budget quick trac

kcopp

I have a customer who wishes to do all radiant through the house... he has looked into all the different types of tubing layout...even some non conventional types!

He does want it above the floor. I have seen some guys post about laying ThermoFin on top of the floor and then doing sleepers.... He is concerned about heat transfer going down to the subfloor and not up... is there any other way to do this other than braking the bank w/ quick trac or am I missing something?

ty,kpc

NRT_Rob

yes

rabbit the sleepers so the thermofin plates can sit flush (1/20th inch) and put the aluminum on top of the sleepers.



Thermofin will rock the output a lot more than quik trak would as well. or you can use lightweights on top of the subfloor with no rabbiting, which is also cheaper, but you'll lose some output.

kcopp

that would make....

a great emmitter absolutley true... but snapping in the tube would be pretty laborious... how do you work that?

I was just thinking that to lay down the plates 1st then snap in the tubing... ty,kpc

Mitch_4

try

Watts Subray..but just get headers, corner sweeps and alum rools / tape

I do not use the sleepers, 3/4" ply ripped on a table saw is cheaper, and works great. 2" space allows for expansion, and minimal noise.

kcopp

Thermofin....

Lets talk plates...

Thermofin c the heavy stuff is what I was thinking about using... Thermofin U looks like as easier install but it is lighter...ie less mass, slower respanse time, etc...

I thought the U type was signifigantly lighter... I am told by the customer that its 95% the weight of the C... true or false?

NRT_Rob

depends on what U-type you mean

Thermofin "U" is 1/20th of an inch thick and 4" wide. it's extruded, solid aluminum, good stuff, slightly thinner than thermofin "C". we use it in sandwiches all the time, but you can also use "C".



Lightweight omega "U" plates are a different breed. they work fine in sandwiches, especially if you get the aluminum on the right side of the plywood (unlike quik trak). however, with light plates I always recommend PEX-AL-PEX to help make sure you don't get expansion noises. you lose some output too, but you'll still beat subray, thermalboard, quik trak, and the other "weak panels" out there. however, it's more labor to cut your own infill and such, of course.