NeverSummer Construction Series - All Moved In

October 29, 2019

This is the second post in a Warmboard Works series we’re doing with NeverSummer Construction located in Granby, Colorado. We’ll be checking in regularly to get updates on the project throughout the build and see the home come to life through interviews, photos, and videos. In this installment we talk again to Brad Line, one of the owners of NeverSummer Construction, to learn more about his tubing and manifold installation, hooking the system up and turning it on, and his experience installing finish flooring over Warmboard.

PROJECT DETAILS

Type: Single family home, new construction
Location: Granby, Colorado
Total Square Footage: 2,800 square feet
Lot Size: ¼ acre
Energy: Natural gas, Triangle tube boiler

You mentioned in the first post that it took one day to install the tubing with 3 people. Any other observations about the tubing installation process?

Using a rubber or dead blow hammer to hit the tubing in the channel as you’re placing it makes it go in really easy and fast.

What was your experience hooking the system up?

Hooking up all the manifolds was really simple, and the tools provided in the kit with the literature make it so just about anyone with some plumbing experience will be up to speed fast. I had a slight difficulty at first with the actuators but after talking with tech we both came to the conclusion as to why they didn’t seem to close which was that I didn’t have the thermostat call for heat for at least 5 minutes and then turn it off to make it cycle. It was amazing to learn the technology with the wax in the actuators and how it is really efficient but just takes a little bit to actuate. They have been working great and were really easy to wire up.

How many zones do you have?

This house has 8 zones with one of them being the garage floor. I would recommend to anyone doing a hydronic system to place the master bath and bedroom on separate zones. You will love the warm floor in the bathroom in the middle of the night and morning and also like the ability to keep the bedroom cooler at night while sleeping.

When you’ve had the system running, how has it worked?

I have been in the house for about 3 weeks now and I will say that it reacts really fast to turning it on and it does get the floor nice and warm when you are barefoot. I haven’t been in really cold temperatures yet but will update you once winter starts and we’ve had multiple days of subzero weather. I will say that I have the boiler set to a max of 120 degrees and think I will be turning that down because I do truly think it can be run at a lot lower temperature and be just as responsive and comfortable.

What’s been completed since the last post?

Since the last post I completed the boiler setup and got the radiant system running. I also finished installing the flooring. I would mention that flooring goes down really easy, similar to how you’d install any other substrate but with the convenience of being able to see the tubing.

Also, a good thing to note is that through the whole drywall process no tubing got damaged! Although when I was installing flooring and had some tools set up, I dropped a sharp object on a tube and put a hole in it, but it was really easy to repair. It is worth noting that this is important because although the tubing is on the top and more susceptible to potential damage during drywall or finish materials it is also visible which keeps you from hitting it on the underside and causing a huge problem the further you get towards having all the finish materials done. On one of our other custom homes which used staple up, a plumber hit a tube while putting in a shower pan drain and needed to widen the hole around a drain line. It was a lot more difficult to repair that than the Warmboard tube I damaged as he needed to cut up a section of flooring to gain access.

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What’s left to be done?

As far as what’s left its pretty much down to case and base and a few other punch list items. I have not been able to work much on the house due to the fact that I need to finish the other two houses that pay the bills and get another one started before winter sets in.

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Stay tuned for the next update on NeverSummer’s project and see how Brad and his family are enjoying their Warmboard in the midst of winter!

If you missed the first installment of this series you can read it here.

This moose was not visiting this particular project, but was spotted at a different NeverSummer jobsite.

Toronto Homeowner Undertakes a Modernist Renovation

September 17, 2019

Dwight Simpson, owner and founder of Simpson Properties Contracting, is an Electrical Technologist by day and Real Estate Investor/Builder by night located in Toronto, Ontario. Dwight and his young family are doing an extensive renovation on their Toronto home which is being documented for his YouTube series titled “Invest.Remodel.Repeat” which will be released in early 2020. He is candidly sharing his experience with us and all the exciting details of renovating their 1960’s backsplit into an innovative modern dream home that features Warmboard radiant floor heating.

Extensive Renovation of Princeton Architect's Home

September 6, 2019

In this installment of Warmboard Works, we talk to architect Marc Brahaney who is undertaking an extensive 3 floor addition of his Princeton, New Jersey home. Marc is co-founder and president of Lasley Brahaney Architecture + Construction and is licensed to practice in NJ, NY, PA, CT, and RI. Marc divides his time between working with clients and heading the company’s design and construction operations.

The property, located a few miles from Princeton University, is flush with trees and greenery that award scenic views in every direction. Marc is kindly recounting his experience with us and sharing details of his personal project.

“The style of our home is gothic revival. It is over 5,000 square feet in size. The original part of the house features wide pine flooring, plaster walls and ceilings, and some plaster crown molding. There is an abundance of unique exterior and interior trim profiles which complements the character of the home. We utilize natural gas fired boilers for heat and electricity for AC.

When first planning our addition, I tried to put myself through the same experience my clients have when they take on a large project. That means creating a design that meets our needs and stays within budget. The technical challenges during construction have all been manageable because my team of carpenters and subs are all thoughtful and skilled. Problems are anticipated and avoided from the start.

My firm is familiar with radiant heating and we’ve used it in at least half a dozen projects. We have had radiant heating in our kitchen floor dating from the renovation we did in 1992. We found it incredibly comfortable and because of our positive experience we decided to use it in our addition.

We’re aware of other radiant floor options, but we’ve successfully used Warmboard for several clients and have found it to be a well-designed product that performs as expected. We haven’t fired up the radiant system yet, but I expect it will work like a charm once we hit the heating season this year.

