What’s the latest greatest setup for warm floors?

Timco

I’m planning on making the entire main floor staple up. Are the extruded aluminum plates still the best option? What’s the best control or indoor reset setup? I’m planning a really cool setup.....more to come...

hot_rod

A retrofit? What type of flooring?
Required btu/ sq ft for the rooms?
Those are a few questions to answer before selecting product.

kenjohnson

I just went through this myself. You can read the post for my designed install here. https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/163346/would-like-some-feedback-on-my-radiant-design-plans#latest

Timco

hot_rod said:

A retrofit? What type of flooring?

Required btu/ sq ft for the rooms?

Those are a few questions to answer before selecting product.

The entire house is over a full basement. Bats of insulation under floors and I’ll do the calcs today. All hardwood maybe tile or marble in entry and baths but possibly all wood. There’s a large side formal room I want to use insulated board in and wood over that. It’s all CFBB now. May do thin rads for top floor two beds and master bath. 3300 SQ’ and remodeling in the spring / summer.

GW

If you have energy and money you want the radiant product on top of the deck. Don’t you want new floors anyway?

Solid_Fuel_Man

Radiation is pay now or pay for the rest of your life. The lowest temp water will give the best efficiency out of that HTP boiler.

Gordy

Over the top is the best method for lowest AWT, and conductive finished floors.

From installation view. Work over head, or hands, and knees.

hot_rod

I prefer panel rads in bedrooms, quick responders for setback or turning down unused rooms. Size them for 120 SWT

Radiant floors under beds and dressers, not much comfort value.
If you want radiant in bedrooms look to the ceiling or lower wall.

psb75

Warmboard is an excellent product. Goes on top of the deck/subfloor. Give them a schematic of your building floor plan and they will design. Already insulated w/aluminum diffusion. Grooved, ready for pipe to press in. Can run quite low water temps. in it.

GW

Solid Fuel Man I used to think that, but dropping an extra 20 on the heating system will never pay for itself. It’s all bout comfort and some savings (if the system is set up well)

Gordy

GW said:

Solid Fuel Man I used to think that, but dropping an extra 20 on the heating system will never pay for itself. It’s all bout comfort and some savings (if the system is set up well)

If it’s only 20 degrees you drop. Sometimes it’s much more depending on a staple ups design, and r value you have to push through. Could be the difference in much more time condensing, and or using lower modulation range.

hot_rod

If that extra 20° keeps you in condensing mode it will make a considerable difference in efficiency and operating cost.

Also running at low modulation rates increases the efficiency of the boiler. So modulate that 100K boiler down to 25% and low as possible SWT.

Solid_Fuel_Man

Exactly @hot_rod and @Gordy

I've seen way way way too many radiant systems done with skimpy plates or tube under the floor. What you end up with is a system that runs at 160 degrees to heat the space. Well that's fine for oil, heck you can skip the mixing valve and just run it like any other zone.

If you want real savings and are using a condensing boiler, the mich more emitter needs to be installed, which most often works out better being above the deck in old construction with thick wood decking etc.

Might even consider a thin slab pour over if you have or can create adaquite support underneath. The emitter drives the water temps!

I over radiate everything and run slab-like temps, I love seeing water pour out the condensate drain of an install I've done.

Gordy

I would much rather deal with implementing the infrastructure in an over the top install verses an under the floor install.

However, Knees, shoulders, neck. It’s all sore

GW

I’m a choir boy too, just stating the facts. 20 may not even be in the ballpark if new floors are needed, make it 50😀. If your home costs $1200-yr to heat and you save 20% with a top shelf heating system, you’re not doing this as an investment. 4000 sq fr home and up then yeah let’s spend some dough

psb75

I repeat: Warmboard.

Gordy

You are referring to warmboard R

It’s a good product, but there are others that offer a tighter tube spacing.

Sun board
Roth
A few others

psb75

I think warm board's tube spacing is what it is because it is so effective--the insulation and the aluminum transfer material.