An efficient radiant system should have only a 5 to 15 degree differential between the water going to the floor and the water returning to the heat source. So, you can see that if your basement zone, for example, requires 1200 ft. of tubing, you’ll want to use either (4) 300 ft. loops of tubing, or (3) 400 ft. loops of tubing.
Full Answer
What is suspended slab radiant floor heating?
How hot does water have to be to heat a room?
What is staple up radiant floor?
How wide is plywood and plate?
How much heat does a staple up slab get?
Can you install radiant tubing on a floor?
Can you have a floor heating system that is not working?
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How much radiant heat tubing do I need?
As a rule of thumb, 12-inch spacing between the tubes gives a 1:1 ratio between tube length and floor area in square feet, so your 300-foot tube coil will cover 300 square feet of floor space.
How far apart should radiant floor tubing be?
Spaced out The tube spacing is often determined based on the desired radiant output desired from the floor. Radiant tubing installations are typically six, nine or 12”. Wider spacing requires less tubing and less installation labour, but does have a higher operating cost than installations with tighter tubing spacing.
How much PEX do I need calculator?
How to determine PEX tubing size and spacing for your project6" spacing = sq. ft. x 2.0.8" spacing = sq. ft. x 1.5.9" spacing = sq. ft. x 1.34.12" spacing = sq. ft. x 1.0.16" spacing = sq. ft. x . ... 18" spacing = sq. ft. x .
What size PEX tubing 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.
How do you layout radiant heat tubing?
The tubing should be laid out evenly spaced, with all the tubes of equal length ±5%. If one tube is substantially shorter than another, that tube will have a greater water flow and the full-length tubes will have less water flow, causing uneven heat.
What is the maximum length that 1/2 PEX radiant floor?
The important thing to remember is that most zones consist of multiple parallel “circuits” or “loops”, and a loop should be no longer than 400 ft. (300 ft. for ½ PEX tubing).
How long should radiant loops be?
With 1/2″ tubing a circuit length of 300′ is standard, but circuits anywhere from 250′ up to 350′ are within the range recommended by the Radiant Panel Association.
How many feet of PEX do I need for my house?
A 3/8-inch line is sufficient for lengths up to 250 feet; 1/2-inch line will deliver adequate water pressure up to 350 feet; and 3/4-inch tubing is necessary to run a 500-foot line. Look for a maximum recommended lengths specification on the PEX packaging.
What size PEX should I run in my house?
The larger the distance from the manifold to the tube fixture, the wider the PEX pipe should be. You can opt for a ⅜-inch line for lengths up to 250 feet. If you want to adequate water pressure up to 350 feet, opt for a ½-inch line. A 500-foot line will work better with a ¾-inch PEX tubing system.
Can you use regular PEX for radiant heat?
“PEX makes radiant practical. It does not corrode like some traditional piping materials.
What is the best tubing for radiant heat?
The most common type of tubing used for radiant heat applications is the oxygen barrier PEX. The oxygen diffusion barrier coating of this radiant heat PEX prevents the oxygen in the atmosphere from permeating the pipe walls into the water to avoid over-saturation of the water with oxygen.
Can PEX B be used for radiant heat?
PEX tubing from RHT is your best choice for in-floor radiant heating.
Where do you drill holes for radiant lines under a joist?
Holes should always be straight and aligned. Holes must be drilled in the center of the floor joist and at least one foot away from the end of the joist support point.
How deep is concrete in radiant tubing?
Tubes are ziptied to wire mesh. The top of tubes currently range 1-1/4″ to 2″ from the expected slab surface. The slab will be 5″. I've read that radiant tubing should be placed nearer to the surface and 1″ to 2″ is recommended.
How thick should concrete be for radiant floor heating?
¾” thickA: As a rule of thumb, Gypsum Concrete should be installed at ¾” thick over the top of the radiant heat tubes. The industry standard for radiant heat tubing is 5/8” Pex tubing (O.D. of approx ¾”), therefore a 1-1/2” thick Gypsum Concrete topping is most typical.
Is PEX A or B better?
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 is suspended slab radiant floor heating?
This method involves the radiant tubing being installed on top of the subfloor. Then, a 1 1/2″ slab is poured over the top. This slab is usually a lite-weight concrete mix or gypsum based material called “gypcrete” which seems to be the most common.
How hot does water have to be to heat a room?
In order to make up for this poor heat transfer, the water temperature must be raised significantly. In some cases, as high as 180 degrees F.! Even then, on a cold day, the floor may not put out enough heat to heat the room if the home is older and not energy efficient.
What is staple up radiant floor?
The staple-up radiant floor installation method is very popular because as long as you can see the joists from below, you can install radiant heat. This method works well for new construction and retrofits.
How wide is plywood and plate?
The “plywood and plates” installation involves ripping 3/4″ plywood into strips 12″ wide and securing them to the subfloor. You will leave a groove just wide enough for the tubing and plate which will be roughly 3/4″.
How much heat does a staple up slab get?
Higher heat output. In staple-up applications we can get about 35 btu/hour/sq ft whereas suspended slabs we can get up to 40 btu/hour/sq ft. Keep in mind, however, that the average heat loss in a new home is around 20 btu/hr/sq ft so this advantage may not come in to play for most installations.
