Hydronic floor heat

Jeryn

So here is the question... I am remodeling a bedroom/bath in my 110 year old farm home in lower Michigan.  I have an outdoor boiler, runs about 165 degrees through my current baseboard system.  I am considering putting hydronic/pex type in floor heat in the remodeled rooms including a shower.  One person recommends running a baseboard above floor, then one under floor, then above floor then under floor, alternating above and below for better heat of the space.  He does not recommend, then, insulating under the floor, allowing my basement to be heated and hence, a warmer floor.  My basement is not currently heated.  I thought about above sub-floor hydronic.  This guys says it is not cost effective, that his method would work better.  Any suggestions or thoughts?

Zman

Basement heat

Sounds like a great way to heat the basement. The upstairs may get a bit warm also. Seriously, it might be time to find a new heating guy.There are tons of posts here describing the pro's and cons of different designs. Heating a an uninsulated basement ceiling is not one of them.

STEVEusaPA

not to plug a book.......

But, Dan's Hydronic radiant heating book shows a great, easy way to take a low temp radiant loop off of a high temp loop.  If your remodeling with tile, you could do radiant in wetbed, warmboard, or a panel radiator that looks like a towel bar.  If you got everything opened up, you have plenty of better options.  Zman is also correct, find a guy who can show you an installation he did, like yours, that gets you where you need to be.

Edit: The diagram might be in the Primary/Secondary book.  I'll check tonite and post tomorrow, unless someone corrects me.

Edit: Edit: It is Hydronic Radiant Heat, p.179

Jeryn

Hydronic

Thanks...I appreciate that help.  Coming off the high temp to the hydronic is a concern of mine....I do have a friend who does heating and cooling, so the physical process we can do, just looking for the most efficient way of doing it. 

MikeG

Is this the primary system

Is the outdoor boiler the primary heat source or in addition to a existing system.  Is it an open system with all the proper components or are yopu using a HX to separate systems.  If everything is open there are all kind of options as others have stated.  Take into consideraion the floor coverings if going floor radient.  Baths are usually different than bedrooma and may require different temps.  Baths lend themselves well to panel/towel warmers if wall space is available.  So many ways to do it.  I wish I was smarter a few years ago.   Mike

Jeryn

Hydronic floor heating

It is currently a closed system with HX.  The original system is a closed system with a gas fired boiler and I added the outdoor boiler 3 years ago.  I only use the  gas boiler in the summer to heat my domestic water, tied to the same boiler.   I live on a  farm and the emerald ash borer has provided me with a nearly unlimited wood supply, so I figured.... why not?