First Stage Radiant, Second Stage Baseboard

Whitefaceadk

Potentially did myself a bit too much heat here, a wee bit overkill : I renovated my home, and left the existing baseboard around the home, especially the great room. Felt like insulation wasn't too great in my home; added low mass radiant (ulta fin) and insulated it super well; placed fins very close; O/R parameters : running radiant at 130*F supply temp when its 32*F outside (lowest temp set to 150*F when it's 17*F outside) - it is absolutely heating the house tremendously at these temperatures. I've done ultra fin before and must have not insulated properly : the foam made a hell of a difference beneath the foil. Anyway : to the point of my main question : I am about 85% through finishing piping the 2nd stage to the new boiler and wiring, but am realizing I likely don't need this 2nd stage baseboard at all - - - I have two choices : A) cut it all out, cut my losses in time and materials, and put some nice molding in place, or drop water temp in boiler down further + add stage 2 (will be more comfortable like an air curtain under all the windows when it's quite cold outside) while at same time less dry ? Really trying to justify getting to 85% online for 2nd stage : currently have radiant working, and it's absolutely crushing alone as far as we notice as we do not live in the home yet and are nearing the end of construction - cut it out or leave it ---- what to do , Thanks!!!

ps : i made a little mistake, and put a hydrocoil in my garage ... is not going to love lower temps nor will my comfort as I walk by, but hey, I could still tap off and add baseboard in the garage -

hot_rod

I’m not a huge fan of the “look” of fin tube around a room. So it come down to aesthetics for you, I suppose.

EdTheHeaterMan

Is 150° in the floor heat tubing going to make the floor too hot to walk on?

Even 130° may be too hot for me it walk on.

What is the actual floor surface temperature at the 130° water temperature and 150° water temperature?

mattmia2

I agree with @EdTheHeaterMan , keep the floor cooler and run the baseboard to cover the load at lower outdoor temps. You can cover 2 birds with one stone by having a way to fire the boiler at a higher temp for the baseboard and the hydroair and having a mixing valve to limit the temp of the radiant.

hot_rod

I think he mentioned UltraFin, that is a joist bay heating system, typically 150- 180 SWT. Unless you pack the fins in tightly or closer OC spacing. Basically a enhancement on the suspended tube method that Wirsbo promoted.

It really comes down to the btu/sq. ft that you need.

The hydrocoil output depends on the size of the coil, airflow etc. Kick space heaters run down around 120F

EdTheHeaterMan

Was aware of that product from my time at Weinstein Supply, Never sold any. Staple up was a big seller at the time. So a higher water temperature is able to create a lower floor surface temperature? (rhetorical) then I would just keep my eye on the actual floor surface temperature when the ODR says 0° outside and the interior needs 150° water temp. Hardwood floors don't like anything over 110° when the tubing is attached to the floor. That translates to a 105° surface temperature in my old home in NJ. If it gets below 18° in that home, The old gas furnace (original heating system) will kick in for the additional requirements.

So maybe those temperature are good for that home. I would just keep an eye on it, especially if there are any wood flooring associated with that system.

hot_rod

They show an 80 surface temperature with 140 swt. I suspect that would be 140 AWT, so 150 swt?

I doubt with 180 swt that the floor surface would get over 85 degree?
Air is not a good heat conductor, and not much space for convection air currents like when fin tube is in a room.

fin tube was installed in joist bays back in the 1960s for floor warming

i agree with these simulations, staple up tube without plates does stripe the floor surface temperature, the UltraFin does get you a consistent floor surface temperature. I only did a few installations but they performed as advertised   I have some IR pics somewhere of the UF jobs I installed 

HVACNUT

Any chance of the fin tube or the piping on that loop freezing if water isn't moving?
That would be my concern. 
Is the fin tube one loop (zone)?