radiant heat in slab or above slab

mojo working

Should I put my radiant heat in my slab in my new house or above the slabe between sleepers? My architect prefers one way, my plumber/heating contractor prefers the other. What do you think? Thanks!

GBrackins

I've always installed the Pex tubing for radiant heating within the concrete slab. This allows the concrete to be a thermal mass storage device and will radiate the stored heat back into the space. Typically we use this product as it addresses two issues, insulation under the slab, and a simply way of running your tubing. http://www.barrett-inc.com/creteheat.php

check with your building department to verify the minimum insulation R-value required to be installed under the slab.

everyone has their preferred way of doing things, and as long as it provides the same results whos to say which is better .....

Hope this helps!

__________________
Gary

"You get what you pay for, and sometimes free costs more!"

AGWhitehouse

If you're going to place the radiant tubing at the bottom of the slab you will need to ensure there's proper insulation levels and that the concrete has no air-entrainment. Air-entrained concrete has an r-value to it and will insulate the tubing rather than transmit the heat. This is likely where people prefer it to be on top of the concrete floor system.

Another method has been to utilize an air-entrained concrete "structural" slab with reduced thickness insulation and then embed the radiant tubing in a "topping" slab. This method allows for slab installation without the need for plumbers on site running tubing prior. This is also very similar to the "between sleepers" method.

It's kind of a means/method discussion and as GBrackins said, as long as it performs the same....

__________________

Duckweather

If you will have any inside walls to fasten to the floor make sure you know where your pipes are.