Supplement HW baseboard zone with radiant.

FredCapo

Hello. I recently installed a Weill-McLain CGI6 and 3 zones of slant fin 30 in my older marginally insulated home. The house heats well though there could be some short cycling occurring. The kichen is not directly heated And I was planning to add a toekick or two in the kitchen which is on the first floor zone and otherwise is not heated with baseboard. I have access to the underfloor of the kitchen and am interested to learn if ultra fin could be added in series with the baseboard on the zone. Aside from fact that zone is 3/4 and ultra fin is half inch, will this add some heat to kitchen and load on the system? Thanks.

hot_rod

I'll bet you could get creative with UF on 3/4 pex, maybe use some 3/4" long zip screws to pull the halves together. It does help with the output compared to the suspended bare pex tube method.

The cycling is another issue, it may be caused by boiler sizing related to zones connected.

Was a heat load calc and fin tube design done before the installation?

FredCapo

Thanks. I was thinking about that possibly the fin won't clamp tight and make good heat transfer... But thanks for the pix. It may work fine. Otherwise putting two parallel half inch ultra fin segments in series with the 3/4 loop. I am looking at maybe 80 or so feet of joist space though I could go beyond the kitchen.. I did not calculate how much load it would add, but i think that's what I need.

I did a basic calculation though likely underestimated the integrity of the house, since I only recently bought it and didn't live in it until month ago. I do plan on heating the attic someday.

icesailor

If the kitchen is oddly shaped, and has high ceilings, the Toe Kick's are the way to go because you get forced circulation. It sounds like your kitchen is an addition, added on. In my experience, kitchens are very difficult to heat because of a lack of wall space. And floor space for radiant. Toekick heaters under the kitchen sink cabinet is nice. The ladies like the warm toesies in the AM. Just don't put your kitchen trash can in one. The trash will stink when the inside warms up. Smith's environmental makes a really nice infloor unit that doesn't look like dog doo and works really well. I used them in a problem kitchen/living room where nothing else would work.

Connect them with Monoflow Tee's so as not to restrict the flow through the circuit.

Lance

I have done this type of job with good results. Ultrafin is good, you can run 190F without a problem, just install properly suspended below floor and between joists preferably with its own zone control is best. Toe kicks are OK but they require electric and can be noisy. Check for low speed control to help with noise. If you are slaving off an existing loop careful on temperature drop which may affect other parts of the loop.
In building performance the biggest enemy to heat loss and transfer is air leakage. Seal all penetrations below the floor and at the attic plane, through the outside walls. Seal around wires, pipes, cracks, etc. This makes the biggest difference on comfort. In the old days we sealed of kitchen exhaust wall fans with magnetic plastic covers. Radiant floor heat is the Cadillac of heating for over 2000 years, and the most comfortable.

icesailor

I don't disagree.

I like to see 190 water running through that tube. I'm waiting.

As far as fan coils, install high, run low. Keeps them quiet.

My hearing is extreme. I can't tell if a fan coil fan is running on low speed most of the time. Few others can unless they are OC.

FredCapo

Thanks for the advice on UF and toe kick. As I recently moved into the house I consider my hwbb install still a work in progress. The house is drafty from open wall outlets, removed sill insulation and uninsulated plaster and lath walls. The kitchen is in the main structure, just that it will have cabinets on most wall space, so the kicks or UF is necessary. I use the basement often and considered add some UF plates to the returns just to get some heat there also. Probably could use an expert here to tweak the installation, but right now just happy to have decent heat though it is not likely very efficient. Thanks.

icesailor

IMO, don't overthink your heat in the cellar issue. I've had cellars that were workshops my whole life. None with additional heat. I've built boats, cabinets, re-built motorcycles, engines etc. I never felt the need to dress like I was headed for 90' North. My biggest annoyance was that I left my insulated Hoodie in the cellar because I took it off and forgot to bring it upstairs. So, I was never cold.