| nsidering radiant heat, the reluctance to install | | | | concrete to properly cure. Usually, when the |
| hardwood floors over radiant heat systems was | | | | concrete looks dry the flooring is installed, |
| from the original technology, launched more than | | | | however concrete needs to dry slowly and can |
| 40 years ago. | | | | take up to 90 days. Knowing the exact moisture |
| With radiant heat, to compensate for poor | | | | content is an essential part of quality control |
| insulation, radiant heat temperatures were higher | | | | within the floor installation process. |
| than normal causing excessive expansion and | | | | Once the sub-floor, tubing and climate controls |
| contraction in hardwood floors, which resulted in | | | | have been installed, run your radiant heating |
| damage to hardwoods and a builder's reputation. | | | | systems for at least 72 hours to balance the |
| Today, faultless radiant heat installations of fine | | | | moisture content. |
| hardwood flooring are completed over radiant | | | | Your radiant heat and hardwood floors need |
| floor heating. | | | | some special moisture considerations. Make sure |
| To be honest, installing hardwoods over radiant | | | | your installer has a hand-held electrical tool, called |
| heating systems is really no different from laying | | | | a moisture meter. It measures the moisture in |
| a typical hardwood floor. | | | | concrete and in the wood floor materials, giving |
| Although the temperature of radiant floor heating | | | | the percentage of relative humidity. |
| will not harm the wood floor, a change in moisture | | | | Make certain the hardwood flooring, the storage |
| will cause various hardwood flooring to warp, | | | | space and the concrete slab are normalized or |
| buckle or gap. | | | | acclimated to the finished room before the |
| As the temperature rises, the moisture content | | | | hardwood is installed. |
| generally decreases, and the moisture is removed | | | | With a hardwood installation, a moisture barrier |
| causing the wood to shrink and gaps to occur | | | | helps maintain an even moisture balance in the |
| between the boards. With lower temperatures | | | | floor. Seasonal gapping is quite normal but in the |
| the moisture returns and the gaps close. | | | | fall try to progressively turn on heat before the |
| When radiant heat is added to any floor it's | | | | first really cool day arrives. Also, it's important for |
| important to pay close attention to the moisture | | | | the hardwood floorboards in the floor to be laid |
| levels. | | | | perpendicular to the tubing, not parallel. |
| Your hardwood floor installer, and radiant heating | | | | The key to a good hardwood installation when |
| systems contractor, should be aware of the | | | | combined with radiant heat is to pay close |
| special considerations required when using radiant | | | | attention to the moisture. Low, even temperature |
| heat in conjunction with hardwood floors. | | | | distribution is the key to avoiding problems when |
| When combined with radiant heat, many | | | | radiant heat is involved. |
| contractors underestimate the time it takes for | | | | |