Radiant heat garage floor - retrofit??

[RussMurco]

Originally Posted by bret

Back when I was working in a totally unheated garage and had no money, but a lot of time...I made my own version of "radiant floor heat".

[1] large piece of cardboard [like a refrigerator box]
[1] electric blanket from Wal Mart
[1] additional large piece of cardboard

I slid this under my car [a blown injected Fairmont at the time] to lay one as I worked on suspension, brake lines, exhaust, etc. I would slide it over to the workbench if I needed it there. It was cheap, easy to move, very effective and disposable if you ruined it somehow.

Now every building I own is radiant floor heated. It is truly the only way to go.

Ya know, I laughed when I first read this but heck, makes sense in a pinch!

[RussMurco]

Originally Posted by bret

One additional logistical problem with "adding" floor heat over an existing slab...unless the slab is specially insulated in preparation for floor heat, the frozen ground will suck the heat out from under the concrete as fast as you can put it in.

That was something I was concerned with and it makes sense as I can leave the heat on 75 for a week and the floor is still 40 degrees!

[glassman]

Talk to a good tile contractor, they can put the "thinset" in the mat and tile over it. My problem with the granite or any other natural stone is the tendency to crack. Plus when using a "checkerboard" pattern, while it looks great, it's a bitc# when you drop something, can't find.

Porcelain tile over a heat mat, some boring earth tone,most functional. IMO

Mike

[Revved]

Radiant flooring is one thing that crossed my mind when building my shop but I didn't follow up on it. Fortunately I'm in North TX and its only cold a few months out of the year that I would use it. I've got full HVAC in the shop and even though I can keep the shop nice and toasty it still gets COLD laying on the concrete crawling under cars. I feel for you guys up north...I just couldn't do it! Thing to consider with radiant flooring is that heat rises so an efficient radiant flooring system will help heat your shop as well.

I can't see a cheap way to do it that would be worth while. To get a good system in there that would actually work I'm sure you are cutting out concrete... time to move!

[Fluid Power]

We just installed radiant tube heaters in my warehouse. I was spending a fortune in propane to use the old Reznor heaters. Everything was cold even though the temp was set at 70*. The new tube heaters work awesome. It is low even heat that heats the slab and everything in warehouse. We can set the temp at 65* and it feels a ton warmer. I asked my sales guy about installing them in my shop at home (30x40) but I was concerned about leaving them at a constant temperature if I was not going to be out there that often. He assured me that they had home units that work just as well and are cost effective and efficient. We bought the reverb-a-ray brand for what it is worth.

Darren

[RussMurco]

Originally Posted by Revved

Fortunately I'm in North TX and its only cold a few months out of the year that I would use it. I've got full HVAC in the shop and even though I can keep the shop nice and toasty it still gets COLD laying on the concrete crawling under cars. I feel for you guys up north...I just couldn't do it!

I just moved here from Dallas a couple of years ago, don't rub it in!

I talked with our slab guy, he reminded me that I have a building that is slightly over the size it was supposed to be so getting a new building permit may invite more headaches. Oh boy!

I may talk to a radiant tube heater rep, it seems like the most cost efficient way to do what I want to accomplish. Bret is right though, that slab sucks away the heat so quickly so I'm doubting how effective a floor-based heater would be.

Or maybe... I'll invent a heated creeper!!!

[Sieg]

I'm using vinyl flooring remnants of the new generation of foam backed fiberglass stabilized lose lay products on my concrete floor and they act as a decent insulator. The 230v Hot One heater at top center of the picture has worked exceptional. The garage is only 790 s.f. but well insulated (R32 doors) and I never run the heater thermostat past 50% and that keeps the garage at 68*. Based on electrical rates it isn't costing more than $25 a month to heat it.



The heavier weight floors from Mannington or Tarkett's commercial rating flooring have held up well and you should be able to get rems for $1 s.f. or so.

That's the budget rout but it's effective.

[Sparks67]

Originally Posted by Ravenworks

I may talk to a radiant tube heater rep, it seems like the most cost efficient way to do what I want to accomplish. Bret is right though, that slab sucks away the heat so quickly so I'm doubting how effective a floor-based heater would be.

Your current heating system is the typical forced air furnace. Which relies on the air as heat transfer. Less effective design, and more costly in fuel costs.


While radiant heat is design to heat the objects in the room. Radiant heat is like the sun, it heats objects. So, it can be the floor, radiant panels in the wall, or Radiant tube heater. You walk by the radiant tube heater and almost get a tan. It is so like the sun. You should see a dramatic reduction in costs to heat your building vs a forced air system. Bret's radiant floor heat is very effective. I feel less tired in radiant heated building than with forced air.

Here is a video that should help you out in your decision. Detroit Radiant has several video's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wjiQUYkols

I recommend that you contact your local plumbing/heating contractor, because they have access to the various brands of infrared tube heaters in your local area. I have contacted the suppliers, and they never seem to call back.

[Sparks67]

Originally Posted by Sieg

I'm using vinyl flooring remnants of the new generation of foam backed fiberglass stabilized lose lay products on my concrete floor and they act as a decent insulator.

Yeah, I have these in the garage as well. They get slick, when the snow drips off my truck on to these vinyl floor remnants. I need to get rid of them.

[DBasher]

Radiant wall heaters would be a good option for someone with a completed garage. I'm at a building now with the old wall radiators. Boiler tripped and shut off 3 days ago, now that it's fixed it's bringing everything back up to temperature pretty quick...I'll go lay on the floor and see how it feels.

Dan

So after 4hrs it went from 41 to 56 degrees. Not bad for an old set up that once burned coal than oil and now gas...