Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 11-03-2019, 05:36 PM   #1
New Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 2
Wood vs. Radiant Floor Heating

Hello, I'm brand new to the forum and I can't seem to find what I'm looking for. I'm in the pre-pre-planning stages and budgeting for my build (goal:Spring 2021). I'm trying to find out which form of heating is more efficient, wood or radiant floors.

Details: I am a part-time wheelchair user. Meaning I'm on prosthetic legs all day and a wheelchair once I'm home. My leg time runs out around 10-12 hours. I mention this because I genuinely don't care about rolling out of bed and stepping on a warm floor. Ice cold is fine with me because I'll never feel it.

Does radiant floor heating heat up the entire space as well as wood heating. I know there are a lot of energy efficiency factors and all of that, but if you had one option for staying warm which would you choose? I'm willing to put in the work for wood stove heating and really like the dry heat, but I have a tiny dog and am super concerned with the bus getting cold if I'm at work.

I'm in MN so I'm planning on a 4 season build (hopefully I'll move and it won't be necessary, but that's what I'm planning for).

LeglessWander is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2019, 07:47 PM   #2
Bus Crazy
 
banman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Moved to Zealand!
Posts: 1,517
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freightliner FS-65
Engine: 7.2L Cat 3126 turbo diesel
Rated Cap: 71 passenger 30,000 gvwr
Others will speak to the technical...
The obvious part is that heat rises -- so a radiant floor heats everything evenly.
(I have no doubt a small wood stove will heat a bus -- but it's nice to stir the air a bit to even the heat out...)
I have a dog -- he's getting older -- he would not appreciate a cold metal floor in winter -- he's also 60 pounds -- he does not sleep in bed with me...

So, is your "little" dog welcome on the furniture, bed, etc? I can tell you having lived a year in a small camper you could follow the thermoclines inside the camper by where the ice on the wall turned to liquid...
The floor would be 30'F while waist height was 60'F. We had a cat at the time -- he curled up on the down comforter on the bed -- I never saw him on the ground except to eat!

You don't care about the warm floor -- will you be entertaining guests who might care?
banman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-04-2019, 01:43 AM   #3
Bus Nut
 
wrenchtech's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Posts: 415
Year: 2008
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner HDX
Engine: CAT C7 300hp w/retarder
Rated Cap: 46 + 1 36,200 lbs
I am just now insulating the floor on my bus. Because I don't want to lose much headroom I will only be installing 2 inches of foam board. Residential building codes now call for something like R-30 in the floor if the space below is uninsulated. 2 inches of foam board will get me R-12. If I was heating with in-floor radiant I would want really good insulation on the floor below the heated elements. That might mean three or 4 inches of foam.
wrenchtech is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
radiant heating, wood stove

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:47 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.