Concrete Hydronic Radiant Floor Heating

There s two basic types of concrete floor heating hydronic and electric.

Concrete hydronic radiant floor heating.

Concrete slabs have plenty of thermal mass. Radiant heat manifolds designed for use with 3 8 1 2 and 5 8 pex and pex al pex tubing. They can retain heat over time which is ideal for radiant under floor heating. This is the best choice for new construction and areas receiving new slabs.

Typically radiant heating systems warm floors to temperatures of 75 to 80 degrees f. Water tubes or electric cables are easily embedded in concrete slabs. There are three major types of radiant floor heating systems. For hydronic heating water pipes run through the top layer of concrete so heat is not wasted below the surface.

The original and largely abandoned in the west method was used most notably in turkish baths and consisted of a raised floor to allow hot air underneath keeping the floor nice and warm. The most cost effective system for medium to larger homes is hydronic since the amount of power it would take to heat a whole home with electric would be substantial. The system works via pex pipe a small pump a water heater and a thermostat. Concrete embedding your radiant heating system into a concrete slab is one of the most cost effective ways to install it and most energy efficient being that concrete is a great thermal mass.

The size of the manifold must correspond to the number of circuits in your radiant heating system. Watch and see how to install radiant heat especially if you re thinking of doing it in your ne. The final step in preparing for our concrete slab is finished. These are sold in pairs supply and return and include flow indicators flow regulating valves and other basic components.

This is about installing hydronic radiant floor heating in a slab floor system. As warm water circulates through the tubing or as electricity warms the heating elements the concrete flooring turns into an efficient inconspicuous radiator. 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.