Contemplating doing a staple-up application of radiant tubing under the now-exposed main floor of my house – insulation was recently removed to combat a pest problem.
I understand the mechanism of staple-up, but have only ever seen it used in new construction. In my case, there are lots of nails sticking through the sub-floor from the previously installed hardwood flooring, kitchen and dining room floor underlayments.
Does this preclude a staple-up installation, or would all the nails need to be clipped off?
thanks,
-TJ
Replies
Look up some of the advertisers in fhb. They have the stuff your trying to do. May need to flatten the nails to install the metal plates.
It depends on how much heat you need to get out of the floor. If your heat loss is large you may have to use plates and protruding nails would be in the way.
Around here we can usually get away with attaching the tubing to the sides of the joists 1" below the subfloor, if that is the case the nails wo't matter.
I have done several retro staple ups, normally the hardest part is fishing the loops around existing obstructions.
Wirsbo sells a product called "PEX Clips" that is made for exactly the application you describe. List price is $58.80/100. They are attached to the underside of the subfloor via a small wood screw and hold the tubing suspended about 1" below the surface. Once the tubing is in place, the joist spaces then need to be insulated. The greatest danger the nails pose will be to your knuckles during installation.
Cut them off flush with a grinder. Quick fix.
Are you getting a consultation from a pro? Radiant is more complex than most folks imagine. It just looks so simple! Be prepared to do some pretty extensive research if you are going it alone.
Yes, I'm working with a local company on my installation. The new furnace went in last year (supports existing HW heat, and separate zones for the new RHW), and the piping, panels and manifolds will possibley be installed later this year, or next year.I'm only contemplating this staple-up just now, as it will involve additional plumbing work to move one of the existing HW zones over to the RHW side of the furnace.
While you could use suspended tube (and this may avoid the nails), there are a lot of advantages to using plates to encourage conduction.
TJ,
I see you're from Bolton, I grew up in Oakdale (West Boylston) not too far away.
The reason I mention that is two years ago I retro'd my mother's house with staple-up. A simple ranch house, standard 1950's construction. Pretty leaky envelope, not great insulation.
I did a simple staple-up for her. No plates. I left most of the nails protruding, and ground off a few that I thought might be in the way. With staple-up you don't want anything rubbing against the PEX as it goes through its slight expansion/contraction cycles.
Foil-faced polyiso was ripped to length and friction fit between the joists up against the heads of the staples.
Momma luvs her warm floors.
Bolton?? Small world....I live in one of the towns in the NRSD (the one that begins with "S") mebbe our kids will bump into each other at Nashoba High....well, mine gotta wait about 7, 9 and 13 years!!!And I'll also be doing a staple up radiant floor system in our kitchen.WOW...talk about coincidences!!!