If you installed the rigid insulation the same as you would on a concrete slab, could you heat a broiler-house by burying pex in a dirt floor? Thoughts?
Radiant Gravel Pad
- Thread starter Rick Stanley
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
tom in maine
Minister of Fire
Hi Rick,
It is do-able. We have done this in sand and also dirt. The biggest problem is keeping the tubing in place. With foam that lets you snap the tubing into place or
the screw in clips for foam, you should be fine. If you are raising chickens in this, I would consider keeping metal fittings away from the soil.
It is do-able. We have done this in sand and also dirt. The biggest problem is keeping the tubing in place. With foam that lets you snap the tubing into place or
the screw in clips for foam, you should be fine. If you are raising chickens in this, I would consider keeping metal fittings away from the soil.
Floydian
Feeling the Heat
Hey Rick,
I'm curious, how big is this broiler house? Is it insulated and how warm to you need to keep it? Depending on these things it could mean fairly high supply water temps as dirt is not a great conductor. Don't forget to count the heat gain from the chicks in your heat loss calculation ;-)
Good luck,
Noah
I'm curious, how big is this broiler house? Is it insulated and how warm to you need to keep it? Depending on these things it could mean fairly high supply water temps as dirt is not a great conductor. Don't forget to count the heat gain from the chicks in your heat loss calculation ;-)
Good luck,
Noah
RobC
Minister of Fire
Can't say I know anything about Chickens but, how about covering pipes in cement but leave enough room for gravel on top to bring up to finish grade. That way you could replace gravel but not be digging into pipes. This would also give you the benefit of heated mass of the cement.
Depends on the load or how many BTU/ sq. ft you need. Viega makes a product that could be used like that. I know some greenhouses that use this for root zone warming, and actually pull it up to till the soil and then re-install it year after year.
I've seen some solar warm air heaters at the solar shows. They are used in poultry heating applications as a supplemental heat source. A small fan blows warm air down on the chicks.
hr
I've seen some solar warm air heaters at the solar shows. They are used in poultry heating applications as a supplemental heat source. A small fan blows warm air down on the chicks.
hr
Attachments
It's the ground floor of a 40X80 section of a 40X100 2 story, 1940's wood frame, 10' ceilings, uninsulated, barn that housed around 5000 laying hens up until the early 70's. Right now it's just one big open space. Was thinking of cutting it up into rooms and providing some low-temp heating (maybe 50*), with low temp garn water, without pouring a floor in there. But maybe not the smartest idea I've ever had.
I do like the looks of that roll-out mesh tubing, Hot Rod. For this application and we'd like to learn more about root-zone heating for our greenhouses. I'll check it out.
Thanks All.
I do like the looks of that roll-out mesh tubing, Hot Rod. For this application and we'd like to learn more about root-zone heating for our greenhouses. I'll check it out.
Thanks All.
Rutgers University in NJ is one of the leading researchers in hydronic, root zone heated greenhouses. Here is an article.
attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/rootzone.html
A number of years back I installed a gravel bed radiant system for a Crop King greenhouse. Hydroponic tomatos, etc. It is a soil-less system that heated the gravel and the racks for the tomato pots. It was fired by a large OWB.
www.cropking.com
hr
attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/rootzone.html
A number of years back I installed a gravel bed radiant system for a Crop King greenhouse. Hydroponic tomatos, etc. It is a soil-less system that heated the gravel and the racks for the tomato pots. It was fired by a large OWB.
www.cropking.com
hr
Hunderliggur
Minister of Fire
If you are looking at a broiler operation (meat chickens), then keeping them warmer in the cold months will improve their weight gain, they are just BTU engines which work to heat their bodies first then make meat. The less they have to heat their bodies the better. Layers don't need much winter heat, their combined body mass will keep the oom warm. Bot ned light to do their jobs (>12 hours fro layers) Goats on the other hand, DO NOT like or need a warm floor - it messes with their digestion. Except for the fact that dirt is a poor conductor it should work, just do eerything opposite from the underground like sticky.
Fred61
Minister of Fire
Rick'
I PMed you with the name of the Viega sales rep. I didn't want to post it on this board for all the world to see in case anybody has intentions of harassing.
He should be able to tell you who carries Viega in your area. They don't sell direct.
I PMed you with the name of the Viega sales rep. I didn't want to post it on this board for all the world to see in case anybody has intentions of harassing.
He should be able to tell you who carries Viega in your area. They don't sell direct.
- Status
Similar threads