Another advantage of using Warmboard is that we weren’t limited on finish floor coverings, so we used a wide variety of floor materials including terracotta tile in the mudroom, stone tile in the bathroom, and tongue-and-groove engineered oak floor in the other rooms.”

We’ll check back with Marc when his project is complete to see how the build wrapped up and how Warmboard is performing.

Lasley Brahaney Architecture + Construction

609-921-2822

“Our goal is to create a place that is, in every way possible, yours--whether it is a new home, a large renovation or a small addition. We strive to improve the quality of your family life in spaces we design and build.

At Lasley Brahaney, we have the long-range vision, experience, and passion to create imaginative and thoughtful spaces. Our work is both current and timeless and combines functionality with enduring presence and style.”

- Marc Brahaney

Colorado Homeowner Builds At 8,800 Ft. Elevation

August 29, 2019

In this installment of Warmboard Works, we talk to Creede and Therese H. who are building a custom home near the town of Creede, Colorado. This picturesque and secluded area of the country is located at the headwaters of the Rio Grande River. Creede and Therese are graciously sharing their experience with us and providing insight into the details of their project.

“Our home is Southwest adobe style and sits at 8,852' elevation. We’re in the Rio Grande National Forest so it is fitting that we have a tree in the house that is both structural and quite unique. The house is 2,600+ sq. ft. heated with Warmboard, not including the shop and garage and our energy source is a propane fired Triangle boiler. The finish floors in the main living areas are porcelain tile and the bedrooms are carpeted.

We first learned about radiant heat from friends who have it in their house and raved about the warm floors and even, consistent heat so I started investigating. Warmboard totally made sense for what we were building, and our decision was made. The temperatures here can get as low as -35°F and we wanted a heating system that could perform comfortably and efficiently.

What I like best about building with Warmboard is the fact that detailed plans of both the panel and tubing layout of the home are included which really helped simplify the installation process.

We turned our system on in January, and the first thing I noticed is the even heat throughout the house. I wasn’t the only one as my contractors said this was the best place to work in the area of all their jobs! At that time, we were running the house as a single zone and drywall was going up. We had been having -24°F days and my boiler wasn’t cycling that much. I had the thermostat set at 62°F and there was not a cold, or even cool spot in the house. It was quite comfortable, and the heat is very even! And the house is well insulated - R42 in the walls and R56+ in the roof because of the isocyanate foam panels that provide slope. Everyone who comes to see the house asks about the Warmboard!

We’re very excited to be moving into our new home! We’re also eagerly awaiting winter to fully enjoy our Warmboard radiant heating system and the all-out comfort it will provide.”

Illinois Architect-Homeowner Built With Warmboard in 2002

June 13, 2019

In this installment of Warmboard Works, we talk to Jim L. from O’Fallon, Illinois, who back in 2002 was one of the first in the state to design and build his home with Warmboard. His family is downsizing and selling the property and Jim has been kind enough to detail what the past 17 years have been like living with the incomparable comfort of Warmboard. Jim is a licensed architect in Illinois and Missouri and is currently the coordinator of a Construction Management Technology Program at a local college.

PROJECT DETAILS
Type: Single family home, new construction
Location: O’Fallon, Illinois
Total Square Footage: 3,218 square feet
Lot Size: 0.55 acres
Flooring: Hardwood and ceramic tile
Listing: http://www.ellerbrake.com/Property/1321-Bossler-Ln-OFallon-Illinois

“I designed the home with our young family in mind and would characterize the style as a “city house” located in O’Fallon, IL – the first Warmboard project in the St. Louis metro area. Our house is constructed with 2x6 exterior walls at 16” o.c. with a “BIB” insulation system. The attic has approximately 24” of the good white fluffy stuff (no energy trusses) and we used R10 rigid board under our basement slab. The basement slab has 3 heat zones, the Warmboard first floor has 3 heat zones, and our second floor uses fin tube base units in each of the bedrooms with separate zones. The boiler is 83% efficient.

When we built in 2002, our children were young and our oldest had asthma really bad. I was looking for ways to improve our indoor air quality for our kid’s health. Robert Meyer, a mechanical engineer I had worked with in the past, recommended Warmboard to us. I recall him saying “there is a new product available that would bring a higher level of quality with positive health benefits to your home”. He was anxious to work with Warmboard as he hadn’t used it in the past.

We moved into the house in January of 2003 and immediately noticed comfortable, even heat throughout the house, but especially the first floor where we used Warmboard. The house was absent of cold spots and my wife often told me how much she loves our home in the winter because of the even heat and the feeling of walking in from the outside as if she was walking into a down blanket. Structurally, when we upgraded to a high spin cycle washer, we didn’t have any issues with vibration in the floor system. We used 12” TJI’s at 16” o.c. so our floor system is substantial. There is absolutely no noticeable deflection or vibration. It’s so solid, it feels like you are walking in your Savings & Loan.

Our previous house used a gas-fired forced air system and had a leaky envelope. It was approximately 1,450 sq ft total including a finished attic. There really is no comparison between forced air heating and Warmboard radiant. The energy bills in our new house, which is over 3,200 sq ft, are very similar. So, we more than doubled our space and our energy bills stayed the same!

The finished floors we used were 3/4” tongue and groove 3” wide red oak and 3/8” cement board with ceramic tile over the Warmboard. We didn’t want any elevation change where materials transitioned so we installed the oak directly over Warmboard. We have never had a single issue and the floors are as beautiful as the day they were installed!

