One more time/
I have a client moving from the cold midwest to the more temperate climes of North Central Texas. They have pruchased an 1958 ranch and wanting to do a major interior remodel, especiallly kitchen and baths. Comming from the cold country, they want heated floors in the two baths.
Constrution is basic for this area: Monolithic concrete slab foundation on grade(non-insulated), wood frame/brick veneer, forced air heating and cooling, gas fired domestic hot water only.
The bath floors can be heated electrically, but any ideas how to heat the shower floors? Can you use the domestic hot water or must you have a dedicated hot water supply? Any other thoughts?
Replies
heating tile floors
I really could use some friendly help. Heated floors etc. is not an every day thing around here. Especially retro. Anyone?
oops
Warmly Yours has a mat for floor and seat.
take a look at this and other discussions at JohnBridge.
http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=115194
we have hydronic, in the floors and deck tub area. In my shower, a Fiberglas unit, the slab has hose up to the shower entry. Where the comfort I'd needed (outside the shower).
my daughter has a shower in the basement in Tn. No heat in the bath floor, nor shower either. Initial bare foot contact entering the bath is a shock.
Once the shower water is run and comfortable to touch, the shower floor is fine. It picks up the water warmth quickly. Is it necessary to heat the shower floor at all? I doubt much thought is given to that.
Since the purpose is merely to warm the floor, not heat the space, using domestic hot water should be fine, so long as local codes allow it. (I think that some local codes do not allow DHW to be used for heating in this way.)
heating tile floors
Thanks. I just want to hear what people that deal with this a lot more than I, have mights have to say.
Calvin. Thanks for the link. Yeah, that is the way I get my shower floor warm.
Dan. It seemed to me that I had heard that it was a no no to use DHW for things like that. I will check with the folks at city hall.
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Thanks again.
Bath floors, fine. Shower floors, it's really unecessary. As Big Cal wrote, the shower water will heat up the shower tile just fine.
Of the matt versions, I've used Suntouch, NuHeat, and WarmlyYours. There are others as well, but those are three reputable companies. I've also strung cable.
If they really want heat in the shower floor, then put the matt down and then I recommend a topical membrane over it. For those instances, I'd recommend a sheet membrane (Kerdi, Hydroban, Nobel) versus a liquid membrane.
Laticrete has a floor heating system, thought I've never used it. But they are a very god company. I love their topical membranes.
There are manufacturers that have shower setups. For example, Nuheat has a "shower mat".
View Image
SHOWER FLOORS HEATING
THE ONLY WAY TO HEAT THE SHOWER FLOORS ARE TO USE SHOWER MATS
EACH OF IT IS DESIGNED WITH A WIRE FREE DRAIN FOR FASTER INSTALLATION
THE NEXT THING YOU NEED TO SEE IS PROPER CHECKING OF AIR LEAKS IN YOUR FLOORS OR ATTICS IT WILL BE OF NO USE IF THERE IS ANY LEAKS
THE CRAWL PLACES UNDER YOUR FLOOR WHICH OUGHT TO BE INSULATED THERE IS A CHANCE OF LEAKS IN THAT TOO SO REGULAR CHECKING OF THE CRAWL FLOORS ARE IMPORTANT EVEN
ANY HOW SHOWER MATS ARE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR SHOWER HEATS
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