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June 2, 2009
Radiant Floor Heat Info Request
We're considering installing radiant floor heat in the ground level room of the extension on the back of our brownstone. I'm looking for a source of information to compare the efficiency and long term costs of this system compared to standard radiators.
Does anyone have advice or experience with them?
Comments
I assume you are talking about hydronic and not an electric system. I've done 12 apartments, about 25k sq ft. The key to efficiency is a low water temperature, typically 3% for each 10 degrees of water temperature and a super insulated building envelope. Do not expect the 20 to 30% improvements many claim, expect 10 to 15% at best IF properly installed. To achieve that you must insulate below the tubing.There are many ways to do it right and many ways to do it wrong, do some research there are many sources online.Start here http://www.radiantpanelassociation.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=99
To me radiant is by far the most comfortable heat you can get and worth the money if you can afford it.
Posted by: edifice rex at June 2, 2009 1:29 PM
I lived in a rental loft with radiant heat and loved it. It's hard to do a cost comparison but the place was a duplex and I never needed to turn on the pipes under the upper floor. This was the by far best type of heating system I have ever experienced as it was never drying and the heat was very consistent (no radiators shutting on or off). The one drawback I have heard is that if there is a malfunction then you will have to break into the floor, so if installing radiant heat you may consider not using a very expensive type of flooring.
Posted by: supersleuth at June 2, 2009 2:07 PM
While I agree with the two posts above, it is probable you will need a separate boiler for this. I don't think it's practical to do radiant for a small piece of a house. I could be wrong.
Posted by: denton at June 2, 2009 6:35 PM
have your plumber contact the guys at pronto gas heat control on chrystie st in nyc...they are the best source for radiant design that i know of..btw you do not need a seperate boiler, merely a mixing valve on the hydronic system to pull the temperature down for the radiant zone.. out of curiosity, what is the set up of your boiler now?
Posted by: eman1234 at June 2, 2009 7:28 PM
I installed hydronic radiant in both floors of a 2 story addition. I can't give you any cost comparison but installation was more expensive than adding cast iron radiators to the new rooms. Operating cost is minimal. It won't be the economical way to go but it will be the most comfortable provided it is well designed. The radiant panel assoc website is a good source - look around there. I will repeat that a well sealed, well insulated room is essential.
If you do a pressure test prior to installing the finished floor, there is not much chance that there will be a leak. Pex is pretty indestructible. The point of failure will be connectors - minimize them and keep track of their precise location (take pictures of the open floor). I used extruded aluminum track for the pex installation for both the room on slab and the room above which eliminates pouring concrete, is easier and cheaper to install and is more responsive.
Posted by: jfss at June 2, 2009 8:08 PM
We recently added electric radiant in a bathroom that would have been to much work and to expense to run the pluming in and out...it's excellent.
If it's small go electric, doesn't take much to warm a small space. Is the extension nicely weatherized? Think clearly as to the surface the source will be under, don't bury it to deep. Ours is under cement & slate and is sweet sweet sweet.
Posted by: BrooklynRooster at June 3, 2009 4:08 PM
we installed a radiant system (hydronic) in an extension, designed by Pronto. Our plumber needed some hand-holding to install, as he never had had done such a job, but it worked out perfectly. You do not need a separate boiler, just a separate pump. We trekked all the way to Queens for the right (and very inexpensive) PEC tubing. That was 5 years ago, so hopefully it's less exotic now.
We live in a ground floor unit with skylights and a wall of French windows, and we are never cold. It's also the most comfortable heat for someone with severe allergies.
For us, most of the cost was in the concrete floor, but we needed to do that anyway for the extension. The radiant heat components were a tiny part of the budget, and very worth it.
Posted by: Maly at June 3, 2009 4:27 PM
We're planning to install hydronic floor in a 300 sq.ft. extension. Would you recommend the company that put in the concrete floor?
Posted by: stillondean at June 19, 2009 4:21 PM
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