[Strawbale] Full Article Copied Pasted Radiant-Floor Heating: When It Does-and Doesn't

[Chuck Learned]

Shody posted:
Radiant-Floor Heating

Radiant-Floor Heating: When It Does-and Doesn't-Make
Sense.....

Climbing out of lurk:


This topic loomed large in my life recently as I have been apart of a
cohousing green team. One area that it does seem to do well is in
multiunits. There is a 60 unit complex in Madison that has an average
annualized cost of $15.00 a month per apartment for heating and domestic hot
water cost.
The units have radiant with simple zone valves. The hallways are positively
pressurized with forced air and the apartments use bathroom and cooking fans
to vent. The residents on the whole are not keeping there thermastats low in
fact they are keeping them high as their bills are so low. Insualtion: R20
walls, ceiling R48 average quality windows. High efficiency boilers,
domestic hot water supplemented with 10 solar panels.  This was impressive
to me. If they were to add more insulation in the walls and insulated window
curtains ....Their turnover rate is the lowest in the city, nobody wants to
leave as it is so affordable
to live there.

I agree with Alex's letter. In my thinking though forced air is still a big
yuk. As far as affordability and practical living I would side with a $2200
investment in a pellet stove with thermostat control. Pellets deliver a cost
basis of around $9.00 per million therms versus natural gas of $13.00 per
million therms. You also have a soft steady prescence of hot fresh air
mixing
versus hurricane Katrina style forced air systems. Their total impact on
global
warming is also lowest in the spectrum of fuel choices. I am less enamored
of wood stoves
as they require running inefficient polluting, dangerous chain saws and in
general are not a great
option for population densities.

However that said,  future technology systems will involve combined power
and heat with radiant delivery providing zero emissions. Perhaps we will
collectively as a society create significant incentives to offset cost.
Chuck Learned