Boiler recommendation

jtpfarm

Hello.

I am currently building a new house. I have in floor radiant heat in the concrete floor for the basement and radiant tubes between the floor trusses for the main level. I am considering the weil-mclain aqua balance boiler or the weil-mclain CGI-7 boiler.

Which one would be a better option?

Thanks for any help!

Paul S_3

It all depends...it should be whatever the contractor feels comfortable installing.... cast iron boiler needs low temp protection.....i usually use a Tekmar 356 to mix down and protect where u located?

jtpfarm

Well I am the contractor... Lol. I am comfortable installing either one. More so wondering which would be a better fit since the basement floor will be a low temp and the main level will likely be a high temp.

I am in southern MN. Basement is a walkout, 60x40 basement and main level, all spray foam.

Ironman

A wood radiant floor would be low temp if done correctly. I'd recommend you look at a fire tube boiler like the HTP UFT, Lochinvar KHN or Utica's Laser Tube.

jtpfarm

> @Ironman said:
> A wood radiant floor would be low temp if done correctly. I'd recommend you look at a fire tube boiler like the HTP UFT, Lochinvar KHN or Utica's Laser Tube.

What do you recommend for the wood radiant floor? I have done radiant in concrete before but this is my first time with wood. My current plan is to run down and back between each set of trusses with the pex attached to the trusses approximately 2 inches down from the subfloor. Then insulate below. Thoughts?

JUGHNE

My best guess is that just hanging pex below the wood floor might give you a warmish floor, comfortable to walk on, but not enough to actually heat the room.

I am not far from southern Mini.
I used the expensive Al plates for my tubing. They are screwed right to the bottom of the wood subfloor. Then insulate just below them. I never hear them and the floor is comfy.

Our super insulated design must be working as we went 20 years without this particular floor heating running. The room was comfy but tile floor cold to bare feet.

The radiant heating in the basement concrete floor is what really heats the house. But as we added finished ceiling in basement, then finished up on the floor plates/tubing.

jtpfarm

> @JUGHNE said:
> My best guess is that just hanging pex below the wood floor might give you a warmish floor, comfortable to walk on, but not enough to actually heat the room.
>
> I am not far from southern Mini.
> I used the expensive Al plates for my tubing. They are screwed right to the bottom of the wood subfloor. Then insulate just below them. I never hear them and the floor is comfy.
>
> Our super insulated design must be working as we went 20 years without this particular floor heating running. The room was comfy but tile floor cold to bare feet.
>
> The radiant heating in the basement concrete floor is what really heats the house. But as we added finished ceiling in basement, then finished up on the floor plates/tubing.

Thanks.

This is where I get confused. One guy (who sells and installs central boiler systems) says the warm cavity below the floor is enough. Others say to use the aluminum strips. Not really sure which way to go. This house is also super insulated.

JUGHNE

Are you trying to heat the room or just warm the floor?

jtpfarm

Heat the room.

Ironman

You need to use extruded aluminum heat transfer plates (not beer can plates). Just stapling or hanging the tubing will only produce 7 btus per sq. ft. or less output. Extruded plates will produce 20 btus per sq. ft. @ 120* SWT.

Here are the results of a scientific study done by VA Tech: