Hello All,
I have a 40 yr old house in Mass. 2nd floor is electric heat. Previous owner put staple-up radiant heat in the 1st floor, but left 2nd floor electric.
Burner is a big Viessmann that can more than handle adding additional zones for 2nd floor.
I need help trying to figure out how to get the hot water heat to the 2nd floor, without ripping things up too bad. Radiant floors are out of the question. What other solutions do you suggest?
I have one path that I can use as a chaseway, but that is about it and it is difficult to see how I could get baseboards in without a lot of damage. Had the guy who did the radiant install take a look, he didn’t have many suggestions.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Any suggestions on where to get ideas or do some research?
Thanks,
Mike
Replies
There isn't much you can do besides open enough walls to rough in for radiators, or open all the ceilings to rough-in more staple-up. You will have to either (a) abandon the idea of radiant upstairs, or (b) abandon the idea that there will be minimal sheetrock damage.
Hi David,
Thanks for your comments, I really appreciate your help.
Yes, I have basically already abandoned the idea of radiant (unless someone can convince me that radiant ceiling heat [staple in the attic] is a reasonable idea). I was looking for any advice out there, preferably based on the hot water burner I have in place.
Mike
Do you have air or thinking about air.
You could use a hydro/air coil in the air handler.
If you don't have AC you might want to look at one of the high velocity duct system. They use relatively small ducts are and or often used for retro fits.
Hi Bill,
Thanks a lot for your post, I really appreciate it. Yes, I am open to a hydronic air heat option. Can you point me to any info on how this works?
I have an old Laundry room shoot and closet that I could use for the handler and then route the high velocity tubes through the attic - does this sound right, or could the handler be in the basement to cut down on noise?
Any info you can point me to would be a big help. I'm having trouble getting started with this.
Happy Thanksgiving, I hope you have some time off for the holiday.
Mike
Don't know much more about the systems than what I posted.JLC had an article on then that will give some of the background.
And I think the name of several manufactures.http://www.jlconline.com/cgi-bin/jlconline.storefront/45666ddb0027851127177f00000105cf/Product/View/0307instIt cost $2.95
My brother did a similar job a few years ago. He ran two copper lines up through a main floor closet to a second floor closet. Then looped out to the two bedrooms and bathroom from there. A copper line is easier to sneak through than some big kick #### ducting.
Have a good day
CLiffy
Depending on how your main floor staple-up system is configured, what about doing some baseboard radiant heaters? Comparatively few lines to fish from a central chaseway, and less difficult to fish some copper or PEX-AL-PEX in there than ducts. But you need HOT water for these- your system must be set up properly to give you water hot enough for them to work.
Or, perhaps you might want to do a radiant wall or ceiling, simply added on top of the existing ceiling or wall finishes?
There is a radiant panel setup that goes from chair rail height down, uses 3/8 pex tube, can be covered with panel or fancier. Wirsbo is one supplier.
Wow, guys thank you very much for the advice.
I'm now thinking that I should go with hydronic air. My reasoning is as follows; I can get the water tubes up to a big closet on the 2nd floor, from there I can duct into the attic and out the ceiling in each room. I don't want to route water into the attic because of the potential fr a freeze.
Does that make sense?
Anyone know who is making the best (efficient, reliable, good value) hydronic air handlers (probably high velocity).
Mike
This radiant wall is keeping our living room nice and cozy tonight at -20 deg C...
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Edited 11/24/2006 9:21 pm ET by RBean
Unico http://www.unicosystem.com/ and SpacePak http://www.spacepak.com/ are two similar systems that use the mini-duct method. Ask your air conditioing guy which is more popular or better supported in your neighborhood.