Cracks in ceilings are caused mostly by settling of the house and the expansion and contraction created during that settling. Four months have passed and now hairline cracks are. This used to be a very common method for installing radiant heat. Is electric radiant heat efficient hydronic vs electric. Electric radiant ceiling heating systems thermaray. Is there a wire tracer so that i answered by a verified electrician. I dont know if this is an installation problem or this is common with this heat, but it is a mess. This is an excellent way to add comfort to any space if you dont have access to the floor. In the older form, electric heating elements are sandwiched between a layer of drywall and a layer of plaster. Radiant ceiling vs radiant floor heating from above. I have radiant heat in my plaster ceiling and over the past 23 months of digging, major on going excavation, building destruction and construction four feet from my property line the ceilings have cracked in a number of rooms. Cracks appear in some of the ceilings along what i presume to be the edges of the underlaying lath boards. The typical install is 38 drywall, heat wires applied with a special t50 staple variant, then 1438 of plaster applied over top.
The most practical thing for homeowner is to use radiant heaters to heat the ceiling mounts. The hardware of this device is mounted over the head making it very practical for homeowner living in small houses. Before i moved in, i hired a contractor off angies list to install drywall as the concrete ceiling was visually unappealing. Soak up the warmth of a radiant hydronic heat system in. Will ceiling heating give a comfortable heat distribution. The plaster on the ceiling looks more like some sort of concrete and is just about as hard as concrete. Another thing common to radiant ceiling heat is ghosting of joist and the radiant elements through the drywall or plaster. Ranch style house built in the mid 70s, and the heat is still used. Here in the pacific northwest during the era of cheap hydro, a large portion of 1 story housing was equipped with radiant ceiling heat. Typically one long crack that runs the length of the room. With heat cables particularly the ones buried in the plaster can develop hairline cracks, andor ghosting.
Can the ceiling panels be repaired some are cracked an. Our house is heated with electric radiant heat in the ceilings. The thermostats on radiant ceiling heaters operate differently than with central heating systems. Radiant heat in the ceiling was very popular in my area. I understand that cracking is not unusual under the circumstances. The heat does cost a little more currently then gas so that may impact the rent you can charge and ultimately your bottom line. Bubbles in the plaster surrounding the wires allow them to overheat and burn out. Ceiling repair radiant heat in ceiling hi folks thanks for the posts. Without air circulation from a forced air system, any soot collects on the colder joist. Just like radiant floor heating systems, and the top of your head wont feel any warmer than normal. So does anyone know of a better thermostat that can regulate the room temperature with radiant ceiling heat. Plastered ceiling wradiant heat im looking for advice on the best methods to repair cracks in plastered ceilings with radiant heat.
I did an insurance job a about 4 years ago, where water came in through the roof and the entire ceiling, blueboard, electric wires and plaster, all fell to the floor. The contractor first installed metal tracks into the concrete ceiling and then attached the drywall. Radiant heat can dry plaster or ceiling tiles, causing them to. Radiant heat in ceiling home improvement stack exchange. Ceiling heat removal demo cleanup how to diy youtube. Radiant ceiling heat drywall falling again contractor talk. In older construction, radiant ceiling heat often consisted of wires sandwiched between a layer of drywall and a layer of plaster. Best option to fix cracks in ceiling with radiant heat. Plastered ceiling wradiant heat drywall contractor talk. In this video rory brennan, owner of big wallys plaster magic, examines cracks and other damage in a plaster ceiling in an old vermont home.
This also works as a good supplement if the floor heat cannot entirely heat an area. Electric radiant heat offers the lowest life cycle costs of heating system ownership, with lower capital, installation and operating costs as well as no maintenance or replacement costs. I would like opinions on if cieling fans will help with heating efficency and the amount of insulation to put in attick. After tracing out the radiant heat path, and locating the ceiling joists using new technology studfinders, i used a 118 forstner bit to slightly cut into the ripple finish of the plaster ceiling, drilling up every 6 inches or so within the dropped section. I usually go r60 in an attik but wasnt sure if that much was nessasary with floore heat. The thing about this radiant heat cieling is the cracks. Are there two wires under the plaster of the ceiling or just one. Electric radiant heating the ashi reporter inspection. Drywall replacement on radiant heated ceiling drywall doityourself.
A prewired ceiling panel which has cracked as a result of a person stepping on it in the attic. Electric radiant heat is a cable or film that generates warmth by alternating currents running in a mat or cable system. The mat is powered by electricity 120v or 240v which is the same cost as hydronic system electric boiler but no maintenance is needed plus quick installation time makes this ideal for diy or contractors. The house is a two story and is in metro boston, ma area. It is hot water radiant heat and it is still in use. Im looking for advice on the best methods to repair cracks in plastered ceilings with radiant heat. Tools you will need to demo a heated ceiling mattock 2. The cables came in predetermined length kits with thermostat and were gridded on the gypsum board ceiling on nails with heads driven to within 18 of the surface and then covered with a sort of hardset joint compound not really a plaster job. Since 1985, thermaray has manufactured electric radiant heating and snow melting products for commercial, industrial and residential projects around the world. Ceiling repair radiant heat in ceiling jlconline forums. I have radiant heat metal pipes running in the ceiling and covered in plaster 2 to 3 inches and the plaster is starting to crack all over. Modern radiant ceiling heat panels are much more convenient. This is one of the myths that is based on the false fact that we associate with the concept of heat instead of air.
