Browse Forums Heating, Cooling & Insulation Re: In-slab heating- -questions 13Jun 25, 2007 12:40 pm Dobly,
I am finalising the house concept design at the moment. Should be ready to submit a DA to Council in a couple of month’s time. Would like to start building early next year, but at the rate I'm going it may be more like mid next year. If you read some of my other posts you'll notice that I'm tacking on everything with regards to low energy heating and cooling. Not sure if everything will work, but it will be interesting to see what does and doesn't work. Will certainly let everyone know how well each component works. My objective is to have a house that never goes outside the range 20 to 26 Celsius all year round without any air-conditioning or electric/gas heating. If anyone has heard of any low energy heating or cooling ideas I'd be happy to try them and let everyone know how it performs. Low energy means only allowed to use power to move water or air around - no air-conditioning compressor or electric/gas heater. Cheers, Casa Re: In-slab heating- -questions 15Jul 06, 2007 10:20 am That website is good and those heating panels would be good in the bedrooms
if one can make them operate on timer switches. Casa, I am getting quotes from a pvt builder who is willing to accomodate slab heating. The ones we had enquired was by 'devi' at a cost of approx $60 per sq meter grids into the slab.. I understand it uses off peak electricity to heat in the night and the slab then serves as a thermal battery..What was the passive source you mentioned? should one recirculate solar hot water? The issue with pvt builders is they dont like to make'box type' houses but I feel they are practical for placing solar panels. Please let me know if you know of any dealers for this type of heating cheers, vp Re: In-slab heating- -questions 16Jul 06, 2007 10:55 am This is purely from an amateur point of view, but did you notice in the supplied link where it is mentioned that these heaters are "designed to be on for long periods of time". To me, this is a bit like hydronic/in-slab heating where the reaction time is slower than ducted heating so it's not very efficient turning it on and off constantly.
I was speaking to our heating guy the other day, he's a hydronic heating specialist, and he says the same thing - I think even more so for in-slab as he says it takes approx. 8 hours until it's fully up at the desired temperature. So I'm trying to put it gently into my Aussie husband's mind that the heating stays on while we go shopping. On low, of course, but on. Another thing the heating guy metioned is that because we tend to turn our ducted heating on and off all the time it might contribute to cracks in the walls as the house cools and warms. Re: In-slab heating- -questions 17Jul 06, 2007 2:48 pm Good info Mek. I have actually heard the weird cracking- stretching sound in a weatherboard home in the US whenever the heating kicked in ... one can imagine microscopic cracks that eventually become visible to the human eye.
Can you please provide the details of your heating guy, I can check them out on the weekend. I am also in Melbourne (eastern subs). cheers, vp Re: In-slab heating- -questions 18Jul 06, 2007 3:35 pm I hope you understood me correctly, vpande. I was talking about ducting heating in AUS where the turning on/turning off (and the cooling/warming of a house consequently) might contribute to cracks on walls.
If you're talking about cracking <b>sound</b> in the walls with hydronic heating, this comes from the water circulating in the pipes, as far as I know. I have no details of the hydronic heating guy, his company is sub-contracted to our builder, but I can ask if you want. Re: In-slab heating- -questions 19Jul 06, 2007 4:02 pm Mek - See my original post on this subject.
Unless you live in a constantly cold area - in slab heating - being a thermal mass based system - is better left on for long periods of time and it is not suitable for a on-off type environment. You might find his link of help http://www.energy-toolbox.vic.gov.au/dmdocuments/schools_information/secondary/secondary_supprt_matls/choose_heat_sys.pdf Steve Re: In-slab heating- -questions 20Sep 20, 2008 2:06 am mmm on reading all there is on this forum about in-slab floor heating, i am still confused about cost/type and effectiveness.
we currently have gas ducted heating, and yes its quite effective at taking the chill off and then heating the roof often too hot and then no happy medium; without the system switching off and on constantly. We are planning to build a large (well insulated/ICF) 2 storey house, with tiles on the ground floor and carpet upstairs, in Adelaide Perhaps i think its a gimmick or the running costs that have me at a doubt, to me its sounds like a really big electric blanket; does it really 'heat' the room? or give you the perception of being warm/comfortable (like putting a beanie on your head) walking on warm tiles? confused... -Nathan 2nd-Fix | Blog Building with Desyn Homes previously with the insolvent [url=https://www.facebook.com/7NewsAdelaide/videos/1162546323776021/]Endeavour Homes[/url] Does anyone have a suggestion for a good hydronic in slab heating speacialist who may be able to help me with an existing system and wether or not it may need a seperator… 0 4889 Personally, considering your layout (study/work desks in bedrooms), I don't think you have any other option but to leave NW windows and make them as big as possible e.g.… 7 10483 We had this happen to us last year and got charged a variation. Try and give away as much as you can that is usable to charity otherwise if you are in Sydney I have a… 1 4507 |