Our kids are grown up, healthy, and have moved on but frequently complain about college housing and the subpar comfort compared to our family home. What we will all miss the most is taking our shoes off and feeling that even heat in our house!”

Photography: Steve Ellerbrake

NeverSummer Construction Series - Project Summary

May 24, 2019

This is the first post in a new Warmboard Works series we’re documenting with NeverSummer Construction from the Grand County area in Colorado. We’ll be checking in regularly to get updates on the project throughout the build and see the home come to life through interviews, photos, and videos. In this first installment we talk to Brad Line, co-owner of NeverSummer Construction, to learn more about the business, the project, and why Warmboard radiant heating was chosen to provide the ultimate home heating comfort.

PROJECT DETAILS
Type: Single family home, new construction
Location: Granby, Colorado
Total Square Footage: 2,800 square feet
Lot Size: ¼ acre
Energy: Natural gas, Triangle tube boiler

How did the project come about?

My wife Makena, my brother Conrad, and I moved out to Granby, Colorado from our hometown in Ohio about a year ago, after purchasing Neversummer Construction from Hal Simmons, a respected, longtime custom home builder. My wife and I found a small condo to purchase and immediately began the planning process for our home. My dad, who is a retired engineer, is still very active in real estate ventures and had a set of plans that we fell in love with. He was about to build a home with a similar floor plan that had some slight variations and we thought it would be great to try out different products and do a comparison so we could show these differences to potential clients.

Conrad and I are committed to staying up to date with the newest means and methods that advance construction. We are always interested in learning about new products that streamline the installation process and create a more efficient and more comfortable home. We had both learned about Warmboard awhile back and had been following some other builders on Instagram who were using it. We were very interested in the product and decided it would be a perfect opportunity to try it out on our own home first to really understand how it works and then be able to share with our customers why we think it is a superior product.

How would you describe the project?

Our home would fall into the mountain craftsman category; the exterior of the home yields a craftsman look with a great roof line while the interior gives way to tall ceilings, an open concept main living, and a mountain modern finish. We are building in a quaint development nestled in the heart of Grand County in Granby, Colorado giving us wonderful views and great access to all the different recreation opportunities located at either end of the county.

One of the reasons we choose to use Warmboard is because we are striving to build an energy efficient home for the long winters we experience here at 8,000+ elevation. We also use Huber Zip-R Sheeting on all our homes as it provides a continuous R6 level of insulation on the outside of the home. We will use an open cell spray foam on the lid and fiberglass batts on the walls. Due to how tight the home is we are also installing an air exchange system known as an ERV to make sure we maintain proper air exchange, so the home does not become a ‘sick home’ due to it being so tight. The home site is one of the flattest lots you could probably build on in Colorado and while that was not an issue, we had to over dig the foundation and add engineered fill as the soils were expansive. We chose to over-dig instead of putting in piers for a pier foundation as we felt it was not only more cost effective for us but provided a better product.

Why was radiant chosen?

We believe that radiant floor heating is a superior method for heating the home. Coming from the Midwest we are used to using and working on homes with forced air systems due to the need for air conditioning in the summer, which is not a necessity for these mountain homes due to cooler temperatures through the year. Forced air systems are inefficient and leave much to be desired as they collect dust, are noisy, and do not provide the same comfort level as compared to radiant. Forced air heat rapidly rises to the ceiling compared to radiant heat which heats objects and people and doesn’t stratify upwards, so you are able to maintain a constant comfort level in your home with less energy output. For us it was the most efficient choice knowing it would serve us well through the life span of the house. And who doesn’t love a warm floor when they get out of bed in the morning?!

Why was Warmboard chosen over other radiant technologies?

We chose Warmboard over other hydronic methods because of energy efficiency, temperature change responsiveness, zoning, and combining multiple parts of the installation process into one step. Warmboard has an aluminum coating on the top that helps to spread the heat evenly and directs it upwards making it more efficient. This also makes it much more responsive to adjustments on the thermostat as it doesn’t store heat like a traditional, old-fashioned radiant system. Anyone who has experienced traditional radiant homes knows that sometimes it can take a long time to feel a change if the room is getting too hot.

We really liked how Warmboard worked with our floor plan to create different zones in the home to maximize the comfort level. Warmboard also combines multiple parts of the installation process into one step by creating a product that serves as the subfloor and provides the grid for the tubing. This means we were able to install the aluminum pex tubing for the whole house with three people who had never installed it before in one day. It cut out the need to have the plumber install it underneath the floor joist or use gypsum concrete on top of the subfloor.

What is your previous experience with radiant heating?

Our experience building with radiant before left us with hot spots in the home as well as other cold spots due to the thickness of the thermal mass that the tubing had to heat through; i.e. subfloor or slab. There are also issues with installing hardwood floors or modifying a floor plan with old-fashioned, traditional radiant as you don’t know exactly where the tubing is which leaves room for mistakenly penetrating tubing with a nail and causing costly damages to the home.

How has your experience been with Warmboard thus far?

Excellent. The whole process from design to material delivery to install has been seamless. The literature on the product has made the learning curve much more manageable. The product came well packaged and there were no damages. All the tools and tips provided for the install made it go very easily; it took us one day to install all the tubing for a 2,800 sq. ft. home with three people! The quality of the manifolds and the tubing is exceptional and we have been impressed each step of the way.

Stay tuned for the next update on NeverSummer’s project and see how far along it has come. We can’t wait!

