Looking to install radiant in kitchen

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JayDogg

Member
Dec 1, 2009
76
Central Mass
Im thinking about putting radiant in my kitchen area, the tile always seems to be a little chilly and radiant is so nice to heat with. Currently I have Hydro air and even though it heats up the air quick, the floor is still cold. The room is 27'x16' minus the area where the cabinets are. Any one know roughly what it would cost me to install the tubing, and also for all the parts I would need. I will run all the lines and have my plumber tie everything in. I currently have a solo plus 40 with oil back up. Also, I imagine I will need a separate thermostat to run the radiant since it will be on its own zone??
 
JayDogg said:
Im thinking about putting radiant in my kitchen area, the tile always seems to be a little chilly and radiant is so nice to heat with. Currently I have Hydro air and even though it heats up the air quick, the floor is still cold. The room is 27'x16' minus the area where the cabinets are. Any one know roughly what it would cost me to install the tubing, and also for all the parts I would need. I will run all the lines and have my plumber tie everything in. I currently have a solo plus 40 with oil back up. Also, I imagine I will need a separate thermostat to run the radiant since it will be on its own zone??

Normally, when installing radiant you would do a heat loss calculation to determine what you need for tubing, water temp. etc. In your case, you just seem to want warm floors. The problem that arises is that if the area is already heated with forced air, the thermostat controlling the radiant will not call for heat very often. In my house, during warm periods, the floors are fairly warm but not as wonderful as a nice -20 °F morning when the zone has been calling for heat for several hours. My house is very well insulated so I don't get the cold radiation off the walls during extremely cold periods, making me very cozy and warm with the radiant floor. So if your radiant zone doesn't call for heat very often you will be missing out on the heavenly feeling that one gets when the zone is calling for heat for a good share of the time.
You will need a thermostat, and control relay and you will also need a mixing valve to reduce the boiler temperature, plus you will also need a very small circulator.
 
My house is also very well insulated. I have blown cellulose, and the house is only 6 months old. I wasnt thinking about the fact that it wont be calling for the radiant to very long periods of time considering the forced hot air will be keeping the temps up. Although I could always keep the forced hot air thermostat a little low and keep the radiant zone up a little higher. The rooms where the radiant wont be installed are rooms that we arent in very often. An office and dining room. The other half of the house where the radiant is going is fairly open.. Any idea what the materials would cost?? Just a rough estimate.
 
Well, let's say 450 feet of 3/4" pex (hydronic) Assuming one length per bay. You'll need to find the price per foot of maybe someone on this forum can supply a price per foot. Simple thermostat $30.00, Single zone thermostat controller $75.00, mixing valve $110.00? Circulator $200.00 aluminum plates for spreading heat $75.00, average six ball valves to isolate components $80.00, Perhaps a swing check valve $15.00, Assorted wiring and copper fittings $100.00. I didn't make out a materials list. Hopefully other contributors will chime in with corrections and additions that I may have missed. I haven't purchased these components for a long time and I'm trying to remember what they cost as accurately as my 68 year old mind will allow. I don't know why I volunteered to supply these costs.
 
JayDogg said:
Im thinking about putting radiant in my kitchen area, the tile always seems to be a little chilly and radiant is so nice to heat with. Currently I have Hydro air and even though it heats up the air quick, the floor is still cold. The room is 27'x16' minus the area where the cabinets are. Any one know roughly what it would cost me to install the tubing, and also for all the parts I would need. I will run all the lines and have my plumber tie everything in. I currently have a solo plus 40 with oil back up. Also, I imagine I will need a separate thermostat to run the radiant since it will be on its own zone??

i did it by removing my tiles and adding 5/8 plywood strip leaving 5/8 space between them to fit a 1/2 pex.
i will sugest to put 8 inch wide strips and install metal heat exchanger plates who distribuate the heat evently to the tiles.
i didn't and between the pex, the tiles are a bit colder.
many suggest to 1/8 cement board on top before installing the tiles, i didn't and no problem at all.
run 250 ft loops and no buried joints. (oxigen barrier pex is recommended)
buy a thermostat running on the 120 volt, so your thermostat will be directly connected to your circulation pump. no need of controls.

