Radiant floor heating help/suggestions (btw any canadians)

[Pitbully]

Question: I am going to pour overtop of my current slab (due to damage and weathering) I do not know if it is insulated. Should I be insulating it with the foam or no? I was thinking of adding 4-6" on the old slab. I was thinking of installing hot and cold water and bathroom. Thoughts comments? Natural gas is ran to the garage. Glycol type fluid too I guess (dont want to ruin the floor).

Any canadians running this (usually colder for us)

 

[83trekker]

Where abouts in Canada are ya? Eh?

 

[Pitbully]

Fixed
Although all my family and a lot of my friends are in Calgary

 

[1995xcr600]

For my reno/addition I plan on removing the existing slab (it's pretty beat up), and insulating. I am also considering running the lines, even if I don't plan on using them right away.

 

[Ezzie]

Another "Ontarian" here. I have a radiant system in my shop and here is what I would recommend.

Don't pour a new floor over the old slab until you have busted it up. Use the concrete in place as fill by breaking it up into small chunks with a jackhammer. You want to ensure there are no voids that have developed under the old floor and that you have good drainage. Then apply a layer of crushed gravel or "A" gravel to bring it all level (2-6" is nice). Compact it well with a plate compactor. Lay down insulation (use either scrap door cutouts or 2" of rigid foam board. PEX tubing and pour 4-5" of concrete. Fill the system with propylene glycol/water mix 50:50 and your good to go. Optional re-bar or wire mesh in the floor if you want added strength.

Natural gas boiler is the way to go as a heat source if you have access to it where you live.

 

[nate379]

Don't need glycol if the system isn't going to be shut down. I don't have gylcol in my system

 

[Ezzie]

True- just hope you don't have a system failure when it is 50 below out.