Radiant heat

Pete_7

Hi: You provide a great service and I thank in advance those who help me with this situation.

We are building a new house that will have radiant heat under hardwood by a propane fired furnace. The plumber told us that he will loop tubing under the subfloor between the joists. I have since learned that there are accordian-type panels that can be stretched out on top of the subfloor and the tubing snapped into grooves in the panels. Which is the best way to go. It seems the application under the subfloor will take much longer to heat the surface of the hardwood?

Also, Where does the thermostat go? the same friend told us that the thermostat should be in the floor and another on the outside of the house controlled by a computer at the furnace. We need your help and advise!! Thanks, Pete.

eleft(retired)_3

Try Here

http://www.weil-mclain.com/FTP/Alumipex_Manuals/indexqualpex.htm

Radiant Wizard

Suspended Application

Sounds like your talking about either Wirsbo's Quick Trak or Stadler's Climate Panel. Yes the advantage to above the floor is floor response time. It will come up quicker than if you did joist heating with plates and you will also need generally 10 degrees less water temp. Some will say that it's more expensive but it really isn't. While the materials may be more the labor is less. They wash each other out. As far as a floor sensor. It depends on the room and the control strategy you use. Is solar gain an issue? There are alot of choices for you to make.

Dave H

Doesn't Matter

It generally doesn't matter which system you use. Put the radiant below the floor with plates or on top of the floor. Both of these systems are low mass and heat up around the same speed and relatively close water temperatures.

"Make the radiant fit the house, DON'T make the house fit the radiant"

Perform your heat loss and design.

Dave Holdorf