infloor heating

[gunmum]

Building a house and decided to put the lines in the basement and attached garage floors in order to hook them up at a later date. Would like to get some heat going in at least the garage portion for this next winter.
Someone mentioned that they can easily be hooked up to another hot water tank for a cost effective way to heat the lines...
BUT I also heard that that isn't up to code, or will end up costing the same as a boiler system anyway, and that the insurance company wouldn't like it.
The other thing is that we've been warned about using some local talent to do this type of work, so I'm really not sure where to get the right answer.
Is this really going to cost $5000 to $10000??
Thanks!

[ksteed17]

Originally Posted by gunmum

Building a house and decided to put the lines in the basement and attached garage floors in order to hook them up at a later date. Would like to get some heat going in at least the garage portion for this next winter.
Someone mentioned that they can easily be hooked up to another hot water tank for a cost effective way to heat the lines...
BUT I also heard that that isn't up to code, or will end up costing the same as a boiler system anyway, and that the insurance company wouldn't like it.
The other thing is that we've been warned about using some local talent to do this type of work, so I'm really not sure where to get the right answer.
Is this really going to cost $5000 to $10000??
Thanks!

If your willing to pay $5000 I'm on my way!! Ha ha If the lines are all ready in all you need is the tank and manifold and pump and other hookups. Catch is it has to be tied to a potable system so if you have a sink or hose bin in your garage your good to go.

[CaberTosser]

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showt...iler+slab+heat

You can avoid connections to the potable water system by using a feeder pump & tank as pictured in the lower left of the photo I posted in the linked thread. The tank has a pressure switch and will engage to maintain your system pressure, but will not keep running like a domestic water connection if your system has a significant leak. This helps to minimize water damage, plus your heating fluid cannot be diluted, something that is especially important if you are running glycol (antifreeze) through a garage slab. Its very important to run glycol through a garage loop as it often happens where something bounces the garage door back up and the homeowner does not notice until they return home, or if the circulation pump fails during a cold spell. Once those in-slab lines have burst, the only way to fix them is a new slab, or to just put in a different heating source and abandon them (the usual result). With a feeder tank, your glycol mix (usually 50/50 with water) cannot become watered down, then you also do not need an RP backflow device and the subsequent registration, testing and annual recertification.