[TheForge] Re: WAAAAAAAAY OT (while we're talking about buildings and heat)

[schade at acegroup.cc]

On Mar 24, 2006, at 10:11 AM, GHS wrote:

> Justin , insulated floors on slab in a shop?
>
> Do it.
>
> Especially make sure that the perimeter of the building is insulated 
> as that is where most of the heat loss will be. After a nice thick 
> insulation (vertically) below the frost line at the edge and maybe 
> four feet in (horizontally), a well drained gravel bed is almost as 
> good as continuing the insulation. The largish gravel isolated from 
> the cold by the perimeter insulation will stay relatively warm and not 
> transfer heat real well.
>
> With the possibility of floor mounting new equipment and vibration 
> from same, I would not be as enthusiastic about in floor heating, even 
> though it is comfortable..
>
> If you are heating with wood and feel comfortable designing a system 
> like the Romans used (hypocaust??) it might be fun but expensive.
>
> Depending on layout, you might want to think about radiant heat at the 
> ceiling, over key areas.
>
> Mike Graf
>

______________________

I put foam under the slab for my shop and also extended it 4' 
horizontally around the perimeter. Then covered the foam with dirt. 
Frost moves down easily but not very well sideways. If it (frost) can't 
get under your slab you won't have any frost heaving. My slab is 
24'x28' with a 12" curb around the perimeter and has no cracks after 16 
years of minnesota winters. At the time the local guys were using a 
fiberglass fiber mixed into the cement in the truck. After troweling 
there were little 'hairs' that have since worn off.

I heat my shop with a wall mounted propane heater that draws combustion 
air in from outside and vents thru the wall. 
http://www.empirecomfort.com/.  Mine is the 35000 btu. I keep the 
thermostat at 45F all winter.

Bob