How To Install Radiant Floor In Concrete

This article explains how to avoid some fatal mistakes when installing radiant heat in a concrete floor slab by describing an incompetent radiant heat floor installation along with an explanation of why things went wrong and how to avoid these errors.

How to install radiant floor in concrete.

Electric radiant heating systems use wires embedded in a mat laid right on your concrete. The design and layout of concrete floor radiant heat is often complex and typically should be done by a certified radiant heating professional rather than the concrete contractor. As the floor temperature rises the wires produce less heat. When you re installing a radiant floor in high heat loss areas such as poorly insulated homes or modern dwellings with lots of glass and high ceilings it s often necessary to double up on your tubing.

Mats made for above the floor installation need a layer of mortar for protection. The workers in the photograph at page top where our concrete slab. In the case of 7 8 pex normally installed 16 on center the tubing should be placed 8 on center. 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.

If you experience or witness any leak you should check out and fix it as soon as possible. A lot of planning and teamwork early in the process will help ensure a successful installation says the radiant panel association in its 2008 radiant flooring guide. Due to it s density and low conductivity concrete retains heat very well. The concrete installer should spread and tamp down at least 8 to 12 inches of crushed rock aggregate.

Some have wires that double as thermostats. On top of that 2 inch polystyrene insulation or better must be installed. How does radiant heat work. So these are the essential steps of installing radiant heat in concrete.

Low voltage mats and high voltage cables. These wires cannot be cut in any way and only partially manipulated so size your mat to the floor it will. Radiant heating system design or installation mistakes that must be avoided. Make sure that it gets appropriately established because once you have poured the concrete it becomes impossible to change it later.

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. Cables are usually embedded in concrete and require some electrical skills to install. Set your eyes while locating the manifold. There s two basic types of concrete floor heating hydronic and electric.