dont forgot than you raise the floor of 5/8 (i had problems with my dishwasher because of that)

lots of work but worth
 
fred is alright

mixing valve is essential and a grunfos 15-58 at the first speed will do the job
 
Often times for small rooms the electric mat system comes in less expensive, and can be used without firing the boiler. watts radiant has retro fit packages, as does Lowes. Some types can be installed from below the floor, others go in under the tile in a mud set.

UltraFin is a good hydronic "add on" product if you can get under the floor.

For floor warming you should not have to do a load calc.

hr
 
in hot water said:
Often times for small rooms the electric mat system comes in less expensive, and can be used without firing the boiler. watts radiant has retro fit packages, as does Lowes. Some types can be installed from below the floor, others go in under the tile in a mud set.

UltraFin is a good hydronic "add on" product if you can get under the floor.

For floor warming you should not have to do a load calc.

hr

i just look in canada and that will cost about $6000 (canadian)
for a total of 6800w on 240v.
a dont think it's DIY job

that's an option
 
wood eater said:
in hot water said:
Often times for small rooms the electric mat system comes in less expensive, and can be used without firing the boiler. watts radiant has retro fit packages, as does Lowes. Some types can be installed from below the floor, others go in under the tile in a mud set.

UltraFin is a good hydronic "add on" product if you can get under the floor.

For floor warming you should not have to do a load calc.

hr

i just look in canada and that will cost about $6000 (canadian)
for a total of 6800w on 240v.
a dont think it's DIY job

that's an option

There must be some very different units available where you are compared to here in the USA . I just looked at a system for my bathroom and it was under 400.00 , keep in mind its only a tile warming system and does not add much real heat to the room .
 
Tony H said:
wood eater said:
in hot water said:
Often times for small rooms the electric mat system comes in less expensive, and can be used without firing the boiler. watts radiant has retro fit packages, as does Lowes. Some types can be installed from below the floor, others go in under the tile in a mud set.

UltraFin is a good hydronic "add on" product if you can get under the floor.

For floor warming you should not have to do a load calc.

hr

i just look in canada and that will cost about $6000 (canadian)
for a total of 6800w on 240v.
a dont think it's DIY job

that's an option

There must be some very different units available where you are compared to here in the USA . I just looked at a system for my bathroom and it was under 400.00 , keep in mind its only a tile warming system and does not add much real heat to the room .[/quote

i just look at the area, 27 x 16 is lots of mats, plus add the electrician, good luck
here in quebec, an electrician total income is a bit less than the prime minister,
depends also of the kw/h cost

if a will have the money, i install this system

sheers
 
wood eater said:
Tony H said:
wood eater said:
in hot water said:
Often times for small rooms the electric mat system comes in less expensive, and can be used without firing the boiler. watts radiant has retro fit packages, as does Lowes. Some types can be installed from below the floor, others go in under the tile in a mud set.

UltraFin is a good hydronic "add on" product if you can get under the floor.

For floor warming you should not have to do a load calc.

hr

i just look in canada and that will cost about $6000 (canadian)
for a total of 6800w on 240v.
a dont think it's DIY job

that's an option

There must be some very different units available where you are compared to here in the USA . I just looked at a system for my bathroom and it was under 400.00 , keep in mind its only a tile warming system and does not add much real heat to the room .[/quote

i just look at the area, 27 x 16 is lots of mats, plus add the electrician, good luck
here in quebec, an electrician total income is a bit less than the prime minister,
depends also of the kw/h cost

if a will have the money, i install this system

sheers



i just look at the area, 27 x 16 is lots of mats, plus add the electrician, good luck
here in quebec, an electrician total income is a bit less than the prime minister,
depends also of the kw/h cost

if a will have the money, i install this system
 
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