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Floor radiant heat...pipe question...
- Thread starter SSpanky
- Start date
kabinenroller
Well-known member
You should not need any "pipe" in the system. Use oxygen barrier PEX in the slab and copper between the heater, expansion tank, manifolds, and pump.
There a lot of articles available on the subject, read everything you can find.
Make sure to insulate well, the slab should be surrounded by ridged foam.
I have a full foundation, I used 2" on the outside of the foundation walls and 1" on the inside plus 2" and a good vapor barrier under the slab. You cannot over insulate.
There a lot of articles available on the subject, read everything you can find.
Make sure to insulate well, the slab should be surrounded by ridged foam.
I have a full foundation, I used 2" on the outside of the foundation walls and 1" on the inside plus 2" and a good vapor barrier under the slab. You cannot over insulate.
I guess I should clarify...currently have pex hooked up to manifolds. 50x104 ft floor, split into 2 zones. I need to hook one manifold up to the other, here is where the 1 1/4" tube needs to be hooked up that runs between the two manifolds. All I seem to find locally is galvanized pipe to transition down to hook up to 1". There will be glycol base in the system.
But I've read in a few different threads that galvanized is a no no.
In the next thread I hear black pipe is a no no.
I give.
But I've read in a few different threads that galvanized is a no no.
In the next thread I hear black pipe is a no no.
I give.
IanB2
New member
I'm struggling with this as well, father in law is a plumber and will be helping with the install, scheduled for tomorrow. He says use black pipe for the interconnects, and that I don't need an expansion tank as there's no fresh water source. Lots of things that are in the face of what I've been reading, but then I'm not the plumber here.
Radix2
Well-known member
I'm struggling with this as well, father in law is a plumber and will be helping with the install, scheduled for tomorrow. He says use black pipe for the interconnects, and that I don't need an expansion tank as there's no fresh water source. Lots of things that are in the face of what I've been reading, but then I'm not the plumber here.
The purpose of the expansion tank has nothing to do with a fresh water source. You have a closed system as it heats up, the water expands, without somewhere for it to go, the pressure will rise, possibly beyond what the pipes are rated for.
The use of copper or steel in the system is largely a preference - people like copper for its corrosion resistance, but it is costly. The purpose of the oxygen barrier pipe is to prevent oxygen from being replenished in the system and causing iron in the pipes, valves, pumps, boilers to corrode- so if you are using a barrier pipe, it is safe to use steel and iron components in your system.
Most systems have a hodge podge of plastic, iron, steel, stainless, copper, brass, aluminum ...components anyway - about all that differs is the ratio.