Sonoma, California Homeowner Thrilled with Warmboard since 2014

May 2, 2019

We came across this comment on a recent blog post by Sarah Sherman Samuel, Interior and Product Designer extraordinaire, and reached out to Elaine to learn more about what the last 5 years have been like living in her Warmboard home.

“We chose Warmboard after doing extensive market research on other radiant floor heating systems. Warmboard made the most sense to us in terms of quality, durability, and simply a smarter system.

We built this home ourselves with Warmboard and used travertine tile for all the floor coverings.

There are many benefits that we appreciate about our Warmboard floor such as even, consistent heating, no matter the time of day. Our Warmboard system maintains the warmth of our home 24/7 without having to turn on/turn off, etc.

Another aspect of our radiant heating system that we enjoy is that it is quiet. There are no vents to deal with and no air is being pushed around our home. It’s completely dustless! Warmboard is extremely comfortable and healthy heat!!!!!!!

And like I stated in my comment on Sarah’s blog, our children come to visit and don’t want to leave. Which I don’t really mind.”

Thanks to Elaine for sharing her family’s Warmboard experience with us and we wish them many more years of unequaled comfort!

Canadian Homeowner Reports Back on First Winter with Warmboard

March 18, 2019

In this installment of Warmboard Works, we talk to Remko T. from Ontario, Canada, who built his home in 2018 near the shores of magnificent Lake Erie. He’ll recount for us his experience building and living with Warmboard in his family’s 2,650 sq ft home and 1,100 sq ft detached garage.

“We chose Warmboard for our new home that we built last year and couldn’t be happier! We considered all the options available for floor heat and found that the extra panel cost for a Warmboard system was worth it. We were not disappointed! The panels arrived on time and the framers had no trouble putting it in following the layout plans. House construction can be tough on subfloors but Warmboard held up amazing!

I also waited on installing the pex tubing until the walls were up and the plumbing, wiring and exterior wall insulation was done. I did the custom router loops myself with the template kit provided. I ran all the pex lines according to the plans provided to the manifold locations just before the drywallers started.

We decided to keep it simple by making one heat zone for each the basement, the main floor, the top floor, and the detached garage. The hot water heater is another zone. We did not use slab sensors anywhere, just thermostats in each zone.

The boiler we chose is a 160,000 btu IBC Canadian-made boiler. It has 5 built-in zone controls and an outdoor reset thermostat as well. It’s a very simple and well-built boiler and incredibly easy to operate.

Overall, we are thrilled with our warm floors! Our Warmboard system heats the house very evenly and very comfortably. We are pleased with the fast response to both raise and lower the temperatures in the house as desired. I run the water temperature in the floor between 110°-125°F which gives us great response times and is lightning fast! I’ve also noticed the heating keeps up easily when it is below 0°C outside. During the day we typically keep it at 19°- 21°C and at night we set it down to 17°C.

The cost to heat the house to 19°C and the garage to 15°C is on average $300-350 per month with propane @65cent per liter. This is a bit disappointing but I’m anticipating the cost will decrease at least 33-50% when natural gas comes through in the near future.

My wife and I love our Warmboard home and we can’t help but notice the lack of radiant heating and lack of Warmboard’s invisible comfort when we go to anyone else’s house.”

How Did Warmboard Perform During the Polar Vortex?

February 26, 2019

At the end of January 2019, fluctuations in the band of frigid Arctic air, known as the polar vortex, brought severe, frigid winter weather to much of the United States and Canada. We checked in with homeowners across this great continent to see how Warmboard did keeping them comfortable, warm, and cozy. We’re elated to share with you the feedback we received!

Recently Wisconsin experienced a stretch of some of the coldest weather in state history. Lows got down to -30°F with wind chills dipping to -60°F. This lasted for over a week! Our Warmboard system not only kept our home warm and comfortable but we never once had to turn on the furnace for extra heat. Time and time again we find ourselves extremely impressed and satisfied with our Warmboard system. Thanks!!

- Erica and Ryan K, Prescott, WI

We are indeed enjoying the Warmboard in this extreme cold weather! One interesting side benefit is that our cats now would rather sleep on the floor than trying to crawl into our bed late at night.

- A.J. P, Colts Neck, NJ

For years my husband and I have always suffered from cold feet in the winter, so when we started plans to build our new home radiant heat seemed like a must have luxury. After doing research we decided to go with Warmboard as the product seemed to be the best solution for us and all the team members we dealt with were very enthusiastic and helpful. The team stayed with us through the whole process - planning, day 1 of install, and even post move-in checkup. Now that we have been living in our house for a few very cold New England months I can say choosing Warmboard was one of the best decisions we made. I can't describe how great it is to walk around and feel the warmth on my toes when the heat is on and to not struggle with cold feet anymore. Warmboard is a luxury that I can now say I can't live without.

- Tammy F, Boylston, MA

We absolutely love our floors and are very happy with the decision to go with Warmboard. Nothing is nicer than stepping on to a nice warm floor on a cold day!

- Brian F, Boylston, MA

Our project is complete and we have been in our new home about four months. There have been several periods of three and four degree weather and our Warmboard did a better than expected job. We were toasty warm and cozy. We couldn’t be happier.

- Jack and Carolyn T, Sparta, NC

We have been very happy with our system. My wife loves the warm floors. Our house does get warm on the sunny days with many windows. On cloudy days the Warmboard system does its job. I’m incredibly satisfied and glad I found and used your system.

