quik-trak install question

Greg Durgin_2

We have a small floor/sitting area requiring floor warming and plan to use Wirsbo quik-trak. It will have a wall to wall carpet.

Question 1: Can the carpet (and pad) go directly on the quik-trak panels or should there be an intermediate layer such as plywood or masonite? It is not an especially high-traffic area but I am wondering about friction/wear between the tubing and the carpet pad as well as telegraphing of the tubing lines, even though the carpet will be fairly thick.
Question 2: Is there a material spec or trade name for the carpet padding recommended in this application?

Thanks for your responses.

Greg

Al_3

Wirsbo trac

We have installed several of these systems and most have been carpeted, haven't heard of any carpet padding requirements or issues. Make sure whoever is installing it is familiar with the head and max tubing length. This stuff is expensive, but works awesome.

Al Letellier

quik trac

We do a lot of QT and almost always install 1/4" plywood over the QT to prevent damage from furniture legs and dropped things. Nothing special about the pad except watch out for the R value of that pad and your calculations. 1/2" felt pad and Burber carpet, for example, have an R factor around 5, so it can seriously damper heat transfer.
We make a template using plastic sheeting and magic markers before installing the tubing. Just lay it done, cut to fit and follow the grooves. You can then lay the template on top of the plywood and nail away. Also, make sure the carpet layers use the template. A recent job got punctured over 50 times and we had to rip it all out and start over, because the installers from on of the "big box stores" were too stubborn to use it.....it cost them dearly as the QT had o come out too (water damage). In short, use it with confidence, but plan carefully.

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Mark Eatherton1

That tops me...

My biggest nummber of hits on a single job was 42. The instlaaers decided to put down rosen paper. Said it made the wood easier to slide across the floor...

They had the centers of the tube perfectly marked, but weren't paying attention to whee the tube wne tin adn out of the grid. Unfortunately, the HO was an attorny. After oout third trip out there to fix another leak in his hardwood floor, he contacted the GC and the carpet company and told them he wanted a new floor and radiant heaitng system, which would have cost them around $20,000.00 Neither the GC nor the HW Flooring co. could afford that kind of out of pocket expense. An arbitrator got invoolved, and the HW Flooring people were required to post a $20K cash surety bond. If at the end of the tubes warranty pperiod (30 years) the tube had not leaked again, he would refund the bond and the interest it had accued to the HWF co. If at anytime within that warranty period, the tube leaked again, he would cash the bond and replace his floor/heating system.

To the best of my knowledge, the system has not leak since last repaired.

The sad part is, we told the floor company to NOT use rosen paper. The word never made to to the installation crew...


Live and learn...

ME

Rocky

Al, the template is something I never would

have thought about, but it makes perfect sense. Great idea. I will be using it when it comes time for me to do my first QT job. Thanks for the good idea!

Rocky

Greg Durgin_2

Al,
I think I will use your method of 1/4" ply over the QT - feels a lot more secure to have a solid layer under the carpet. And the use of plastic sheeting for a template is great. I like the plastic sheeting template idea.

Thanks for the response.

Greg

Al_11

rosen paper

I have never heard of using rosen paper but from the sound of your note its not a smart thing to do. How come?