Radiant Heating

[John]

I have a small portion of my kitchen approx 6 x 6 (a converted mud room) that is on a concrete slab. I am putting in a new kitchen and I wish to use under floor radiant heating in this area. I heard of some sort of retrofit install that includes an inexpensive pump I can use with my existing hot water tank. Is there such a thing? I am handy and have completed all the plumbing in my new bathroom; is this in the realm of my experience? Would I need to purchase a bunch of new tools? There would be room to place the piping on top of the slab and under the sub floor.

Or, would it be more energy efficient to use an electric mat? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Don Zorn]

John - I can't answer your questions, but I think that if you went with the electric radiant heating on a cement slab, the thing would take forever to warm up.

Note that I installed radiant heating cable in a second floor ensuite bathroom on a plywood subfloor above a heated room below and is it ever slow to heat up - takes about 1.5-2 hours to warm the tiles up to a nice comfortable temperature. On a cement slab, if you have dirt underneath - I believe if would take forever.

My $.02 based on limited experience with only one install.

Don

[PEW]

John,

Just installed electric mats in my bathroom remodel, which is on a concrete slab.

I used .25 inch Wedi board on the concrete, then the heat mats, and then the tile. Wedi board gives you insulation so the slab does not pull all the heat. It takes about two hours to produce heat.

Would not count on it as being the only heat source, but it sure is nice to step out of the shower on a warm floor.

I am in the process of doing a second bathroom, and plan to use it in a kitchen remodel this year. If you would like to discuss this in further detail, email me at Paul@CannonCold.com as it gets a bit off topic for this forum.

Paul