How much does it cost to install hydronic heating?
The national average range to install radiant floor heating in the home is between $20,000 and $40,000, with most homeowners paying around $28,000 for hydronic heating in a 2,000 sq.ft. home with two zones and a new boiler. At the low end, it is possible to install electric radiant heat mats in a bathroom for around $800.
What size PEX should I use for radiant heat?
The most common sizes of PEX Pipe for Radiant Heat Systems is 3/8 Inch, 1/2 Inch, 5/8 Inch and 3/4 Inch. Generally, for residential Radiant Heat Systems we recommend 1/2 Inch PEX Tubing. The PEX Tube size dictates the flow rate that can be achieved and thus the maximum loop length of the pex tube.
Can you connect PEX to an electric water heater?
PEX water piping should not be connected directly to a gas or oil fired or tankless water heater; in two photos we can see red or blue PEX piping to the top of the water heater. But your water heater is electric. According to Zurn (cited below) this is a permitted connection if the installation uses Zurn PEX and Zurn PEX fittings. Really? Other codes and PEX guidelines do not explicitly permit this connection and are more general, requiring at least 18" of copper isolating PEX from the water ...
Which PEX to use for heating/ domestic?
【Wide Usage】Plastic poly pex expansion fittings can be widely used in heating circulation system and domestic water. Due to its good corrosion resistance and heat resistance, it can have excellent performance even in a chemical environment. . . . . Three types of Pex A expansion fittings to meet your different needs.
Can you use PEX for hydronic heating system?
PEX-A, which is a type of PEX, is a top choice for hydronic heating applications for so many reasons. Some of these include: It has superior characteristics: elastic and thermal memory. Thermal memory allows the repair of accidental crimps in the PEX tubing through the means of a controlled heating source.
Can PEX be used for boilers?
Q: Can PEX pipe be used for installation of an outdoor wood boiler or furnace? A: Yes. 1" oxygen barrier PEX is most common for the job. For non-pressurized boilers, PEX piping without O2 barrier can be used.
What type of pipe is used for hydronic heating?
Hydronic piping traditionally consists of carbon steel or black iron pipes, along with copper and other metals. For example, installations that have large amounts of piping or higher flow rates are often served with carbon steel.
Can I use regular PEX for radiant heat?
For radiant heat applications using closed systems, barrier tubing is by far the most popular choice. This style of tubing will save you money when buying parts and will prevent rust and corrosion. Non-barrier tubing is simply PEX tubing without the oxygen barrier.
What temperature can PEX withstand?
200 degreesPEX does not melt (analogous to elastomers) and is thermally resistant. The maximum heat temperature of the PEX tube is 200 degrees. The maximum heat of the PEX can be up to 180 degrees. The PEX tubing has the highest temperature limitation listed in small prints.
Does PEX hold heat better than copper?
It is interesting to note the bare PEX pipe actually has more heat loss than the bare copper pipe. The PEX has a heat loss of 31.96 Btuh/ft versus 29.634 Btuh/ft for the copper. Pipes with different wall thicknesses will have different amounts of energy loss.
What PEX is best for radiant heat?
Generally, for residential Radiant Heat Systems we recommend 1/2 Inch PEX Tubing. The PEX Tube size dictates the flow rate that can be achieved and thus the maximum loop length of the pex tube.
What are two common hydronic piping systems?
Types of hydronic system Hot water systems. Steam systems. Steam condensate systems. Ground source heat pump systems.
Can you replace radiator pipes with PEX?
Yes, you can replace parts of a hydronic system with pex. Just make sure you use the right kind of pex pipe. There is special pex for hydronic heating systems.
What happens if you don't use oxygen barrier PEX?
PEX without an oxygen barrier actually allows oxygen from the air to permeate it. This happens even if the PEX is embedded in concrete. Cast iron circulator pumps will rust when oxygen is present in the water. Bronze or stainless steel circulators are necessary when this is the case.
What are the disadvantages of PEX?
PEX Plumbing DisadvantagesPEX may leach BPA and other toxic chemicals. ... PEX is extremely sensitive to UV light. ... PEX can be damaged by chemicals and pests. ... PEX can't be installed in high heat areas. ... PEX is semi-permeable, which means liquid can enter the pipe.
What is the difference between red and blue PEX?
Although there are three types of PEX (see Label Lingo, below), the different colors don't connote the distinctions; they simply make it easy for the installer to identify which lines carry hot water and which carry cold. Red PEX pipe carries hot water. Blue PEX pipe carries cold water.
Can SharkBite fittings be used on boilers?
Yes. SharkBite fittings can be used for hydronic heating applications if the temperature does not exceed 200°F.
Can you replace radiator pipes with PEX?
Yes, you can replace parts of a hydronic system with pex. Just make sure you use the right kind of pex pipe. There is special pex for hydronic heating systems.
Which is better copper or PEX?
Copper Pipe Lifespan. PEX pipe is not only cheaper than copper but more durable too. PEX is immune to corrosion and mineral build-up, and it's not affected by electrolysis, which can cause small pinhole leaks in copper piping. Copper pipes can last anywhere from six months to the life of a building.
