Self installing radiant heat in a 1886 house, how pratical ?

Radiant Wizard

you have a major radiant heat manufacturer in your back yard down in Apple Valley.

Matt McDonough

can we learn about and install radiant heat in an 1886 house?

I wanted to get your opinion on our project. We own a two and half story house in minneapolis MN. and are doing a major remodling job to the first floor. We have dismanteled our old forced air in the process and were considering installing water heat, either convection with the old stand up radiators, or stapel up radiant floor. Our house has all wood floors, with the possible
exception of the bathroom, and kitchen where we are installing cement or tile on the wood subfloor. It has a full unfinished basement underneath. I am in the process of calculating the heat loss. I am wondering if you think it is feasable for us to design and install the system ourselves? We have read your "how come" book and ordered your other book for more source info. In trying to calculate my heat loss I am unsure if for the first floor I should add heat loss from the unheated basement through the floor, and does using radiant floor change whether i consider the heat loss to the basement?, Do i add heat lost to the second floor, even though it is heated. I'm guessing not, but am not sure.. The second floor celing has heated living space above half how does that figure. What manufactorer would you recommend for PEX tubing, boiler, control valves, and circulator? Is PEX-aluminum the tubing you would recommend? We will probably not be adding steel pipes? In the case that we might use a radiator on the 3rd floor can we use the PEX tubing to deliver the water? Sorry so many questions...we are desperate to learn before it gets cold here again.
Thank You, Matt & Justine (hard headed do-it yourself types)