Radiant heating systems are typically located in ceilings and in floors. Here, youll discover ceiling options for your next project. What are some common problems with radiant electric. Does anyone have knowledge of how radiant electric ceiling heat was. Design the invisible with electric radiant ceiling heating systems duration. When these wires burn out, it is very difficult to repair the system without tearing out most of the ceiling. The design and construction of your ceiling can make a room. What is a normal supply temperature range for a radiant ceiling like this.
I have seen in a couple of homes with radiant ceiling heat. Cracks in ceiling with radiant heat coil fine homebuilding. Radiant walls and ceilings are much like radiant floor heating in that they create a radiator out of the partial or complete panel, providing rich, even, comfortable temperatures throughout the room. Although plaster can also crack, the problem doesnt seem to be as pronounced. The system loop is tempered with a fixed 4way mixing valve im trying to sell her a taco 3way ivalve. When the heat is turned on, the ceiling will dry first where its warmest, revealing the location of heated wires.
A direct transference of clean even heat from object to object without fans, pumps or hoses silent, motionless, and invisible. Ceiling radiant heat electrician talk professional. The clue is line voltage thermostats on the wall, but no baseboard heaters. There are electric radiant products that can be installed below almost any floor, including hardwood and carpet. Hi, im building a shop with in floore radiant heat and 14 ceilings. Radiant systems generally have wall thermostats to control each room. I live in the chicago area and ive never had the need for a back up heat source. Hire the best radiant panel repair pros in virginia beach, va on homeadvisor.
Retrofitting flexiro radint wall heating with plugin drywall system. I dont understand what radiant heat has to do with anything millions of houses have radiant heat and plaster. Using selfadhesive fiberglass mesh tape to repair a ceiling crack. The walls and ceilings are plaster on lath boards, 2x8 gypsum board. Thermostat for radiant ceiling heat greenbuildingtalk. Radiant ceiling heat is a style of heating that is significantly different from the radiators or forced air ducts that you may be used to. Score the crack with a utility knife to remove any loose plaster or other material that may be inside the crack. We need to repair some cracks, what exactly is that concrete plaster called. Drywall that sags and cracks may result in breaks in the heating element. Radiant ceiling heat usgs diamond plaster is recommended by the manufaturer for electric radiant heat ceilings. Our electric radiant ceiling heating system also eliminates cold and hot spots throughout the environment. Because radiant heat travels in any direction, radiant wall and ceiling heating is very useful and practical. The best way for one to reduce their energy consumption is to use electric radiant ceiling heat. Designed to provide maximum comfort at the absolute lowest cost, there is no wasted heat using smartrooms radiant ceiling heat system.
Plaster ceiling repair how to address cracks in plaster in a. Radiant ceiling heat was real popular here in the 1970s. I owned a condo a few years ago with radiant ceiling heat, similar construction timeframe i guess warm air fell in the 70s. We did not have any ceiling cracks, but skim coating or texturing the ceiling if you avoid screwing anything in should work fine, based on the experiences of others in our complex. How do i repair radiant heating cracks in our ceiling. After cables are installed,2 coats of a plaster product called radex is applied over the cables,then a texture is applied. Heat cables would not cause structural issues in plaster or drywall.
I grew up in dewitt in a home with radiant ceiling heat that was built about 1972 and according to my mother its still working fine to this day so the system can last quite a while. I was a distributor for s radiant ceiling heat back in the 80s. The building was built in 2003 and my unit had concrete ceilings. Then after some searching i found these ceiling buttons and decided to give them a try. Installation of a plaster cooling ceiling with beka capillary tube. Retrofit a drywall radiant wall heating this is how it works. Radiant panel repair pros in virginia beach, va homeadvisor. Patching and plastering drywall replacement on radiant heated. I have radiant heat in my plaster ceiling and over the. Electric radiant heating is fairly common in bathroom floors, especially those with ceramic or marble tile. What caused my 4 month old condo drywall ceiling to crack. The existing system heats a radiant ceiling with soft copper tubing embedded in plaster.
Did you know that radiant ceiling is better than radiant floor. Residents who drive screws carelessly into the ceiling sometimes damage the elements. Im not the original owner and i think at one point the temp was just too high. The house has electric radiant ceiling heat which is not common in this area. Radiant ceiling heat is a style of heating that is significantly different than the radiators or forced air ducts that you may be used to. Electric radiant heating the ashi reporter inspection news.
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