Retrofitting Hydronic Ceiling Heat

zdawg

I live in a 120 year old house in southern ontario that is heated by hydronic baseboards. We have a hard time maintaining the interior temperature above 20 degrees C. After having 6 specialists in to quote me between $ and $ to widen the supply pipe to my four zones and install a new manifold and individual pumps for each zone, I have begun to research alternatives. Everything I have read on hydronic ceiling heat seems like it would be far more efficient than the baseboards, and given that I'm renovating the entire house anyways, like it would be an easy retro fit given the supply and return lines for each room already exist, I would just have to run them to whatever ceiling system I decided upon. Wondering if it's more effective to go the pex and aluminum plates in the ceiling itself or go with prefabricated hydronic ceiling panels that hang from the existing ceiling. Not having any luck finding anyone in my area with experience in hydronic ceilings only floors. They all say it doesn't work because hot air rises lol. After explaining how the sun works to theses radiant experts I hang up the phone and try the next one:) Any insight would be amazing.

Gordy

What is the ceiling height?

Roth panels are a nice prefab alternative, but pricey. Continuous aluminum skin with tubing groves. Can go 6” centers. Then sheet rock over it.

zdawg

10 ft main floor 8 ft second floor. Seen lots on European sites that hang from the existing ceiling put I'm having trouble locating them here.