Can you install radiant tubing on a floor?
There are many tubing installation options available for installing radiant floor heating. In fact, this is one of our most common questions. Depending on the application, you may have several different options to choose from. This page details many of our most popular radiant tubing installation practices including:
Can you have a floor heating system that is not working?
If it is not , you can have a floor heating system that is inefficient, costly to operate, and may not work at all. Here are some general guidelines to follow. Keep in mind that these recommendations are general in nature and you should always consult your code official for proper installation.
How Does a Radiant Heating System Work?
A radiant heating system is a closed-loop piping system. The main components of a radiant heat system include a boiler, heater, and manifolds, as seen below.
How to Size Your Radiant Heat?
Sizing your radiant heat system is no easy task. It often requires consulting with a professional in order to get the most accurate estimate.
How to install a radiant heating system?
The first step to installing a radiant system is finding an area for your boiler. If you’re installing under-floor tubing, the system will need to be near an accessible water source and electrical outlet (for powering the pump). You’ll also want to find a good location for the boiler.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if you have a room that’s big enough to require a higher wattage system, then the best choice for you might be a standard electric water heater. You can choose a unit with either 50 or 80 gallons in capacity. Be sure to check your room requirements for specific information about wattage and GPM capacities.
What is tubing in radiant heating?
Posted May 12, 2017. Tubing is an essential part of every hydronic radiant heating system. Like veins, it transports warm fluid, and the heat output, throughout your floors, turning them into comfortable, warm surfaces.
How long is a circuit for 1/2 tubing?
With 1/2″ tubing a circuit length of 300′ is standard, but circuits anywhere from 250′ up to 350′ are within the range recommended by the Radiant Panel Association. With 5/8″ tubing 400′ and 3/4″ tubing 500′ circuits are standard. For example, if you are using 1/2″ tubing and have determined you will need 900′ of tube, ...
What are the factors that determine radiant heat output?
Factors such as tubing size, tube spacing, and water temperature directly represent the heat output (in BTH/sq. ft./hr.) of the radiant heating system. The later is especially important, since heat loss calculations is the initial stage of every radiant heating project and allows the installer to determine which tubing size to use and how long the maximum length would be.
How many circuits are needed for a 5/8 tubing manifold?
If you are using 5/8″ tubing and have determined you will need 3000′ of tube, you will have eight circuits of 375′ each and an eight port manifold.
How to increase floor output?
For example, by increasing the flow through 1/2″ PEX tubing by only 0.1 GPM, floor output will increase at 5 BTU/sq. ft./hr.
How much PEX tubing is needed for a 25x26 room?
For tubing of other diameters, consult the manufacturer for the multiplication factor. For example, installing 3/8-inch PEX in the 25 * 26 room will require 650 x 1.5 = 975 feet of tubing for the room loops.
How to calculate the length of a PEX heating loop?
Divide the length by the recommended maximum loop length, which is 250 feet for 3/8-inch PEX, 300 feet for 1/2-inch PEX and 400 feet for 5/8-inch PEX. Consult the manufacturer for the maximum recommended loop lengths for other PEX tubing sizes. Round up the quotient to the next whole number to obtain the number of loops that should be installed. Multiply the number of full loops by the recommended length for each loop to obtain the length of tubing needed to construct the heating loops. For example, 975/250 is 3.9, which is rounded to 4 PEX heating loops for a room that is 25 feet wide and 26 feet long. The length of tubing needed for the four loops is 4 * 250 = 1000 feet of PEX.
What is suspended slab radiant floor heating?
This method involves the radiant tubing being installed on top of the subfloor. Then, a 1 1/2″ slab is poured over the top. This slab is usually a lite-weight concrete mix or gypsum based material called “gypcrete” which seems to be the most common.
How hot does water have to be to heat a room?
In order to make up for this poor heat transfer, the water temperature must be raised significantly. In some cases, as high as 180 degrees F.! Even then, on a cold day, the floor may not put out enough heat to heat the room if the home is older and not energy efficient.
What is staple up radiant floor?
The staple-up radiant floor installation method is very popular because as long as you can see the joists from below, you can install radiant heat. This method works well for new construction and retrofits.
How wide is plywood and plate?
The “plywood and plates” installation involves ripping 3/4″ plywood into strips 12″ wide and securing them to the subfloor. You will leave a groove just wide enough for the tubing and plate which will be roughly 3/4″.
How much heat does a staple up slab get?
Higher heat output. In staple-up applications we can get about 35 btu/hour/sq ft whereas suspended slabs we can get up to 40 btu/hour/sq ft. Keep in mind, however, that the average heat loss in a new home is around 20 btu/hr/sq ft so this advantage may not come in to play for most installations.
Can you install radiant tubing on a floor?
There are many tubing installation options available for installing radiant floor heating. In fact, this is one of our most common questions. Depending on the application, you may have several different options to choose from. This page details many of our most popular radiant tubing installation practices including:
Can you have a floor heating system that is not working?
If it is not , you can have a floor heating system that is inefficient, costly to operate, and may not work at all. Here are some general guidelines to follow. Keep in mind that these recommendations are general in nature and you should always consult your code official for proper installation.
