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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Questions about Radiantec Company?

  1. How long has Radiantec been in business?
  2. What is Radiantec's experience in underfloor heating?
  3. Does Radiantec have any dealers?
  4. Is Radiantec the right company for me?
  5. What is involved in free design assistance?
  6. How do I get free design assistance?
  7. Who can install my Radiantec System?
  8. Do Radiantec systems and products meet my local codes?
  9. Why does Radiantec not sell more sophisticated controllers?
  10. Will you give us a piping layout?

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Questions about Radiant Heat?

  1. How long will Radiantec tubing last?
  2. What would happen if tubing breaks within the slab?
  3. Will underfloor heat harm wooden floors?
  4. Do I need tubing with an oxygen diffusion barrier?
  5. What about air conditioning if I use radiant heat?
  6. How do flooring materials such as carpet, tile or wood effect heating performance?
  7. Which is more energy efficient, a suspended slab or a staple up system within the floor joists?
  8. How many zones and how many controls?
  9. Are ground source heat pumps a good heat source?
  10. What about "instant" or "on-demand" water heaters as a heat source? 
  11. What about solar as a heat source?

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Questions about the Open Direct System?

  1. What is the Open Direct System?
  2. How can a hot water heater make enough heat for an entire house?
  3. How does the Open Direct System rate in terms of cost efficiency, energy efficiency and environmental friendliness?
  4. How does the cooling feature work?
  5. How much cooling will I get?
  6. Isn't it inefficient to cool the floor during the heating season?
  7. What about condensation during the summer months?
  8. How large a hot water heater will I need?
  9. What are the disadvantages of the Open Direct System?

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Even More FAQ's (of a technical nature)

  1. What about heat coils in the ceiling?
  2. What about freezing with an open system?
  3. How thick does a topping slab need to be?
  4. What about insulation underneath the topping slab?
  5. What does Radiantec think about thin foil type bubble insulation?
  6. Does Radiantec sell a product that goes right into the subfloor like Warmboard?
  7. Can I use my existing boiler for both radiant heating and baseboard radiators?
  8. Will my existing water heater provide enough capacity to also heat my home?
  9. Will my water heater have a shortened service life if I heat with it?
  10. I have heard some bad things about the Polaris in the internet.
  11. What can be done about nails protruding through the subfloor?
  12. How much heat is lost downward with the staple up system?
  13. How much antifreeze should be in the system?
  14. What type of antifreeze should be used?
  15. Are there any advantages to the tubings that have an inner core of aluminum?
  16. Can I use radiant tubing in place of a radiator?
  17. Is there a problem in combining radiant heating with forced hot air?
  18. Can I use the direct system if I have hard water?
  19. What is the less expensive fuel choice?
  20. Does a radiant system make sense in a warm climate?
  21. Does a radiant system make sense if the building will not be very energy efficient?
  22. Can radiant heat be used with wide pine floors?
  23. Does the radiant heat need to be installed in our loft?
  24. Can I use zone valves instead of pumps?
  25. Can CPVC or PEX tubing be used instead of copper?
  26. Does acid etching of a concrete floor affect the poly tubing?
  27. What about ventilation requirements in a very tight house?
  28. Is an electric water heater out of the question?
  29. Can we use radiant heat if the subfloor is more than 2 inches thick?
  30. What should you do if you are not sure that you will get enough heat from the radiant floor?
  31. How should the interior walls be built with a radiant heated floor?
  32. How should radiant tubes cross a control joint or expansion joint?
  33. I can get the Polaris somewhere else a lower price. Will you come down on your price?
  34. I want to get some of my stuff from you and some of my stuff from someone else?
  35. Are there safety issues or Legionella bacteria problems associated with the domestic water heater based systems?
  36. What can be done to increase heating around doors and windows?
  37. Can our systems be installed using an existing steam boiler?
  38. What is the best way to run water tubes under ground?
  39. Can tubing be placed in the same joist bay as recessed lighting?
  40. Are there certain types of cement that are better with radiant heat than others?
  41. Is solar heating feasible in my area?
  42. How much will it cost to heat my building with radiant? How much will I save?
  43. Is it OK to insulate with polystyrene if we will be placing heavy equipment on the slab?
  44. What can be done about ants and termites?
  45. How do I make a thermal break with a walk out basement?
  46. If I use radiant, will I still need a humidifier?
  47. What is the efficiency loss of a heat exchanger?
  48. How do you avoid melting the wax ring at the toilet.
  49. Do the Radiantec systems make noise in operation?
  50. What is heat?
  51. What are the three major methods for heat transfer and describe them.
  52. How is heat transferred (lost) from a building? Say all of the ways.
  53. What effect does radiant have of all of these?
  54. Why is radiant more efficient?
  55. If you do not heat the floor, what will be the floor temperature of a residential building when it is very cold outside? Why?
  56. How do the solar systems control overheating in the summer?

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