I’m getting down to the fine points of the radiant slab floors that will be in our garage/shop. Here’s what I have tentatively planned. Shoot holes in it if you see the need…I’m open to suggestions.
Two buildings:
1. L shaped – one leg 30′ x 34′. Will be primary garage and house compressor, boiler, dust collector and a 1/4 bath in a 6×34 space on interior wall. Other leg will be 30′ x 52′ and be my work space. 10′ ceilings throughout.
2. Rectangle 20’x 33′ ajacent to L, future RV garage (way in the future!) 16′ ceiling, 14′ door.
I’m thinking four zones. One for garage, one for workspace, one for RV garage and a small one for bath. Munchkin boiler. Demand heater for bath sink.
Does this sound resonable? Am I missing anything…something you would add/subtract if it were yours? Thanks for any and all imput.
Attached scan mostly to scale…
PJ
Whatever you can do or dream you can,
Begin it
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Goethe
Replies
I was OK with it until you got to a separate zone for the bath. Trying to light up that little bit of slab, in between two other zones, is probably not doable. With big heat sinks flanking it, you might not get the result you expect.
Consider zoning the bath along with whichever adjacent space will be kept at a higher temp, then doing a cheap closeout ceramic tile finish on the bath floor, and sticking a cable array under the tile for electric floor warming. Much faster response, and you can install a programmable thermostat to prewarm things in advance of your arrival.
Good point about heat sinking, Bob. Reasoning in separate zone was freeze-proofing bath should I decide to shut rest of system off. Water through slab here, probably hose bib to outside, as well. Perhaps the electric grid is a better choice, nothing worse than a cold throne!
Maybe even a electric wall heater augmenting slab... or radiator?....hmmm
My intent is to heat cheap, having spent all the dough building it!
PJ
Whatever you can do or dream you can,
Begin it
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Goethe
I don't see a problem having a separate zone for the bathroom. Sure, there will conductive heat losses through the slab, but you can surely get it to tempature. It is a small volume and a limited perimeter. And as you say, you want it warmer than the workshop. At least if you do woodworking with your pants on.
And the heat loss from the bathroom isn't completely wasted. Heat that goes to the garage or workshop helps in those spots.
If you turn everything else off and put the bathroom on a vacation setting (with all the old latex paint stacked inside?) you won't be trying to keep it very warm. Maybe 45 or 50F depending on where the pipes are in the walls. Do you have a freeze-proof way of water pipes getting from the utility room to the bathroom?David Thomas Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska
Do you have a freeze-proof way of water pipes getting from the utility room to the bathroom?
Maybe "utilitiy room" is a misnomer. Compressor, dust collection, boiler.
What I planned was bringing water into bath through slab, that will supply rest of building, wherever I decide to take it.
Hot water to sink will be via demand (small)W/H.
Radiant system will be closed loop with propelene glycol, no domestic hot water. So I'm thinking no need to plumb water to that area.
PJ
Whatever you can do or dream you can,
Begin it
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Goethe
Just make sure you include insulation under the slab (and probably around it). Extruded polystyrene is the most popular around here. That will help prevent the ground from leeching the heat from the slab.
And it isn't something I've done, but have heard of people who ran radiant through not only BA floor, but also along lower portions of wall and along the jacuzzi enclosure... but didn't sound like you were putting a jacuzzi in. I suspect the wall radiant tubes were probably behind ceramic tile (or some such) to help hold the heat. Not really sure if this would be a good idea in your case or not, I'm just throwing ideas out.
Peter,
I am a little north of Dave Thomas up here in Alaska, and I have a shop with Radiant floors. My bath in there is about 7 x 7 ft and is on the garage zone (the shop is split in 2). If I were doing it again, I would probably put the bath on it's own zone. One other change I wish I had incorporated is putting heat into the exterior wall - it's kind of a shock when you are taking a shower and lean against that wall in the middle of winter - fortunately I don't need to shower out there all that often, but once or twice is still enough.
I recall a discussion in this forum not too long ago describing the techniques of putting heat into a wall, and it didn't sound too tough if you think about it in time.
Good luck.
Steve
Hiya Bear, I'm gonna have to go in the house to shower, the city thinks I might LIVE in the shop if I had a shower there. Bath will be a big slop sink and stool only.
You wouldn't believe the hassle to get this permitted. SIP walls, too big...you get the idea. I should have known when first question when meeting with zoning was "what color will it be". The weird thing is anything under 1000 sq.ft. they don't even look at. The way the ordinance reads, I could build a dozen 999 ft. buildings as long as I kept setbacks....but try to build 3000 ft. under one roof...forget it.
enough ranting, thanks for the input.
PJ
Whatever you can do or dream you can,
Begin it
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Goethe
"it's kind of a shock when you are taking a shower and lean against that wall in the middle of winter"
Yeah, I hate it when a wet butt check freezes to the shower stall!David Thomas Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska
Interesting. This attachment shows the garage I recently designed.
The RV storage bay is on the upper left. The workshop is on the upper right. The lower leg is a two-car garage with two doors and will have a hallway on the left side.
Hiya Les,
I suppose it seemed to me an L shape works good for a combo garage and shop. The "dead" corner is a natural for workspace. Plus it fits the lot. I would have done it under one roof but the city had other ideas.
PJ
Whatever you can do or dream you can,
Begin it
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Goethe
I considered in-slab heat too, but have no personal experience with that. My plan is to put in a small heat pump primarily to heat and cool the garage and a small bathroom. There may be additional garage doors separating the shop from the vehicle areas. The overflow of heat should make the garages at least comfortable. I still have lots of time to plan. Christine has graduated with her MLS and is still looking for a job. We are presently looking at Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and here, for starters. Don't know where we will end up yet, so anything I build is for other people for now.Les Barrett Quality Construction