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Radiant Design

Hydronic Radiant is the most efficient, versatile and sustainable vehicle by which nearly all home heating (sometimes cooling) energy can be transferred. Alternative energy systems have to be controlled to dump excess energy, with a properly designed hydronic system, this otherwise wasted energy can be used or stored for future use.

Proper design starts at the planning stage, incorporating radiant and all it has to offer into the total building design.  When Radiant Design is addressed during the planning stage, notes and details can be reflected (documented) right on to your plans. Details on your plans will help insure proper installation and greatly enhance the overall performance of your system.

Design means different thing to different people. Many people including those in the HVAC trade feel they can design a hydronic system using "rule of thumb" or catalog engineering. Not so with radiant!

Our advice is to find an experienced professional that will do a quality radiant design.

A quality radiant design should include at minimum:

  • Discussion about energy sources, their efficiencies and operating/life cycle cost.
  • Information on home orientation
  • Wall, floor and roof construction.
  • Insulation.
  • Window/door quality.
  • Thermal mass isolation.
  • Floor coverings.
  • Heat emitters options.
  • Complete room by room heating and cooling energy analysis of the building.
  • Selection and sizing of all system hardware.
  • Radiant tubing layout drawings (24" X 36").
  • Piping schematics.
  • Control Systems.
  • On-site inspections.
  • Technical support for the installing contractor.
  • Technical binder with entire design.

Smart Solutions, Inc. provides this information so you can educate yourself enough to ask your radiant designer the right questions, avoid the "design as you go" approach and insure you get the best possible results with your system.

                                            

The picture above compares heat distribution of forced air vs. radiant heat.

Forced air systems causes, hot air to stratify leaving the floor cold.

Radiant heat is distributed in a way that is comfortable.  Warm at the feet and cooler at head level.

Be sure to check out these "Hydronic Radiant" links: