In Floor Heating On Concrete Slab

The insulation phase is crucial for a radiant floor.

In floor heating on concrete slab.

Tubes that circulate hot water or electrical heating elements are installed in the concrete slab when it s poured turning the thermal mass of the concrete into an inconspicuous radiator of warm even heat. Provides slab storage heating in new construction or when pouring a new slab. Any cooler surface in contact with the slab will try to steal its heat. Thermoslab storage heating system consists of heating cables installed in the foundation of a building either in the concrete slab or in the sand bed below the concrete slab.

Remember that your slab will be about 75 degrees f. This is the best choice for new construction and areas receiving new slabs. For concrete floor radiant heating systems the warm water tubing or electric heating elements can either be embedded within the slab on grade anywhere from the bottom of the slab to within 2 inches of the surface depending on the design and installation technique or fastened to the top of a concrete subfloor and then covered with an overlay. Mainly heated slabs radiate outward rather than downward so insulation on the edges of the slab is most important.

When the thermal mass of the concrete is heated the warm slab acts as a radiator distributing even heat throughout the structure. The picture above shows a concrete floor we re about to pour with radiant heating tubes installed. The science behind radiant floor heating is quite simple. Embedding your radiant heating system into a concrete slab is one of the most cost effective ways to install it and most energy efficient being that concrete is a great thermal mass.