With radiant heat, the temperatures the floor temperatures tend to be stable and low. These are favorable conditions for wide pine floors. It is best to use material that has low humidity from the beginning. Probably not, if the building will be energy efficient. While heat will tend to rise, you are asking one floor to do the work of two and you may want to over design the first floor.

Yes. There are different manufacturers and different methods, but it has become more and more common this past decade.

The heat pump can produce water that is hot enough for use in these applications. In most cases, it is not warm enough to be used in old-style under-the-window radiator systems.

Since wood is an excellent conductor of heat, radiant heating is a great choice to use with wide plank flooring - and the even distribution of heat is actually beneficial to the wood. Be sure to tell the company installing your heating system that you plan to use wood as your flooring material and they will know how to adapt the system accordingly.

All solid wood flooring expands and contracts with seasonal changes. The wider the board, the more expansion and contraction you can expect. This movement can be minimized with proper acclimation, installation and by maintaining proper job site conditions. Acclimate flooring in the climatized house for a minimum of 10 to 14 days, more if installing in particularly dry or arid climates. A moisture meter is recommended to check that proper acclimation has occurred.

In years past, some companies used high temperature boilers to send 180 degree water through radiant tubing. This excessive water temperature combined with a poorly insulated structure could cause warping or checking of hardwood floors. Because floor temperatures often exceeded 85 degrees as the floor vainly attempted to match the high heat loss of a poorly insulated structure, the result was high, wasteful energy consumption and damage to the floor.

Yes. There are just two things to make sure you do before application. First, turn off the heating system a few hours beforehand. Then, after the last coat of finish is applied, wait another 36 hours before turning the heat back on.

If you have a question that is not answered on this FAQs page, you may contact one of our member company's call centers that are listed on our Contact Us page with your specific question.

This is a concrete question more than a radiant heating question. All concrete applications must be structurally satisfactory. There is no important difference between concrete mixes from the heating standpoint.

Radiant heat is transmitted from a heat source via rays just like rays of sunlight. These rays pass through the air without heating it since only solid objects can absorb the heat they transmit. Dark colours absorb more radiant heat than lighter colours. This is why light coloured clothing is cooler than dark coloured clothing.

Most floor coverings can be used over a hydronic heating system, keeping in mind that the system is designed for that particular covering. Tile is the most efficient, since it is the most conductive. Hardwoods come next and then carpet and pad. Even vinyl or linoleum can be used. Typically the only design variance between these three common floor coverings is supply temperature.

An Eichler radiant heat system that has copper pipes can be repaired and maintained indefinitely with a little periodic maintenance. However, if your radiant piping is made of steel, as was done in many mid-'50s Eichlers, it may not be repairable. In any case, be sure to recruit a qualified radiant heat specialist (and perhaps even a second opinion) to diagnose your situation and lay out your options. More information. Don't mess with it.

Far-infrared radiant (FIR) heat is a form of naturally occurring energy that heats objects by direct light conversion (DLC). DLC warms only the object and does not raise the temperature of the surrounding free air. All life requires FIR heat from the sun. FIR heat is not ultraviolet radiation but a narrow band of energy within the 5.6 to 15 micron level. This type of energy travels only 2-3" deep into the body to increase circulation and nourish damaged tissue.

Although they are considered softwoods rather than hardwoods, Longleaf Heart Pine and Southern Yellow Pine are the hardest of all pines. Pine, like most wood species, is susceptible to a certain amount of wear-and-tear. Ladies' high heels play havoc on all wood floors regardless of specie because the person's weight is concentrated in such a small area.

Pine floors should last the lifetime of your home. In many historic homes in Williamsburg, Virginia, and Savannah, Georgia, visitors will see that wide pine boards have withstood the test of time beautifully.

Our largest ZMesh system (zone) will cover approx. 700 sq. ft., and our largest Tuff Cable zone 475 sq. ft.. Every zone has its own Control Unit, heating element, and thermostat. You can jumper from one room to another (even if they're on different floors) on any system. We can produce enough heat on our systems to heat your entire home, or simply provide a supplemental heat and warm your floors.