in-floor heating stapled to subfloor

[gemininv]

I am installing a boiler and an infloor heating system stapled to the subfloor from the basement of my house. My licensed plumber and I have have a simple question about the install. It is common in this part of Colorado to install a foil paper over the tubing to reflect the heat to the subfloor above. I have found rolls the the right width paper that come in two options. One is a double foil-faced bubble wrap material and the other is just double-faced foil paper. The bubble wrap is about 3/8 inch thick and has some limited r-value more than the double-faced paper.

My first question is which material is preferable for this application . My second question is how to fasten the material. Do you staple through it or hold it up with the pieces of spring steel commonly used to hold up unfaced insulation?

Could someone out their give me some of their expertise/

Thanks so much

[hausdok]

Hi,

It sounds like you're referring to a radiant barrier. I've never seen/read anything about using that material to "reflect" heat up into the home with radiant heat but I suppose it sort of makes sense.

As far as I know, one of those radiant barriers isn't really effective unless there is an air space above it on the side you want it to reflect heat to and if it gets dirty it might as well have been mesh for all of the good it will do to reflect heat.

If I had to choose, I suppose the bubbler wrap stuff, ala Reflectix is a little better than straight foil as long as you maintain the air gap and staple it tightly along the edges and seal it so no cold air can circulate above it from the basement.

You know, the guys here have collectively probably only seen a handful of these systems; ever. We're probably not the best source for information about these systems. I should think that there has got to be at least one website out there dedicated solely to hydronic floor heating systems where you'll get better answers than you'll get here.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike