Hydronic Concrete Floor Heating Systems

Due to it s density and low conductivity concrete retains heat very well.

Hydronic concrete floor heating systems.

There s two basic types of concrete floor heating hydronic and electric. This is about installing hydronic radiant floor heating in a slab floor system. The concrete absorbs the heat from the water and then radiates warmth to people and objects in the room. In all you can expect to pay anywhere from 6 000 to 14 000 to install a hydronic radiant floor heating system.

This includes the system itself and the cost for a dedicated water heater or boiler generally 360 to 1 000 for a 50 gallon water heater or approximately 6 000 for a boiler. If you will be using a concrete slab or basement slab it is important to utilize the exterior perimeter insulation as well as under slab insulation. Hydronic radiant floor heat is one of the most efficient ways to warm your garage or home that is on a concrete slab. The heating element in a hydronic system is a closed loop tubing made of a flexible polymer typically a cross linked polyethylene or a synthetic rubber that circulates a mixture of hot water and propylene glycol antifreeze much like the mixture used in a car radiator.

It works by running warm water through durable pex tubing that is installed in the floor and is heated by a boiler water heater or geothermal. Keep your house warm and cozy during cold months with a hydronic radiant heat system. Since most conventional boilers are designed to produce super hot water 185 degrees radiant floor company builds what we call split manifolds for multiple zone closed systems that use radiant floor heat in combination with standard baseboard radiators fan coils cast iron radiators or any other hydronic heating device that requires super hot temperatures. 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.

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. 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. Hydronic liquid based radiant heating systems use little electricity which is a benefit for homes in areas with high electricity prices or are off the power grid. The boiler can run on natural gas propane heating oil electricity or wood with increased green options such as solar thermal solutions for increased energy savings.

This is the best choice for new construction and areas receiving new slabs. For concrete floor radiant heating systems the warm water tubing or electric heating elements can either be embedded within the slab on grade anywhere from the bottom of the slab to within 2 inches of the surface depending on the design and installation technique or fastened to the top of a concrete subfloor and then covered with an overlay.