Installed correctly, ground-source heat pumps can provide comfortable, efficient heating in many climates. Here’s an overview of the available options. More
Q: A client wants a portion of a basement slab to have radiant heat to take the chill off the floor of a planned playroom (there will be supplemental heat). The hvac contractor wants the radiant tubing, which will be attached to wire mesh, to be lifted into the middle of the slab during the pour to put the heat closer to the surface. The concrete contractor doesn’t want to do this because he insists that cracks will show up along the tubing. He wants to leave the tubing at the bottom, and says the insulation board will drive the heat up anyway. He recommends at least 3 inches of concrete-above the tubing. Which is correct? More
Steel hollow-wall fasteners, exterior vinyl flooring, low-maintenance vinyl deck boards, remodeling for your pickup, easy metal roof panels, one-piece PVC deck system, low-profile hydronic baseboard, outdoor lighting, rooftop snow guard More
Finned-tube baseboard is the most commonly installed hot-water heating system in... More
More on heating with water heaters, steel stud comments, AIA contract, window energy-cost correction, in praise of crushed stone More
Follow-up questions on using water heaters for radiant heat, framing sub speaks out, clarification of span-to-depth ratio of floor trusses, architect espouses teamwork More
A veteran plumbing contractor points out the advantages of using a gas water... More
Radiant heating primer, masonry veneer guide, user-friendly UBC Index More
Hardwood floors can perform well over radiant heat, but it takes careful hvac... More
