Remodeling the office (new floor, ceiling & adding insulation) passive house retrofit - Page 16

Daox · 11-13-13, 02:55 PM

I'm still working on a bit of the drywall, I think I have the final layer up on the corner. The main issue there is that I'm transitioning from plaster to drywall and there is a ~1/8" step to take care of. Having never done drywall before, this is a slow learning experience for me. Dusty, but not as horrible as some have made it seem.

I have already primed the ceiling and the majority of the outside wall with the windows. I'm getting awfully close to being able to start working on the hydronic floor (finally something interesting IMO haha).

gasstingy · 11-13-13, 03:13 PM

Since you said hydronic floor work was coming soon, I went back and looked again at the picture with the hydronic floor layout on it and something jumped out at me. What is the run that is shaped like S's all about on the lower left side?

I read {after I poured concrete, of course} that you want to be sure and leave plenty of room if your hydronic floor goes past a toilet. Too much heat around the wax seal and you may weaken it. Nobody wants a leaking toilet seal..... Since it seems to be taking the rest of my life to finish the project, I've not finished the downstairs of my project so the toilet is not in and the hydronic floor is only pex in the slab thus far.

{Can I call it downstairs if I haven't actually installed the stairs?

}

Daox · 11-13-13, 03:21 PM

Are you talking about this image?

gasstingy · 11-13-13, 03:23 PM

Yep, that's the one.

Daox · 11-13-13, 03:38 PM

If I had to guess I'd stay its just to fill in the oddly sized gap that is there between the two other lines on either side of the S.

gasstingy · 11-13-13, 03:40 PM

I figured that was more likely, but thought I'd throw it out there just in case one of those loops was to go around a floor flange opening.

Daox · 12-13-13, 08:11 PM

The drywall and priming is done.

The hydronic floor work is ready to start anytime. This is the current tubing layouts I have laid out for the floor. I drew it up in my CAD software (SolidWorks). I'm looking for some feedback on which will be better and if the extra work will be worth it?

This is the easier one. The tubing is on 6" centers. Each parallel length is 1380 inches long, so flow will be equal through all branches. By using parallel runs, pumping losses should be minimized even for a small room.

Here is the second more preferred, but definitely more work. This is with 5" tubing centers. The parallel lengths are about 1720 inches each. I like this one because it really works into the irregularities of the room better. I don't see there being a huge benefit from going from 6" centers to 5" centers otherwise. My heat spreaders are 4.75" wide. I am wondering if bending my 1/2" pex tubing will be more of an issue with this spacing?

Feedback is very welcome!

Mikesolar · 12-13-13, 08:20 PM

Won't one end of the room be much cooler than the other end?

Daox · 12-13-13, 08:23 PM

Correct. The supply will be in the upper right. The upper wall is an outer wall, so I figured warmer input water would be better there.

I find it hard to believe the whole room would be warmer on one end than the other, I mean its only a 14' square room. Will that really be an issue?

Mikesolar · 12-13-13, 08:26 PM

Depends on the length of each loop. @250ft length the typical temp drop will be about 20F. In your case that is probably not an issue as I think each loop is half that.

11-13-13, 02:55 PM	#151
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	I'm still working on a bit of the drywall, I think I have the final layer up on the corner. The main issue there is that I'm transitioning from plaster to drywall and there is a ~1/8" step to take care of. Having never done drywall before, this is a slow learning experience for me. Dusty, but not as horrible as some have made it seem. I have already primed the ceiling and the majority of the outside wall with the windows. I'm getting awfully close to being able to start working on the hydronic floor (finally something interesting IMO haha). Attached Thumbnails __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Last edited by Daox; 11-13-13 at 03:04 PM..

11-13-13, 03:21 PM	#153
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Are you talking about this image? __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

11-13-13, 03:38 PM	#155
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	If I had to guess I'd stay its just to fill in the oddly sized gap that is there between the two other lines on either side of the S. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

12-13-13, 08:11 PM	#157
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	The drywall and priming is done. The hydronic floor work is ready to start anytime. This is the current tubing layouts I have laid out for the floor. I drew it up in my CAD software (SolidWorks). I'm looking for some feedback on which will be better and if the extra work will be worth it? This is the easier one. The tubing is on 6" centers. Each parallel length is 1380 inches long, so flow will be equal through all branches. By using parallel runs, pumping losses should be minimized even for a small room. Here is the second more preferred, but definitely more work. This is with 5" tubing centers. The parallel lengths are about 1720 inches each. I like this one because it really works into the irregularities of the room better. I don't see there being a huge benefit from going from 6" centers to 5" centers otherwise. My heat spreaders are 4.75" wide. I am wondering if bending my 1/2" pex tubing will be more of an issue with this spacing? Feedback is very welcome! Attached Thumbnails __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

12-13-13, 08:20 PM	#158
Mikesolar Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Toronto Posts: 958 Thanks: 40 Thanked 158 Times in 150 Posts	Won't one end of the room be much cooler than the other end? Last edited by Mikesolar; 12-13-13 at 08:22 PM..

11-13-13, 03:13 PM	#152
gasstingy Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Arab, AL Posts: 491 Thanks: 109 Thanked 49 Times in 43 Posts	Since you said hydronic floor work was coming soon, I went back and looked again at the picture with the hydronic floor layout on it and something jumped out at me. What is the run that is shaped like S's all about on the lower left side? I read {after I poured concrete, of course} that you want to be sure and leave plenty of room if your hydronic floor goes past a toilet. Too much heat around the wax seal and you may weaken it. Nobody wants a leaking toilet seal..... Since it seems to be taking the rest of my life to finish the project, I've not finished the downstairs of my project so the toilet is not in and the hydronic floor is only pex in the slab thus far. {Can I call it downstairs if I haven't actually installed the stairs? }

11-13-13, 03:23 PM	#154
gasstingy Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Arab, AL Posts: 491 Thanks: 109 Thanked 49 Times in 43 Posts	Yep, that's the one.

11-13-13, 03:40 PM	#156
gasstingy Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Arab, AL Posts: 491 Thanks: 109 Thanked 49 Times in 43 Posts	I figured that was more likely, but thought I'd throw it out there just in case one of those loops was to go around a floor flange opening.

12-13-13, 08:23 PM	#159
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Correct. The supply will be in the upper right. The upper wall is an outer wall, so I figured warmer input water would be better there. I find it hard to believe the whole room would be warmer on one end than the other, I mean its only a 14' square room. Will that really be an issue? __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

12-13-13, 08:26 PM	#160
Mikesolar Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Toronto Posts: 958 Thanks: 40 Thanked 158 Times in 150 Posts	Depends on the length of each loop. @250ft length the typical temp drop will be about 20F. In your case that is probably not an issue as I think each loop is half that.

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