aluminum foil under APEX pipe ?

Tomek

Does it make sense to lay down aluminum foil under radiant tubing on the top of plywood sub floor?

Radian tubing is being fastened to plywood sub floor and 1-1/2" thermafloor will be poured on the top. I am thinking of spreading aluminum foil under tubing (or covering the whole sub floor with it), to achieve additional heat reflection upwards. Has anybody seen it done? Will it help?

Does thickness of foil matter very much?
What are the problems? Corrosion? Electric current conduit?

Thanks

Mike T., Swampeast MO

When a reflective layer is in complete contact with another solid (as will happen when your floor is poured) it is no longer a radiant barrier. It becomes a conductor. The foil will really be a waste of time and money.

Unknown

Waste of money

This type of installation is just not worth doing. Insulate from below if possible. What you propose will be no better than having used nothing at all.

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