- Bob M, Harmony, MN

Longtime Happy Homeowner - Alex Z. in Pennsylvania

January 11, 2019

In this Warmboard Works, we hear from Alex Z. in Pennsylvania, who built his house back in 2005 using Warmboard and has never looked back. He is graciously sharing his experience living in a 3,700 sq ft Warmboard home for over a decade and will explain the main reasons why he selected a Warmboard radiant heating system.

“I’ve been a Warmboard customer for nearly 15 years now and I am an extremely happy customer!!!

When I bought my house, I knew it was a total rebuild. I spent many months researching and designing my new home, carefully selecting all of the products that went into the build. I chose Warmboard for a few reasons (not in any particular order):

1) The rebuild meant I had to replace nearly 4000 sq ft of subfloor and I wanted to put in radiant heat. Without Warmboard, I could not have afforded to do both! The incremental cost (at the time) was 15% higher than just a standard subfloor but I got both radiant heat and my subfloor at once! It also sped up the build time, which was very important.

2) My house was designed at about 4000 sq ft, however, there is A LOT of volume in my house. Most of the ceilings are roughly 14 feet high. No other method of heat, other than radiant, was going to give me the comfort I wanted. With Warmboard I also got equal heat distribution across the entire floor…there are no warm/cold spots, especially near the edge of the house (exterior walls).

3) What I was surprised at after the fact was the efficiency! I have a very small boiler for my house size (it’s 80k BTU’s for both domestic hot water and heat!) yet I get heat from the floor in about 30 minutes. Additionally, my heating costs are extremely low. By running the water through the floor at 110 degrees my heating costs are about $150-170/month. Conversely, my AC bills are always over $500/month in the summer!!!

I can’t directly compare my current heating costs to my pre-Warmboard heating costs as we went from oil heat/radiators to Warmboard, powered by natural gas. The home also increased in size from 1,380 sq ft to 3,700 sq ft.

I value the comfort my Warmboard radiant heating system gives me and have been thrilled with the phenomenal performance all these years. I anticipate another 15 years of enjoyment and satisfaction!”

Streamline Design Ltd, British Columbia

August 17, 2016

Kevin Simoes of Streamline Design Ltd tells of his first experience using Warmboard. The Gabriola project is a post-and-beam home in British Columbia and features over 3000 square feet of Warmboard-R.

“We chose Warmboard for its ease and its convenience. The structure was built on an island, so we knew the construction costs were going to be high. Costs for using concrete for the radiant heating were especially high, so we knew that would not be a viable option. In fact, Warmboard was the cheaper option and definitely had a positive impact on the budget. Combined with its performance claims, Warmboard became the natural choice.

Working with the Warmboard has been a great experience. The design team was fantastic. They were responsive and easy to work with. They answered our questions promptly and produced working drawings very quickly. And while we provided only the architectural design (we were not the installers), the feedback from the contractor was very positive as well. The installation drawings provided were very helpful and easy to follow, and they were pleased with how quickly and easily [the panels] went down. The ease and speed of the installation was actually one of the great benefits with Warmboard. It definitely made an impression.

The homeowner was very pleased with the install and subsequent system performance as well. They have also remarked that they have really noticed the savings on heating costs.

Overall, we have had an incredible experience work with Warmboard. The team is very professional, easy to work with and always happy to help educate architects, installers and the clients. And you have a great product! The team at Streamline has been very pleased to team up with Warmboard on additional projects and we look forward to specifying the product on many jobs in the future.”

Kevin Simoes
Streamline Design Ltd.

Sustainable Edge, Toronto

June 15, 2016

In this Warmboard Works we hear from Mario Kani of Sustainable Edge, an Engineering firm in Toronto, Ontario.

For over a decade we have been using hydronic radiant heating and cooling in ceilings. The benefits of a fully hydronic house with moderate heating and cooling water temperatures and no recirculated forced air are many, including:

Complements low energy envelopes which require lower heating and cooling capacities
Provides better comfort
Delivers healthy indoor air
Promotes minimum noise in living spaces
Requires minimal and smaller ductwork (ventilation only)
Results in lower distribution energy (by using a pump instead of a fan)
Increased flexibility for thermal supply source such as solar or geothermal energy

Locating the radiant cooling on the ceiling provides the maximum output for a specified design surface temperature. While we have designed several projects using concrete radiant ceilings, we have found that for wood construction, Warmboard is a natural match for ceiling installation, placed just behind the drywall. Warmboard is also an ideal candidate for radiant heating in the ceiling as well, able to provide either low- or high-intensity heating during winter months.

The principle of ceiling cooling is based on average surface temperatures between 60ºF to 70ºF over a large surface area, resulting in draft-free, low-intensity cooling. The cooling surface temperature needs to be high to avoid surface condensation. This system only does sensible cooling of the living space (i.e. no moisture removal) so that dehumidification needs to be done separately. For a successful ceiling cooling installation, the project’s attributes should be as follows:

A high performance thermal envelope to minimize cooling loads through careful glazing selection and summer shading,
Significant envelope airtightness
100% outdoor air ventilation without recirculation (also known as DOAS: dedicated outdoor air system )
Ventilation heat recovery (preferably an ERV)
Dehumidification of outdoor air with 45ºF to 50ºF chilled water (e.g. directly from ground water or via ground source heat pump) resulting in drier ventilation air than room air.

We look forward to using Warmboard–R, the thinner retrofit product in our next radiant ceiling project.