What is PEX A and PEX B?
Flexibility - PEX-A is the most flexible, allowing for it to be fastened by cold expansion, which allows the end to be fluted prior to inserting the fitting. PEX B is not expandable and you should never expand the end of a PEX-B pipe. Kink-Resistance - PEX-A has the greatest resistance, PEX-B the lowest.
What size PEX tubing is used in hydronic applications?
If you were to ask the follow-up question, “What size of PEX tubing would be used in a typical hydronic application?” the responses would likely be ½", ⅝ " and ¾". That would not be surprising. The majority of PEX usage for hydronic applications is for in-floor radiant installations, with some additional tubing possibly being used for distribution piping to feed the manifolds connected to the radiant loops in the floor.
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear PEX tubing and hydronics?
If you were to ask someone with knowledge of the hydronics industry, “What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the words ‘PEX tubing and hydronics’?” chances are you’ll get such responses as “radiant floor heating or cooling,” “snowmelt systems,” “under-floor heating.” You will also likely hear even the brand names of some of the well-known PEX (crosslinked polyethylene) tubing manufacturers.
How long is a PEX coil?
PEX tubing coils can vary in length from 100 feet to 1,000 feet. Straight-stick lengths are 20-feet. Either type can accommodate PEX support channels for suspended piping applications to ensure a professional-looking installation.
Why use coils over straight pipe?
One of the key advantages of coils over straight lengths of pipe is the reduction in waste material. The coils can be cut to the exact length that is needed. This helps to minimize the number of connections required by long pipe runs.
Can PEX tubing be used for radiators?
Plus, the flexibility of PEX tubing and its availability in long coil lengths make it well suited for piping or re-pipe applications to baseboard radiators. Installers can leverage this length and flexibility to minimize connections, reducing the need for elbows.
Does PEX piping have a pressure rating?
Although specifications can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, some PEX piping does meet the required temperature and pressure ratings needed for certain riser applications, while also having the required oxygen barrier on the tubing to prevent any oxidation on the internal metal components of the hydronic equipment in the system.
Is PEX piping a viable option?
It’s easy to see that PEX is a viable option for a variety of hydronic distribution-piping applications on both residential and commercial projects. With its durability, flexibility, range of sizes, system-performance characteristics and labor-saving benefits, PEX need no longer take a back seat to traditional metallic materials in ...
Why is it important to know the size of a hot water pipe?
That’s because the diameter of the tube has a direct impact on the hot water flow rate, and consequently the heat output . Tubes with a larger diameter deliver a higher volume of hot water in a given time (flow rate), and thus produce more heat per square foot of the floor than pipes with a smaller diameter.
Do larger pipes need to be laid closer together?
Conversely, larger areas, or those that are difficult to heat may need wider pipes that are laid closer together. There are exceptions to these rules; however, the heat output requirement is the principal determiner for sizing.
Does Heat Sheet have PEX tubing?
Heat-Sheet’s selection of radiant heat flooring panels includes boards that support these tubing sizes and allow various spacing and orientation options for installing PEX tubing. Best of all, Heat-Sheet eliminates the need to staple tubes down to the boards (except for bends) and makes installation easy and cost-efficient. You can learn about Heat-Sheet’s line of products here.
What controls the heat in a pool?
Zone valves, zone pumps and two stage thermostat controls were employed to allow solar heat or boiler heat to warm the shell of the pools, under the control of the owners, in much the same way as the other radiant floors are controlled by room thermostats.
Is a hot tub baseboard a radiator?
But, this is not the first misnomer of its kind. The fin-tube hot water baseboard is commonly called a radiator, when it, too, is really working mostly by natural convection of the room air. So, in that spirit, I suppose the term ‘radiant’ pool is allowable.
Can concrete floors be heated hydronically?
This allows the concrete shell to be heated hydronically the same way radiant concrete floors are done. It just takes a little extra planning and coordination with the pool construction people. In all three of these examples, the heat distribution to the pool floors was designed in much the same way as the other solar heated concrete floors in ...
Can you use a solar pool heater pump?
In conventional solar pool heating systems this is not possible since it is common practice to use the filter pump to provide flow for both the conventional pool boiler and the external solar heat exchanger, as well as the filter system. This presents a gray area of responsibility when something requires maintenance. The pool guy may attempt to shut down or restart the solar heat after servicing the filter or the solar guy might alter the filter system or its valves or controls when servicing the solar heating equipment.
What is the additional step in the sizing of a PEX hydronic system?
An additional step that can be taken in the sizing of a PEX hydronic system involves optimization of the pipe design. Converting from copper to PEX will uphold the hydraulics in a system, but likely not maximize operational efficiency. For that, some fine-tuning is required.
What are the benefits of PEX pipe?
The other major benefit of PEX pipe is its long-term performance. Copper and other metallic piping materials perform dynamically, meaning their properties change over the course of their lifetimes. For example, in a copper or iron piping system, the buildup of scale affects flow performance.
