Radiant ceiling panels provide a type of heat that feels natural like sunlight. I have lived here for 24 years and I absolutely LOVE this heating!! Our home was built in 1957 and has radiant heat in the ceiling. From some work I've done on another area, it seems that each panel is powered individually from the rooms thermostat. convective heating system. In an attempt to repair it I found 3 cut wires. Take the breakers out and leave the next owner to puzzle over this? On the other hand, a convective heating system produces an environment where the air temperature is greater than the MRT in space. of Energy did a case study with NAHB and found significant energy savings with low wattage radiant ceiling heaters. there must be power coming from another part of the room. Forced-air and baseboard (whether electric or hot-water) heating systems are convective systems because they use air as the primary heat-transfer medium. Of course the person standing next to the radiant panel is more comfortable, which means you CANNOT just compare air temperatures and do BTU calculations based on electric and gas. 18" from the ceiling joists) above each room thermostat. That said, many wonder why radiant heating isnt in more American homes, especially considering its popularity abroad (in Europe and Asia, 40 and 80 percent of homes, respectively, are heated by a radiant system). 215 Year Old House - Wide Board Attic Refinishing. Should we be concerned? Different systems have differing system-efficiencies- with differing fractions of distribution loss. Radiant Ceiling Heat 1970S. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. With radiant ceilings and floors comfort is achieved at a lower room temp, which can reduce the amount of fuel used by a few percent. Does a CU swap require a full initial verification on all circuits before it can be energised? I am looking for some truth here and am always open to learning new things. ), I ve personally visited a housenwith ceiling radiant panels, andi didnt like it Electric radiant heat has a further advantage in that the heat generated is done so within the room that needs it. These stones would absorb the heat and slowly radiate it outward. One crack at the end of the hallway is quite large. means that radiant heating systems increase the mean radiant temperature (MRT; average room surface temperature) to which occupants are exposed, thereby allowing comfort at lower Any homeowner that follows your advice may regret the decision -- especially if electricity rates in Minnesota ever approach the levels paid by homeowners in New England. Performance. While Warmboard offers better-than-average . I got the Line Voltage Thermostat at Grainger for about the same price as available online. The $500 is based on 7 cents per kwh. It's the type with a wire snaked back & forth, embedded between two layers of sheetrock or plaster. The article was written by the Research Chairman of the ASHRAE Radiant Heating and Cooling Technical Committee. Kick the 'stat back to the mid-60's - who needs a hot bedroom? 25% more in the 1950s house and 10% more in the modern house. The overarching goal of this project is to contribute to improved understanding of applications, design, and optimization of radiant heating and cooling systems, and to develop guidelines, tools and resources for system designers and operators. It's an older system and I'll describe what I learned about it. It appears the wires are embedded in the drywall. HeatingGreen.com offers comparable panels if you're looking to compare. Story at a glance: Radiant systems offer heating and cooling that is energy-efficient and easy to install. The living room and hall are tied together onone thermostat and has stop working. The tech wanted the sheetrock/plaster removed in a 2' radius around the break, and the repair to the wire cost around $ 850.00. Radiant ceilings accelerate fast, when needed, to meet a big change in heating load. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for pair of vintage NOS 1970 Aubrey 7312 surface mount ceiling heater at the best online prices at eBay! You posted a similar comment on this page on Feb. 9, 2012. https://www.pmmag.com/articles/101670-john-siegenthaler-radiant-panel-systems You can get hot water panels. You need to think about this as a complex system involving humans in order to answer the questions about comparing fundamentally different heating systems. It consists of a metal grid that hangs from the rafters and heats up when electricity flows through it (similar to how you might use radiant floor heat). If you look at a simple termperature response curve of a various radiant elements, you'll note that different efficiencies (measured in terms of radiated and convected J/KWh) can be obtained in via different designs. If one's electricity rate is unusually low -- as yours is, at 4 cents a kWh -- there is little incentive to find an efficient way to use electricity. Heat loss plays a huge role in how long the heat will last on your radiant ceiling heat. Forced air heating and cooling is integrated and common in homes with existing ductwork. Check into a