Geothermal and Heated Floors

[Collin E]

I am in the process of purchasing land and meeting with architects to get plans for a house drawn up. I want to install a geothermal system for heating and cooling, but I also want heated floors. Based on the little research I have done, it seems like geothermal radiant heat floors are nowhere near as efficient as geothermal forced air. Would it be best to install geothermal forced air and use that as the primary heating source and then install a different method of floor heating? If so, what would be recommended for this scenario?

 

[John Gayewski]

I am in the process of purchasing land and meeting with architects to get plans for a house drawn up. I want to install a geothermal system for heating and cooling, but I also want heated floors. Based on the little research I have done, it seems like geothermal radiant heat floors are nowhere near as efficient as geothermal forced air. Would it be best to install geothermal forced air and use that as the primary heating source and then install a different method of floor heating? If so, what would be recommended for this scenario?

Depends on if you prioritize comfort or efficiency. Radiant (or anything) needs to be hotter than your skin to feel hot. Water to air heat pumps don't generally make the air hotter than 70 deg f. That is cooler than your skin and feels cold, but it will get your house to 70 degrees. Radiant is hotter which takes more energy, but feels much better to most people who like heat and want to feel comfortable in their house. Radiant heat feels better and I personally prefer it.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Fitter30]

This is just one of many brands of water to water geo heat pumps
https://www.miamihp.com/online-store/5.0-ton-water-to-water-geothermal-heat-pump

 

[WorthFlorida]

I do not know anything about geothermal but the way "efficient" is used can get you off track. Since floor heating may take longer to warm the room, especially if it is concrete, some may think it is less efficient but with a new build you'll have good insulation below the concrete so heat lost to the earth will be minimal. Forced air you're heating the air first but heat will be absorbed by the furnishing, walls and floors. Floor heating will be a more even heat as it forced air will not. Either way it will take just about the same energy to heat the space.

I've been in my brother's home with radiant floor heating and it is extremely comfortable. Your architect firm should be able to answer this since they usually will use an engineer to design a heating system. What needs to be known is how much heat the geothermal can deliver when it gets into the sub freezing range. With forced air electric heating elements can be added in the air handler as an auxiliary heat source.

 

[John Gayewski]

I do not know anything about geothermal but the way "efficient" is used can get you off track. Since floor heating may take longer to warm the room, especially if it is concrete, some may think it is less efficient but with a new build you'll have good insulation below the concrete so heat lost to the earth will be minimal. Forced air you're heating the air first but heat will be absorbed by the furnishing, walls and floors. Floor heating will be a more even heat as it forced air will not. Either way it will take just about the same energy to heat the space.

I've been in my brother's home with radiant floor heating and it is extremely comfortable. Your architect firm should be able to answer this since they usually will use an engineer to design a heating system. What needs to be known is how much heat the geothermal can deliver when it gets into the sub freezing range. With forced air electric heating elements can be added in the air handler as an auxiliary heat source.

Correct the use of the word efficiency here is a bit odd. The reason they address saying that is due to the top end temperature needed to heat the space. Radiant heat doesn't actually need to be hotter, but it is in almost every case. The forced air heat pump systems only run at 70 degrees thus needing less energy to run. If you cranked them up to 85 degrees and used electric resistence to help get there they would actually be less efficient.

 

[Fitter30]

I do not know anything about geothermal but the way "efficient" is used can get you off track. Since floor heating may take longer to warm the room, especially if it is concrete, some may think it is less efficient but with a new build you'll have good insulation below the concrete so heat lost to the earth will be minimal. Forced air you're heating the air first but heat will be absorbed by the furnishing, walls and floors. Floor heating will be a more even heat as it forced air will not. Either way it will take just about the same energy to heat the space.

I've been in my brother's home with radiant floor heating and it is extremely comfortable. Your architect firm should be able to answer this since they usually will use an engineer to design a heating system. What needs to be known is how much heat the geothermal can deliver when it gets into the sub freezing range. With forced air electric heating elements can be added in the air handler as an auxiliary heat source.

Geo systems loop temps 45* -50*. When its 0* or 100* outside unit only sees 45*-50*. Vertical loops 200-400' more than one loop each are separated by 20'. 200' per ton.