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under slab insulation

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raspy

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 16, 2010
Messages
103
Location
Wellington, Nevada
I guess you could call it the right stuff. But I don't like insulating under the slab. Around the perimeter is good or just hold the heat back from the sides.

I can't see how that stuff can be counted on to support a concrete slab for the life of the house. Where will the heat be "lost" to under the slab?
 
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raspy

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 16, 2010
Messages
103
Location
Wellington, Nevada
I did mine with 2" blue board as shown on page 7, left side. The one with the slab edge insulation vertical and going deep. Mine runs down, I think, 3 feet all the way around. I also always hold the heat back from the edges of any slab at least one foot from the inside of the walls. But I don't want insulation under the slab that must support it. My slab sits on top of stem walls the entire perimeter and is tied to rebars that come out of the stem wall and bend flat to enter the slab. This stabilizes the slab and ties it all together, but it also offers a heat path to the outside.
 

badgerboiler

Active member
Joined
Sep 8, 2007
Messages
40
Location
Minneapolis
Insulation is specified just like every other mechanical application. How thick the slab is and the insulation to support it is determined by its intended purpose. To make it simple, insulation is a matter of percentages; the more you cover the less you lose in terms of comfort and efficiency.

Rigid insulation is specified by PSI just as concrete is specified. In the case of XPS the manufacturer writes the spec. so the educated designer or engineer (even a literate layman) may choose the correct rigid insulation for the application at hand. In this case it is slab-on-grade concrete slab with radiant floor (PEX tubing) attached for space heating.

The most important thing about pouring any slab is the substrate. "Verify that substrate is flat, sound, clean, and free of oil, grease, [objectionable air surface voids], [fins], [irregularities], [materials or substances that may impede adhesive bond]."


The common specification for a residential/light commercial slab is 25psi e.g. Owens Corning Formular 250 or equivalent. If you are really worried about "heavy" equipment and shun the help of professionals, Formular can be specified to 100psi, read commercial jet hangers...no worries.

You should also ignore those promoting blankets or foil for use as insulation below a radiant slab. Yes, you must insulate under a heated slab and yes the perimeter is the most important place to do it, as insulation is all about the temperature differential. When you heat a slab you make the difference between the inside and the outside temperature greater. Moving the tube further away from the outside wall is of little use as concrete has an equivalent R-value of R1 per foot.

Be careful taking advice from your peers.
 

CARS

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 19, 2011
Messages
535
Location
New Ulm, MN
Justin,

Make sure you and the contractor are on the same page with this in-floor heat. I was told that both ridged insulation and pex do not like UV rays. My contractor over booked himself at the time I was building. All the dirt work was done and I had the foam down. He told me on a Friday that they would be pouring on Monday so me and the P&H guy spent Saturday stapling pex to the foam. They canceled on Monday.... Wednesday.... the next week.... the following week........... Thankfully I was prepared for weather delays and had a couple huge tarps to cover everything up till they got their $hit together.

Good luck and most of all, have fun during your build!!!!

(never hurts to have cold beverages available AFTER work is done for the day. Seems to keep the crew happy for some reason :headscrat )
 
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