do not require vents and ductwork, they eliminate dust, draft, and noise problems. Third and possible the most important is  that they can reduce your monthly heating cost by 20% to 40%. Therefore, if you are planning a renovation of your current home, or building a new home, consider installing a hydronic radiant system. You’ll be glad that you did.