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I am about to put down a new floor in my kitchen, the coldest room in my house. I am considering putting in a radiant heat system. Has anyone ever put one of these things in? What things do I need to take into consideration before I do this?
Go to your local library or home center and get a book on the subject. There are some really good books available and many have lots of photos.
There are many things to consider but the books do a good job in covering them in detail. Plus there is more than one way to do it. You can do a lite weight concrete to embed the tubing or there is a way to do it under the flooring in the joist bays. Various methods have been used over the years.
It will also depend on your present heat source. Today many systems have what is essentially a big hot water tank and that operates around 100 F as a forced hot water source. There is also an option of making it electrical type heating.
None of it rocket science and is the type of project you can DIY if you study up enough on the details. Lot of the home improvement TV shows also have had programs on this type of heating. Again they show what is required fairly well. Might be able to also find video tapes at your library from these types of shows. If the shows were on PBS, lots of those type tapes are available thru library systems.
There is an electric mat like radiant system that goes in the thin set that holds tile down. I've never used so no recommendation but here is one manufacturer. There are others.
Radiant Floor Heating (http://www.powerhousetv.com/stellent2/groups/public/documents/pub/phtv_se_he_bu_000598.hcsp - broken link)
Have done several bathroom floors with electric mat systems. Easy to install- but must have a dedicated circuit for the system and install the t/stat in an inconspicuous place. And the tile guy has to be pretty cautious when installing over the mat.
Really good system- no complaints.
I had a whole house radiant system in my first house. Water pipes embedded in plaster and lathe in the ceiling and concrete basement/garage/laundry floor. I loved it - it was a very even heat, no dust to blow around and the basement/garage floor in the winter was very warm. I would do it again if building new.
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