In-slab heating pic

[Jill]

Hi all,

I thought you may be interested in seeing our inslab heating pipework. It is Pexal piping, and our kids and I laid it to cover the slab area, except for where built-in cupboards will be. I've made a plan with the exact measurements of where these areas are, colour coded with the five different zones all drawn on, so that we should never drill into it. I'll be building the built-ins, anyway, so at least I will be working with total respect for what's under the surface of our slab!!! We're not sure at this stage how we'll heat the water - but some options are: solar (perhaps Polysola pool heating - we have a corrugated roof), with backup from a Quantum hot water system, plus wetback in our wood heater, and pipework in the big wood-fired oven I plan to build in our conservatory. We'll have terracotta tiles on the floors & perhaps some stone in some areas.

Cheers,

Jill

[Wassy]

G'day Jill,

Have you considered geothermal heating. It essentially takes the heat stored in the earth and pumps it through your slab. May be worth considering.

Cheers,
Mat

[rod1949]

Now I'm not criticising, just trying to be helpful as I learnt the hard way many years ago now there are two things you never underestimate the strength of and that is water and wet concrete. Going by you picture the formwork could use a bit more bracing ie. at the un-braced corner/s, which could be subject to exploding, back bracing of the star pickets.

Hope it works out fine for you.

Cheers

[rodm]

Great stuff Jill. You and the kids have done a very neat job. I wouldn't like to retro fit my place :)

[Jill]

Thanks Wassy - I'll check out the geothermal heating option.

We poured the slab some months ago, Rod1949, thanks, & it all went well. My husband may have put in more bracing prior to the pour, though - I can't remember now.

Thanks Rodm - the kids were a great help - being shorter, they could easily squat down without too much weight on the reo mesh, to tie off in between the ones I did every 600 or so when I was laying it. We used about 3000 ties altogether! Satisfying job - esp. when we will enjoy it for years to come.

Cheers,

Jill

[Wassy]

Thanks Wassy

My pleasure Jill.

What part of the west are you in?

Cheers,
Mat

[Jill]

Hi Mat,

We're near Collie - are you familiar with the S.W.? We're from C'Qld, though - 2 yrs ago - quite a change in climate, hence the heating!

Cheers,

Jill

[Wassy]

Hi Jill,

I was born and bred in Perth.

We almost moved to Collie when I was younger when Dad was considering a transfer with Alcoa.

It would be a climate shock for you.

Cheers,
Mat