Mario Kani, B.A.Sc., M.A.Sc., P.Eng., LEED® AP
President, Sustainable EDGE

124 Merton St., Suite 507
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M4S 2Z2

contact [at] s-edge.com
416.477.2625

Sustainable EDGE designs using an integrated, holistic approach to system flows. Combining energy, water, air, nutrient and organic resources in their engineering methodology allows their clients to achieve the lowest possible greenhouse gas (GHG) and environmental impact. And where possible the project will make positive contributions to society and the environment.

Sustainable EDGE believes in good design, enlightened by sustainable principles and fitting best to the dynamics of each building goals.

They offer the following Consulting, Designing, Planning and Net Zero engineering services.

Homeowners Jeremy & Callie, Kansas City

June 6, 2016

In this Warmboard Works post we talk to Jeremy and Callie, homeowners who are in the midst of remodeling a 100 year old commercial building into their dream home. The West Bottoms Project is not your run of the mill remodel and these innovative DIY'ers are using Warmboard to bring ultimate comfort to this unique project. Bonus – they documented much of their construction in a photo essay, which can be found here:

“There are probably 400 reasons why we chose Warmboard, but I’m sure you’ve heard all of those before! I of course read a ton about the product and thought it would be an amazing luxury to have, but I figured it would actually be a bit too expensive – something I’m sure you guys hear all the time, right?

Our building is in the coolest neighborhood in Kansas City – called the West Bottoms – andwas originally built as a Horse Stable and Warehouse / Carriage House. It’s got a pretty interesting shape that comes from the railroad tracks that ran up to the loading dock doors on both the West and South walls (we have 7 loading down doors).

Because of the size of our building (the first floor is approx 6,000 sq ft), the 10 foot tall basement (also 6,000 sf ft) and the really high ceilings (about 25 feet in the main room), we knew heating the space adequately was going to get interesting.

The ceilings in our building are beautiful. 100 year old wood, amazing trusses and greatheight (probably too high, but whatever!). But having to hang duct work, seeing tubes everywhere would look like a mess and hide a lot of the charm of the building. It would have driven me crazy, and it would look hideous. So from an aesthetic standpoint it just wasn’t going to work.

Also, having hot air blowing down from our high ceilings, coming down to about 8 feet, then making a u-turn and heading back up towards the cold roof? No thanks. I had visions of us freezing on our couch with the roof being a toasty 80 degrees. So forced air wasn’t going to work on a functional level either.

Still, thinking our options were limited, we called in a slew of HVAC/Mechanical contractors. All came back with a horror stories of us needing multiple, monster heating and cooling units (that would go where? who knows.) to blow A LOT of air to POSSIBLY get us to a comfortable temperature. We then slogged through the data and crunched the numbers they gave us and the prices really skyrocketed. Suddenly, the thought of “Warmboard being too expensive” weren’t such an issue any more and it quickly became the best option to heat the building.

My wife Callie and I, along with some family and friends, have done 100% of the installation ourselves (We mostly pay our laborers in a combination of pizza, barbeque and gratefulness)! The plans you provided were amazing! As the project progressed however, there were a few issues with our structure we hadn’t really expected. But that’s the great thing about Warmboard–R – it was really easy for us to make adjustments on the fly, cut custom pieces or execute some custom routes to get around these situations. It’s one thing I really wasn’t expecting. This really is a great building tool! One that’s not meant to snap into place or it’s not going to work, but a panel that provides amazing flexibility in the design layout. The whole process was very intuitive. And anyone can easily grab 2 or 3 panels and carry them to where they need to go. We invested in 6 pairs of knee pads, 4 new drills and a TON of screws and it actually went fairly quickly, all things considered. Especially for a ragtag group like us. Moving forward, we will be hiring a professional to connect the boilers and the manifolds, run tests, etc. But as for all the panels, the tubing – we did all of it ourselves.

Callie and I are coordinating all the work on the job. It’s a monster project, but so far sogood. Things are moving forward quickly and we’re hoping to spend Thanksgiving there this year – just in time for the 100th birthday of the structure. We’ll have everyone there too and are looking forward to being really toasty!”

– Jeff and Callie Bennet

Callie and Jeremy install the first few Warmboard-R panels into their new home.

See dozens more photos and a few videos over at the westbottomsproject.com

DG Custom Built Homes & Remodeling, LLC., NEW YORK

June 6, 2016

“DG Custom Built Homes & Remodeling recommends Warmboard as our first choice for radiant heat. Installed properly, radiant heat only uses energy when and where it’s needed. We like to zone each room individually; which saves money and eliminates having cool and hot spots develop as each part of the home heats and cools differently throughout the day. Warmboard goes in during framing and acts as a subfloor so there are no additional steps needed as with other products. Warmboard has a great support system from design to installation. The design team takes all the guesswork out of material to purchase and layout in the field. In addition to providing with a complete material list, their local rep stops by our job sites to ensure the installation is going smoothly.

As the owner of DG Custom Built Homes and Remodeling, I personally have built my home using Warmboard as the only source of heat. My home never feels cold or overheated. I spend 1/3 of what I used to spend on my previous home which was much smaller.Warmboard would be my first choice every time.”

– Desmond Greaves, Owner of DG Custom Built Homes & Remodeling, LLC.

DG CUSTOM BUILT HOMES & REMODELING, LLC.

13 West Bay Shore Road
Bay Shore, NY 11706
631-253-0728 (office) / 631-457-2856 (cell)
www.dgcustombuilt.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dg.custombuilt

Dorgan & Zuck Contractors, PENNSYLVANIA

June 6, 2016

Dorgan & Zuck Contractors has been in business for 31 years and is experienced with many types of construction projects. We have encountered many suppliers, sub-contractors, and products; some standard and some brand new and untested.

