Heated Floor Slab Insulation

Installing slab insulation around the perimeter of the slab will reduce heat loss and make the slab easier to heat.

Heated floor slab insulation.

Heat losses from heated slabs are greater than that of unheated slabs because the temperature is warmer. Insulationstop is the best source for top quality products at the best price. According to doe s building energy codes program helpdesk 1 slab on grade insulation has been one of the more commonly addressed topics on code compliance for the past several years. Mainly heated slabs radiate outward rather than downward so insulation on the edges of the slab is most important.

Need insulation for under concrete slabs slabs with radiant heat. The reflectix concrete slab insulation is an innovative easy to handle product that increases the energy efficiency of radiant floor and snow melt systems under concrete. Slabs that include embedded hydronic tubing for radiant heat always need a continuous layer of horizontal insulation under the entire slab. It s possible to calculate the r value needed to meet this goal while accounting for such factors as floor coverings soil temperature and required upward.

Heated slabs on grade will feature hot water pipes or coils embedded within or beneath the slab to provide space heating. If your slab is heated it s a good idea to increase the r value of the vertical and the horizontal insulation to at least r 20. Without a thermal break between the slab and the ground heat will sink into the ground under the slab resulting in longer warm up time higher energy costs and overall poor performance of the system. Remember that your slab will be about 75 degrees f.

For unheated slabs insulation may or may not be required depending on your climate zone whether or not the project is residential and which edition of standard 90 1 is being referenced. How much insulation is necessary under a typical radiant slab. A slab on grade floor that is not a heated slab on grade floor. Heated slab hydronichydronic tubing tubing or other heating elements slabslab edge edge insulationinsulation 10 r 15 required per the irc and iecc typical r value per inch inches for r 10 inches for r 15 expanded polystyrene 4 0 2 5 3 75 what materials can be used.

Insulation is of crucial importance to a radiant heated slab with pex. The foil within the product acts to spread out the heat signature of the heating coils. John siegenthaler a consulting engineer who specializes in hydronic heating system design responds. Any cooler surface in contact with the slab will try to steal its heat.

Extruded polystyrene 5 0 2 0 3 0 polyisocyanurate. The insulation phase is crucial for a radiant floor. Downward heat loss from a radiant slab should not exceed 10 percent of upward heat output a ratio derived from european installation standards for floor heating systems.