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A radiant designer basically has four tubing options available to them when designing a hydronic snowmelt system: PEX, PEX-AL, PERT or EPDM. No matter which option is selected, the goal is to minimize the loss of heat from the pipe to the ground. Marshall said there are differing opinions on whether you should insulate the tubing or not. However, he recommends that you insulate around your tubing whenever possible.

Low supply water operating temperatures and large surface areas are key for reducing fuel consumption.  In best cases, the water for a radiant system is warmed by energy-efficient, condensing boilers or renewable energy sources.

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REHAU radiant heating is compatible with a variety of floor coverings, including hardwood, carpet, vinyl, ceramic, tile and natural stone.  You have flexibility with the finishes in your home, with the added comfort benefits of warm floors.

In a conference session at the AHR Expo in Orlando, Fla. on Feb. 3, Kolyn Marshall, Systems Engineering Manager with Watts, reviewed some basic design and installation guidelines associated with snowmelt systems. The presentation offered practical advice for engineers and contractors working with these simple but effective systems.

As an example, you feel warm when you stand in direct sunlight, even on a cold day.  While the air temperature may be cold, the warm radiation from the sun feels nice.  With radiant heating, the entire floor of your home can be a warm heat source, radiating heat to warm your skin.  As an added bonus, all of the objects on the floor warm up, so no more ice cold chairs.

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If a thermostat reads 70°F (21°C), will everyone in the room be comfortable? Probably not. The temperature of the surfaces around you, air speed coming out of your vents, humidity and air temperature are factors that your heating or cooling systems can address. Your clothing and metabolic rate also contribute to your comfort. Together, these are the six primary factors that influence human comfort. With radiant, you can control more human comfort variables. Specifically, you can adjust the actual surface temperatures of the objects in a space by emitting heat through a network of PEX pipes hidden in the floors, ceilings or walls. By changing the temperature of the surfaces around you, less of your comfort depends on the temperature and velocity of the air in a room.

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Architects love radiant, because you can reduce the HVAC clutter in a space. Architect Frank Lloyd Wright even used radiant in his iconic Fallingwater House.  Radiant heating is often used for floors, but can also be installed in walls and ceilings.

Most hydronic system controls and sensors are wi-fi enabled today. This allows the hydronic system to be tied into the local weather forecasting system and configured so it starts up prior to the storm hitting. Marshall said some systems can also be controlled by an app on your phone.

Human comfort is a complex topic.  Experts at ASHRAE have developed a building standard focused on human occupancy.  Robert Bean, host of healthyheating.com also has great explanations for how all of the complexities of comfort work together.

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There are basically two types of snowmelt systems: electric and hydronic. Marshall noted that electric systems are a good fit for areas up to about 1,500 sq ft, whereas hydronic systems are a better option for areas larger in size such as walkways, driveways, patios and parking lots.

REHAU account manager Donna VanMeter explains why PEX is a highly workable, robust and quick-to-install piping system in an article for PHCP Pros.

Heat emission from the human body occurs mainly via four mechanisms: radiation, evaporation, conduction and convection. Humans feel most comfortable when they can regulate at least 50% of their heat emission via radiation.

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Do you like your bedroom a different temperature than your bathroom?  With radiant, you can create many zones in your building.  That means you could maintain a warm floor in a bathroom, while keeping the adjacent bedroom cooler.

While forced-air is essential for ventilation and humidity control, it makes sense to cover more of the building’s sensible heating load with radiant.  Water carries 3,500x more heat energy than air. HVAC designs that use a hybrid radiant and downsized/optimized forced-air system are an excellent way to address high-performance buildings, without sacrificing occupant comfort.  Radiant excels in large commercial spaces, with high ceilings.  Warehouses, hangars, schools, offices and zero energy targeting buildings are great fits for radiant.

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Lastly, always use hydronic anti-freeze in the system. Marshall said most people use propylene glycol today. Then, test the glycol level with a refractometer to ensure the system will deliver proper performance.

Tubing is typically spaced at 6 in., 9 in. or 12 in. Burial depth is directly related to the type of surface your installing the tubing under. Here are some guidelines to follow for three different surface types:

When it comes to manifold locations, Marshall says your goal is to minimize your tube length. He also says irrigation type boxes are a good option for protecting outdoor manifolds.

Whether you are a residential contractor needing to distribute hot water to radiant manifolds or baseboards, or a commercial contractor needing to distribute hot water to a snow melt system or cooled water to a chilled beam system, anywhere you're using hydronics, PEX pipe can be the distribution method.