The details, features, and characteristics ofolder homes makes them desirable tomany people. The building designs areunique and one-of-a-kind, and of course,were built before many of the technologywe use today. However, modernizing theheating system in these classic homes,while maintaining their allure, is easier thanyou may think.

Infloor's Radiant Trak underfloor hydronicradiant heating is a perfect solution forheating older homes. There is no need forduct work, is powered by a gas boiler, and

is easily installed under the floor with ourpre-drilled plates and C-Channelconstruction enabling tubing to be simply"snapped" into place. Radiant Trak is analternative installation method to slab,gypcrete, Infloorboard, or Warmboard,and is most commonly found in retrofitapplications.

Infloor Radiant Trak is the ultimateunderfloor heating method due to the heattransfer plates and easy installation. Thehigh quality extruded aluminum is installedbetween the joist spaces on the underside

Radiant Classic Homes Maintain CharmThe week of July 14, Michael visited Infloorcustomers and distributors in Nebraska andIowa. For half of the week, he traveledaround Iowa with Jeremy Lang of EnertechGlobal. "It was great traveling with Jeremyand getting to meet his customers who aredoing a lot of radiant heating," Michaelshared. One of their stops included Ken'sElectric in Oelwein, IA, who has ashowroom with a working geothermalsystem that heats their shop during thewinter using Infloor Heating Systemsradiant heating powered by geothermal.

is a publication for customers,distributors, contractors, and friends of InfloorHeating Systems; a division of Infloor Sales &Service, Buena Vista, CO. www.infloor.com.

Join the conversation

Michael recently talked with Matt Bishop ofACHR News about our company, radiantheating, industry trends, and some thingscontracts should know. It was recorded asa podcast interview, which is availableonline for you to listen to. Check it out, andlet us know what you think. Listen atwww.achrnews.com/media/podcasts/2904and select the “Michael Willburn” podcast.The NEWS’ podcast channel provides youwith industry news and engaging interviewsthat keep you up-to-date, informed, andentertained. Each episode features moversand shakers of the industry interviewed byeditors of The NEWS staff.

P&D Mechanical recently installed theirlargest snow melt system to date. St.Mark's Episcopal Cathedral in Minneapolis,MN are ensuring their guests will alwaysarrive to a snow and ice free parking lotwith their new 5,500 sq. ft. Infloor HeatingSystems Snow & Ice Melt system, coveringthe entire lot. P&D Mechanical, also ofMinneapolis, installed the system the weekof July 14, and received the parts fromWalters-Climate, out of New Hope, MN.

Now's the time to be thinking aboutwinter and installing snow and ice meltsystems. Talk to your customers about themany benefits of these systems, which canbe installed in concrete, asphalt, and underpaver applications. Once it's installed, you'llnever have to shovel snow or worry aboutan icy surface again.

P&D’s Largest Snow Melt Project

of the subfloor, providing heat transfer between the plates andthe subfloor, warming the entire plate and floor. Radiant Trak isinexpensive to install and can be utilized for floor warming or forprimary space heating and is versatile enough to be used in mostapplications.

Radiant Trak works by way of conduction, which is the transferof heat between substances that are in direct contact with eachother. The better the conductor, the more rapidly the heat willtransfer. Metals are great heat conductors, while wood, air, andstyrofoam are poor conductors (insulators).

"Conduction heat transfer requires ample contact area betweenthe tubing and the other materials in the floor," said JohnSiegenthaler in his article titled Plateless in Radiantville. Hebelieves, as we do, that the use of plates in an underfloor radiantheating system is very important, and far superior to a staple-upinstallation. "There's nothing magical about PEX, PEX-AL-PEX,EPDM, or copper tubing that allows any of them to sidestepbasic physics," he wrote.

"Radiant Trak is a great choice for retrofitting older homes,"shared Michael Willburn, President of Infloor Heating Systems. "Itis a superior product that is easy to install. The plates come withpre-drilled holes, so the contractor just has to use short screwsto attach them to the subfloor, then snap the tubing in place."

"The use of heat transfer plates is a must in an underfloorapplication," said Michael. "The plates spread the heat moreevenly across a larger surface area, requiring a lower watertemperature to achieve desired results," he said.

Simply stapling tubing to the subfloor presents many potentialproblems, including puncturing the tube during installation,staples not allowing for tube expansion, spotted heating areasdue to poor heat conduction, creating a loud ticking noise, and ismore labor intensive to install.

John wrote in his article, "Sure, plateless systems cost less thanplated systems. Likewise, roll roofing costs less than 30-yearwarranted shingles, and a light bulb screwed into a porcelain basecosts less than a chandelier."

When done correctly, Radiant Trak underfloor radiant heatingprovides tremendous satisfaction to those who live with it, aswell as those who install it. The heat transfer plates are 4' L x 4"W and can be placed 1-2" apart. They come with pre-drilledholes and are attached to the subfloor with short screws, and can

be cut down to size if needed. (We recommend filing the insideedge of any cut plates so there are no sharp edges.) Tubing isplaced 8" on center and easily snaps into the C-Channel on theplate. Radiant Trak has the best results with hardwood and tileflooring.

As with any radiant heating system, proper insulation isrecommended. We suggest using an insulation rated at R-13 orhigher, placed directly against the tubing. There is no need for a2" air gap or foil-faced insulation.

We can also zone Radiant Trak systems, for ultimate control andcomfort. Zoning allows you to easily control the temperature indifferent rooms (or zones), applying more heat in living spacesand less in unused rooms, further maximizing energy savings.

We can help you design your next Radiant Trak installation, orany radiant heating application you may have. Using ourLOOPCAD design software, we can provide you a detailedproject design and help guide you through the installation processif you'd like. We are here to help you with all your radiant heatingneeds and questions. Feel free to contact us for answers to yourquestions, parts, service, and support.

"The radiant industry is about selling comfort, quality, andefficiency," John wrote. "Remember that you're not just decidingwhere to buy tubing, you're selecting a business partner thatshould have the same goal of supplying your customer with aquality heating system."

Radiant Classic Homes Maintain Charm Continued