Journal of Light Construction: Radiant

Radiant in a Box

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 01:34:14 EST

This unit is essentially a pre-assembled mechanical room that you can hang on the wall.

Floor Heat Cable

Fri, 6 Jul 2012 03:47:06 EST

WarmWire floor heat cable makes it easy to incorporate radiant heat into a kitchen or bath: You simply tape cable straps to each side of the subfloor, weave the cable between the straps, and cover with a cement-based or gypsum-based mortar.

Expanding a Kitchen

Fri, 6 Jul 2012 05:05:44 EST

We were wrapping up the latest in a series of renovation projects on a suburban Maryland split-level home when I casually mentioned to the owner that her Thanksgiving family gatherings would be a lot more enjoyable if her small kitchen weren't separated from the dining and living areas by a wall.

Hydronic Heating for Low-Load Houses

Fri, 6 Jul 2012 05:05:48 EST

With the right hardware and layout, hot-water heating saves energy and makes ideal use of the sun.

Q&A: Insulating a Radiant Slab

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:03:23 EST

Q: How much insulation is necessary under a typical basement radiant slab?

Letters

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 01:11:21 EST

Protecting trees on site; radiant-heat claims revisited; unnecessary design regulations; pedal power; more

Letters

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 01:10:23 EST

Another look at energy claims; feeling the financial squeeze

Expanding a Narrow Laundry Room

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 01:09:54 EST

Cantilevering the floor and using the existing roof overhang kept costs down.

Q&A: Does Radiant-Barrier Paint Work?

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:02:03 EST

Q: My painting subcontractor is recommending Thermo-Tek, a paint the manufacturer says is a radiant barrier. What can you tell me about products like this one or similar coatings made with something called ceramic microspheres that claim to have thermal characteristics and promise significant energy savings?

A Close Look at Common Energy Claims

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 01:08:44 EST

Understanding energy consumption and moisture movement in the homes we build is hard enough; rampant half-truths and misconceptions only make it harder.

Products

Tue, 4 Dec 2012 04:16:41 EST

Green Toilet ~ Cool Roof ~ Cool Attic ~ Steel Driving Gun ~ Have a Blast ~ Starter Strip Marries Skirtboard ~ Precision Dry Stack ~ Self-Sealing Furring Nail ~ Termite Treatment

Q&A: Will Radiant Heat Melt a Wax Ring?

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:00:31 EST

Q: My company has been contracted to build a new bathroom. Plans include a tile floor installed over a radiant-heated slab. Will the heat generated by the hydronic tubing embedded in the slab cause problems with the wax seal between the toilet and the dra

Q&A: Stained Plaster Repair

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 11:59:45 EST

Q: What's the best way to remove a water stain from a sand-finish plaster ceiling? The plaster was applied over electric radiant-heating cable stapled to Gypboard backing, with a sand finish that won't tolerate any rubbing. Could we use a tinted wash that

Heating a Home With a Tankless Water Heater

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:57:25 EST

Even in a cold climate, these efficient units can provide both domestic hot water and whole-house heating.

Q&A: Passive Solar Flooring

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 11:57:36 EST

Q. Passive Solar Flooring Instead of tile, my clients want to install a wood-finish floor over the insulated concrete slab of a planned passive solar addition. They've also asked us to install tubing in the slab to give them the option of radiantly heating the space. But won't wood flooring have a significant insulating effect that will diminish both solar heat gain and radiant heat transfer?

Kitchen & Bath

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:49:55 EST

Supporting a floating stone countertop; floor warmers; cabinets

Letters

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:45:36 EST

Post-tension cables; fire damage; wrong railing test; skilled workers; radiant and geothermal; more

Q&A: Fixing a Radiant-Tubing Leak

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 11:55:16 EST

Q. I have a leak in my recently installed radiant tubing, no doubt caused by freezing last winter before the system was fully operational. The tubing is a 300-foot run buried in a 4-inch concrete slab. Is there some kind of "stop leak" that can be circula

Q&A: Will Carpet Stifle a Radiant Slab?

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 11:54:58 EST

Q. I'm finishing a basement room for customers who want to put carpet over the radiant slab. I'm concerned the carpet will insulate off some of the heat, but I can't talk them out of it. The slab is 4 to 5 inches thick, and the 1/2-inch PEX tubing is laid out on 12-inch centers, with 11/2 inches of styrofoam insulation under the slab and around its edges. The slab is at least 5 feet below grade; local frost depth is 48 inches. Is there a type of carpet and pad that would allow more heat to radiate into the room? Will the carpet cause heat to be lost into the ground?

Backfill: Dirt Is in the Eye of the Beholder

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:39:22 EST

Down-and-dirty flooring goes upscale