What is hydronic water?
In a hydronic system, pipe transfers water from a heating or cooling source, such as a boiler or chiller, to terminal units, such as baseboard radiators, fan coils, or variable-air-volume units. Often, engineers and contractors are so intent on sizing the boiler or pump correctly they neglect to think about the system holistically and, thus, ...
Why is it important to understand hydraulics?
Consider a garden hose with evenly spaced holes in it. Because water takes the path of least resistance, flow will be greatest in the hole nearest the water source and least in the hole farthest from the water source.
Is PEX pipe static?
Conversely, PEX pipe is static, meaning its properties remain constant over the course of its lifetime. It will never pit, scale, or corrode, eliminating the need to oversize. This also means that once PEX is designed and sized, it will continue to function in the same manner moving forward.
What type of PEX pipe is used for hot water?
Blue PEX pipe carries cold water. White PEX pipe can be used for either hot or cold water. Gray PEX pipe, like white, can be used for either hot or cold water (although not all DIY centers carry gray).
What type of fittings are used for PEX?
Hundreds of types of fittings, usually brass, are available for connecting PEX to existing copper or steel pipes, and for making connections to fixtures. Fittings are also available for connecting pipes of different sizes. The following five methods are used for making the connections watertight. Photo: amazon.com.
What is PEX tubing?
Choose the tubing best suited to your needs: PEX-A is manufactured using peroxide. This type of PEX is the most flexible of the three types and is suitable for use in all home water-supply plumbing needs.
What color is PEX?
Water flows silently through PEX, eliminating the “water hammer” noise associated with metal piping. Color-coding (red and blue) make it simple to distinguish hot and cold supply lines. PEX can be connected to existing metal supply lines with the correct fittings.
What is the advantage of PEX pipe?
PEX has a distinct advantage over these materials because of its flexibility, which allows one end of PEX pipe to connect to a PEX manifold (the main water control system) and then wind through walls and floors—uninterrupted—all the way to an individual fixture.
How long is a PEX pipe?
PEX is available in a variety of lengths, from short 10-foot pieces (for small repairs) to rolls over 500 feet long, which are used to install a home’s entire water supply system. PEX pipe ranges from 3/8- to 1-inch in diameter and its color-coding makes it a snap to identify what a specific pipe is used for. Although there are three types of PEX (see Label Lingo, below), the different colors don’t connote the distinctions; they simply make it easy for the installer to identify which lines carry hot water and which carry cold.
What is PEX pipe?
Cross-linked polyethylene (PEX), a type of flexible plastic, is currently replacing traditional copper and galvanized steel as water supply lines in both new construction and remodeling projects. You’ve probably seen rolls of blue and red PEX pipe in the plumbing aisle of your local home improvement store, but might not know that this colorful tubing now makes it possible for enthusiastic DIYers to replace their own leaky water lines instead of calling a pro. Read on to learn more about PEX—what it is, where it can be used, and all the pros and cons of this popular plumbing material.
How much PEX should I use for a radiator?
In other strings where people have asked about the size of pex needed most answers have seemed to say that 1/2 inch pex should be more than sufficient for most radiators and 3/4 only being needed for very large radiators....i.e radiators larger than ones generally found in homes.
What is the head of a pipe?
Head is the resistance to flow from the pipe and fittings . The 6' number is a generality for how we size new piping. It doesn't apply to your present gravity flow pipes.
How to install a PEX coil?
1. Start installing PEX. Determine the circuit (loop) to install first and select appropriate PEX coil length from your list of materials. You may connect PEX to or near the manifold, but always leave 5-10ft spare in case manifold location will shift (and often it will).
How thick should PEX tubing be?
Since in non-reinforced slabs tubing is generally positioned at the bottom (secured with foamboard staples or PEX rails), their thickness should not exceed 4-5". Otherwise, the system will not run efficiently. The only remedy for a deep slab is to install reinforcement and position PEX tubing on top, closer to the surface.
How long can you leave a PEX slab exposed to sunlight?
Do not leave PEX exposed to sunlight for too long (5-7 days at most). While different PEX manufacturers may have 30-60 day exposure limit and in some cases even more (UV-stabilized PEX), a safer alternative is to cover PEX with poly tarp or other non-abrasive covering until the slab is poured.
When to pressure test PEX?
Pressure-test the PEX system before, during and after the pour. This would help to identify and address any possible leaks in PEX piping at early stages. More details on pressure-testing can be found here.
Can you use wire mesh sheets?
If using welded wire mesh, you may want opt for sheets rather than rolls whenever possible. They are noticeably easier to install and provide a flatter surface. The main downside is that the sheets have to be tied together.
Can you put PEX tubing in concrete?
Remember, since you will only have 1 chance to pour the concrete slab, you will only have 1 chance to put the PEX tubing in it. So even if there are no existing plans for the radiant floor heating or a snow melting system, installing PEX tubing in it may turn out to be a good decision.
