best heating system

[Yankee]

"You are right that if the pipes have a problem then you have a big problem."

When I lived in CA there were a bunch of people that had horrendous plumbing problems. All the houses were built during the same period, and several had pipe deterioration and leakages in or under the slabs. The practice in Southern CA at that time was to plumb with black iron pipe. Definitely not my favorite, but the local plumbers didn't really know how to deal with copper. Maybe they've gone to plastics since then, I don't know. In any event, it turned out to be a run of defective, low-quality pipe the builder got a "deal" on.

A couple of other thing to consider with embedded tubing and pipe: first, settlement and slab cracking can cause problems, second, doing it in an earthquake zone is asking for it. I was fortunate during the Northridge quake in that my house's slab didn't crack. Several neighbors weren't as lucky. My next door neighbor's house was condemned and torn down.

Small diversion from the thread - the tractor used to tear down his house was something to see. It was HUGE! The view from the cab was into the second floor windows. To tear the house down, the operator stuck the bucket into the garage, lifted, and collapsed the house. He then proceeded to run all over it for about an hour or so (it was tracked), crushing it to matchsticks, and loaded the debris into dump trucks. Done - all in half a day.

 

[_RaT_]

Not sure to what you are refferring to. Black iron pipe is used for plumbing your gas lines, the drawbacks of running steam in any metal pipe is obvious. ABS pipe is used for DWV and had issues back in the 70's with its original formula coming from "non virgin" stock. Copper is fine unless in acidic water situations or old and laiden with lead solder. There were huge problems using the poly tubing as part of the domestic water system. The longest lasting pipe is PEX from what I am reading. It is slowly being seen in construction in CA. It has been in use in Europe for many years where advanced aging studies have shown its longevity. The PEX pipe for radiant floor systems is considerably different from that of PEX domestic water. Fine Homebuilding or Journal of Light Construction ran an article as I remember about this.

 

[Yankee]

"Not sure to what you are refferring to. Black iron pipe is used for plumbing your gas lines ..."

Yes, but I'm talking about WATER lines. My house was plumbed 100% with iron pipe.

 

[Stonefox]

RAT, I too am planning on using ICFs. I bought a property about a year and a half ago in which the original owner had started to build the home with ICFs. He had gotten the lower floor, which is a half basement, up and he ran into some financial problems so he had to sell the property. He also had PEX radiant heat lines put into the half basement slab and I would like to extend that heating system into the upper floor. I'm planning on using solar for heating and domestic hot water by means of using a heat exchanger to transfer hot glycol to heat the domestic hot water and radiant hot water system. From what I can gather I should be able to supply close to 90% of my hot water and heating needs from solar in my part of the country. I was wondering if you had any comparable R values for ICFs ? Right now I'm only planning on using the ICFs for the lower level of the home which is half built into a hill with a southern exposure and using conventional 2X6 stick frame construction for the upper level . I have not been able to identify the manufacturer of the ICFs used in the basement. Also, does anyone know of any sources for solar heating equipment and can anyone identify the band make of these ICFs so I can get some specs for them?
Stonefox

 

[Stonefox]

another picture

 

[Stonefox]

one more

 

[Yankee]

"I bought a property about a year and a half ago in which the original owner had started to build the home with ICFs. He had gotten the lower floor ..."

I'd say his loss was your gain. It looks to be an interesting design. Best of luck with it. (and nice tractor)

 

[_RaT_]

Wow Richard. It looks like it's been poured. Did you get the set of plans as well? Any ideas on external finishes? Is that ARXX (Blue Maxx) ICF. ICF should be ideal in hot climates. I also have some ideas on some super lighting systems if you are interested. A bit pricey, but very nice and a real asset for ICF. I know much of New Mexico uses 3 coat plaster on the interior, is that your plan? I also have a superb plasterer from Santa Fe. He's done jobs for us bringing his whole crew to California. Best wishes with your project. It will be nice to have the tractor around during construction. Keep us posted. Mark...

 

[SPIKER]

stonefox: looks like you got a great start all ready for ya!..

Mark M

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

I'm thinking of ICF's for a basement with SIPS above ground. Maybe it's my old way of thinking, but I just don't know if I'm ready for concrete walls above ground.