Radiant Heat with GSHP...Yea or Nay?

[Paddy]

MGH PA,

We have an ICE basement, in fact entire multi story home is ICF with concrete floors and roof. We installed radiant heat in the basement slabs where we have work shops and a rec room yet to be used as a rec room. We never turn it on! Most of the year it's perfect down there.

The best part about radiant is it can and should be zoned with it's own controller. All our un-used bedrooms are set to 50 F during the winter. When we have guests, the day before we turn it up.

If all your home will be radiant, then sure use it in the basement. If not, it might be hard to justify all the complexity of pump, manifolds and controllers especially if mostly occasional use. I say that because of the gym and guest room/s. The gym you might prefer to work out at 60 F. Guest room might be served open opening the heat vent when in use. The rec room is the big question. Many rec rooms get built but are really used. When I was a kid with 6 additional siblings, we used the rec room in the basement as the "kids family room". On the other hand, my son has a home theater but is only used when they have friends over AND they watch a movie.

 

[Ranger Rick]

Do you need to use air conditioning where you are? If you do having then you have to put in duct work which can also heat an area. This would make radiant an extra expense. I rebuilt our old barn into living quarters on a slab with GSHP heating. I insulated the slab with 2 inch foam board and glued engineered hardwood to the concrete. During the winter the floors were comfortable to walk around on barefoot. I was originally thinking radiant but opted to save the money and made sure my building was sealed well from air infiltration and well insulated. I love the geo.