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radiant in garage floor

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Gasper
Gasper Member Posts: 148
Thank You!

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  • Gasper
    Gasper Member Posts: 148
    Foam thickness around perimeter for garage radiant?

    Any pointers on radiant for a 34' X 29' garage floor? Best type, thickness, etc of perimeter and underneath insulation? I am a heating contractor and am doing the job myself. However I do not have a lot of radiant floor experiance. I'm looking for the best job possible and using it as a possible "show" job. (As well as a place for a young basketball player, my son, to have a place to practice anytime.) We are in the Detriot area. Thank You

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  • Generally you want continuous 2" of rigid extruded polystyrene insulation underneath, and vertically along the edges of the slab.
  • patrick

    I senconded what NRT Rob said... Ploy sheet on compacted gravel, 2" foam sheet and I use flat 6" wire mesh to tie the tubings.. 2" insulation on walls... The more u do it the less the heat costs....
  • Gasper
    Gasper Member Posts: 148
    foil bubble insulation?

    > I senconded what NRT Rob said... Ploy sheet on

    > compacted gravel, 2" foam sheet and I use flat 6"

    > wire mesh to tie the tubings.. 2" insulation on

    > walls... The more u do it the less the heat

    > costs....



    My supplier suggested the foil/bubble insulation which I have purchesed. Is this not enough? Will concrete settle/ crush/etc over 2" of foam?

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  • Gasper
    Gasper Member Posts: 148
    foil bubble insulation?

    My supplier suggested the foil/bubble insulation which I have purchesed. Is this not enough? Will concrete settle/ crush/etc over 2" of foam?

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  • Take it back, that stuff is total junk. Seriously. I don't sell insulation either.
  • Gasper
    Gasper Member Posts: 148
    Second opinion............

    I'll take your word for it, but..........I have a long, and very good relationship with this specific supplier. They specialize in hydronics. I guess I'm a doubting Thomas. Are there any studies/results, etc I can check out? Any one else have a take on slab and perimeter insulation? Thanks for your comments, expert opinions, etc

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  • kevin coppinger_4
    kevin coppinger_4 Member Posts: 2,124
    we just had a study...

    done here by Mark Eatherton....confirms what many thought...stick w/ what is tried and true...bubble foil maybe ok to wrap duct work w/ but under slabs it is a waste of money...make sure to put a vapor barrier under your foam too...kpc

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  • There have been no less than two studies that verify that all the tarp/foil products perform at about an R 1.6 to an R2 under slabs. and that counts the concrete, dirt, etc.

    Sounds like your suppliers got hoodwinked like an awful lot of other people.

    Here's one that the reflective manufacturers did themselves: http://www.radiantpanelassociation.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=359


  • By the way, kudos for looking for info. No shame in asking for the facts instead of opinions!
  • Seattle Nick
    Seattle Nick Member Posts: 64
    Here is a photo of the slab

    of my attached workshop/lab/studio/den of I-Nick-quity under pressure test. The radiant garage is up above. We bevelled the tops of the edge insulation on the tablesaw.
  • Weezbo
    Weezbo Member Posts: 6,231
    that is a very clean slab install.

    nice picture :)
  • Patrick...#2

    As NRT Rob say... As well the others tooo, bubble foil is CRAPOLA... If ur supply wanna say something, have them come on board with the expericed wallies... There's 2 kinds of 2 " foam, one is #150 and other is #250 which is more dense and made for under concrete slab,, the secret is to PACK the gravel as much u can.. And then vaper barrier and then insulations.... I done this with 6 cars garage and no cracks, etc..
  • Gasper
    Gasper Member Posts: 148
    Lots of good info...but just a couple of more questions

    Thanks for the help guys. I guess I,m sold in the foam. I'll look for the better stuff. Could/should I still use the bubble wrap under or over the foam? Would it hurt or help? Also do I tape or just overlap my vapor barrier? Last but not least....can I find the better foam at Home Depot or Lowes?

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  • hr
    hr Member Posts: 6,106
    Various foams

    be sure to buy the foam that is rated and listed for direct soil contact and has the higher psi. Dow, Owens, and others offer both a 15 and 25 psi faom. Generally the home center stores have the lesser rated products.

    If in doubt go to the manufactures website for application specfic info.

    Not sure what brand of bubble foil you have. If it has the tape-able seams it would still provide a good vapor barrier if used with the foam sheets.

    Or use a 6 mil plastic under the foam.

    Until the bubble/ foil manufactures develop and list to an ANSI standard their claims are just that. If in fact their products provide the r value the advertize, or hint at :) Then prove it and have it accepted and all these questions go away.

    Personally I believe the R 1.65 that Barrier states.

    Too bad the FTC had to step in to question these high r value claims. Get your hands on the Dow response to all this. Interesting reading.

    hot rod


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  • Gasper
    Gasper Member Posts: 148
    Thanks.....Ultra CBF Bubble/Foil/Bubble

    > be sure to buy the foam that is rated and listed

    > for direct soil contact and has the higher psi.

    > Dow, Owens, and others offer both a 15 and 25 psi

    > faom. Generally the home center stores have the

    > lesser rated products.

    >

    > If in doubt go to the

    > manufactures website for application specfic

    > info.

    >

    > Not sure what brand of bubble foil you

    > have. If it has the tape-able seams it would

    > still provide a good vapor barrier if used with

    > the foam sheets. Or use a 6 mil plastic under

    > the foam.

    >

    > Until the bubble/ foil manufactures

    > develop and list to an ANSI standard their claims

    > are just that. If in fact their products provide

    > the r value the advertize, or hint at :) Then

    > prove it and have it accepted and all these

    > questions go away.

    >

    > Personally I believe the R

    > 1.65 that Barrier states.

    >

    > Too bad the FTC had

    > to step in to question these high r value claims.

    > Get your hands on the Dow response to all this.

    > Interesting reading.

    >

    > 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_





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  • Gasper
    Gasper Member Posts: 148
    Thanks.....Ultra CBF Bubble/Foil/Bubble

    That is right off the package. Covertech Fabricating, Inc. Ontario, Canada. I don't see a R factor on the package. They do have a tech support line I'm going to call 888-313-3258 ext. 255. But it's looking like I want the 250 foam. I'd rather over do it then under do it. Especially since it's my own home. Thanks, Patrick

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  • Gasper
    Gasper Member Posts: 148
  • kevin coppinger_4
    kevin coppinger_4 Member Posts: 2,124
    i believe...

    that it allows you to run the concrete up to the foundation edge w/o having a large gap around the edge w/ exposed foam...kpc

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