Closed-loop Geo-thermal, radiant and solar. cistern ideas

Exu290536
by Exu290536
New house construction under planning phase in Charleston, SC w/ closed-loop geo-thermal, radiant heat and hopefully solar, depending on price. 4000 sq' main floor, 2000sq' lower floor. Does radiant heat make sense if using real wood flooring in @ 50% of main floor?
  2 answers
  • Hannah V Hannah V on Aug 29, 2014
    I think @Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com might be able to give you some good insight on this!
  • Yes any radiant system makes sense. With wood however you must carefully design and install the system. Wood dries as its heated, It shrinks as the moisture content is lowered from the heat. Ideally engineered flooring performs much better as its less prone to shrinkage and swelling from differences in moisture. But solid wood can work well, but the secrete to this is a properly air sealed house with controlled fresh air make up that is conditioned as its delivered to the home. In the south your humidity levels are much higher during the summer. So this makes this even more important. Radiant heat and Geo-thermal is expensive. Much more then pretty much any other type of heating/cooling system. But the paybacks are also the best. If your planning to be in the house for any length of time, your monthly energy costs will be very low. If you can combine that with a electrical solar system, that you own, not rent, plus use spray foam insulation. You will find your home in nice weather will be pretty much free to heat and cool. When you think about the extensive costs your paying you can get a pretty good idea of just how fast this will pay itself off. Of course there are rebate programs that come into play. That makes this even more exciting to try to do. But as far as using solid wood, both the heating contractor and the flooring contractor needs to be on the same page when it comes to installing. If the wood is to dry on install, it will swell in the summer, if its to damp, there will be several larger gaps as the wood dries from the warmer floor. Just be sure that the radiant barrier is properly installed below the radiant tubes so it will push the heat up through the floor. If designs allow a imbedded pipe system in a cement slurry really works the best. But that can add a lot to the cost and added weight may be not in the design of the flooring system.