Insulation-snowmelt

Daniel Paul_2

We have some snow melt installations done with a similiar product. It's called Low-e insulation, it's a closedcellular PE product. There are many benifets to this product over the bubble products but not enough time for that. If you want more info go to americanradiant.com. Any way we lay down the insulation, wire mesh, and tie the tubing off to the wire mesh. All of our installs have 100 lbs of air on the tubing, and they lay 3 inches of process (this compacts better than sand)this is compacted with a roller w/vibration. Then they lay the binder coat mostly by hand and roll that. We haven't had any problems with insulation or with the jobs working.

Let me know what you think

Danny

Troy_3

Insulation- snowmelt

Learn from my faux-pas! I installed 3000 sq. ft. of bfb insulation on compacted gravel for a snowmelt job. Wire tied 4000' of 3/4" Bpex to mesh and watched 15 tons of grit be spread on top of tube. All was great until the paving contractor tried to vibrate the grit. It looked like popcorn! Way too much bounce with the BFB. Grit would not compact at all, paving contractor would not procede untill we removed the tube, mesh and insulation. Then we retubed. If I live long enough I'm gonna be sooo smart some day.

hot_rod

I'm wondering

why they were graveling and compacting over the top of the tubes? Was this for dry pavers, or asphalt?

I'd be nervous running a whacker on top of the tube, even with a layer of base over it, seems it would drive the tube into the wire mesh.

hot rod

Art

Snowmelt

Danny,
You project looks awesome.
What do you use for the 3 inches of "process"? Also what do you use for the "binder coat"? How much does each of these cost and where do you buy them?

Thanks

Art

cruizer

Eeeek

That tractor driving over uncompated dirt over the tubing would scare me half to death!

Daniel Paul_2

Snow Melt

The 3 Inches Of process is really stone dust, we use this because this compacts really well. The binder coat is the first of two coats of asphalt. The entire snow melt system was under 100 lbs pressure and cold water was circulated during the whole process, as far as the tractor, I dont see what the problem would be it has to way less then the roller they used to compact. The tires on it are big enough to distribute the wieght and start the compaction process.

Thanks Guys
Danny