I have a two part question. First, I live in Seattle and would like to install radiant floor heating. Does anyone know of a good, reputable company who can install it?
Most that I have read about radiant heating is based on installing during new construction. What about retrofit? We’re going to tear out most of the floor in the house and figured it would probably be worth installing radiant heating. Would I have to replace all of the subfloor? Or is there a way to add in the material on top of the subfloor?
Thanks,
Ryan
Replies
Ryan,
You can indeed retrofit rfh. If you put it on top of your existing subfloor, you can do a low- or medium-mass setup but it will cost you about 3/4" to 1-1/2" of height. That can create problems in transitioning from one room to another if you only do a few rooms. It can also possibly mess with stariways. That's for hydronic rfh.
Electric mats are an optin that don't require as much vertical...but they're more cmmonly used as supplemental heat in bathrooms or mudrooms, etc. Operating costs can be up there, too.
A third option is a staple-up hydronic system. The tubing is stapled up to the underside of the houses' subfloor. This method does not increase the height of the floor.
Staple-up is easiest in a single-story house, as you can do the first floor from the basement.
If you live in a somewhat moderate climate (not Alaska, not Antarctica), you might prefer the flexibility and faster response time of a low-mass system.
Sorry, I don't have references for your area.
Check out heatinghelp.com. I think there are some contractors that hang out there.