Hydronic floor in slab under fire stove

MichaelQC

Hello everyone,

I am installing a hydronic floor in my slab, I will have a smallish fire stove I will use occasionally that will be standing on 12 inch legs. It's a cast iron high efficiency 46000btu smallish stove.

Probably will install a granite/mortar hearth for the fire stove area 4" high, if not I will definitely install some sort of  flooring to protect concrete from cracking (porcelain tile with something underneath). Do you see any issue with me installing the PEX A pipe in the slab under the fire stove? 

I think it should be fine, but I am afraid the heat of the stove will radiate and bring the slab and the PEX pipes temp above its spec.

I guess having the granite base is not an issue in itself ( will just limit and slow the radiant heat from the hydronic)

Intplm.

As a precaution, I would avoid the radiant close to that much of a heat source.....the wood stove.
Similarly, when installing radiant in a floor near a wax ring on a toilet I usually keep the radiant floor heat away from the wax ring too.

hot_rod

A simple heat shield made from a piece of aluminum or stainless sheet metal will make a big difference below the heater.
That is how double and triple wall flue pipe is built. A small air space to keep the outer pipe from over heating. Some stove manufacturers offer “heat shields” for under or behind wood stoves.

Dave Carpentier

I agree some kind of shield in/on a raised platform would ensure.
Maybe worth burying a couple of thermal sensors near the pex ? That way you could monitor for a year or so just for peace of mind.