Horse Barn Radiant Heat

offdutytech · October 28

Just got asked to bid a horse barn project using radiant heat. The customer was looking for some direction on if the stalls get radiant under them. My initial thought would be no because of bedding or stall mats would insulate the floor in that area. Plus ammonia issues in the stalls. I know the barns we have kept our horse at has compacted dirt floors in the stalls with bedding and no concrete. I am planing on the aisle way, wash stall, tack room, etc. Has anyone done a project similar to this?

mattmia2 · October 28

i think if yo heated the stalls you would only want the water to be something like room temp, if you heated it enough to provide heating you would turn it in to an incubator.

hot_rod · October 28

@Mad Dog_2 probably knows about heat for horses

I did some dog kennels years ago , part of each kennel had radiant omitted. The vet told me the dogs need a cool spot to go to control their body temperature

offdutytech · October 28

It's similar for horses as well. Ours is basically a 1400 Lb dog. The barns we have boarded at only have radiant tube heaters and usually keep the inside temp where horses are just above freezing to maybe 40 degrees inside. It makes sense not to heat the stalls, but need to find someone who has done one just to verify.

Mad Dog_2 · October 28

The heat is really for the humans. Horses generate an amazing amount of heat on their own in a closed up barn. Even in the best-kept stalls, the soil in the horses' stalls can get pungent. Heat will exacerbate it. If they do indeed want to warm the stall footage as well, I'd definitely keep those areas on their own loops to have greater, individual control. Proper drainage of the stall areas is crucial whether its an oat straw bedding on top of soil or more elaborate. Mad Dog

offdutytech · October 28

@Mad Dog_2 Thats kinda what I was thinking as well. Just wanted to confirm that and wanted to better direct the customer.

leonz · October 28

You should call the Cornell University Large Animal Hospital, Tufts University Veterinary College or Texas A+M University Veterinary College and ask what they use for heating the floors of their surgery recovery wings for the cows and horses they treat to get a better idea of what should be done for heating these spaces.

ethicalpaul · October 28

Kind of an interesting twist on your idea of radiant floors in the barn is using the barn as the radiant floor of your house. I saw these in Iceland:

The heat energy gained into the living space is measured in "B-T-Moo"

leonz · October 28

WOOF.

GroundUp · October 28

I have done several horse barns and dog kennels. As was said above, we would typically only heat a portion (if any) of the stalls themselves to allow for a cool spot and direct most of the BTU output toward the aisles. I did do one stable where the owner insisted that the whole floor be heated, and the manure would cake up on the floor as well as send a ridiculous amount of nasty moisture into the air (from drying excrement). That one got abandoned in favor of radiant tubes after 3 years

Oldbugsy · October 30

Therma-HEXX has been engaged to provide a radiant system for post surgery recovery horse stalls in a large animal, surgery hospital in New Hampshire. The task is to provide radiant cooling via the ThermaPANEL radiant ceiling system. The system will be a 12’x12’ overhead array for each stall. It will be cooled, and heated if needed, by an air to water heat pump which will be powered by the facilities net zero solar array. Dehumidification for latent control will also be implemented with positive pressure to each stall. Fabric curtains (outside of the horses reach) will allow air to flow outward. Urine will drain through a specially designed base material to french drains that can also be flushed with fresh water as needed. The main barn outside of the stalls will have venting cupolas.
We have also been tasked with radiant cooling of large indoor riding arenas with the capability of allowing the overhead panels to condense and rain on the dusty soil in the riding areas.

www.therma-hexx.com

Robert Barmore, Founder/CEO

970-274-3414

stagehand1 · October 30

I also recommend an air to water heat pump with radiant hydronic panels in the ceilings (or walls). Affordably, for summer a client can set a cooling curve ahead of the dew point along with well insulated water pipe insulation. Rather than expensive dew point control systems like Messana.

If there is a client comfort aspect, one or 2 well placed fan coil units can deliver on that zoned to play during work hours. I like the Jaga Briza 12s.

With an air to water heat pump you can dial in very low delivery temperatures for heating for the horses in Winter and not overheat them. If you zone the manifold, recovery stall can be provided higher or lower temperatures, as needed.

Another benefit to an AWHP is you can also provide hot running water to a tank in the barn.

All for very low running costs. Compared to resistance. Throw 4-6kwh solar on the roof…that’s a pretty bulletproof comfy system.

Horse Barn Radiant Heat

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