You can have several options in installing radiant floor heating systems in your home. You can either choose water pipes or electric cables in heating your floor. Radiant systems can be used to heat a particular household area or even your entire home. The common choice for radiant systems is the hydronic type.
It allows hot water to flow through water pipes in heating your home. The water pipe is buried in the floor or slabs and can water flow can be controlled through a programmable thermostat.
Heat will be transferred from Glass Insulators the water to your floor, which will eventually travel inside the house and across the walls and ceiling. As a result, you will feel warm and comfortable despite the cold weather.
Aside from the type, your floor material and covering affects the efficiency of radiant systems. Hardwood, carpet, and tiles can work well with your system, you can also use other materials and covering like cellular glass insulation.
It is composed of crushed glass mixed with certain agents. The components will be heated to 950 degrees Fahrenheit and will be placed in molds. Because of the high temperature, crushed glass will liquefy, and the agent will decompose and cause the mixture to expand and adapt the shape of the mold. Once dry, it will create a firm insulating material with millions of uniform and interconnected cells.
Common applications for such glass is floor covering. There are glasses that are applicable for flat roof insulation, but there are also block glasses for tapered roof. You can layer the glass with asphalt, or with Kraft paper.
The advantages of cellular glass insulation are the following:
- Moisture resistant
Moist is common in heating systems. This glass can help in keeping moist from getting to your floor and minimizing undesirable effects to woods and adhesives.
- Fire resistant
You can use the glass without the worries of catching fire despite of very high operating temperature.
- Usable in wide temperature ranges
It is one of the few insulators that exhibit outstanding performance in both very high and very low temperatures. Other insulators like fiberglass and mineral wool can work well with high temperatures, but cannot operate in low temperatures. On the other hand, cellular glass was proven to withstand from -450 to 900 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Tough
Physical construction of the glass is very rigid. It can resist major physical damage and can be used for both floor and roof covering. For roofing applications, it might be inferior against gypsum board in terms of compressive strength, but cellular glass has better insulating properties as opposed to the board.
This type of insulation can be used in odd areas. You will find it easy to cut and shape to suit difficult areas in your house. You can also have customized shapes depending on your needs.
For larger applications, foam insulations are good choice if you want to combine cellular glass with other materials. They can be installed above and below concrete and abide in standard building regulations.
They can also resist attacks from birds, insects, and pests. Lastly, it can guarantee dimensional stability for big constructions like buildings. It ensures that compression and floor sagging will not occur.
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