Comments for Replacing baseboard heat with in-floor heating

Jan 30, 2008
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Replacing your baseboard heat NEW
by: Anonymous

Chris,

You can remove the baseboard and install piping beneath the floor.

You have to be sure the floor will be able to provide the necessary heat.

You would have to do a heat loss calculation of the room to determine this.

Here is a link to help you do this:

http://www.builditsolar.com/References/Calculators/HeatLoss/HeatLoss.htm

Once you do the heat loss calculation of the room, you then have to divide the heat loss by the square feet of the floor area.

This will give you the heat loss per square feet.

The heating output of the floor depends on water temperature and floor material.

For instance; with a 3/4" sub floor and 3/4" hardwood will provide heat output of approximately 27 BTU's per foot.

A tile floor will give an output of approximately 35 BTU's per square foot, depending on tile thickness.

If the heat loss per square foot exceeds these numbers I would be reluctant to make the change.

Be sure you use aluminum plates with the tubing as well as R-19 insulation beneath the tubing and plates.

You will need to modify the piping and install a mixing valve and control.

Here is a link for an example of such a control device.

http://www.taco-hvac.com/uploads/FileLibrary/102-145.pdf

You would use the 3 way example.

Hope this is helpful.

Ed