Electric Floor Heating Cable? vs Pex Boiler System

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for electric systems in my mind. Simple to install, easy to control, even programable controls available for setback.

Enjoy warm floors and spread the word.

I use to help man a radiant booth at the Home Builders Show when it was in Dallas. We had an actual working display for folks to stand on. Between that and free M&Ms we were crazy busy. Plenty of slab construction and lots of tile coverings. Perfect match for radiant.

Must be a huge un tapped radiant market in that neck of the woods :) Texans are hungry for warm floors!

Sounds like you could be the right guy, in the right place, at the right time.

hot rod

<A HREF="http://www.heatinghelp.com/getListed.cfm?id=144&Step=30">To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"</A>

Edward_2

Hydronic vs Electric Radiant system

I'm new to the board here, and only a homeowner, but am an avid fan of hydronics with a 1951 hydronic system in my house in Dallas Texas (cuttin' edge then, and now since I've discovered few HVAC guys are comfortable with it here in Texas) After reading Dan's book, I was ready to jump in to installing my own designed hydronic system in a 300 sq foot slab for add-on bathroom. I then discovered that this small of space might be just as well off with an electric heating cable system using 220v (TXLP "blue heat" cable). I kind of get the feel this board is for hydronic purists and I hope not to offend anyone by mentioning, the word electric here, but seriously, for a DIY'er who wants ease of operation but the same comfort and floor to ceiling heating I get with my hydronic system, can you give me any reason why I wouldn't want electric cable radiant floor heating in my slab given its only a 300sq ft add-on??? I know gas will always be cheaper. Many thanks for any pros and cons.

GMcD

Electric makes sense

For a relatively small area like that. Plus you can eventually power it by Photovoltaics and use your own electricity to power the system. Just make sure the slab edges and underneath are insulated so you aren't trying to heat the earth. Make sure the electric heating cable/mat is suitable for wet installation in concrete, or look at some of the thin film mats that can be installed in thin-set tile mortar closer to the floor surface. Personally I'm not really quite sure about electric stuff in the floor of a room where wet floors may be frequent(bathrooms), but I'm assured that with proper ground fault protection, it shouldn't be an issue.

Joe Brix

Low voltage mats

are avaibale with a step down transformer. You can't need that much heat in Texas.

jim lockard

purist

Edward I am an Electrician by trade and the wall has been kind enough to permit me to post here, at least no one has spoke those 3 little words "get a rope". Now for your question. I installed electric mat in my kitchen +/-10 x 30 under cermic tile and it works great. Best Wishes J.Lockard

Mike Kraft_2

getta rope!

.........had to say it!!

Edward_2

Thanks Geoff, Joe, Jim, and Mike. I plan on embedding these cables 1/2 inch into a newly poured slab, per mfr's recommendation. If you want a link:

http://www.warmzone.com/cable-floor-heating.asp

I really had my heart set on doing hydronics cause you guys seem like you're having so much fun with it, and I'm fascinated with my A.O. Smith boiler and fully blueprinted copper pipe system, and have become quite intimate with the whole layout and operation of my copper pipes in mortar after excavating multiple vintage tiles in order to fix 3 leaks at copper pipe joints that were poorly soldered vs got too cold at the perimeter before I put in outdoor temp relays. In any event, Jim's comment that it works great is encouraging, but again my expectations are full area heating, not just toasty feet, but I'll take it that it did provide adequate area heating. According to the mfr, the cable system is fully capable of whole area heating (floor to ceiling) as long as I don't live in a glass house and don't plan on heating any more than 400 sq feet. If anybody else has pros & cons after experiencing one or both systems, I'd appreciate it. The slab can only be poured once, I've seen the light with hydronics and want no regrets, but dang, the price is right! with the cables, and the fact that its only a bathroom where maybe 1 hour max is spent each day.

Edward_2

THanks for the encouragement HotRod. Wish you lived down here cause I'd hire you. BTW, couldn't get the link to the photo album (presumably of projects completed?).