For various reasons we had never been able to work with Warmboard products before. An architect out of Manhattan, New York who was a C.M. on a multimillion dollar restoration project where we were the G.C., recommended Warmboard products for the various floors in an Historic farmhouse. The client had made his mark in the world by having a very high standard and uncompromising view. This necessitated a need on our part to have a support team and product that could provide the information, design, efficiency, and ease of use to satisfy these demands. [Your Sales staff] and Warmboard products met and exceeded those requirements. The floors were of various natural wood, tile, and granite, and all experienced great results.

Warmboard and their staff were accessible, informative, and adaptable and in the end, helped make us successful in that area of need. We are glad to have worked with Warmboard and hope to use [Warmboard] in other projects.

Dorgan & Zuck Building Contractors, Inc.
325 Cottage Hill Road
York, PA 17401
Phone: (717) 848-2932
Fax: (717) 843-4293
www.dorganandzuck.com

Helios Roofing, Helios Construction, BRITISH Columbia

June 6, 2016

In this Warmboard Works we hear from Louis Lu of Helios Roofing in Burnaby, British Columbia.

“The existing house has 2 stories and 50 years old. The previous heating system used forced-air heat, and the ducting was claiming a lot of space, especially in the attic. The owner wanted to increase the available space inside the house, but were not able to change its physical size of the structure. The homeowner was considering radiant heating as an option.

We had the architect and interior designer to do some research on radiant heating, and they foundWarmboard. The architect recommended Warmboard-S because it could be used as the subfloor and the control systems would take up a minimal amount of space. The homeowner agreed and the project began.

We gutted the entire interior of the house and rebuilt with LVL beams (and Warmboard) to create open spaces throughout. We completely transformed an traditional single-family house into a modern smart home, with all the latest technology built inside.

Along with Helios Homes and Contracting Ltd., we redid the structural, the framing, the roof, insulation, drywall the landscaping and even the swimming pool. The house contains all new plumbing, heating, lighting and an array of smart entertainment features (alarms, 3D home movie theater, smartphone and touch screen home monitoring systems, retractable vacuum system, zoned background music via bluetooth, and a piano stage with wireless mini microphones inside) along with a cigar and wine cellar, gym, sauna and massage table, pool table and more. It is an incredible 6000 square foot home, and it is all covered with Warmboard.”

Coastal Construction Management, CONNECTICUT

June 6, 2016

We received a great letter from Michael Scarpa at Coastal Construction Management, LLC in Pawcatuck, Connecticut. It’s his first project with Warmboard, and things are off to a great start. We’ll be following up with him in the months ahead for an update.

"I had heard about Warmboard subflooring, but assumed it would be too cost prohibitive to use – until I sat down and did a price comparison to Quik Trak product. I was surprised to find that Warmboard was actually less expensive. The equalizer comes from the labor to install Warmboard. I pay my framing crew to install a subfloor, whether it’s a standard T&G or Warmboard, so there is no cost variance, or perhaps a small increase depending on the amount of custom routing required. But, using Warmboard, I don’t have to pay my plumbers to install a Quik Trak panel system at the rough-in stage of the project – which, at plumbing rates, can be very expensive and time consuming. This savings more than makes up for the added cost of the Warmboard panels. Installing the tubing is about equal, with a slight edge to Warmboard due to the 12” spacing compared to the 8” for Quik Trak (less tubing equals less labor). All this said, it’s really the performance that is going to blow the competition away.

Warmboard-S installs over joist on this ocean-front property.

This is our first project using Warmboard so I’m really eager to hear the client’s comments on comfort and feel. I’m confident they’ll be impressed.

All of my dealings with Warmboard so far have been nothing short of impressive.

Coastal Construction Management, LLC.

CCM LLC is a full-service construction company located in Pawcatuck, Connecticut. CCM offers Cost-Plus Construction – based on actual costs plus a pre-determined percentage. This type of construction fee offers substantial savings and peace of mind to the homeowner. The homeowner saves through reduction of the contractor’s profit and overhead as some of the contractor’s risk involved in fixed-price contracting is assumed by the homeowner. The owner receives the direct benefit of the contractor’s considerable discounts. The homeowner is provided a detailed breakdown of expenses.

Michael Scarpa
Coastal Construction Management LLC.
266 South Broad Street
Pawcatuck, CT 06379
1.860.599.8781
coastalconstructionmanagement.com

To see how Quik Trak performs against Warmboard, see the video below.

Geo Source One, Ohio

June 6, 2016

In this Warmboard Works, Jeff Persons of Geo Source One Inc. talks to us about his renovation of the “Rock House”. Located on property obtained through a land grant from the American Revolutionary War, the home was built while the area was still Indian Territory. Rather than tearing the home down, the structure was maintained and underwent an extensive renovation. The structure is entirely radiant heated and has a total of 8 zones to maximize comfort and control.

“We are geothermal systems contractors, and geothermal equipment is a perfect match for Warmboard. We’re strictly low temperature hydronics folks here, we don’t get into a lot of high temperature type situations. Because we’re working with high-efficiency condensing boilers and so forth, it’s important to keep those temperatures as low as possible.

Warmboard has been excellent to work with. It is the very best way to utilize geothermal equipment for managing a radiant floor particularly when you’ve got wood frame construction.

