Radiant Floor Heating

[mattedfred]

i was wondering if anyone has radiant floor heating and if they wouldn't mind replying or pm so i can ask a few questions about it

[tellyourkidstogetarealjob]

I don't have it but I've helped install it. Not sure if I can help, what is the question?

[mattedfred]

was it electric or hot water?

[tellyourkidstogetarealjob]

Hot water.

I've done some construction and have done some skimcoats on a few. Never did the plumbing.

[mattedfred]

what type of heating system was installed?

i.e. hot water tank, tankless or boiler

[tellyourkidstogetarealjob]

It was a few years ago. I believe all of them were hot water tanks. Keep in mind, the stage I saw the installation at was just tubes and wire holding them down. No heating system yet.

[mattedfred]

i am having a hard time deciding which type of heating to use. do you know of any restrictions on ripping out an existing basement floor and pouring it at a lower level? i have poured concrete walls with 6" deep footings. right now i'm at 7' from existing poured floor to bottom of floor joice. can i pour the new floor so it butts up against the halfway point of the footing?

[BigB]

Matt,

I think that by re-pouring only to halfway up the footing, it may not meet code. I'll have to check, but as I recall, the floor height (slab), as a minimum, must be level with the top of the footing.

[tellyourkidstogetarealjob]

That's a question for you local municipality. They can vary widely between areas.

There's a couple of problems installing over an existing floor. One is, how do you secure the tubing? Hot water heating tubing is usually installed on plywood and secured with wire. You would have to Hilti it down or find some other way of securing it.

Another is there may be a minimum height requirement for the basement. You will be raising the level of the floor by at least 1 1/2".

Yet another consideration, the one that will probably bite you, it that you still have to retain step height. Most municipalities are very picky about step height. If, by raising the floor, you create a non-standard bottom step height, I guarantee you will not get permission to do it.

I don't see why you couldn't rip out a basement floor and do it again (check with local authorities). But, why would you? That's a huge amount of work Unless this is your dream home or very profitable project, it's easier to wear slippers! Dried concrete doesn't give up easily to being removed. At around 5500lbs per cubic metre - depending on mix - and several metres in the average basement it would be backbreaking work.

[Expat]

I would at this stage go with electric radiant, covered by the usual flooring, like ceramics or laminate. Cheaper and as effective.

[Ronner]

http://www.legalett.ca/ this is the stuff you want if your doing radiant. Floating concerete pad if you dont want a basement. So no digging no frost wall needed. They system is forced air so NO WATER damage. It is the main heat for the house and your domestic hot water. It can be run on everything from a masonry fireplace to geo thermal taps. Team it up with an ICF wall and you will have the most efficent house on the block.

[mattedfred]

thanks much folks. i'll call the city today and find out what the code says about the floor.