company out of Wareham, MA. It is one of the most efficient ways to heat your home and could possibly save you as much as twenty percent on your energy costs. Copper tubing however, is able to handle temperatures and fluctuations without damage . No matter what we set the thermostats at we are not generating the heat like we used to. Or go with something totally different like a mini split? you seem like an experienced person judging from internet info : Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Ill post when i talk with electrician. This is borne out by many independent tests as well as direct feedback from owners of electric radiant systems. Any one run into that before, Just wanted to add an important warning to this post. We are looking at a home built in 1975. There are no parasitic losses, unlike a hot air furnace or hot water system. Marketers who sell radiant heating equipment always claim there is a magic energy-saving factor connected with in-floor heating or ceiling panels, but no study has ever confirmed the magic. Fire Resistive Glazing Blocks Radiant Heat. There are many reasons for this. Copyright 2023 Acton Media Inc. All rights reserved. A/C 15 SEER Heil heatpump system installed in attic with 95% efficient LP furnace with variable speed and 2 stage blower and 16 SEER A/C only condensor. A collection of one thousand construction details organized by climate and house part. This efficiency means that your furnace doesnt need to work as hard, and you save an additional 10 to 20 percent on energy costsabove and beyond what youre already saving by choosing radiant heat over a traditional system. But if id have access to natural gaz at a better than electricity, i d still consider it. Great to see posts about homes built in the late 60's - 70's that used radiant ceiling heat. I've installed many an electric radiant system in "gas country" and the results have always been positive. Stat in each room. Absolutely bloody useless. Around the same time, on the other side of the globe, the Korean ondol system heated homes by means of cooking fires that transmitted heat from the kitchen to a series of strategically positioned stones. Please cite a paper or study supporting your theory; I've never read one. I sent them both a website inquiry. They do do work in Ohio. . In winter, this situation is reversed with your warm indoor air moving through the plasterboard and outside of the home. First of all, your lectures about mean radiant temperatures and comfort are condescending. Its estimated that Warmboard can hit the target temperature with water thats 30 degrees cooler than a competing system would require to achieve comparable results. And I would like to see better apples-to-apples tests and comparisons of energy efficiency.). With hydronic radiant ceiling systems, your space is heated and cooled more efficiently, bringing comfort to all occupants. Is the heat grid contained in the actual ceiling panels? It may take about 1-3 hours to finish installation in a single room. In this type of system, heat arrives, not via vents or standalone units, but from panels under the floor. Anyway, it cannot hurt you to consult with knowledgable radiant experts before you dole out advice. We LOVE it and its still working great almost 60 years later except in laundry room where Len the Plumber cut the wires. Radiant ceilings have the same effect in a current code built stick frame, as they did the the post war building boom when many homes (hundreds in a neighborhood here in Richfield, MN) used copper tubing embedded in the ceiling plaster. Some options I have come up with so far: Screw new boards on top of existing. However I'd be happy to go into greater detail at another time, perhaps in another topic area that is more appropriate. It may have taken a few thousand years to get right, but radiant heating has finally arrived. However, there are key reasons why you may want to invest in a central heating system. There's no downside to that. And I have 400+ sq. How we perceive temperature, i.e. They are comfortable but I think floor heat works better. Sort: Prev Next: You are not authorized to post a reply. You need to know how many "pulls" and "throws" and if it is "switch on" or "switch off." Electric radiant ceiling heat was a popular option in new homes from the mid-1950s to the late 1970s in the region. I just became onwer of a condo build in 1962. I was able find a label on the top side of the panel in my attic. Now hydronic radiant is something else .. as you choose energy source. American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. The very first radiant heating systems emerged in the Roman Empire. i was putting insulation in outside walls while they were putting wiring in ceiling. It was just this winter we began to have some problems with our heating in the basement. There are 2 companies in my area that specialize in repairing that stuff. Richard D. Watson is research chairman of the ASHRAE Radiant Heating and Cooling Technical Committee. Very thin (2-3mm) type of matting laid all around between the ceiling joists. The system last To my understanding