Before You Decide To Invest In A Radiant/Hydronic System, Read This Article!
Over the last 10 years radiant in-floor heating and hydronic heating has exploded as a must-have heating source for any new home build, home addition, or luxury home renovation project. BVM Contracting has seen first-hand how these systems operate and what the best practices are for installing a radiant in-floor heating system.
This article aims to enlighten home owners about what radiant in-floor (otherwise known as hydronic) heating is, the different options of radiant/hydronic heating, where it can be installed, and how to install it properly.
What is Radiant in-floor heating? (including components)
Where can I install radiant in-floor heating In my home?
3. How is radiant in-floor heating installed?
4. How is a radiant floor heated?
5. What Are the different products that I can use to create a radiant in-floor heating system?
What is Radiant heating?
Radiant in-floor heating is best described as a heating solution that uses a heat transfer medium (such as water or a water glycol mixture) to transfer heat from its enclosed tubing (PEX) to various areas and surfaces of your home and property.
The process of heating involves the use of a boiler to provide the heating input to the system, and the heat transfer fluid is controlled by a system of pumps, actuators, and thermostats to make sure that the various areas of the house are being maintained at the desired temperature.
The picture shown outlines what components are needed in the process of creating a Hydronic/Radiant Heating system.
Hydronic Heating Components (not including boiler)
Where can I install radiant in-floor heating?
There are a wide range of applications for hydronic heating, which includes (but is not limited to:
Basement floors
Above grade floors (main/second floors)
Baseboard heaters (i.e. Stelrad hydronic heaters)
Towel warmers (pretty slick!)
Exterior snow melt systems (driveways, walk-outs, porches, etc.)
Indirect storage tanks (heated by boiler heat instead of gas or electricity, very efficient)
Forced air heating (a radiant heat exchanger built into air handler to provide heating for forced air systems)
Basically, if you install a boiler you can run the entirety of your heating applications through it. If the boiler is efficient/condensing and uses natural gas you have yourself a very efficient heating system!
For the sake of keeping this article short we will dive deeper into the in-floor heating portion of hydronic heating, which will encompass the basement/above-grade/snowmelt systems. These are some of the more popular (and luxury) hydronic solutions so they are worth discussing further!
If you would like to learn more about the other options mentioned feel free to contact us to discuss further!
How is Radiant in-floor/snowmelt heating installed?
Radiant or Hydronic heating is installed very similarly in each of these areas, with only minor differences:
Basements require an R10 (minimum) insulation layer for underslab application. A Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) insulation layer with PEX attachments is usually installed to create this layer so the heat travels up instead of sinking into the ground.
Note that radiant in-floor heating is possible for overslab applications in homes where the basement slab is not being removed. There are low-profile panels that can be used to help maintain the height of the basement, but allow you to install the system properly and get some insulation value below the hydronic system.
For the snowmelt system, this is installed with larger PEX piping and is a mixture of glycol and water to prevent freezing in the system. A snowmelt system requires a higher heating output from the boiler so the boiler will have to be designed properly by your HVAC designer in order to keep up with demand inside AND outside of the house. You will also want to install insulation for this system.
For above grade floors, you do not require any insulation beneath (but is still recommended for maximum efficiency). You also usually need to complete what we call an overpour to allow the radiant pex piping to sit underneath a layer of concrete. This is done to prevent the PEX piping from being punctured or compressed so that a flooring layer can be installed properly. There is actually a way around doing the costly overpour with a new technology by a company called Warmboard (which is explained below).
In all three systems, you will require a layer of a medium with compressible strength (i.e. concrete) to protect the PEX. Each of these systems will also require a specific type of PEX with an oxygen barrier to prevent the accumulation of oxygen in the circulating loop (water = corrosion).
How is radiant in-floor heating heated?
As eluded to above the best way to heat a hydronic or radiant system is through the use of a boiler system. There are three main options in this department depending on where the hydronic systems are installed:
Combination (combi) boiler with multiple outputs (to use for hydronic and domestic hot water)
Traditional boiler (usually used with indirect hot water tank)
The combination boiler route is usually a little less expensive, but will not be able to meet the demand when you are using hydronics for higher BTU output loops like snow melt or whole home hydronic heating. It is best to consult an HVAC design before setting budget numbers for this set-up.
What products are available to create a radiant in-floor heating system?
There are a myriad of different products for different applications for in-floor and snow melt systems. To keep things simple I will outline the products by component to better outline the options:
Insulated PEX panels
Hot Rocks Panels
Isorad V2 Insulating Panels
Ampex (by Amvic)
Above-grade panel solutions
Warmboard-S
Ecowarm Radiant Board
These solutions will reduce the need for costly concrete overpours.
Boiler Brands
Worcester Bosch
Veissmann
Rheem
Navien
No matter what brand and system (combi versus traditional) you end up with, make sure that it is a condensing, high-efficiency boiler system. Depending on the fuel input you might also want to consider a wall-mounted unit!
About BVM COntracting
BVM Contracting is a full-service General Contractor or Home Builder located in Toronto. We provide home renovation and building services for major home renovations (kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations, basement renovations, full interior renovations, home additions, lot severances, and new home construction). Our goal is to help guide our clients through the process of renovating their home, from concept to completion.
Further than providing General Contracting and Project Management for major home renovations, we also offer value-added services such as renovation financing, renovation rebate consultations and services, building permit and design services, smart home installation services, and real estate investor services.
To learn more about our offering by visiting our services page.