Sagging radiant heat runs

[Robert E Lee]

I inspected this new home today that had a hot water boiler with (4) zones of heating, (along with 2 forced air furnaces with 2 zones each), the hot water is used for under slab heating in the lower level, the garage, master bedroom bath, and under the floor of the kitchen/great room area which is where this photo was taken...the homeowner told me she didn't think the under floor heat was working right. This is the first time I've seen aquapex run under the floor in this manner, how can it be expected to provide any amount of heat when the closest it gets to the sub floor is 1-1/2". Anyone seen an installation like this before?

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[Chad Fabry]

At best it looks like it'll just take the chill out of the floor. That insulated cavity would have to be pretty hot to be an actual primary heat source. It can't be right.

[Brian G]

I don't see how that could do much of anything. What you really need are the manufacturers' installation instructions, probably available on the web. If you can get your hands on those, you'll look like a genius when you talk to your client about this.

That can't be right.

Brian G.

It Never Ceases to Amaze Me [:-dunce]

[Bill Kibbel]

I've only seen radiant heat for suspended floors installed with manufacturer supplied clips or hanger brackets that attach directly to the subfloor, never to the joists or trusses. The cavity created by the insulation must be way too deep as well.

As others have stated: That can't be right.

[Richard Moore]

Robert...

While prepping for my first radiant floor home last year I found this site http://www.radiantdesigninstitute.com/index.html . Go to the INDEX or "next" page...a wealth of info even if the html only format is a little balky. On page 6 is a list of "DO NOTs" including "Do not allow tubing to sag, support every 16 inches". There sure isn't any diagram resembling your photo.

However...are you sure those aren't just feeders? Can that really be the sub-floor on top of those 2-by trusses?

[Robert E Lee]

Thanks for the web site Richard, great info. No, these are not feeders all of the loops are like this and the photo shows the PEX as close as it gets to the floor,the insulation that is visible was in a ceiling over a finished portion of the basement. I was was taking the photo from a larger unfinshed area that was all open under the floor trusses.