Learn to install radiant floor heating in concrete

If you consider installing a radiant floor heating system, you should know that you will also have to work with concrete. Concrete will act like a support or like a covering for the system and helps it to function well. Depending by the type of system you choose to install, the concrete layer will be simply poured or installed with slabs.

Hot water systems and electric systems are the two options to choose from. For the first system, gas, propane, electricity, wood or solar will be the fuels to choose from. The electric system will work using thin sheets of matting.

First, you will need to ask manufacturers advice. You will need to know information about insulation before starting to install the slab. You will need to consider the size of the slab and its R-value. Then, you will install the insulation.

After that, you will install the S shape of PEX tubing across the top of the insulation. You can also tie PEX tubing to rebar reinforcement. You will need to make sure that you won’t damage the tubing into the process. Remember that PEX must have 2 inches of concrete above the tubing. It is recommended to ask a contractor to pour the concrete slab over the tubing and make sure that the two ends remain exposed. They will need to connect to the main system.

If you already have a slab, you will need to determine how much you will need to add. Remember that electrical matting will increase the height of the floor with 1/8 inches. So, you will start by cutting sheets of radiant heat matting and putting them on the slab. The distance between matting and any fixture must be at least 2 inches. Make sure that you don’t leave any air gaps between the mat and the floor by using self-adhesive strips. Then, you will need to use a trowel to spread thin-set across the mat. Make sure that you will not cover the electrical connectors as they will need to be installed to the power system. Floor will be also well leveled by a self-leveling gypsum material which can be poured over the matting.

If you have subfloor plywood, you will need to nail the sheets to the subfloor. This will help you to install the PEX tubing easier and to keep them below the surface of the floor. You will need to nail them into the floor joists and form the S pattern of PEX tubing. Also, you will need to cover the PEX tubing using a trowel thin-set. Before starting to add the floor, make sure that the thin-

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