Radiant Floor Heating | Initial Slab Preparation
Installing tubing in a slab or thin slab for radiant floor heating offers many great benefits. Two of the main features people love about radiant heat are the comfort of warm floors and the efficiency associated with this method of heating.
If you're planning a radiant Floor Heating system, either for a new construction project or for a retrofit - we do recommend enlisting the help of a competent radiant design specialist. Some things to keep in mind regardless as you prepare for a radiant slab:
? Do any excavation, filling necessary or required by local building codes
? Verify that all under slab plumbing and/or electrical services are in place
? Finish grading by leveling and tamping the fill - rake off any loose rocks or debris - the final grade should be level and allow for the thickness of both the slab and any under slab insulation
? Use 6-mill plastic sheeting for your vapor barrier - this prevents moisture from migrating upward and prevents adverse effects on floor coverings and/or adhesives
? Place your under slab and/or edge insulation
? Install welded-wire Reinforcing. I normally recommend 6 by 6 wire re-mesh, because it is perfect for tubing spacing
? In many cases, if you have foam insulation down already, you can use foam staples to install your tubing and forego the wire re-mesh.
The pictures below show a vapor barrier with perimeter insulation and wire re-mesh... |
