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DIY Radiant heat company

gillisc
gillisc Member Posts: 6
in Radiant Heating

I live in Virginia and will be starting a new house on a concrete slab with polished floors. I would like to install a radiant heat system in the slab myself. Any recommendations on a good DIY company that is easy to work with and designs good systems.

Comments

  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 7,519

    Uponor...D.I.Y.R. (Do it yourself, right out of the gate.) They have great specs and installation info. Are you up for this? You get ONE chance to do Radiant or Snowmelt in a Poured Slab Mad Dog

    Consulting by Mad Dog & Matt Jr.
    gillisckcoppDan Foley
  • gillisc
    gillisc Member Posts: 6

    Ironman, I am located in Northern Virginia. Any suggestions?

  • gillisc
    gillisc Member Posts: 6

    Do you know anyone that will build the system for you that has a good reputation?

  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 23,405
    edited March 2023

    maybe send it to one of the tube manufacturers. Rehau is in Virginia if you want close to home design help.

    Consider a 6" on center design to allow the lowest possible supply, maybe put you in heat pump design range.

    https://www.rehau.com/us-en/design-services

    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
    EdTheHeaterMan
  • gillisc
    gillisc Member Posts: 6

    Thanks, Hot Rod. Does anyone know anything good or bad about Radiant Floor Company , Vermont , or Blue Ridge Company, WA or Krell Distributing, Syracuse, NY. ? I understand they build and design systems.

  • GroundUp
    GroundUp Member Posts: 2,124

    I design and build these systems, and am based out of MN. The issue with any of the online outfits like Blueridge, is that their systems are all "one size fits all" type things with little or no regard to the actual requirements of that particular system, and then you still have to put everything together.

    Ironman
  • gillisc
    gillisc Member Posts: 6

    Groundup, under those circumstances what would be the best approach if I am doing it myself? Any suggestions?

  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 9,401
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1744439#Comment_1744439

    Get in touch with the tubing manufacturer as @hot_rod said. You may be able to do this thru a local supply house in your area. If you deal directly with the manufacturer for the design, they will eventually route you to the supply house in your area to actually purchase the material.

    You could also get some insight from the supply house about what contractors might be willing to say, install the boiler if you do the floor tubing work.  That way you can  save on the floor tubing labor and perhaps even purchase the tubing and manifolds yourself and save some $$$.  I was one of those contractors that would allow a customer to do their own tubing to save on costs.  Sorry I’m retired now and live nowhere near  Virginia. 


    Edward Young Retired

    After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?

    gillisc
  • GroundUp
    GroundUp Member Posts: 2,124
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1744439#Comment_1744439

    I'm not typically the type to try to advertise myself on the internet, but I'm tired of seeing handy folks being taken advantage of by greedy contractors. Still a licensed heating contractor, I provide DIY systems to any of my clients who are willing and able to tackle the project. There's no reason that greed needs to drive construction. If you'd like to talk about it, please feel free to send me a PM and maybe I can set you up with a DIY system remotely, to keep some money in your pocket while still having a professionally designed system.

    kcoppSuperTech
  • yellowdog
    yellowdog Member Posts: 170

    @gillisc stay away from radiantech out of vermont. never seen or heard anything good about them.

    GroundUpIronmanSuperTech
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,555
    edited March 2023
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1744399#Comment_1744399

    I'm about 2-1/2 hours from you near Staunton.

    You might try Dan Foley of Foley Mechanic in Lorton.

    Something that you should understand is that there's a lot more to this than just laying tubing in the ground: a proper design starts with an accurate, scientific heat loss calculation. Everything is built on that. Beyond the floor, you've got system piping, pumps, controls and their wiring, proper installation and setup of the boiler or other heat source, system commissioning and adjustments, etc. A lot of this requires specialized tools, training and experience.

    I'd be willing to help to whatever degree you'd like, but I don't know of any "one stop" place that can give you all that you need.

    As mentioned, most are scam artists trying to sell something cheap.

    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.

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