Is anyone familiar with in-floor hot air heating systems? I’d like to install radiant heat in my new home, but I’m only acquainted with the hot water systems. The system that was suggested to me (as a way to avoid the double-system for heating & cooling) uses a network of cells laid on top of a slurry base – my impression was upside down egg cartons. Aiir circulates through the network, heating (or cooling) the floor. There are also register outlets that look typical of a traditional forced air system. It seems like ducting is largely eliminated.
I’d be curious of the advantages/disadvantages vs. Wirsbo and other radiant systems.
Thanks in advance.
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The biggest negative I've seen regarding cooling systems in floors is the possibility of the floor becoming a condensing surface during humid weather.
There was a dehumidification system in the house, but it obviously wasn't paired well with the floor cooling system.
Floors were indeed wet with droplets, tile and stone surfaces more than wood. The carpeted areas were dampish and smelled of mold.
Owners also didn't like the cooler floors, they complained it was uncomfortable.
I'm not familiar enough with these systems to comment on them, this was the only house that I've seen that had one. It was professionally designed and installed, for what that's worth. Company went out of business, lawsuits followed, I wielded the mop that cleaned up the post-legal mess.
I haven't looked into them since. Do you have a company website?
http://www.airfloor.com/ is the system recommended to me. Let me know if it looks like they're actually trying to cool the floor or just use it as a duct network. Ultimately, I'm looking for a system with low overall lifetime cost and, maybe more importantly, minimal blowing hot air.
Looks interesting.
There's just not enough info, design or engineering-wise, for me to comment on with certainty.
I can see it used in large commercial warehouse structures, but there isn't enough for me to comment on for residential, especially in terms of flexibility in design. I'm sure it can be zoned similar to standard HVAC systems.
I see the system being more effective in the heating mode than in the cooling mode.
The floor does look like it's a combination cooling panel and ductwork, so that minimizes some of the problems I mentioned earlier regarding the floor getting so cool as to be a condensing surface. That shouldn't be a problem with this system since it's more an open system than a closed system.
I'd want more info regarding the supply and return vents/registers. How much, placement, etc, as to not wanting to interfere with furniture placement or having ducting in exterior walls.
I'm sure all these things have been worked out, they're just not addressed on the site.
When comparing costs, don't forget the added engineering for the slab(s) and the added costing for the concrete, etc. Have the company give you a true apples-to-apples costing of what additional materials you will need over an standard structure balanced by what materials you won't need.
Also, with different technology so to speak, make sure they have packets you can present to your building department for familiarization, and to your builder for installation. Often times just doing something new and unknown can cost more due to unfamiliarity, resulting in construction delays.
what I hated about my floor vents, you sweep the floor dirt go into vent, all summer long, then when you crank up the heat all the dirt blow out all at once.