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Radiant heat panels

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BZ
BZ Member Posts: 3
in Radiant Heating
The first floor of my house is on a slab,and I would like to do radiant heat. I'm considering puting down wood floors. I would like to know if thermal panels could be used. I looked into warmboards but they seem very expensive. I'm wondering if I should just stick with tile.

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  • Gordan
    Gordan Member Posts: 891
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    Something tells me that there is more than one question in there

    Is the slab well-insulated from below and around the perimeter? If so, you could do what's called a gypsum overpour - embed tubing into a thin gypcrete slab, and lay whatever kind of flooring right on top of that, including a floating engineered hardwood floor.
  • BZ
    BZ Member Posts: 3
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    gypcrete

    Thanks for the advice. How thick would you recomend the gypcrete be?
  • BZ
    BZ Member Posts: 3
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    gypcrete

    Thanks for the advice. How thick would you recomend the gypcrete be?
  • Gordan
    Gordan Member Posts: 891
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    I'm not qualified to recommend...

    But the Uponor CDAM says the parameters for gypsum (and concrete over existing slab) are 1.5" and at least .75" over the top of tubing. Add to that any underlayment and flooring thickness.
  • Mark Eatherton
    Mark Eatherton Member Posts: 5,853
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    Consider radiant ceilings....

    My floors are fairly toasty from mine.



    If you do the floor, make sure you put down something for insulation, or your utility bills will be high. Heat does more than rise :-)



    ME

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • timbus
    timbus Member Posts: 3
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    Radiant floor on top of concrete

    Assuming an insulation value.....   I suggest Rehau Raupanel... the best heat transferring Radiant product out there. only 5/8" thick, easy to install. Not inexpensive, but well worth it.
  • NRT_Rob
    NRT_Rob Member Posts: 1,013
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    if we assume

    that the slab is NOT insulated, because let's face it, most of them aren't, then you probably want to rectify that.



    Roth panel is the lowest buildup for that situation: it's foam and radiant all in one. You don't want to do a nailed wood floor with this but floating is ok.



    or you could do gypcrete PLUS insulation. at least a 1/2" thermal break but really you'll probably want 1" or more rigid foam, depending on where you are located. No reflective tarp products or the like... use real rigid foam.



    if you do a radiant ceiling, you'll want to insulate your floor and install a finish floor over that, to help with overall comfort.
    Rob Brown
    Designer for Rockport Mechanical
    in beautiful Rockport Maine.
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