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Hello readers,
I am not a builder, but am looking for solutions before I have a home built. I’ve been living in northern Europe for the last 15 years in a home with radiant (natural gas) heat. The first floor has in-floor heating coils under tile floors, upstairs has wall-mounted radiators (like those advertised in FHB, nothing like the old U.S. types). This type of heating system is virtually standard here and is not considered “up-scale” or for the “rich and famous” only. I have the impression that in the U.S. this is still seen as a costly luxury.
In any case, the heating is absolutely quiet and easy to adjust from room to room, so that bedrooms upstairs can have virtually no heat, but the bathroom can be toasty-warm. Now, whenever I am in a U.S. home, I am aware of two problems: 1)the noises the heating systems make and 2)in order to have a warm morning bathroom you need to have the heat on in the bedrooms. It doesn’t seem to matter what heating system is being used; forced hot air (which is the worst) sounds like a 747 warming up and baseboard heat, whether electric or hot-water, creeks and groans. The furnaces can be heard starting up even just to warm the hot water tank and everything is so loud.
I will be coming back to the U.S. in a year and want to have a home built. I want to have the quiet I’ve come to appreciate here. Apparently radiant heat is available there now and should satisfy that aspect, but what about the furnaces and hot-water heaters? Are there good products available that don’t sound like jumbos before take-off when they kick in?
And what do you do about air-conditioning? There isn’t much need for it here, but we have it in our bedrooms. We have a central compressor outside that looks just like those seen in most U.S. yards and then individual wall-mounted units (one in each bedroom). These are very efficient for closed spaces and are quiet enough, but the look of the unit is not so great on the wall(they’re about 30″x18″x5″) in each bedroom and they are not efficient for cooling a large, open room like a living room, kitchen or hall. What options are available that can work with radiant heat that
are also quiet?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions or information you might have.
Replies
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MKS,
Burners make noise. If a furnace/boiler is not in a mechanical room, you'll hear it. Take a look at whats between you and the equipment that heats your house now.
If noise caused by air flowing through ductwork is your concern, it can and should be quiet. Depends on the quality of the installation and the knowledge of the installer.
I have a forced air system that cannot be heard unless the house is completely silent.
If you want radiant heat and air conditioning, you will have two systems. RFH is great to heat with. The only way to air condition a space is with forced air. The most efficient way to do that is with a central system sized properly for your house construction and exposure. The cheapest (to buy) is a window shaker in the few rooms you might need it, if you are building in a moderate environment.
As far as the bathroom floor goes, one option is to do what I did; put electric heat in the floor under the tile. When I wake up, the house is warming up from 60 but the floor is at 77 or so. Several different versions of this product available.
Dear Mr.Rice,
Thank you for your reply and suggestions. I guess my mother's system wasn't well done, since it is very loud whether it is heating or cooling. I appreciate your taking the time to respond. I'll keep your suggestions in mind when we start to build.
Regards, MKS
Seaweed,
Just a personal example. My house had a very poorly installed furnace when I bought it. When the furnace ran, it sounded like a jet. The ductwork in places was so undersized that it would contantly "tink" as the pressure built up and released. I designed a new system of ducts for the furncae and relocated it closer to the center of the house (in the basement) and consequently very near an open and unfinished stair. I could hear every sequence of start up, even the relays clicking when various operations were started. I since have enclosed the walls of the stairs, installed a door to the basement, and segregated the mechanicals in a "mechanical room". Now I have to look for telltale signs that is is operating, aside from being warm, you can't tell.
Keys to a quiet air system are: properly sized ductwork (sized for cooling air flow, which should be greater than the heating air flow) and a "good" layout, volume dampers in the branches of both supply and returns, and good isolation.
Tim Rice
Good Morning,
I wasn't on-line for a while so I didn't see your reply. Many thanks for the info and tips. I've printed your letter and added it to my "building details" file for when we start to construct. Thanks again!
MKS (seaweed)
MKS - If you have forced air / AC ductwork do the right thing and design-in chases and walls large enough to carry larger-size ductwork. We always do that, even in renovations. Make places for ducts to run - that can even solve some design problems. Make return air chases, etc.T. Jeffery Clarke
Quidvis Recte Factum Quamvis Humile Praeclarum
Something I try to convince my Architect clients to think about (and sometimes actually do)in addition to thinking about chases, is to use 12" open wood trusses for 2nd floor framing instead of the ever present TJI. I can run 8" round ducts under the floor and keep the "in the envelope".
Tim - Thanks for the tip.T. Jeffery Clarke
Quidvis Recte Factum Quamvis Humile Praeclarum
We have baseboard hotwater radiators supplied by a natural gas boiler.
Last year, we installed central A/C that is amazingly quiet.
We have streamers and wind socks our children made under the registers to notice when the A/C comes on.
What you have is a split system.
Most older schools in our area are outfitted with these as retrofits.
It started out with only Japanese brands available but I noticed Carrier offers them.
Although they are quiet, central A/C will be quieter and far more effective if configured properly.
We opted not to go with a heatpump but it could be swapped in if necessary. But with baseboard convectors, I can't see that ever happening.
In-floor would be nice but we didn't build our house.
Anyway, if you are moving to a humid area of the country, dehumidification is a greater concern then staying cool, and central A/C can't be beat (if proplery sized, installed and maintained...).
Thanks so much for your reply. I will keep your advice in mind. Obviously, the central air system in my mother's home was not very well done because it is very loud.
Much obliged!
MKSeaward