The floor has been poured and I started framing the walls to day. Thanks to all who have helped with my questions.
This weekend, we dedicated a new Habitat home and I met a contractor who suggested I install radiant heating in the floor using a gas fired hot water heater. I’m planning on putting a 3/4″ plywood floor over the concrete, using 2 x 6 treated risers (is that the correct term.) The floor will be reinforced under the heavier machines. He said I could install the radiant tubing over the concrete and it would work well to heat the shop. I plan on keeping the temperature at 45 – 50 degrees during Wisconsin winters when I’m not using it and thought it would take too long to bring it up to 60 – 65 when I want to work. He told me that it should be able to do that in not too long a time.
What do you think? Any experience? Any heating supply companies I can contact? Will it work?
Again, thanks for any help that any of you can give. Don
Replies
Try these links:
http://www.rohor.com/
http://www.radiantheatingweb.com/
SamT
Don,
If it was my shop, and I had the $, I would do it. For me, (I'm near Madison) I would sort of agonize over paying to heat the shop to the 45-or so degrees when I wasn't using it, but if you're comfortable with that, I wouldn't worry about getting it up to 65 because usually you'd know in advance if you want to work out there, and you can either manually turn up the thermostat or get a programmable one, or put it on a timer. That way you've got most of the situations covered. Myself, I'm so used to freezing my butt off that the 45-65 range sounds like a dream in the winter, so take that into account if you consider my advice!
I'm planning to put in a natural gas heater, but your system is safer, more comfortable, and heats way more evenly. Lots more expensive too.
Dog