Messages and Online Forum Q&A

Re: Radiant Floor Heat or Underground Duct?

From: info@builderswebsource.com
Category: HVAC
Remote Name: 63.198.181.43
Date: 03 Aug 2002
Time: 11:30 AM

Comments

You are an HVAC contractor in Tennessee and the congregation where you attend is getting ready to build a new auditorium. You want to know which is better: underground coated ducting or radiant floor heat. The auditorium is 55ft x 55ft on a slab with an eve height of twelve feet and a peak of twenty feet. Exterior walls will be 2x6 studs with sheetrock and brick. Your biggest complaint with the existing auditorium is cold feet in the winter.

Given the complaints of cold feet, coupled with the large slab, we like radiant heat for this application. Radiant heat is gentle on the feet, very quiet and ideal for warming a large slab. Slabs offer excellent thermal mass, which helps to keep a consistent temperature. The position, size and layout of the radiant tubing is critical. To avoid hot spots or cold spots, be sure to follow all manufacturer's recommendations, especially near exterior walls. Avoid sharp bends and be sure to protect the tubing from rebar or any sharp objects that could inadvertently puncture the tubing during or after installation. This includes interior partitions that might be anchored to the slab. Select only a top-rated brand of tubing with proven performance and avoid any splices in the slab. Of course, in the summer, you may need air conditioning to keep the humidity and temperature at comfortable levels. This will require a traditional ducting system, probably above in the ceiling area. Cold air falls making this a good duct location anyway for an air conditioning system.

For additional information on radiant floor heating, please see previous messages on this subject: http://www.builderswebsource.com/_discBT/000002d5.htm
http://www.builderswebsource.com/_discBT/000002f5.htm
http://www.builderswebsource.com/_discBT/0000012f.htm.

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