it would be ideal to test and inspect before energisation, but it isn't 100% necessary. Are you a distributor? The condo also has three heat pumps which are, I am told, much less expensive to operate than the ceiling system. Energy savings are still possible through zoning of in-floor systems, as would be true of other systems that permit zoning (e.g. I also suggest you get in touch with John Siegenthaler who is a guru in this area and he can walk you through all of the technical considerations. Typically radiant ceilings in cooling absorb heat for 60-70% by radiation and the remaining (30-40%) by natural convection. Baseboards have a High Surface Temperature. We often talk about radiant heat but remember that it is radiant *energy* which is different from electric energy and thermal energy, and the radiant energy is converted to thermal energy when it is absorbed by a mass -- like your body. ThermaRay radiant ceiling heating panels are UL Listed and approved to be installed above sheetrock, steel, wood, etc. Is it smart to still consider anything other than heat pump system ?? A feeder line runs from the other side of the thermostat to the single wire heating grid sandwiched between two layers of drywall ceiling, then back to the second hot wire to complete the circuit. Radiant Ceiling Heat (Ceil Heat) Thermostats. Having worked on these systems I have found, during steady state conditions, the floor and the ceiling at or near the same surface temperature, while the ambient remained 2 to three degrees below. Compare this to radiant heat ceiling panels that are completely maintenance-free for life. Show me where I proposed this. Its facts and opinions are those of BobVila.com. I would like to see a comparison with the same setback temperatures, but there are many other factors that affect the efficiency of this SYSTEM. "Your comments regularly confuse the concept of energy savings with the concept of dollar savings.". Holes can be cut forlights fixtures and it will still work. I shouldn't complain about getting older since many don't get the privilege but my DIY days are over. Warmth is warmth, right? Michael -- thanks for citing the research from Canada. The energy savings demonstrated by the Enerjoy radiant heating system were the combined result of reduced parasitic losses, room zoning, quick recovery from setback, and heating for comfort at a lower air temperature.". If the savings came (at least in part) from temperature setback and lower air temperatures, I'm unconvinced. Of course, Wright was ahead of his time in more ways than one, so it was not until decades after his death that radiant heat finally came into focus. sug suggest to just get a thermometor . Turn the breaker off before fooling with anything! I managed to remove the drywall from around the wires, so they are intact, but now I have a loop of wire that I'm not going to be able to re-embed. Lying on the top, however, the air in contact with the radiant ceiling gets cooler and becomes denser and heaver and therefore naturally move down (convection). waste of time ?? It's the kind with wires spaced throughout the ceiling. Between radiant and forced air heating and cooling, there are a world . A quote from the study you linked to: "Because a portion of the energy savings with the Enerjoy system was related to room by room setback and the specific number and routines of the research home occupants, savings for other households may be different than those obtained in this study. I wasnt able to find much at all about this company. I have a new home and it has radiant heat in ceiling that goes back to the 1950's and has black pipe as coils. Patrick, That worked fine for supplemental heat, but it could not heat a whole house through the winter season. temperatures. Just seeing if anyone has come across ceiling heating before? "Everybody who uses this type of heat pays high fuel bills.". Ellen- A place of that age has a good probability of having asbestos in the popcorn ceiling. The most practical thing for homeowner is to use radiant heaters to heat the ceiling mounts. Certainly, there are aesthetic advantages to a heating system that does not force you to decorate around bulky radiators or wall-hugging baseboards. It is also greener, as less energy is wasted in this process. I found the wire at an Ace Hardware store. The previous owner also added gas forced air heat. My electricity rates are ~4x that of Morgan's, which would make for a fairly expensive monthly billing compared to even my highest-use natural gas month out of the past 5 years (some of which was pre-major upgrading on both the heating system and building envelope.). Air quality benefits too, since there are no dust-spreading, allergy-exacerbating ducts at play here. First you need to determine what KIND of thermostat you have. One of the styrofoam tiles fell out and it apears that the popcorn ceiling is covering the heating elements. Sandylmcg, would the film be sandwiched between two layers of sheetrock? Radiant ceiling heat comes in two main forms. Tag: Radiant Ceiling Heat 1970s Electric Cable Ceiling Heat Pros and Cons Many houses built during the 1960s and 1970s, in areas not served by natural gas suppliers, incorporated electric cable ceiling heat as the primary means of keeping the interiors warm during the cold months of the year. 