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Old 09-15-16, 07:00 AM   #20
theoldwizard1
Apprentice EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: SE MI
Posts: 105
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stevehull View Post
Oklahoma has a mild winter, with a few windy cloudy cold days. Mostly, it is a sunny winter with days in the 40s and low in the 20s. It is not at all like SE Michigan as I have lived there for seven years (East Lansing) and Michigan has a much colder winter (Lansing, MI ~ 6700 heating degree days). Oklahoma City has 1/2 that or only about 3300 degree days.
Nice to see that you have data !

Quote:
Originally Posted by stevehull View Post
The problem is that a "heated" floor, where the floor "feels" heated, requires a floor temperature in the upper 70s to low 80s F. If you do that in a mild winter climate, then you can overheat a well insulated home.

A second issue, with a "heated" floor is the thermal flywheel effect.
I have limited experience living with radiant in floor heating (a relative had it). I don't understand your first statement. It seems illogical as a stand alone statement.

#2 is something I never considered ! Even with a wood floor (over a condition crawl space) and forced air we can experience the "flywheel effect", too a much lesser extent, in SE MI !

But you have the solution. Limit the mass that is heated by the radiant system. Make the flywheel smaller ! Possibly, tubing connected to a wood sub-floor.

I still think a "hybrid" system (where the radiant heat water is heated by a heat pump) IS a good solution !

Quote:
Originally Posted by stevehull View Post
Bottom line - so it really a good economical situation to do radiant floors throughout a home in the south when you have a short and mild heating system?
I think you are asking the question incorrectly ! The real question is, "Is my family's additional comfort from radiant flooring worth the $XXXX ?"

Quote:
Originally Posted by stevehull View Post
I have appreciated the many posts, but the issue seems to be economics - and the wife. She hates cold floors and she hates wall to wall carpeting (as do I).
"HAPPY WIFE, HAPPY LIFE !"

Quote:
Originally Posted by stevehull View Post
So it will be a lot of bare clean flooring, but perhaps electric radiant heating in just the bathroom will keep her happy. In there, I can heat that small floor area to 85 F !
The question I have about electric resistance heated floor is recovery time.

If you let the floor "coast" to a lower ambient temperature over night. How long does it take for it to achieve your desired temperature for your morning shower ? This can be mitigated by a set back thermostat.

But, can you live with that cold floor for that middle of the night trip to the bathroom ? How about a cold floor in the middle of the day ?
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