Improving Heat Mass For Radiant Floors

Mass was great for storing heat but not ideal for distributing heat.

Improving heat mass for radiant floors.

Radiant heating works by transferring heat to the material so that it raises and helps to maintain the temperature in the home. It is also the slowest to respond to adjustments of the thermostat due to the mass of concrete that needs to either heat up or cool down. The big issue here is whether flooring can conduct and hold the heat or not. If you cover your thermal mass concrete slab floor with carpets or vinyl you will reduce much of the sun s radiation being absorbed into the floor and less of the heat will be released later when it is colder.

To get the most out of your slab floor leave it exposed or tile it with ceramic or stone tiles. Using this method any structure can be properly massed to achieve optimal temperature swings in the 10 f to 12 f 5 6 7 c range. Some people attempt to get around this with 2 loops of tubing. Then there is a cool mass under your floor.

You d just need to scope out the storage needs for utilizing all solar and rmh buildup so that it doesn t go to waste. This is not a perfect solution because even the upper loop will radiate its heat both up and down. Tubing can be tied to box mesh and poured directly into a concrete slab or basement floor to create a thermal mass. These low mass systems were lighter and generally could transfer heat more quickly.

A survey conducted by the radiant panel association determined there was a 37 4 percent increase in radiant tubing sales in north america in 2004 1 radiant systems in the early 1900s used steel and wrought iron piping imbedded in concrete powered by coal fired boilers. Rmh and solar should take care of all hot water needs radiant included. Preferably the solar would heat the bench too so that the rmh could be backup only and storage for the solar could happen in the thermal mass of the rmh cob too. Improving energy efficiency energy efficiency is always a consideration when it comes to home heating and radiant heating allows you to set temperatures lower than you normally would because there is no air ducts to distribute the heat throughout the house.

A simple and accurate method for properly sizing distributed thermal mass is diurnal heat capacity dhc which is helpful in determining the useful daily energy flux to and from a mass storage system ref. The late 1990s saw the birth of a new kind of radiant heating system low mass. Radiant heating is the predominant form of heating in europe and is gaining acceptance in the united states. Radiant heating provides greater control for the homeowner and is much quieter than standard heating systems.

One right under the floor to provide quicker heat and one further down. This method referred to as radiant slab is the least expensive means of installation. The gypcrete or concrete in a slab on grade will hold the heat longer than lightweight building materials reducing the need to put the heat on more often.