• Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
  • CONTRACTORS
  • ENGINEERS
  • RADIANT & HYDRONICS
  • INSIGHTS
  • MEDIA
  • RESOURCES
  • EMAGAZINE
  • SIGN UP!
cart
facebook instagram twitter linkedin youtube
  • CONTRACTORS
  • BATH & KITCHEN PRO
  • BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
  • HIGH EFFICIENCY HOMES
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • WATER TREATMENT
  • PMC COLUMNS
  • PMC COLUMNS
  • Dave Yates: Contractor’s Corner
  • John Siegenthaler: Hydronics Workshop
  • Kenny Chapman: The Blue Collar Coach
  • Matt Michel: Service Plumbing Pros
  • Scott Secor: Heating Perceptions
  • ENGINEERS
  • CONTINUING EDUCATION
  • DECARBONIZATION | ELECTRIFICATION
  • FIRE PROTECTION
  • GEOTHERMAL | SOLAR THERMAL
  • PIPING | PLUMBING | PVF
  • PME COLUMNS
  • PME COLUMNS
  • Christoph Lohr: Strategic Plumbing Insights
  • David Dexter: Plumbing Talking Points
  • James Dipping: Engineer Viewpoints
  • John Seigenthaler: Renewable Heating Design
  • Lowell Manalo: Plumbing Essentials
  • Misty Guard: Guard on Compliance
  • RADIANT & HYDRONICS
  • RADIANT COMFORT REPORT
  • THE GLITCH & THE FIX
  • INSIGHTS
  • CODES
  • GREEN PLUMBING & MECHANICAL
  • PROJECT PROFILES
  • COLUMNS
  • SPONSOR INSIGHTS
  • COLUMNS
  • Codes Corner
  • Natalie Forster: Editorial Opinion
  • Guest Editorial
  • MEDIA
  • PODCASTS
  • VIDEOS
  • WEBINARS
  • RESOURCES
  • INDUSTRY CALENDAR
  • DIRECTORIES
  • EBOOKS
  • PM BOOKSTORE
  • CE CENTER
  • MARKET RESEARCH
  • CLASSIFIEDS
  • EMAGAZINE
  • EMAGAZINE
  • ARCHIVE ISSUES
  • CONTACT
  • ADVERTISE
  • PME EMAGAZINE ARCHIVES
search
cart
facebook instagram twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
  • CONTRACTORS
    • BATH & KITCHEN PRO
    • BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
    • HIGH EFFICIENCY HOMES
    • TECHNOLOGY
    • WATER TREATMENT
    • PMC COLUMNS
      • Dave Yates: Contractor’s Corner
      • John Siegenthaler: Hydronics Workshop
      • Kenny Chapman: The Blue Collar Coach
      • Matt Michel: Service Plumbing Pros
      • Scott Secor: Heating Perceptions
  • ENGINEERS
    • CONTINUING EDUCATION
    • DECARBONIZATION | ELECTRIFICATION
    • FIRE PROTECTION
    • GEOTHERMAL | SOLAR THERMAL
    • PIPING | PLUMBING | PVF
    • PME COLUMNS
      • Christoph Lohr: Strategic Plumbing Insights
      • David Dexter: Plumbing Talking Points
      • James Dipping: Engineer Viewpoints
      • John Seigenthaler: Renewable Heating Design
      • Lowell Manalo: Plumbing Essentials
      • Misty Guard: Guard on Compliance
  • RADIANT & HYDRONICS
    • RADIANT COMFORT REPORT
    • THE GLITCH & THE FIX
  • INSIGHTS
    • CODES
    • GREEN PLUMBING & MECHANICAL
    • PROJECT PROFILES
    • COLUMNS
      • Codes Corner
      • Natalie Forster: Editorial Opinion
      • Guest Editorial
    • SPONSOR INSIGHTS
  • MEDIA
    • PODCASTS
    • VIDEOS
    • WEBINARS
  • RESOURCES
    • INDUSTRY CALENDAR
    • DIRECTORIES
    • EBOOKS
    • PM BOOKSTORE
    • CE CENTER
    • MARKET RESEARCH
    • CLASSIFIEDS
  • EMAGAZINE
    • EMAGAZINE
    • ARCHIVE ISSUES
    • CONTACT
    • ADVERTISE
    • PME EMAGAZINE ARCHIVES
  • SIGN UP!
Plumbing NewsPlumbing & Mechanical ContractorRadiant & HydronicsRadiant Comfort Report

Retrofitting radiant in residential

Radiant products ideal for retrofit applications.

By Kim Bliss
Radiant floor heating
November 21, 2022

With homes now doing dual duty as both a residence and a workplace, many people are spending double the time in the same space. This lifestyle shift has launched a home-renovation trend for people who are looking to change their current living spaces to better align with the needs of life and work in one place.

Since this trend is also coinciding with a focus on healthier indoor environments, more and more homeowners are looking to retrofit radiant floor heating into their homes due to the superior energy efficiency, indoor air quality and exceptional comfort the system provides.

