Design and Install a Floor Heater System

Floor Heater

There are many alternative for radiant floor heater. These steps will help you to decide which type is best for you.

Firstly, please decide what type of fuel do you have (gas, oil, or wood heat outdoor boiler). You may also want to think a solar thermal system to augment the fuel because solar thermal can provide 70 to 80 percent of the hot water needed for a radiant floor heater system and cut your fuel costs. (It could save a lot of cash!)

Secondly, you must decide whether you are installing new floor heater or retrofitting an existing house. If you want to install a new floor heater you must decide whether you want the floor heater install in the piece of concrete or not. If not, figure out how many separate zones you want to have (separately temperature setback zones, such as bedrooms and living spaces).

If you want to retrofit in an existing home, you can put Pex tubing below the floor (if accessible) and insulate under the tubing. Or, you can put down grooved plywood such as warm board, which accepts the tubing, and then put your flooring on top of that.

Lastly, after you have decided what fuel, what type, above or below floor, and number of zones it is easy to search the internet with these steps.

Some tips before installing a floor heater system:

If you have wood on your goods, it is almost complimentary to use an outdoor boiler to heat your radiant flooring or place a coil within your existing furnace. Use the warm water from the wood boiler to circulate heat through your home. Use a two-stage thermostat to first use the fan or pump without the "Fuel" furnace from coming on. This will use the fan or pump "Only" to blow or pump heat into your home without using the Gas, Oil or Electric heater. This saves almost all heating costs.

Warning!

If you are using a wood heat, make sure you check your back-up fuel heater to ensure it operates in case you are out of municipality and your wood heat boiler is not fed wood for days.
Check with your buildings and code department on exhaust gas particulate composition.

Floor Heater