Customer Reviews

Radiant Floor Heating with Hot Water

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This booklet only deals with copper tubing embedded in a concrete slab. The author only gives token mention to other tubing products such as PEX, rubber, etc. Also, there is almost no mention of using radiant floor heat under a wood framed floor. If you are planning a copper tube/under slab installation, this appears to be a good book. However, if you are planning to use PEX tubing, or install a system under a wood framed floor, skip it.

The book is a primitively produced 'text' on installing radiant floor heating in new constuction using copper tubing embedded in a concrete slab. The book features type-written, photocopied pages; amateur, hand-drawn illustrations; and home-made covers. The pages are bound using some type of do-it-yourself manual binding machine. My copy was missing page 36.

The content is narrowly focused on copper embedded in concrete. The subjects of other materials, installations in existing structures, or installation in structures other those using concrete slabs are mentioned only in the most tangental manner.

In addition, reports of copper catastrophically (at least financially) corroding away when embedded in concrete abound, although this reader has had no personal experiences with copper in concrete. But the author's actual experience with radiant floor heating seems so limited I find it hard to have any confidence in his recommendations.

After yet another guest in our home expressed an interest in our radiant heating system with its draft free silent and comfortable ambient temperature, I again loaned our copy of John A. Wills' book "Radiant Floor Heating with Hot Water".

The author takes the reader through a careful step by step process which, if followed as we did, will ensure successful installation of a working system. He also gives important background discussion of appropriate materials and essential practical construction techniques, as well as explanations of critical scientific principles that form the basis of the system. Drawings and photos of both residential and commercial examples showing construction sequences and layouts are extremely helpful. The reader will learn not only what to do, but why it should be done.

Construction of our single story 3,500 square foot home with its copper imbedded concrete slab radiant heating system was completed in 1986. Since then, we have enjoyed economical, leak free operation of our twelve station system.

Our copy of John A. Wills' book was one of the earliest, and is getting worn from being borrowed so many times. We are looking forward to the most recent edition, which will be available soon.

A California owner-builder

We have used the expertise of Mr. Wills in the construction of our abbey heating system. It is over twelve years old in places and has performed wonderfully. The radiant heat is very comfortable and healthy, especially as compared with forced air systems. The book brings together all the skills and experience needed to complete the project.

I have a previous version of the author's book and was pleased to see that the latest edition is even better. Following the authors guidelines, I have completed a sucessful radiant heat system for my home. The authors suggestions and detailed descriptions provide much help in the actual layout and selection of materials. I would recommend this book to anyone who is considering a radiant heating system in their home.

This book is a gem in that it has important practical information not readily found elsewhere.

Certain points about using copper tubing shows the authors expertise in the face of conventional wisdom: old wives tales about corrosion in concrete! Such incidents of failure have been proven to be from the inside out, caused by an acidic fluid.

I liked the book because the content was un-assuming, clear, with hand-drawn illustrations, hand-made binding keeping the repro costs down.

Many such books of priceless info are priced out of the reach of those needing the information because of the high costs of slick presentation.

I, for one, am willing to pay for the info, not the slick cover!

Because I am near the site of the radiant heating installation. I know of it's unqualified success over the last 15 years!

I've been a fan of radiant heat since I attended grade school in the Mid-West. I remember coming in from playing in the snow and receiving the warmth of the classroom radiators. It was so much more effective than the coal fired gravity flow furnace system we had in our farm home.

During my junior high school years I developed serious sinus problems during the winter months. I felt better at school during the week than I did at home on week-ends. It did not occur to me until years later that this was probably because of the difference in the quality of heat.

"Radiant Floor Heating With Hot Water" answered many questions I had about radiant heat, and will be used as a guide if we build our own home in the future.

I felt the material included in this book was not useful and in some cases, very questionable. I would not buy it again and do not feel that it was useful.

I enjoyed the practical advise and instructions on how to work with radiant floor heating. I had the opportunity to buy a home with radiant floor heating at one time - when I lived back east. I remember the warm floors in the winter.

I can recommend this book for those who want a good, down-to-earth, useful book.