Also, just the ease of tubing installation in a Warmboard project. I like being able to use the linoleum roller to press the tubes into the channel and follow things around; and it’s not difficult to route new channels to get from one area to another. The whole ease of working with the product really stands out to me, not to mention your team has always been excellent. I credit you folks with your patience with homeowners and architects that make changes and then the drawings have to be repeatedly changed. In some instances we’ll have revision 1, revision 2, revision 3, and every time it comes back and its perfect.

This is not our first rodeo with Warmboard; we’ve had others, all of them excellent. I’m about to make a trip back to Ohio to finish off another project that used Warmboard in several areas. I’m looking forward to that visit and getting that project off of our books to make room for the next [Warmboard] one.”

Geo Source One Inc. provides Columbus, Ohio geothermal products and solutions and are proud to be the full service provider for WaterFurnace brand products in the Columbus, Ohio community. Their geothermal resource center has a lot of information on the benefits of what the Earth has to offer. Whatever your needs are, routine maintenance, equipment repair, or a complete comfort system, their highly trained staff has the expertise to help. Let them install a geothermal solution that utilizes the clean, green, renewable energy stored in your backyard to provide savings of up to 70% on heating, cooling, and hot water costs.

geosourceone @ rrohio.com

www.geosourceone.com

vivZ architects, EDMONTON

May 24, 2016

In this Warmboard Works we hear from Vivian Zhao of vivZ architects in Edmonton, Alberta. In 2015, Vivian used Warmboard in a 12 unit condominium unit in Edmonton. Here’s what she had to say about her experience with Warmboard.

Grovenor Condominiums. Edmonton, Alberta

“With this project we used to 2 lots and combined together. The result is 12 townhouse units with a shared basement and underground parking.

We wanted to use infloor heating from the very beginning. One of the managers on the project had heard of Warmboard (but not used it), and thought it might be a good option, allowing for much faster installation, especially compared to the alternative, gypsum concrete.

So I started to look into Warmboard. And aside from the benefits of having a faster installation, there were many other benefits as well. You can use a much wider variety of floor finishing materials. I read through all of your online material and contacted your sales rep in Vancouver. I then flew out to Vancouver with my husband, and we met with your sales rep who showed us a couple of active Warmboard jobs in the area. It was very helpful to go on site and see the Warmboard still exposed. And we were able to see the control systems as well. This was very helpful. At that time I felt it would be the right product for our project. I began working with your design team in California, and soon after we were making payment and coordinating the shipping.

Working with design team was good. The team was very cooperative in designing the system efficiently as to keep costs under control. They were very helpful.

Much of the construction took place during the winter. So we put the panels in put could not yet put in the tubing because of the freezing temperatures in Edmonton. It’s just not possible. We did cover the panels a couple of times during the construction process with Rahm board, first during the winter and again in the summer after the tubing was in. This did cause additional labor for us, and it was time consuming. We would have loved to be able to rent cover panels from you as a temporary covering. Obviously in a smaller house, this wouldn’t be a big deal, but on a large multi-res project like ours, we think this would be a good thing to offer in the future.

This occupants of the building have been living with Warmboard now for 2 full heating seasons, and I can tell you the performance works very well. It is very satisfying. Our residents are amazed and how comfortable it is. And our gas bill is very, very low. Warmboard is saving us a lot of energy for sure.

I would definitely recommend Warmboard in the future and hope to use it in more projects.

vivZ architecture
14021 23 street, Edmonton
780.908.2637

JC Heating and Cooling, ILLINOIS

May 18, 2016

For this Warmboard Works we spoke with Jerry Chwierut of JC Heating and Cooling in Hodgkins, Illinois.

"There are many aspects to look at when choosing the right product for our clients. Our company’s success comes from quick response and reaction time to our customers needs as well as our own fulfillment and productivity. The Warmboard company and products were very much in line with ours. Working with Warmboard has been a great experience. They offer great pricing along with a high quality product.

Warmboard is affordable, but it is among the more expensive radiant heat systems. But this is due mainly to its general excellence of standard, especially with its thick aluminum. One of our great experiences with Warmboard was the ease of installation process. Compared to Complete Radiant, it is unbelievably convenient, without any additional work input, where the other product requires extra labor in trimming or gluing with additional installations. Working with Warmboard cut down our working times allowing us to do a better quality job overall and to be more productive on the site.”

Tubing channels are lined with our alignment pins, and Warmboard-R is screwed down over the existing subfloor.

Warmboard panels are cut, aligned and installed over the subfloor.

Our company is happy when our customers are satisfied. I would recommend Warmboard not only to our customers, but definitely to our own households and businesses which are looking for a good quality product of an upper grade. Warmboard, besides the aspects we have mentioned earlier, is a reliable radiant heating system with a smart design and energy efficiency. Our customers are satisfied with the decreased energy use, and we appreciate the quick installation time."

12" on center tubing channels hold the tubing in place and make the installation process must faster. And, Warmboard's 12" tubing spacing outperforms other systems with even double the amount of tubing.

Repeating, consistent tubing pattern makes tubing installation fast and convenient.

Jerry Chwierut
JC Heating and Cooling
7099 Santa Fe Dr, Ste G,
Hodgkins, IL

Web: http://www.jccomfort.com/
Email: information@jccomfort.com
Phone: 312.471.1221

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JC Heating & Cooling, Inc. is a family owned company founded in 1997 on the principle that the business would be based on three fundamentals – Quality, Honesty and Integrity. This continues to be their business model. JC Heating & Cooling, Inc. is dedicated to building a team of outstanding individuals committed to provide premium quality products & service while delivering the highest level of value with constant focus on 100% customer satisfaction.