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how much does in floor heating cost?
- Thread starter jethrob
- Start date
bfarroo
Well-known member
Download a copy of loopcad. You can use it for free for 30 days. If you've used any basic drawing software is is pretty straight forward to use. Setup your max length to be less than 300' and 12" spacing. you can design the tubing layout and it will give you a materials list showing how many loops and the length of each loop. From there you can go to a company like blueridge.com and get pricing on the materials.
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
There are some downside to in floor (radiant) heating.
- It is expensive to install.
- A well insulated building is important. Nor easy to do on a pole barn.
- Its comfortable heat do not "recover" from large, short drops in ambient temperature (such as opening a large door).
KPSquared
Well-known member
The tubing is the cheap part. The associated controls and boiler are where things start to get pricey. I was quoted close to $8000 for my 30x36 for everything but I think they were a little out to lunch.
I still think I was looking at $2000 or more for a quality boiler.
I still think I was looking at $2000 or more for a quality boiler.
rburke65
Well-known member
It is not something you can add later, so with regard to that, at the very least you have to install the under floor insulation and the tubing before you place your floor. I did that for a 1800 sq. ft. shop, it cost me $800 for the 6 circuit manifold and 1800' of 1/2" tubing. I'll pay for the boiler later. But you have to install it now to have the option later.
Good luck and keep asking the questions and keep reading!
Good luck and keep asking the questions and keep reading!
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Why do people insist on underfloor insulation if it is shop space and maintained at 54 degrees? That is the same as ground temp under it. We have 2 buildings slab on compacted sand with radiant heat and the zones only demand occasionally. Both have been in operation for over 20 years. Both are insulated at the outside walls.
Considering other types of heating, in floor rad heat is gonna pay for itself sooner or later. Put your tubing in even if you don't finish the heating on the front end.
Considering other types of heating, in floor rad heat is gonna pay for itself sooner or later. Put your tubing in even if you don't finish the heating on the front end.
If you would have insulated under the floor it would call for heat less "occasionally".
If you turn off the boiler does the building stay 54 degrees inside?
The water in the system is higher than 54 degrees and you want that heat going into the building not into the ground. Insulate under your floor.
If you turn off the boiler does the building stay 54 degrees inside?
The water in the system is higher than 54 degrees and you want that heat going into the building not into the ground. Insulate under your floor.
The buildings are both well insulated. The temps change very slowly when the heat is off. It will drop about 1.5 degree per day this time of year in northern Illinois. 6" slab is a lot of thermal mass and with the slab the same temp as the ground under it, it takes very little to maintain a steady 54 degrees. The older of the 2 shops was put up 25 years ago and for the first 4-5 years was on its own propane boiler before converting to NG. We used less than 200 gal for the entire winter heating season. 24x36 unattached.
I understand your point though. Thanks.
I understand your point though. Thanks.
GYPSY400
Well-known member
The tubing is the cheap part. The associated controls and boiler are where things start to get pricey. I was quoted close to $8000 for my 30x36 for everything but I think they were a little out to lunch.
I still think I was looking at $2000 or more for a quality boiler.
I did the same thing.. installed insulation under the pad and had pex put into the concrete. . Then found out a boiler was going to be another $7500!! So now I'm thinking of going solar with a reznor type heater as a backup.. it may cost a little more than the $7500 gas boiler, but the sun doesn't send a bill every month.
www.solartubs.com is where I got the idea.
Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk
Will S.
Well-known member
I thought you could just use a hot water heater for the boiler(s).
Just for parts I'm looking at $1500+ easy?
When I built my 36x48PB, I was going to do in-floor radiant, and use a large capacity domestic water heater instead of a boiler. Some people told me it wouldn't work. I ended up scrapping the whole in-floor heat idea when my biuilder told me that his own building, with a similar footprint, rarely needed the heat turned on, as the ground under the slab, and therefore the slab too, will stay at about 50 deg during winter.
He used a Reznor LP for the days when the building temp dropped into the mid-low 40's, during sustained sub-freezing temps.
My building, with no heat, stays at about 50+/-. With outside temps in the 20's at night, my building cools down to 46-47. during the day, even an overcast day and mid-30's, the building is in the low 50's. So I do not think it would take much to maintain mid-50's. An 85K btu Reznor or Max would do it on the cheap. There is no doubt in my mind though, that in-floor radiant would be more comfortable to walk on and work on.
QMAO
New member
I only have a 24x26 double garage that I heat with a domestic hot water tank.
I did the intalll myself and used 2" styrofoam under the slab dividing the area into 2 zones.
I have the Gund-Fos circulating pump connected to a thermostat.
The system seems very efficient and the tempurature inside remains constant and comfortable. Even though our harsh Canadian temperatures drop to -40*C, I never have to set the thermostat any higher than 5*C to be able to work in a T shirt.
I agree with the other members that you can always install the Pex coils before the concrete slab and wait any amount of time before you install a boiler system.
I did the intalll myself and used 2" styrofoam under the slab dividing the area into 2 zones.
I have the Gund-Fos circulating pump connected to a thermostat.
The system seems very efficient and the tempurature inside remains constant and comfortable. Even though our harsh Canadian temperatures drop to -40*C, I never have to set the thermostat any higher than 5*C to be able to work in a T shirt.
I agree with the other members that you can always install the Pex coils before the concrete slab and wait any amount of time before you install a boiler system.
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Will S.
Well-known member
What kind of R value does your building have?
Did you insulate the perimiter of your slab?