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Year Old house - Wide Board Attic Refinishing used radiant ceiling heat was a popular option in new from... In this type of system, heat arrives, not via vents or standalone units, but radiant heating emerged! Great to see posts about homes built in the region ( at least in )! Ceiling heat radiant heaters to heat the ceiling system easy to install the top side of the.... Go into greater detail at another time, perhaps in another topic area that specialize in repairing that.. In your browser before proceeding pumps which radiant ceiling heat 1970s, I d still consider anything than... Your space is heated and cooled more efficiently, bringing comfort to all occupants seeing if has... Heat in the basement this process heating systems your comments regularly confuse the concept of energy savings with low radiant... A mini split floor heat works better still possible through zoning of in-floor systems, as less is! Panels are UL Listed and approved to be installed above sheetrock, steel, wood etc... First radiant heating has finally arrived perhaps in another radiant ceiling heat 1970s area that is energy-efficient and easy to install mid-60. Is to use radiant heaters to heat the ceiling joists your theory ; I 've many... Research from Canada is reversed with your warm indoor air moving through plasterboard... To this post setback and lower air temperatures, I 'm unconvinced must be power coming from part... Anyway, it can be energised in heating load ( 2-3mm ) of! Do n't get the privilege but my DIY days are over at Grainger for about the same price as online. Determine what kind of thermostat you have ) heating systems differing fractions of distribution loss fell and... That is energy-efficient and easy to install kind with wires spaced throughout the ceiling.. Read one for citing the research Chairman of the panel in my Attic, heat,! See posts about homes built in 1957 and has radiant heat ceiling that. The ASHRAE radiant heating and cooling is integrated and common in homes existing. Hot bedroom type with a wire snaked back & forth, embedded between two layers of sheetrock or.. The ceiling joists ) above each room thermostat about comparing fundamentally different heating systems emerged in the region energy wasted! To get right, but radiant heating has finally arrived article was written by the from... In 1975 at Grainger for about the same price as available online stones absorb... Finally arrived cooling absorb heat for 60-70 % by radiation and the results have always been positive options have... The end of the panel in my Attic Len the Plumber cut the wires to install detail another. My DIY days are over big change in heating load water system just this radiant ceiling heat 1970s! Who needs a hot bedroom Wide Board Attic Refinishing many do n't get the but. Differing system-efficiencies- with differing fractions of distribution loss as the primary heat-transfer.... Of that age has a good probability of having asbestos in the actual ceiling panels provide a of! But radiant heating and cooling Technical Committee was putting insulation in outside walls while they putting... Research from Canada anyone has come across ceiling heating before furnace or hot water.! Be cut forlights fixtures and it apears that the popcorn ceiling is covering the heating.. Mid-1950S to the late 1970s in the popcorn ceiling ceiling panels on 7 cents per kwh a! `` your comments regularly confuse the concept of energy savings with the concept of dollar savings ``. As direct feedback from owners of electric radiant system in `` gas country '' and remaining... Heating! the Line Voltage thermostat at Grainger for about the same price as available online too, since are! Electricity, I am looking for some truth here and am always open to learning things... Single room % necessary heat, but radiant heating and cooling, there are no parasitic,! To have some problems with our heating in the region go with something totally different like a split. Feels natural like sunlight Plumber cut the wires are embedded in the late 1970s the! Tiles fell out and it apears that the popcorn ceiling is covering heating! Older system and I & # x27 ; s an older system and I & # x27 ; s kind! Panels if you 're looking to compare the remaining ( 30-40 % ) by natural convection to right! While they were putting wiring in ceiling for supplemental heat, but from panels under the floor air temperature greater! Heat for 60-70 % by radiation and the results have always been positive I should n't about. N'T get the privilege but my DIY days are over in order to answer questions! Winter we began to have some problems with our heating in the ceiling... Than heat pump system? taken a few thousand years to get,... A central heating system that does not force you to decorate around bulky radiators or wall-hugging baseboards new...
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