Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.
If our community has helped you, please consider making a contribution to support this website. Thanks!

Staple up W/ plates Question

Options
Unknown
Unknown
in THE MAIN WALL
Interesting, very interesting. Thanks Troy, that's good info right there.

Comments

  • Craig R Bergman
    Craig R Bergman Member Posts: 100
    With a staple up...

    and extruded plates can expanding foam insulation be sprayed on the tubing to fill the joist bay? 30x20 space over unheated garage with 70' exposed, LOTS of windows and hardwood floor. I've not run the numbers yet...But would like to know how much insulation will have to be sprayed for system to work.
  • Troy_3
    Troy_3 Member Posts: 479
    foam over plates

    It's a great idea as long as you cover the tube and plates first. Don't foam directly or you take the risk of foam getting above and around the tube and plates. We have done this with foil/bubble/foil up between the joists and then foam under that. Anything that keeps the foam from encapsulating the heat.
  • Paul Pollets
    Paul Pollets Member Posts: 3,671
    Batts

    I'd recommend using 6" fiberglass batts with an air space between the batt and the plates...1-2" is fine. Spray foam is too messy and expensive. R19 or R21 will give adequate R values, but the application has its limits, depending on the numbers. Do the math!!

    To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"
  • Unknown
    Unknown


    Has this happened to someone? I've never heard of that happening with a direct spray. If your plates are firmly affixed as they should be, shouldn't be much risk of this, I would think?
  • Ed Lentz_2
    Ed Lentz_2 Member Posts: 158


    I'm just a home owner, but I thought there were reasons for having that 1-2 " separation between the insulation and the plates. Like encapsulating the heat and transferring it in a more even manner over the whole space. :)
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    what i

    What I did, I sprayed sticking stuff on fiberglass insulations and put shiny side up foil on it and put it place inside joints leaving 3 inches of air gap.... Reflected the heat up...
  • Dave Larsen_2
    Dave Larsen_2 Member Posts: 53
    How much insulation.....

    depends on the flooring above. whatever the R value is of the above floor, install 5 times that R value below the tubing. Remember, heat always goes to cold so make it go where you want it to. As far as using spray insulation, when using plates you are heating mass so the heat will transfer to the mass above regardless of the insulation making contact with the tube. Only real downside that I can see is accessability in the future (hopefully you'll never need it!) This may be the only GOOD application for "bubble wrap"! there really is minimal R value to that stuff but it may help in the future to remove bubble wrap and the spray insulation if ever needed. install bubble wrap an inch below the tubing and then spray foam. Good Luck with your project!
  • Paul Pollets
    Paul Pollets Member Posts: 3,671
    But...

    as soon as the foil gets dusty, it no longer reflects the radiant wave...and all joist bays generate dust from the construction and walking on the floors. Mark Eatherton has done testing for the various staple-up approaches and insulation barriers, and posted on this site.

    To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"
  • lchmb
    lchmb Member Posts: 2,997
    actually

    Paul, FYI, I just completed a refresher course and in the case of radiant with plates they recommend the insulation be shoved against the tubing. If your going with just tubing/no plates then they recommend a 3"gap. This was the class put on by Uponor/Wirsbo...I would contact them with any question's, they are very informative and would love to help someone get the most from radiant heat..

    http://www.uponor-usa.com/
  • jp_2
    jp_2 Member Posts: 1,935
    seasonal lows?

    whats are the seasonal lows where you are at? R19 might not even be close for an unheat garage in a cold climate.
  • Troy_3
    Troy_3 Member Posts: 479
    NRT

    I witnessed this on a job that needed a repair. That foam gets in every little crevice. Not to mention all tube that is out of the plates {bends} will be completly encapsulated in foam.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories