Radiant Floor Heating and Harwood Floors

George Peteya_2

Ed -

First, use "Find a Professional" to locate a qualified radiant heating contractor near you.

There are many variables to consider when designing a heating system for hardwood floors, and such a professional will take these into account.

Job One will be a heat loss calculation!

You may have read that the maximum allowable floor surface temperature for a wood floor should be 85°F. I would be much more conservative than that, for the simple reason that if you were exposed to an 85° floor for an extended period, you wouldn't like it! If/when I design a radiant heating system for my own house, my design maximum floor surface temperature will be 78°F. If that's not sufficient to meet the heat load, I'll provide supplemental heat with baseboard or panel radiators.

Where does the 78° come from? Two places ... I attended an RPA seminar a few years ago, where the presenter (Jim Erhardt aka Doc Radiant) showed some ASHRAE graphs that indicated that the most comfortable floor temperature was 78°. I also worked in a radiant heated office for 10 years, where I was the only one allowed to touch the controls. Whenever the floor got over 78° (by infrared thermometer), I got complaints.

Finally,let's remember what that 78° means. That's the floor temperature on the coldest day of the year, because you will have specified outdoor reset water temperature control, which IMHO, is MANDATORY in hardwood floor installations. When the outside temperature is above winter design, the floor temperature won't be as high.

Ed_40

Radiant Floor Heating and Hardwood Floors

I am building a new home in the north east and am considering whole house radiant heat. Most on my main floor is hardwood and 2nd story carpet. Is there a problem with warping of the floors with radiant?

Ray Landry_2

Controls should be used to keep the surface temp of the floor below 85 degrees. Definetly no hotter than 130 degree water should be shot through the tubing.

George Peteya_2

A few considerations

Ed -

First, use "Find a Professional" to locate a qualified radiant heating contractor near you.

There are many variables to consider when designing a heating system for hardwood floors, and such a professional will take these into account.

Job One will be a heat loss calculation!

You may have read that the maximum allowable floor surface temperature for a wood floor should be 85°F. I would be much more conservative than that, for the simple reason that if you were exposed to an 85° floor for an extended period, you wouldn't like it! If/when I design a radiant heating system for my own house, my design maximum floor surface temperature will be 78°F. If that's not sufficient to meet the heat load, I'll provide supplemental heat with baseboard or panel radiators.

Where does the 78° come from? Two places ... I attended an RPA seminar a few years ago, where the presenter (Jim Erdhardt aks Doc Radiant) showed some ASHRAE graphs that indicated that the most comfortable floor temperature was 78°. I also worked in a radiant heated office for 10 years, where I was the only one allowed to touch the controls. Whenever the floor got over 78° (by infrared thermometer), I got complaints.

Finally,let's remember what that 78° means. That's the floor temperature on the coldest day of the year, because you will have specified outdoor reset water temperature control, which IMHO, is MANDATORY in hardwood floor installations. When the outside temperature is above winter design, the floor temperature won't be as high.

George Peteya_2

A few considerations

Ed -

First, use "Find a Professional" to locate a qualified radiant heating contractor near you.

There are many variables to consider when designing a heating system for hardwood floors, and such a professional will take these into account.

Job One will be a heat loss calculation!

You may have read that the maximum allowable floor surface temperature for a wood floor should be 85°F. I would be much more conservative than that, for the simple reason that if you were exposed to an 85° floor for an extended period, you wouldn't like it! If/when I design a radiant heating system for my own house, my design maximum floor surface temperature will be 78°F. If that's not sufficient to meet the heat load, I'll provide supplemental heat with baseboard or panel radiators.

Where does the 78° come from? Two places ... I attended an RPA seminar a few years ago, where the presenter (Jim Erdhardt aka Doc Radiant) showed some ASHRAE graphs that indicated that the most comfortable floor temperature was 78°. I also worked in a radiant heated office for 10 years, where I was the only one allowed to touch the controls. Whenever the floor got over 78° (by infrared thermometer), I got complaints.

