Incorporating snowmelt into new stairs?

FME

Hi,



I need to rebuild stairway to front my front door.  House is on the side of a hill and I have 25 steps to my front door (yes it is up there).  Existing stairway is masonary/stone with storage space under the stairs.  This is a really pain to shovel during snow storms here in NY and can create real ice problems if I get lazy and fail to shovel!



Old stairs are being rebuilt due to 70 years of water seepage weakening structural integrity.  Will be installing a set of poured/formed cement stairs finished with stone to recreate original look.  I am working with a structural engineer for designing plans and permiting.  Would like to add hydronic heat to treads now since we are building from scratch.



<strong>Key questions:</strong>

<strong>1) How should I lay the hydronics piping on the treads?</strong>  Concrete risers will be finished with bluestone treads.  Should hydronic piping be placed in the concrete slab during the pour or sandwiched between the concrete and the bluestone during the finishing process.



-  I don't want to heat the entire concrete slab so was thinking of layering 3/4 or 1 inch foam insulation board between concrete and blue stone to create thermal barrier and drive radiant heating through tread surface and then mounting piping on insulation (Possibly cutting groves in insulation to protect pipe).  Also, insulation probably protect concrete from cracking etc.



<strong>2)  What size piping should I have for the treads - 1/2" pex? </strong> Planning on running main hydronic fluid feed and return in space stairs with access holes through tread to feed hydronic piping.  Typical tread is 12" deep, and 6-8ft wide (Blues stone likely to be 1 inch thick).  Also have 4 landings with larges being 6'x8'



Appreciate all advice and recognize that I may be over thinking this.  Want to make sure I get solid design plan incorporated into plans being drawn by the structural engineer.



Thanks,

Fred

j a_2

re snowmelt

Just this past winter I had a great opportunity to meet a new customer who asked me to install his recently purchased condensing boiler  and attach it to a already installed snow melt system, very similar to yours...At first I wanted no part of it, due to several reasons, one, it was not my boiler of choice, and two, I did not install the underground piping...Long story short, I did it and loved every minute of it,  it was fun to walk around with my digital thermometer and check ground temps....Sadly enough It never snowed enough to really watch it in action...This homeowner really did his homework, I have been installing heating boilers for 30 years and never once for just a snow-melt system. it was awsome..I will ask him tomorrow if its o k to contact him, I am sure it will be.....He is a great guy...That's the nice side of this business, we meet nice people....

FME

Re snowmelt contact

J A,  I would appreciate any help including an introduction to your customer who sounds like he may have some goof advice.



Thanks

Mark Eatherton

A suggestion....

Contact Dale Picard with Radiant Engineering in Bozeman Montana. He has some extreme experience in doing historic building steps (Montana State Capitol).



http://www.radiantengineering.com/



Tell Dale I said hello.



ME