To maximize this opportunity for your radiant business, make sure you’re aware of these products and applications that are ideal for residential radiant retrofits.

Aluminum plates

Aluminum is an excellent conductor of heat, so using aluminum heat-transfer plates is an effective way to install a high-performing radiant floor heating system when installation on the surface of the floor is not an option. The plates fasten to the underside of the subfloor between the joists and feature a channel down the middle where the piping locks into place. A “stamped” aluminum heat-transfer plate features the piping channel on the face (or top) of the plate that fastens to the subfloor, so the pipe must be installed first and then the plate is fastened to the underside of the subfloor. An “extruded” aluminum heat-transfer plate has a channel on the underside of the plate, so the plate can first be fastened to the subfloor and then the pipe can be installed. Note that after installation, it is important to add a minimum R-11 fiberglass insulation into the joist bay snug against the plates to prevent downward heat loss.

Extruded aluminum heat-transfer plates
Extruded aluminum heat-transfer plates are first fastened to the underside of the subfloor before the piping is installed.

Knobbed mats

Knobbed mats are becoming a more widely used option for radiant floor heating due to their ease of use. Available with or without insulation built in underneath, the mats come pre-formed with knobs throughout the surface which make it easy to “snap” the pipe into place. Simply adhere the mats to the concrete slab or wood subfloor and press the pipe between the knobs (either by foot or by hand). After the pipe is installed, it is then covered with lightweight gypsum concrete to create a smooth, solid surface for the flooring.

Knobbed mats
Knobbed mats are available with or without insulation underneath to maximize installation efficiencies and speed project schedules.

Wood panels

With typical thicknesses of only a half inch, wood radiant panels are an ideal solution for residential remodeling and retrofit applications. The panels simply fasten to the plywood subfloor and feature a groove down the center for the piping placement. An aluminum sheet on the bottom of the panel increases heat transferability. This method offers several advantages in addition to the minimal increase in floor height, including no moisture from concrete overpours and increased BTU output potential over joist heating.

Wood radiant panels
Wood radiant panels provide several advantages in radiant retrofits, including minimal increase in floor height, no moisture from concrete overpours and increased BTU output potential over joist heating.

Joist clips

For homeowners simply looking for floor warming without needing to heat the space, joist clips are a good option. The clips simply fasten to the underside of the subfloor between the joists and suspend the PEX from the subfloor. Like aluminum plates, it is important to add fiberglass insulation after the piping is installed. However, unlike aluminum plates where the insulation must be snug against the plate, in joist clip installations, there must be an inch gap between the PEX pipe and the insulation. This creates an air gap below the subfloor which will enable the heat to better transfer to the floor.

Floor warming with joist clips
Floor warming with joist clips is a great option when homeowners are looking for warm feet, but don’t need any additional heat.

Beyond the floors

When floor installation isn’t an option, consider radiant walls or ceilings. Knobbed mats and wood panels are perfect for radiant wall applications, and aluminum plates are great for radiant ceilings. Some installers have even used radiant in really unique applications, such as behind bathroom mirrors to keep them from fogging up or within towel racks so homeowners can enjoy a warm towel right out of the shower. There have even been installations where radiant pipe was embedded in kitchen counters to keep the surface warm for food.

Radiant walls
Radiant walls are a great way to heat a space when surface floor or underfloor heating is not an option.

Wireless controls

For complete freedom in thermostat placement without the hassle of running wires, there are wireless radiant control systems available that make installs faster and easier for the contractor and provide greater system control for homeowners. These systems can manage multiple thermostats and actuators for various zones in a home, and some products even feature automatic balancing. This technology calculates the actual energy need of single rooms and adapts the heat output of each loop by controlling the actuator’s on and off cycle. This means a short loop might get 20% on time while a long loop might get 60%. The automatic balancing continues through the seasons and throughout the household’s changing lifestyle and usage patterns, removing the need for manual balancing and providing greater energy efficiency for the system.

Wireless radiant control system
Wireless radiant control systems provide freedom of thermostat placement and eliminate the need to run wires in a wall.

Proper design

No matter the product, application, or control system you choose, a good design is always paramount for any radiant project — new or retrofit. Getting the proper radiant design training from a reputable radiant system manufacturer or having a radiant design professional do the design for you is the best way to ensure the system will perform properly. As any good radiant contractor knows…once the system is installed, it’s nearly impossible to fix a bad design.

LoopCAD
LoopCAD is an excellent radiant software program for creating professional layout drawings, load calculations, hydronic calculations and 3D CAD views.

For further information about residential radiant retrofits, visit uponor.com/radiant or visit the radiantprofessionalsalliance.org, heatinghelp.com or healthyheating.com.