If your question is for me, my pole barn was studded out with 2x6 on 24" centers, to accomodat standard roll insulation. So the walls are R21, and the ceiling is R30 (insulation between the bottom cords of the trusses). 5/8 sheetrock on walls and ceiling, finished and painted.
The outside walls of the building sheathed with 5/8 plywood (we used treated lumber for the bottom 4' around the building; the rest is exterior grade regular ply), and vinyl siding to match the house. Oh, and there are 4 Velux skylights in the roof. There a pic of it somewhere here on GJ, in a thread about pole barns.
Slab is 5" min, and 6" in specific areas, steel re-inforced 4000 psi, and perimeter is insulated with the blue structural foam slab insulation. The OHD's are steel insulated, and I am not sure of the R rating. Somehow I think they are R15 or 18. Well sealed and no drafts. Front of the building (the 36' with OHD) faces south.
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tc-cad
Well-known member
I have a question for you guys with infloor heating. Can the pex tubing ever spring a leak? If so what do you do to fix it inside the concrete?
tdkkart
Well-known member
Why do people insist on underfloor insulation if it is shop space and maintained at 54 degrees? That is the same as ground temp under it.
The buildings are both well insulated. The temps change very slowly when the heat is off. It will drop about 1.5 degree per day this time of year in northern Illinois. 6" slab is a lot of thermal mass and with the slab the same temp as the ground under it, it takes very little to maintain a steady 54 degrees.
My building, with no heat, stays at about 50+/-. With outside temps in the 20's at night, my building cools down to 46-47. during the day, even an overcast day and mid-30's, the building is in the low 50's. So I do not think it would take much to maintain mid-50's. An 85K btu Reznor or Max would do it on the cheap. There is no doubt in my mind though, that in-floor radiant would be more comfortable to walk on and work on.
So since my house has a full basement under it, can I simply turn off my heat and it will maintain 50+ degrees in the basement and my pipes will never freeze??
Tuesday morning this week it was -18*F here.
kj_mustang
Well-known member
Here is a rough estimate for you based on my 32' x 52' pole barn.
$755 for pex and manifolds
$1700 in xps insulation under slab & around edge
around $500 -$700 for pumps, controller, fittings, etc.
$1,200 - $4,000 for heat source
$755 for pex and manifolds
$1700 in xps insulation under slab & around edge
around $500 -$700 for pumps, controller, fittings, etc.
$1,200 - $4,000 for heat source
ScaldedDog
Well-known member
I have a question for you guys with infloor heating. Can the pex tubing ever spring a leak? If so what do you do to fix it inside the concrete?
Not spontaneously, unless it was damaged when the concrete was being placed. Yoiu can, of course, drill through a line if you're drilling holes in the floor. Those can be fixed, but the not painlessly, and the problem is worth avoiding.
Mark
Here is a rough estimate for you based on my 32' x 52' pole barn.
$755 for pex and manifolds
$1700 in xps insulation under slab & around edge
around $500 -$700 for pumps, controller, fittings, etc.
$1,200 - $4,000 for heat source
thanks
Will S.
Well-known member
So since my house has a full basement under it, can I simply turn off my heat and it will maintain 50+ degrees in the basement and my pipes will never freeze??
Tuesday morning this week it was -18*F here.
With no heat, I would be surprised if your basement temp dropped below freezing, but that's not speaking to the water lines in the rest of the house.
BrushWhackin
Member
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2009
- Messages
- 19
-18 outside. Of course your basement and everything else will freeze. It's only a matter of time. I know you know that (tdkkart) but some of the people on here don't seem to understand that temperature range.
OP: In floor heat is great but it's not cheap. Yes insulate the slab. Yes you can use a hot water heater but depending on your particular climate and heating requirements you may want to get an actual boiler. I would recommend the Weil Mclein brand. I have two and love them. My garage is 30x60 and I have about $3,000.00 into the Pex, Boiler, circulating pumps, manifolds, valves, etc.. That doesn't include labor because I'm having a friend install it. I would recommend getting Pro help if you do this.
OP: In floor heat is great but it's not cheap. Yes insulate the slab. Yes you can use a hot water heater but depending on your particular climate and heating requirements you may want to get an actual boiler. I would recommend the Weil Mclein brand. I have two and love them. My garage is 30x60 and I have about $3,000.00 into the Pex, Boiler, circulating pumps, manifolds, valves, etc.. That doesn't include labor because I'm having a friend install it. I would recommend getting Pro help if you do this.
koditten
Well-known member
I love mine.
Regardless if you do in floor heat, you should still insulate your slab with foam board. The pex is stupid cheap, so you are already 3/4 the way wheather you do in floor heat of not.
I'm from the conventional boiler group. Boilers make hot water and lots of it. Thats what they are designed for. If you go the boiler route, you never have to wonder if you could be using a better heat source. Boilers are the best for in floor heat. Other methods work, but not as good.
You never hear of someone wishing they would have put in a water heater when they put in a boiler.
I cheaped out and found my boiler on craigslist for $250.
By the way, go over the heating section of this site and do a search for "radiant heat". Be prepared to do a lot of reading.
Regardless if you do in floor heat, you should still insulate your slab with foam board. The pex is stupid cheap, so you are already 3/4 the way wheather you do in floor heat of not.
I'm from the conventional boiler group. Boilers make hot water and lots of it. Thats what they are designed for. If you go the boiler route, you never have to wonder if you could be using a better heat source. Boilers are the best for in floor heat. Other methods work, but not as good.
You never hear of someone wishing they would have put in a water heater when they put in a boiler.
I cheaped out and found my boiler on craigslist for $250.
By the way, go over the heating section of this site and do a search for "radiant heat". Be prepared to do a lot of reading.