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Heating old churches

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HeatingHelp
HeatingHelp Administrator Posts: 637
edited April 2017 in THE MAIN WALL
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Heating old churches

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EdTheHeaterMan

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  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,376
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    Excellent!
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,323
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    It would seem that the radiant floor idea has been around a long time. A very long time. The great cathedral in Durham, UK (well worth visiting if you're ever on that side of the pond) is heated that way; hot air -- hypocausts -- in the floor of the cathedral, plus a few warm air grilles. It was built between 1093 and 1143...
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    EdTheHeaterMan
  • ratio
    ratio Member Posts: 3,627
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    My church has a radiant floor, 2½" pipe pumped via a B&G PD-35. Last year, the high limit tripped, it took a week before I started getting complaints about the temp. (My best guess is the inspector "tested" the manual high limit by turning it down until it tripped but didn't get it set back quite high enough.)

    In any case, kneeling isn't quite a penitan as you might feel appropriate in the winter. And I've had small children sleeping on the floor during Mass pretty much every year since I restarted the floor. :smiley:

  • jumper
    jumper Member Posts: 2,259
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    I'm surprised that radiant floors work so well for churches. Isn't it a problem that the place has to be warmed up before folks arrive but then high people density overheats occupants?
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,323
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    I imagine that it depends a lot on the church. The two cathedrals with which i have been somewhat associated -- the National in Washington, DC and Durham -- are both open and in use almost all the time, with many services every day. Plus, they are big! And solid stone. The warm floors work just fine. On the other hand, the small church with which I am currently associated isn't used thhat heavily -- though it too is open 24/7/365 -- and uses forced air to get it up to temperature for a regular service.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England

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