Finally,let's remember what that 78° means. That's the floor temperature on the coldest day of the year, because you will have specified outdoor reset water temperature control, which IMHO, is MANDATORY in hardwood floor installations. When the outside temperature is above winter design, the floor temperature won't be as high.

George Peteya_2

A few considerations

Ed -

First, use "Find a Professional" to locate a qualified radiant heating contractor near you.

There are many variables to consider when designing a heating system for hardwood floors, and such a professional will take these into account.

Job One will be a heat loss calculation!

You may have read that the maximum allowable floor surface temperature for a wood floor should be 85°F. I would be much more conservative than that, for the simple reason that if you were exposed to an 85° floor for an extended period, you wouldn't like it! If/when I design a radiant heating system for my own house, my design maximum floor surface temperature will be 78°F. If that's not sufficient to meet the heat load, I'll provide supplemental heat with baseboard or panel radiators.

Where does the 78° come from? Two places ... I attended an RPA seminar a few years ago, where the presenter (Jim Erhardt aka Doc Radiant) showed the results of an ASHRAE study that indicated that the most comfortable floor temperature was 78°. I also worked in a radiant heated office for 10 years, where I was the only one allowed to touch the controls. Whenever the floor got over 78° (by infrared thermometer), I got complaints.

Finally,let's remember what that 78° means. That's the floor temperature on the coldest day of the year, because you will have specified outdoor reset water temperature control, which IMHO, is MANDATORY in hardwood floor installations. When the outside temperature is above winter design, the floor temperature won't be as high.

George Peteya_2

A few considerations

Ed -

First, use "Find a Professional" to locate a qualified radiant heating contractor near you.

There are many variables to consider when designing a heating system for hardwood floors, and such a professional will take these into account.

Job One will be a heat loss calculation!

You may have read that the maximum allowable floor surface temperature for a wood floor should be 85°F. I would be much more conservative than that, for the simple reason that if you were exposed to an 85° floor for an extended period, you wouldn't like it! If/when I design a radiant heating system for my own house, my design maximum floor surface temperature will be 78°F. If that's not sufficient to meet the heat load, I'll provide supplemental heat with baseboard or panel radiators.

Where does the 78° come from? Two places ... I attended an RPA seminar a few years ago, where the presenter (Jim Erhardt aka Doc Radiant) showed the results of an ASHRAE study that indicated that the most comfortable floor temperature was 78°. I also worked in a radiant heated office for 10 years, where I was the only one allowed to touch the controls. Whenever the floor got over 78° (by infrared thermometer), I got complaints.

Finally, let's remember what that 78° means. That's the floor temperature on the coldest day of the year, because you will have specified outdoor reset water temperature control, which IMHO, is MANDATORY in hardwood floor installations. When the outside temperature is above winter design, the floor temperature won't be as high.

George Peteya_2

A few considerations

Ed -

First, use "Find a Professional" to locate a qualified radiant heating contractor near you.

There are many variables to consider when designing a heating system for hardwood floors, and such a professional will take these into account.

Job One will be a heat loss calculation!

You may have read that the maximum allowable floor surface temperature for a wood floor should be 85°F. I would be much more conservative than that, for the simple reason that if you were exposed to an 85° floor for an extended period, you wouldn't like it! If/when I design a radiant heating system for my own house, my design maximum floor surface temperature will be 78°F. If that's not sufficient to meet the heat load, I'll provide supplemental heat with baseboard or panel radiators.

Where does the 78° come from? Two places ... I attended an RPA seminar a few years ago, where the presenter (Jim Erhardt aka Doc Radiant) showed the results of an ASHRAE study that indicated that the most comfortable floor temperature was 78°. I also worked in a radiant heated office for 10 years, where I was the only one allowed to touch the controls. Whenever the floor got over 78° (by infrared thermometer), I got complaints.

Finally, let's remember what that 78° means. That's the floor temperature on the coldest day of the year, because you will have specified outdoor reset water temperature control, which IMHO, is MANDATORY in hardwood floor installations. When the outside temperature is above winter design, the floor temperature won't be as high.

Sorry for the length of this reply ... PE's can never just say it in 25 words or less.

Gregory Pex

I hope this helps..