KEYWORDS: radiant heating radiant systems retrofit

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Kim Bliss is the content development manager at Uponor. She can be reached at kim.bliss@uponor.com.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Worker using the Milwaukee Tool SWITCH PACK drain cleaner

    Pipeline profits: Drain cleaning, pipe inspection create opportunities

    Drain cleaning and inspection services offer lucrative...
    Plumbing News
    By: Nicole Krawcke
  • Uponor employee, Arturo Moreno

    The reinvestment in American manufacturing and training

    Plumbing & Mechanical Chief Editor Nicole Krawcke and...
    Plumbing News
    By: Nicole Krawcke and Natalie Forster
  • March 2024 Women in Plumbing hero image of woman engineer overlayed by circle of hexagon shapes with numbers from 1 to 10

    Celebrating 10 Influential Women in the Plumbing Industry

    Celebrating Women's History Month and Women in...
    Plumbing News
    By: Nicole Krawcke
close

1 COMPLIMENTARY ARTICLE(S) LEFT

Loader

Already a Registered User? Sign in now.

Subscribe For Free!
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • eMagazine
  • Manage My Preferences

IPEX celebrates grand opening of new Florida distribution center

IPEX celebrates grand opening of new Florida distribution center

Bell & Gossett Illustrates Path to Net-zero at AHR Expo

Bell & Gossett Illustrates Path to Net-zero at AHR Expo

AI can boost efficiency and profitability for plumbing, HVAC contractors

AI can boost efficiency and profitability for plumbing, HVAC contractors

NIBCO Press Solutions

NIBCO Press Solutions

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Plumbing & Mechanical audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Plumbing & Mechanical or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • J.J. Keller CMV vehicles on road
    Sponsored byJ. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

    The dash cam game-changer for small business safety

Popular Stories

The interior of a government building.

President Trump signs executive order promoting skilled trades and apprenticeships

Figure 1 is a sketch of the flow problems of the current plumbing system.

Hydronic heating glitch solved: Why adding a circulator won't fix primary loop flow issue

Underfloor heating installation with drain sewer hole in bathroom close up on water floor heating.

Using hydronics to leverage time-of-use electrical rates

PM BEMIS June 25 Free Webinar: Optimizing Plumbing Solutions for Single-Family, Multi-Family & Public Spaces

Events

November 13, 2024

Future Proofing MEP: Navigating the 2026 High Efficiency Water Heating Standards

Join our deep dive into DOE’s new standards so you can future-proof your MEP practice.

EARN: 0.1 ASPE CEU; 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 IACET CEU*; 1 PDH

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Will business be up or down in 2025?

Do you anticipate business in 2025 to be up or down in comparison to 2024?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

The Water Came To A Stop

The Water Came To A Stop

See More Products

Download the FREE Water Conservation, Quality & Safety eBook: Plumbing Trends Increasing Safe Water Availability

Related Articles

  • The use of PEX tubing in residential fire sprinkler systems is growing due to its versatility

    Using PEX in residential fire sprinkler systems

    See More
  • Beautiful Heat (Canada) logo

    Beautiful Heat sets baselines for residential radiant heat efficiency in Canada

    See More
  • Uponor’s prefabricated Radiant Rollout Mat

    How prefabricated radiant panels are revolutionizing commercial construction

    See More
×

Keep your content unclogged with our newsletters!

Stay in the know on the latest plumbing & piping industry trends.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
    • Supply House Times
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing

search
cart
facebook instagram twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
  • CONTRACTORS
    • BATH & KITCHEN PRO
    • BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
    • HIGH EFFICIENCY HOMES
    • TECHNOLOGY
    • WATER TREATMENT
    • PMC COLUMNS
      • Dave Yates: Contractor’s Corner
      • John Siegenthaler: Hydronics Workshop
      • Kenny Chapman: The Blue Collar Coach
      • Matt Michel: Service Plumbing Pros
      • Scott Secor: Heating Perceptions
  • ENGINEERS
    • CONTINUING EDUCATION
    • DECARBONIZATION | ELECTRIFICATION
    • FIRE PROTECTION
    • GEOTHERMAL | SOLAR THERMAL
    • PIPING | PLUMBING | PVF
    • PME COLUMNS
      • Christoph Lohr: Strategic Plumbing Insights
      • David Dexter: Plumbing Talking Points
      • James Dipping: Engineer Viewpoints
      • John Seigenthaler: Renewable Heating Design
      • Lowell Manalo: Plumbing Essentials
      • Misty Guard: Guard on Compliance
  • RADIANT & HYDRONICS
    • RADIANT COMFORT REPORT
    • THE GLITCH & THE FIX
  • INSIGHTS
    • CODES
    • GREEN PLUMBING & MECHANICAL
    • PROJECT PROFILES
    • COLUMNS
      • Codes Corner
      • Natalie Forster: Editorial Opinion
      • Guest Editorial
    • SPONSOR INSIGHTS
  • MEDIA
    • PODCASTS
    • VIDEOS
    • WEBINARS
  • RESOURCES
    • INDUSTRY CALENDAR
    • DIRECTORIES
    • EBOOKS
    • PM BOOKSTORE
    • CE CENTER
    • MARKET RESEARCH
    • CLASSIFIEDS
  • EMAGAZINE
    • EMAGAZINE
    • ARCHIVE ISSUES
    • CONTACT
    • ADVERTISE
    • PME EMAGAZINE ARCHIVES
  • SIGN UP!