Simple Radiant Floor heating setup

[Brettan Robinson]

hi - i am being challenged on a project where the costs of manifolds, control panels, and multiple circuits are about to obviate the installation of a clients radiant floor installation. we are going to run domestic hot water, and, 85m2 ground floor radiant, off 2 Apricus AP-30's on a second floor roof via a tank on the ground floor of a cottage. can somebody perhaps direct me to the simplest distribution system for the radiant ?

[Ronald Williams]

Hello
I want to share my views on radiant heating. I really appreciate you for the dicussion on this technology.
Its a great technology for heating indoor and outdoor areas. Heating by radiant energy is observed everyday, the warmth of the sunshine being probably the most commonly observed example. Radiant heating as a technology is typically more narrowly defined. It is the method of intentionally using mostly the principles of radiant heat to transfer radiant energy from an emitting heat source to an object. Designs with radiant heating is seen as replacement for conventional convection heating. But also as a way of supplying confined outdoor heating.


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[Russ Bailey]

Two AP 30's and you plan to heat what? Not enough to bother with - no wonder the equipment seems to be a lot

[Peter Klaassen]

We have a small radiant floor heating system in our straw bale house.(23'x28' main floor only-3 zones.) The local installer quoted over $10,000. We got the materials from an online supplier- Radiantec- for about $4,000 and put it ourselves. It has been working well for us for the last 4 winters. It is not the fanciest installation- no setback controller - very basic operation but it seems to be reliable. The parts came by delivery and the sellers were available to answer questions and made recommendations when we were figuring out what we needed. It was certainly worth doing it ourselves versus the "professional" installation. Good luck- the warm floors are worth the trouble!
Pete

[Penny Walters]

Is this kind of energy will increase the cost of heating

[Dave Turpin]

No, it is using the sun's energy.

Ignoring efficiency, this sort of design is effectively the same as using a solar panel to power an electric heater or simply using a skylight. Just different ways to absorb the sun's energy and use it to heat a home.

In my opinion, it is always better to spend money on improving air tightness and insulation. Improved insulation will make the home more livable year-round, whereas a solar heating system is really only useful on the rare occasion that you have a cold day with a lot of sun. (In Seattle, that NEVER happens)

[Penny Walters]

Oh I see, I guess you're right and insulating the home is a much better idea.