Project Highlights
- Since 1998, Pat’s Heating & Air Conditioning has used radiant heating to keep its 8,000-square-foot headquarters facility warm and dry through the rugged Wisconsin winters.
- During its first month of operations, the facility used a forced-air system installed as a backup to the radiant system. The gas-heating bill for the month was $903.10.
- The following month, the building switched over to the Uponor radiant system, and the gas bill dropped 55%, to $406.50. That monthly bill included the initial extra energy surge required to bring that ice-cold concrete slab up to the desired temperature.
Background
It was more than a decade ago, back in January 1998, that Pat McNamee experienced first-hand the special benefits of radiant heating in a high-cube environment. In fact, it came during a tour of the Uponor factory in Apple Valley, Minn.
“I remember noticing that all the warehouse truck doors were wide open,” says McNamee, owner of Pat’s Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. in Oconomowoc, Wis. “It was the middle of winter, but the space inside still felt comfortable. It was obvious the radiant system in that warehouse had a quick recovery time, even with the doors opening and closing all day.”
McNamee decided then and there to install a radiant system in the new, 8,000-square-foot, slab-on-grade facility he was erecting for his rapidly expanding contracting business. The company’s existing warehouse, heated by a gas-fired forced-air system, was not an especially comfortable working environment during the winter. As he planned his new space, McNamee figured ensuring the physical comfort of his employees would translate into stronger overall performance, as well as a stronger bottom line for his company.
More than ten years later, McNamee remains a strong believer in radiant heating, installing systems in both commercial and residential applications. “Our customers just can’t say enough good things about radiant, which is probably why there are a lot more people asking for it these days. Once you’ve experienced this comfort first-hand, you just have to tell somebody about it.”
The installation process at Pat's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.
Benefits
Comfortable, Productive Employees
Radiant heat keeps the warmth at floor level where people walk and work. Even with five overhead doors open, both the warehouse and the office space remain comfortable.
Shorter Recovery Time Saves Energy
Customer Friendly
Varied Floor Coverings
Project Data
| Building Size |
8,000 square feet |
|
Type of Construction
|
Block and steel commercial building |
|
| Floor Construction |
Slab-on-concrete |
|
|
| Tubing Type |
Wirsbo AQUAPEX® |
|
| Amount of Tubing |
27 loops at 250 to 300 feet |
|
Piping System
|
Approximately 7,500 linear feet of Wirsbo AQUAPEX® tubing in 27 loops extends from 250 to 300 feet. Four manifold locations, with 5 to 10 loops per manifold, deliver the warm water to six heating zones |
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Components
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Bronze pumps, a brass air eliminator and a cupronickel heat exchanger complete the system, which is completely non-ferrous, so that oxygen diffusion was not a concern |
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Design Parameters
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The outside design temperature was -10°F (-23°C), while the interior set points were 60°F (15°C) in the warehouse and 70°F (21°C) in the offices |
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