electric hot water heater for radiant flooring

Bill NTSG

coop

electric hot water heater for radiant flooring

I am building A new home and I am going to use an electric hot water heater for my radiant flooring and I was wondering how to get my domestic hot water off the same heater without putting a mixing valve and a control on the radiant flooring side of the system can I do so or do I need a seperate water heater thanks coop

John Felciano

Electric??

First off how big is your house and what is the design temperature(coldest day of the winter).

Electric will work if the heating load is low,but for large loads it isn't usually the best way.Electric rates in many parts are very high compared to other fuels.

That said,if it were me I wouldn't do a open combination system.The water will be sitting in the radiant side all summer,and come fall all that funky water will be introduced into your potable water.I would highly recomend you either use a seperate heater or isolate the heating side with a flat plate heat exchanger.

This very topic is being discussed at the Radiant Panel Association.With any luck open combination systems will be removed from the standards, or only allowed with proper seperation.

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Dan Peel

horsepower

Coop
Most electric water heaters will top out at 4500W per element - that's barely 15,000BTU recovery. If you do choose electric look to an electric boiler (Slant/Fin Monitron) with an indirect or plate coil for your DHW requirement. Enjoy....Dan

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Darin Cook_2

WHY?

Why would you want to use a electric heater? Unless you are tapped into some really cheap municipal power source that tank will KILL you in operating costs! Electric tanks are the cheapest to install and the most expensive to run. The operating costs need to be factored in here to make a educated decision. Combining heating and domestic hot water in a open system, BAD IDEA. That has the possibilty of Legionella written all over it. Keep looking at some different options, lots of good equipment out there that will last a long time and will be very economical to operate. Very happy to see your choice of radiant heat in your new home. Good Luck.