Outdoor Wood Furnace Info

All-Purpose OWF Discussions => General Outdoor Furnace Discussion => Topic started by: caper on November 05, 2015, 06:00:46 PM

Title: WHEN SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED OF RADIANT FLOOR FREEZING IF HEAT IS OFF
Post by: caper on November 05, 2015, 06:00:46 PM
HELLO GUYS, QUICK QUESTION, I HAVE IN FLOOR RADIANT HEAT IN MY ATTACHED GARAGE, ITS ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD SO ITS WELL INSULATED, NOT TURNING THE HEAT ON OUT THERE FOR ABIT YET, NIGHTS ARE GETTING COLD, WHEN SHOULD I GET CONCERNED ABOUT ANYTHING FREEZING, IM THINKING IT HAS TO BE REALLY COLD BEFORE ANYTHING FREEZES FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME...ANY SUGGESTIONS
Title: Re: WHEN SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED OF RADIANT FLOOR FREEZING IF HEAT IS OFF
Post by: RSI on November 05, 2015, 06:49:59 PM
I would keep the pump running and keep an eye on the water temp. Once it gets down to the mid 30's I would turn it on.
Title: Re: WHEN SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED OF RADIANT FLOOR FREEZING IF HEAT IS OFF
Post by: schoppy on November 05, 2015, 09:17:21 PM
Exactly right RSI on keeping the pump running. A garage especially will have colder areas near the door depending on how good your thermal break is and perimeters as compared to say the center of the garage. Running the pump is cheap insurance to a burst line near the door.
Title: Re: WHEN SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED OF RADIANT FLOOR FREEZING IF HEAT IS OFF
Post by: caper on November 06, 2015, 01:59:40 AM
interesting, what if your system uses only one pump to circulate your hot water to your zones...this year I just wanna see how efficient the boiler is for a month without the heat on in the garage and bonus room above it that's all, come dec, then I wanna turn on those zones...just a lil experiment
Title: Re: WHEN SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED OF RADIANT FLOOR FREEZING IF HEAT IS OFF
Post by: cartod on November 08, 2015, 04:33:06 PM
interesting, what if your system uses only one pump to circulate your hot water to your zones...this year I just wanna see how efficient the boiler is for a month without the heat on in the garage and bonus room above it that's all, come dec, then I wanna turn on those zones...just a lil experiment
I think you will see a noticeable reduction in wood consumption.   I was thinking about putting a timer on my garage pump and just have it come on for 15-20 minutes every day. 
Title: Re: WHEN SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED OF RADIANT FLOOR FREEZING IF HEAT IS OFF
Post by: mlappin on November 08, 2015, 08:37:39 PM
I think you will see a noticeable reduction in wood consumption.   I was thinking about putting a timer on my garage pump and just have it come on for 15-20 minutes every day.

Might still freeze, can you install a three way zone valve and leave the pump run all the time then use an aqua stat on the radiant loop to open the zone valve if the temp drops much into the 30’s?
Title: Re: WHEN SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED OF RADIANT FLOOR FREEZING IF HEAT IS OFF
Post by: cartod on November 08, 2015, 09:18:44 PM
I think you will see a noticeable reduction in wood consumption.   I was thinking about putting a timer on my garage pump and just have it come on for 15-20 minutes every day.

Might still freeze, can you install a three way zone valve and leave the pump run all the time then use an aqua stat on the radiant loop to open the zone valve if the temp drops much into the 30’s?
Thats what I have now and with the bonus room above and cars coming in and out I don't need it.  I don't need a constantly warm garage.   I just want the floor a bit warm at night for the dogs kennels.
Title: Re: WHEN SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED OF RADIANT FLOOR FREEZING IF HEAT IS OFF
Post by: mlappin on November 08, 2015, 10:19:20 PM
I think you will see a noticeable reduction in wood consumption.   I was thinking about putting a timer on my garage pump and just have it come on for 15-20 minutes every day.

Might still freeze, can you install a three way zone valve and leave the pump run all the time then use an aqua stat on the radiant loop to open the zone valve if the temp drops much into the 30’s?
Thats what I have now and with the bonus room above and cars coming in and out I don't need it.  I don't need a constantly warm garage.   I just want the floor a bit warm at night for the dogs kennels.

Gotcha, if you already have the freeze protection shouldn’t be hard to add a timer that comes on at a set time.