hydronic radiant in post-tensioned slab

agarchitect

down here in the south very few people have ever heard of hydronic radiant heating, much less considered it for installation in their homes. but, i'm currently working on a house in arkansas for a woman from utah and she is going to use hydronic radiant heating. we plan to install the tubing in the slab. normally that wouldn't be a proble because it would just get laid out and strapped down to the w.w.m. or rebar grid. this slab is post-tensioned, though. how should i go about detailing this installation so that any mechanical contractor with minimum radiant experience could properly install this system? any helpful tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.

agarchitect

Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes

Speak to the engineer

I would think the tubing would have to stay out of the structural slab. See if the engineer would allow an overpour of a Gypcrete like product with rigid insulation between the two slabs. Install the tubing in the topping slab.

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agarchitect

i thought so, too

that was my initial plan. not having designed a system like this before i have been trying to find some evidence that the tubing could be placed in a gypcrete topping and haven't been able to find anyone that has ever done it that way. does anybody know how the gyprete holds up to the temperature change due to the radiant heating tubes?

agarchitect

Mark Hunt

The water temps running through the tubing will be very low.

Gypcrete will handle this application with no problem.


Hope this helps!!!

Mark H


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