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Baseboard Radiant Heat Installation

Bob is in the basement talking with Erling Andersen from A.I.M. Radiant Heating. A.I.M.'s "Boiler Room In A Box" has been installed and the baseboard tubing is being run throughout the house. Made of a cross-linked polyethylene material, the pipe is routed behind A.I.M.'s decorative baseboards. The baseboard itself has been trimmed out to fit the Colonial's design scheme. Technician Dave DuVerger is on location installing the last few stretches of tubing. Once the tubing is connected to the boiler system, hot water will run throughout the house to create radiant heat that maintains a consistent temperature in each room.

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Clip Transcript For:

Baseboard Radiant Heat Installation

computer-generated transcript - may not be 100% accurate

" Erling Andersen is here he was -- earlier when we installed the boiler in a box but now you've distributed. Throughout the house right yes the tubing is running from the boiler room in a box. -- days baseboards in the house okay and where in the lowest level so here we are below grade and the tubing is this thing. Orange red yes this this picks tight and this is collected. With a press fitting onto what exactly is this this this kind of pat -- out of cross linked polyethylene tubing. Cross linked polyethylene to -- yes so that can handle water to what temperatures up to a 195 degrees -- And the couple things are bronze right. This is this old brass and they have a ring that goes on to press on and hosted tubing onto the brass fitting. That's out of onto the copper OK and who the wonderful thing about the system in addition of this high tech stuff this. The profile is. Very very low key very elegant. I've got a sample of -- the moldings that could be used. But if you want to do colonial trim job you can add a molding right over this baseboard you can even go to bed molding underneath it. And you can build up something that looks just like a regular wood. Baseboard but in fact it's the source of heat for the room. And over in the corner Dave -- merger are heating and plumbing contractor is finishing up the installation of the Schwartz. Now Dave what are those amigos are just mounting clamps needs the brackets that hold that -- who have gone on campus and spaced for the floor. -- Finish them and then it's snaps in the slips right into it. Is this a continuous loop erling it's a continuous loop. He supplied them that top line goes to the end of the room we make hit you and -- the bottom line that way that. Temperature is uniform from one end of the room to the other. Children's. What does that tool do for you -- is crimping tools of tension. And the metal ring. I would of these made out of these and the -- proper and it has topped French and then the tubing just gets cut. Now is this technically is it radiant heat. It's radiant true radiant heat not connect that. They heat travels in a straight line until it hits an object or person okay. So it makes a lot more comfortable with dozens gratify angle open need to see exactly doesn't it also doesn't put any stands alone right. Not to talk. Because we prevent that from. Convicted and it's right down to the carpeting has been put on this book and crimp here and a crimp there and we're all done thanks gentlemen."

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Radiant Heat

Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. Whether you re building a whole house or just adding a new bathroom, one of your first decisions has to be how you re going to heat the new space. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, radiant heat is more efficient than baseboard or forced air systems. Rather than just blowing hot air around the room in bursts, radiant systems slowly and steadily charge the floor with heat, keeping it where you want it, longer. Hydronic, or water-circulating, radiant systems are best for new construction or large additions. They come in many forms, for installation just below the subfloor between the joists, directly under tile or hardwood flooring, or even inside a concrete floor slab. Where you only need to heat a small space, like a bathroom, electric radiant is an easy luxury option. Electric radiant mats can be installed directly under tile and are ideal over a concrete subfloor. Set the timed thermostat to turn the system on only when you ll be using the room, like the morning when you shower, and it ll use less than 15 cents of electricity per day. This way, you don t have to make room for ductwork or baseboard units when you add a bathroom. On a cold winter morning, your toes will thank you for choosing radiant heat! Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

Boiler Pipes and a In-Floor Radiant Heat in Bathroom

Bob meets with the plumber to look at the air handler and then goes upstairs to check out a bathroom floor heated with radiant heat.

Integrating Radiant Heat in a Concrete Floor

The PEX tubing is set in the concrete and will circulate hot water used to heat the addition. Jason McKinnon of Viega North America reviews the features of PEX tubing. PEX is electronically cross-linked polyethylene tubing that is made to be stronger and resistant to high temperatures and pressures. The PEX tubing was placed in the concrete slab. The concrete acts a low-temperature radiator for the tubing. High temperature water will be pumped through the coils and heat will dissipate into the slab. A heated slab acts as a radiant heat source for the home. Tim Cutler of TJ's Plumbing & Heating reviews how the tubing was placed within the slab. In a radiant-heat application, the tubing is evenly spread out across the floor. With radiant heat, the air is not heated, only the floor. The heat is modulated according to outside weather conditions so a precise amount of heat is sent through the coils to warm the building's interior to the desired temperature. A heat/loss analysis done on the home indicates that the tubing should have nine-inch spacing for five circuits. During manufacturing, the tubing has 10,000 volts sent through it which cause the molecules to cross-link. This makes the tubing virtually indestructible. An oxygen barrier is sprayed on it to protect the boiler and the heating system from oxygen infiltration, which causes cast iron boilers to deteriorate. A foam stapler pushes plastic clips with prongs into the foam decking to secure the tubing in place.

Discussing the Radiant Heat and Hot Water Boiler

John Marran of Energy Kinetics and heating expert Frank Iadarola review the System 2000 boiler system that will supply heat to the hydronic floors and units at either end of the garage. The sytem has various stages to allow for quick heat and controllers to monitor the temperature of the hydronic fluid. The System 2000 contains only 2.5 gallons of water. Since it only takes approximately 1 and a half minutes to heat up that small amount of water, there is no need for the water to be heated all the time. The boiler is activated only when you need heat or hot water. After it supplies the heat or hot water the boiler does not remain hot. This saves a lot of energy.