[Greenbuilding] heating California camp cabins

Fri Feb 15 15:33:19 CST 2008

Has anyone mentioned radiant floor heating in conjunction with a RedyTemp 
circulator.  Over the past year many new customers are utilizing the 
RedyTemp to protect the pipes from freezing in their homes and winter cabins 
since the installation is easier and for the energy savings.  Often wrapping 
pipes / installing heat tape, easy heat, etc. is very labor intensive and 
time consuming especially when you don't have access to pipes in walls or 
foundations.   The hardest part of RedyTemps install is having an outlet 
available to plug it into.  RedyTemp's adjustable temperature range of 50F - 
115F allows the adjustment of water temperature circulating in the pipes. 
Extremely low temperatures like "below zero" may require a higher 
temperature setting like 65F degrees.

With easyheat / heat tape consuming 6 watts per foot of pipe the electrical 
energy needed for a long pipe run can be quite high.   With RedyTemp 
consuming less then 60 watts an hour (temperature based on-off cyclic 
operation) to circulate plus the energy from the water heater or heat source 
its still often less then the energy consumed by a long run of heat tape.

my two cents,

Richard

WHEN COMFORT & EFFICIENCY MATTERS
www.RedyTemp.com               tel:  760-586-6030

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Carol Venolia" <cvenolia at sonic.net>
To: "Sandra Morgan" <sandramorgan at metrocast.net>
Cc: <Greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 12:30 PM
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] heating California camp cabins

> Hi Sandi,
>
> Thanks for the quick reply! Monitor does make some interesting
> products, but it looks like I was being too vague in saying that we'd
> eliminated "through-the-wall gas heaters" from consideration. I
> probably should have said that, in fact, direct vent heaters were my
> first good idea. Then the camp administrators said they don't want
> anything that sticks out from a wall such that a camper could hang a
> wet towel on it. Cabins have burned down from such behavior, to say
> nothing of the decrement in space heating. I can't tell for sure if
> all the Monitor products stand out from the wall, so please direct me
> if I'm missing something.
>
> Thanks again,
> Carol
>
>
> On Jan 22, 2008, at 12:10 PM, Sandra Morgan wrote:
>
>> Try looking at Monitor Direct Vent heating system.  I believe you
>> will be pleasantly surprised.
>>
>> Sandi
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Carol Venolia"
>> <cvenolia at sonic.net>
>> To: <Greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 2:54 PM
>> Subject: [Greenbuilding] heating California camp cabins
>>
>>
>>> Hello all,
>>>
>>> I have been off this list for way too long, so please forgive me (and
>>> direct me) if this subject has been covered recently.
>>>
>>> I'm designing cabins for a children's camp in the redwoods of
>>> Northern California. I'm considering the best way to heat these
>>> cabins, and I'd enjoy your input.
>>>
>>> Some of you from the far north may wonder why heat camping cabins in
>>> California at all! However, the camp wants to use cabins year-round,
>>> the location is very shady (redwoods, deep canyons), it does
>>> occasionally get below freezing there, and we don't want unhappy
>>> kids--or parents. Plus, their wet clothes need a chance to dry out
>>> when they come in from carousing in the redwoods.
>>>
>>> Also, the cabins will rarely be occupied during the day; most of the
>>> activities are outdoors, except in the rain. We need a system that
>>> can heat up a small space fairly quickly for a few hours at a time,
>>> and do so efficiently.
>>>
>>> Each cabin has about 380 square feet, and they'll typically be in
>>> groups of two or three, connected by bathrooms. They'll often have
>>> significant crawlspaces (being built on hillsides), and will have
>>> cathedral ceilings (though the bathroom ceilings could be flat).
>>>
>>> We've eliminated the idea of fireplaces and woodstoves (wood or gas-
>>> fired), as well as through-the-wall gas heaters; rationale available
>>> on demand. Hydronic baseboard radiant heat might be of interest, but
>>> I'm wondering if it would heat the cabins up quickly enough, and it
>>> seems wasteful to leave the heat on all day.
>>>
>>> As a result, we're focusing on some kind of hot air system (I hate to
>>> be so prosaic, but...), possibly hot-water based with an air handler.
>>>
>>> Is there anything I'm overlooking? Has anyone had good or bad
>>> experiences with this kind of heating system? Cost, of course, is an
>>> issue--both up-front and operating.
>>>
>>> Questions? Fire away!
>>>
>>> And thank you,
>>> Carol
>>>
>>> Carol Venolia, Architect
>>> cvenolia at sonic.net
>>>
>>> Coauthor, Natural Remodeling for the Not-So-Green House
>>> (www.naturalremodeling.com)
>>> Director, EcoDwelling Concentration, New College of California
>>> (www.newcollege.edu/northbay)
>>> "Design for Life" Columnist, Natural Home Magazine
>>> (www.naturalhomemagazine.com)
>>>
>>> PO Box 4417
>>> Santa Rosa, CA 95402
>>> 707-538-1249
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>
>
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