Heating 3100 soft home

Jwhairforce1
Jwhairforce1 Registered Users, Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 1 ✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
Looking to heat 3100sqft home with renewable energy. I have a 2ft craw enclosed crawl space. I was thinking of laying 1in pvc pipe 16" on center on the floor of the crawl space and covering with 4in of sand. Is this a good idea and what's the best way to heat the water? I didn't want to go with the outdoor wood burner. Trying be 1 and done. 
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  • SumPower
    SumPower Registered Users Posts: 69 ✭✭
    #2
    Plastic (PVC) is considered an insulator and does not conduct heat well. An Outdoor wood burner would be better.

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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,626 admin
    #3
    Welcome to the forum JW.

    You really need to look at the the entire system--And not just focus on one "thing"...

    Depending on how much space you have and how much DIY you wish to do--Here is a very interesting home built heating system for a home in a cold climate (snow on ground):

    https://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/SpaceHeating/SolarShed/solarshed.htm

    And a second version here:

    https://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/SpaceHeating/DHWplusSpace/Main.htm

    These are old articles/system (2007 or so)--But the basics still work.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Miller_Ranch
    Miller_Ranch Registered Users Posts: 42 ✭✭
    #4
    I went with these guys. Very happy. My system is in a concrete slab but the have options for framed floors.


    https://www.radiantcompany.com/
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,907 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Heating method is down the list from making the building right for efficient heating in my opinion.

     There are so many ways that a building can really bad for efficient heating, The ducting, the recessed lighting, the registers, windows, insulation, attic, and this list just keeps getting longer.
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • Marc Kurth
    Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,174 ✭✭✭✭
    #6
    It all starts with a load calc.
    I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
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  • Graham Parkinson
    Graham Parkinson Registered Users Posts: 170 ✭✭✭
    #7
    If you are at the interior finishing stage, and want radiant heat consider a product called "Warmboard".  It is a sandwich of 1" plywood with built-in channels for radiant heating pipes on the top surface, over a layer of pressed on aluminum sheet heat sink material.

    https://www.warmboard.com/products/panels/

    Warmboard's good heat conductance and large area connected into the room allows lower temperature water to be used which opens up more options for renewable energy or air to water heat pumps etc as a heat source.  (or even outdoor wood stove boilers for that matter).

    Stapling heat pipes under the flooring works - but you need higher temperature water due to the increased thermal resistance of going through the floor without an upper surface heat sink layer.

    Offgrid in cloudy PNW

    Full Schneider system with 18 REC 420W panels, 100A-600V controller, XWPro, Insight Home, six Discover AES Rackmount 5kW batteries, Slimline enclosure, Lynk II, AGS, H650,  H2200, H3000 (On Victron AutoTrans with Gen Line 2 wire AGS on AC1), Kubota 4500, Onan 7500 (on second AGS and AC2).

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