Ken Dunn wrote:
> Is there a specific type of material or will any old grommet do?
Neoprene rubber is the recommended material.
(Plumbing complexity)
> This is something that I've been trying to figure out for a while. I
> was way over
> complicating the design in my head. As long as I build or modify the
> storage
> tank myself and change my thermostat, it's not nearly as complicated as I
> initially thought.
It doesn't need to be terribly complex. Ours was installed by a
plumber whom I would never accuse of being the brightest bulb on the
Christmas tree!
($$$)
> How so? Of course, I'm not dealing with initial expenses here anyway.
The initial cost of a boiler tends to exceed that of a furnace, and
in our case, we installed a heat recovery ventilator. (Our boiler is
rated at 30 000 Btu and is tiny!) By the time we paid for everything,
we invested about $1 500 more in our radiant floor heating than would
have been the case with a contractor installed forced air system.
Labor to install radiant heat is likely the most significant expense.
My wife and I installed all the tubing ourselves, with a lot of help
from some friends. (Ok, maybe that was the other way around!) It's a
LOT of work, but the work is well worth your effort if you can do it
yourself.
> >From a related yet different perspective, do I introduce any trouble
> by burning
> my wood burning fireplace insert?
No.
>Do you reverse ceiling fans during the winter?
No, that isn't necessary. It seems a little counterintuitive, but
you've got to appreciate that radiant heat very gently transfers into
the air above the floor, where most of the energy is going. Heat
rises naturally and gradually over time, forming thermal gradients
that make the air near the ceiling cooler. I walk around my house
with bare feet all winter long. If I feel uncomfortable, I simply put
my feet on the floor.
> Thanks much for your comments,
You're welcome!
> ***Editor's Note*** I am my own editor and often drink on the job.
I do too, but it's almost always tea!
robert luis rabello
"The Edge of Justice"
Adventure for Your Mind
http://www.newadventure.ca
Ranger Supercharger Project Page
http://www.members.shaw.ca/rabello/
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