Buying A Hydronic Heat System | Step 3
Posted By: SteveH // Category: Buying Hydronic Heat, hydronic heat, radiant floor heatStep 3: Analyze your project requirements – determine your project needs and address any initial concerns:
To properly analyze your hydronic heat project requirements you’ll need to know or be able to provide the following information – or your supplier will need to be able to figure it out for you.
Heat Load Estimate – Heat Source Sizing
To insure that your radiant floor heat system will do the job – your system needs to be designed to put out more BTU’s per hour than your structure can lose. There are a few different ways to approach a heat loss estimate. Sometimes the architect does one as part of the floor plan – you may need to look to a mechanical engineer or your radiant system designer.
Factors that come into play include the climate at your construction site – insulation values for walls, ceilings, windows and doors – and domestic hot water usage.
Hydronic Heating Installation Methods Include:
* Tubing installed in a concrete slab on grade
* Tubing installed in a topping slab
* Tubing installed in a thin-slab on Subfloor
* Tubing attached below a Subfloor
* Tubing attached with heat transfer plates below a Subfloor
* Engineered Subfloor with metal and tubing grooves
* Above-floor boards with metal and grooves
* Lumber overlay method with or without plates
See our “radiant basics” category page for a brief overview of these methods.
Your radiant heat system design will need to take into account the method by which your tubing will be installed. In some cases, more than one method will work, and that means you and your system designer will have to decide which methods are right for your project.
Tubing Spacing
This will be determined by the heat loss estimate and your method of tubing installation. Some suppliers will provide you with a customized tubing layout with spacing and loop length guidelines. This can be an invaluable service to a first-time radiant installer and opens the door for novice do-it-yourselfers to install their own radiant system – and get it right the first time.
Operating Temperature
This will be affected by all of the above factors. Your system designer should be able to give you the design temperature range for your system. In some cases, further tweaking may be necessary once your system is up and running.
Fuel Type
You have several options: Natural Gas, Oil, Propane, Electric, Wood, Solar, Waste Oil, Bio-Diesel and a few other alternatives. Your choice of heat sources may be determined by the type of fuel choices available at your site.
Zoning
Your system designer should be able to make zoning recommendations for you based on your plans. If you have specific zoning requirements, let your designer know – they’re usually happy to accomodate those requests.
You may need custom radiant system design work and system submittal documentation – this will be important when it comes to your permit applications and sometimes your energy code/Title 24 paperwork as well.
If you’d like me to take a look at your hydronic heat project and provide an estimate, feel free to contact me through the contact form above…
