RADIANT HEAT - Hydronic Heating Components:

1) Design:  The importance of designing the entire heating/ventilation component of the home as a system, by someone who is QUALIFIED can NOT be stressed enough! Many people think that PEX tubes can be randomly installed in the floor, circulate hot water and have heat. The performance is very unpredictable. Sometimes it works.  Sometimes it does not.

As designers we must consider heat gain and heat loss, window areas, wall areas, wall and floor ceiling assemblies, house orientation and floor finishes. In some cases, in-floor radiant heat will not work by itself.  Supplemental heat such as Hydronic Baseboards may be required in areas such as two storey rooms with a high percentage of windows.

2) Heat Source: Could be anything that heats water: Gas, Wood Burning or Oil Boilers, Heat Pumps, On Demand Boilers, or Split Systems. A Split System is where part of the boiler heats the domestic hot water and the other part provides heat for the floor. A properly designed radiant floor system will not exceed 29ºC (85ºF). Geothermal heating is an excellent, environmentally (carbon neutral) compliment to Hydronic Radiant systems.

3) Distribution Piping System: PEX (Cross-Linked Polyethylene Tubing) is installed as designed. PEX tubing is leak-resistant, non-toxic, flexible, and doesn’t become brittle over time. PEX is not affected by aggressive concrete additives or water conditions. PEX has a memory and will always want to return to its original size which is excellent for non-mechanical fittings. PEX is commonly used for plumbing applications.

4) Controls: An energy efficient circulating pump(s) moves the water through the system. Zone controls can control temperatures for entire areas or specific rooms by thermal actuators for each area or “zone”.  Thermostats regulate the temperatures by controlling the thermal actuators. Thermostats can be integrated with home automated systems for ultimate control.  The appeal of Hydronic systems is very few moving parts – keeping the system simple, energy efficient, user friendly and maintainable.