In Floor Heat For Concrete

Due to it s density and low conductivity concrete retains heat very well.

In floor heat for concrete.

As warm water circulates through the tubing or as electricity warms the heating elements the concrete flooring turns into an efficient inconspicuous radiator. By contrast according to roddy scheer and doug moss of scientific american the uniform heat distribution over the entire surface of a floor heats the lower half of the room enveloping inhabitants in warmth at a lower overall temperature in some cases up to 5 degrees fahrenheit cooler than a conventional heating system. Fill any cracks in the concrete and use self leveling compounds if necessary to ensure the concrete is. The workers in the photograph at page top where our concrete slab.

While it was done as a new house was being built in my last house i poured a concrete floor on top of a wood framed floor system and could have put radiant heat in that as well. Make sure your concrete has completely cured before you lay down your in floor heating mat. This is about installing hydronic radiant floor heating in a slab floor system. Warm heat distributed with forced hot air systems is uneven.

Radiant heating system design or installation mistakes that must be avoided. This article explains how to avoid some fatal mistakes when installing radiant heat in a concrete floor slab by describing an incompetent radiant heat floor installation along with an explanation of why things went wrong and how to avoid these errors. Most of the heat rises to the ceiling. The insulation phase is crucial for a radiant floor.

The system works via pex pipe a small pump a water heater and a thermostat. Mainly heated slabs radiate outward rather than downward so insulation on the edges of the slab is most important. Tubes that circulate hot water or electrical heating elements are installed in the concrete slab when it s poured turning the thermal mass of the concrete into an inconspicuous radiator of warm even heat. Like sand concrete is an ideal carrier of radiant heat because of its inherent thermal mass.

The science behind radiant floor heating is quite simple. When installed on top of a concrete slab without insulation it is generally accepted that a radiant floor heating system will take the chill away from the floor and provide a small amount of warmth. Plain concrete slabs have served as the flooring material for basements garages patios and utility areas for many years but concrete is now also a viable material in home interiors where it can be polished etched or stained to serve as the finished flooring surface if you are used to thinking of concrete as a utilitarian surface suitable only for utilitarian surfaces the many virtues. Any cooler surface in contact with the slab will try to steal its heat.

Remember that your slab will be about 75 degrees f.