Raspy
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Dec 16, 2006
- Messages
- 1,636
- Location
- Smith Valley, Nevada
- Tractor
- NH TC29DA, F250 Tremor, Jeep Rubicon
The cost for the radiant tubing, etc is minimal in the beginning and pays off very well later with comfort.
Just lay your rebar at 12" on center. If you were already planning on larger bar on 24" centers, you could go to a smaller bar on 12" centers, such as, #4 to #3, to save money. Tie 1/2" PEX (5/8" OD) or 3/4" PEX (7/8" OD) tubing to it with rebar ties in a serpentine fashion with equal length loops of no more than 300 Linear feet for 1/2" or 500 feet for 3/4". Slip the ends through 3/4" (or 1" for 3/4" PEX)electrical PVC conduit 90s where the ends exit the slab and connect to the manifold. Set the top of the manifold 30" above finished grade and out of the sun. Get a brand of manifold that does not require any special tools to work with the connectors. Buy a cheap PVC pipe cutting pliers to cut the PEX. Pressurize before the pour with air.
If you want floor sensing (unnecessary, but works OK), cut a piece of PEX about 3' long. Slip through a PVC conduit 90 and tape closed one end with electrical tape. Tie the closed end half way between two of your tubes, or about 6" away from them and have the other end come up in a wall or near the manifold. You can then slip a sensor down into the tube later and replace it later if needed. This sensor will go to a remote sensing thermostat that triggers the heating system when needed. Usually, the slab sensing system is only used if the heated slab is inside a forced air zone, such as a bathroom radiant floor in a forced air home. Always plan to use a setback thermostat on your radiant system no matter what the control strategy.
Later on you can make decisions about your mechanical stuff and make it simple or complicated.
I poured my house and garage slab after the roof was on. I have a metal frame house where the iron H posts are standing on perimeter square footings. I did all the underfloor infrastructure after the roof. Plumbing, electrical conduits, final grading, rebar, PEX, etc. Then built the exterior and interior walls to close it in. It was fun making the final floor plan after the roof was up. I could because of the iron trusses. It meant the whole structure was free standing and all interior walls are partitions. This also meant I could set the ceilings at any height I wanted or leave it open to the top in some places.
Just lay your rebar at 12" on center. If you were already planning on larger bar on 24" centers, you could go to a smaller bar on 12" centers, such as, #4 to #3, to save money. Tie 1/2" PEX (5/8" OD) or 3/4" PEX (7/8" OD) tubing to it with rebar ties in a serpentine fashion with equal length loops of no more than 300 Linear feet for 1/2" or 500 feet for 3/4". Slip the ends through 3/4" (or 1" for 3/4" PEX)electrical PVC conduit 90s where the ends exit the slab and connect to the manifold. Set the top of the manifold 30" above finished grade and out of the sun. Get a brand of manifold that does not require any special tools to work with the connectors. Buy a cheap PVC pipe cutting pliers to cut the PEX. Pressurize before the pour with air.
If you want floor sensing (unnecessary, but works OK), cut a piece of PEX about 3' long. Slip through a PVC conduit 90 and tape closed one end with electrical tape. Tie the closed end half way between two of your tubes, or about 6" away from them and have the other end come up in a wall or near the manifold. You can then slip a sensor down into the tube later and replace it later if needed. This sensor will go to a remote sensing thermostat that triggers the heating system when needed. Usually, the slab sensing system is only used if the heated slab is inside a forced air zone, such as a bathroom radiant floor in a forced air home. Always plan to use a setback thermostat on your radiant system no matter what the control strategy.
Later on you can make decisions about your mechanical stuff and make it simple or complicated.
I poured my house and garage slab after the roof was on. I have a metal frame house where the iron H posts are standing on perimeter square footings. I did all the underfloor infrastructure after the roof. Plumbing, electrical conduits, final grading, rebar, PEX, etc. Then built the exterior and interior walls to close it in. It was fun making the final floor plan after the roof was up. I could because of the iron trusses. It meant the whole structure was free standing and all interior walls are partitions. This also meant I could set the ceilings at any height I wanted or leave it open to the top in some places.
