[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Radiant heat for fishrooms (was Re: [Killietalk] (no subject))

BTDTBTWW!

Radiant heat works particularly well in mild climates. I once owned a
home in Palo Alto that had it, and I was very happy with it. Many homes
of that '50s era ended up shutting down the in-slab copper tubing, and
installing baseboard heating, as leaking tubes due to cement caustic
corrosion are just impossible to repair economically. [Heat, dampness, and alkali from the cement's lime are deadly on most metals.]

Low-Voltage heating wiring in the ceiling can be another good way to go. My Mother's house, near San Diego, has it done that way. Works great but no cooling.

I even installed thick shag carpet over the original cork tiles, and the
efficiency actually went up, due to the increased radiating surface
area, I guess. Corrolary: May be poor for cooling, as "coolth" doesn't radiate. :-)

In a fishroom, you likely would need fans to move air (and humidity)
around as radiant heat is particularly draft free. OTOH, you can feel
comfortable in a radiant-heated room when air temp. is quite low, if the
air remains still. It's like standing in the sun on a still, cool day.

You need terrific sub-slab insulation, or it can be very inefficient due
to conduction losses to the earth below. [Energy efficiency wasn't a big
issue in the '50s.]

Do a Google search on radiant heating and you will find newer (and more
accurate) info than I can provide by my anecdotal experience.

Wright

Markus&Heather Brown wrote: 
Hello there folks! I am wondering, has anyone dabbled in floor
heating and cooling systems? I am in the middle of planning a new
building for the "killi-kids" room, and am fascinated by the concept.
Seems, if I get the concept, that if one ran special tubing through
the new slab of concrete, you can run water through this system, and
generate floor heat or absorb heat through the use of cooler water in
the summer months. So far, I have figured out that there are several
methods and I was hoping someone had some experience with this. Seems
like a very cheap and efficient way to at least heat a room to 74-75
F anyway!! Any thoughts?

Markus Brown AKA 08697 NWK 46

To join the AKA see http://www.aka.org/pages/join.html


--
Wright Huntley -- 760 872-3995 -- Rt. 001 Box K36, Bishop CA 93514

Procrastination day has been postponed!





To join the AKA see http://www.aka.org/pages/join.html