Aluminum plates and Radiant heat?
blackcloud
| Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on
I am starting a new construction project and am planning on using staple up tubing with Aluminum plates installed between my floor joists. The project is in the Pacific Northwest and has a very moderate climate (about 45 degrees). I am concerned about noise from the system as it contracts and expands. I know that if you have straight runs you are less likely to have noise. What I need to know is there a specific plate that works better than another and has any one tryed to use a thermal compond (like what is used on heat sinks for electronic circuits)?
Thanks in advance for your ideas!
Replies
Have you run any heat loss calcs?
In a moderate climate and in a well-built house, it's highly unlikely that you'd need the plates at all.
I'm in CT, and only a few of the staple-ups have needed plates...and then usually only on the portion of the floor about 4 FEET (edit) in from a heavily glazed exterior wall.
Omitting them will save you money, labor, and possible late-night "tick, tick, tick" when the system cycles. The noise is either from improperly fastened plates (plate expansion/contraction noises), or from tubing that doesn't enter the plate straight (tubing chafing noise).
Edited 6/23/2002 11:26:30 PM ET by Mongo
I have had Heat calcs done and the numbers are done without plates, I am looking for the best heat for my dollars. The system has a max floor temp. of 75 degrees which is right where I want to be as I am using a lot of hardwood flooring.
Just a thought, as you mention this is YOUR house.
Is it possible to hold off on installing the plates until after one or two heating seasons ?
This may be feasible if you're building something like a ranch with a basement that can be finished later.
We're all familair with basement projects that gets pushed back after the main living floor is finished...
Your right in your guessing that the basement will be unfinished for a couple of years, I plan on installing staple up insulation however I do not plan on installing sheetrock to start. The problem is that the house is a two story, I am considering piping for baseboard on the second floor just in case.