Radiant Floor Heating Concrete Slab Insulation

A john siegenthaler a consulting engineer who specializes in hydronic heating system design responds.

Radiant floor heating concrete slab insulation. If the baseboards are obtrusive and a radiant floor loses too much headroom using radiant ceilings can work. When installed in a concrete slab radiant underfloor heating is. Some people use twice the r value at the slab edge as they do under the slab. Admittedly these alternate materials have two distinct advantages over blue.

Insulationstop is the best source for top quality products at the best price. Even 1 of foam under an unheated new floor over the slab will do a lot for the winter chill too especially with radiant ceilings. Different insulation types help to minimize heat loss from convection air circulation conduction direct contact or radiation energy waves modes of. Radiant floors are a comfort thing not about efficiency.

Downward heat loss from a radiant slab should not exceed 10 percent of upward heat output a ratio derived from european installation standards for floor heating systems it s possible to calculate the r value needed to meet. Need insulation for under concrete slabs slabs with radiant heat. But they all suffered from one primary problem longevity. Installing pex tubing in a concrete slab is one of the easiest ways to install radiant heat.

A slab with such a heat sink could take days to fully cool down. Also make sure that you insulate the slab edge as that s where the heat loss from a slab is greatest. Snow melting systems for concrete slabs learn about heated driveways and how electric and hydronic heating systems can turn your exterior concrete flatwork into a radiant heat source eliminating ice buildup and the need for harmful deicing chemicals by anne balogh concretenetwork com columnist. Building additions that include a slab on grade construction also are subject to the slab edge requirements listed in the iecc irc.

A heated slab is a type of construction that has a slab on grade concrete floor with a heating system embedded in or beneath the slab floor. Many radiant floors most using copper tubing buried within concrete slabs were installed and used success fully in the 1960 s and 70 s. Gyp crete and similar lightweight concrete mixes typically made from concrete and gypsum plaster are well suited for your application. Many of our customers ask us about alternate slab insulation materials like grid panels radiant foils bubble type insulation and thin foams of various kinds coated with vapor barriers.