warmboard: superior radiant technology - Fine Homebuilding

WARMBOARD: SUPERIOR
RADIANT TECHNOLOGY
The Science Of Comfort
Thermodynamics is the field
of science that studies the
movement of heat. Moving
heat from a furnace, boiler,
solar panel, heat pump or
other heat source, into your
home is the job that any
heating system must perform.
How A Radiant Panel Works
A radiant panel works by conducting heat from water in a
tube to the surface of your floor, which releases that heat
into your home. It’s that simple. This is why conductivity is
the single most important thermodynamic property that a
radiant panel must have. The laws of thermodynamics teach
us how to maximize
conductive efficiency
in radiant systems:
use a more conductive
material, make that
material thicker,
and maximize the
contact area of the
conductive panel with
the embedded tubing
and the finished floor.
You know this intuitively because there is a reason why frying
pans are made of aluminum, not concrete. It also explains why
frying pans with thick aluminum bottoms work better than
thin ones.
Performance Made Visible
WHITE PAPER
The thermographic images below will help you better
understand the very real and significant differences in
performance between gypsum slabs and Warmboard. The
panels in this study were tested side by side with identical
air temperatures, identical water temperatures, and
identical floor coverings. The differences are plain to see.
Higher output, more even floor surface temperatures and
much, much faster response, make a powerful case for high
conductivity, low mass Warmboard.
After 30 minutes, Gypsum Concrete is producing zero BTUs/sf,
while Warmboard is already producing 10 BTUs/sf
After 1 hour, 30 minutes, Gypsum Concrete is producing 6 BTUs/sf,
while Warmboard is producing 14 BTUs/sf
After 2 hours, 30 minutes, Gypsum Concrete is producing 10 BTUs/sf,
while Warmboard is producing 18 BTUs/sf, with more even heat. The variation in
temperature across the tubing pattern with Warmboard is only 2+ degrees while
Gypsum Concrete has 6 degrees of variation.

Engineered for Better Performance
Warmboard was engineered to take maximum advantage of
the laws of thermodynamics. The panel uses an alloy that is
30% more conductive than conventional aluminum alloys.
The thick aluminum plate is in direct contact with your
finish floor material. The aluminum is also stamped in highly
sophisticated dies so that it covers every square inch of your
floor and makes excellent contact with the large diameter ½"
tubing. The result:
• Higher output at lower water temperatures for
energy savings
• More even floor temperatures for greater comfort
• Moreevenfloortemperaturesforbetterperformancewith
fine hardwood floors
A Word About Thermal Mass
In the past, radiant heat had a good reputation for comfort
once the floor reached the correct temperature. But the
high mass gypsum concrete slab based systems which were
common when radiant was first popularized in the 1950’s,
took many hours or even days to get to the right temperature.
Given a blank sheet of paper, no engineer familiar with the
laws of thermodynamics would choose such a material for a
radiant panel. Gypsum concrete is a poor conductor and its
high mass makes it difficult to accurately meet the changing
heating needs of your home on any hourly or daily basis.
Slab based radiant is less than ideal for other reasons:
• They require additional construction costs to support
their weight
• They make it difficult to install hardwood and many other
finish floor materials
• Unyielding, rigidly hard slabs are uncomfortable to stand
or walk on
• They bring moisture into your home, increasing the risk
of mold
Warmboard Inc.
8035 Soquel Drive, Suite 41-A
Aptos, California 95003-3948
877.338.5493
warmboard.com
020112
The Right Amount of Heat, Right When
You Want It
All homes have their heat loads change throughout the day as the
sun rises or sets, weather changes, lights or ovens are turned on,
guests arrive or leave. Warmboard will quickly adjust your floor
temperatures to meet those changes. High mass simply can’t
keep up.
70º
50º
30º
Concrete chases temperature
Warmboard maintains
even temperature
Outside
temperatures
6am 12pm 6pm 12am 6am 12pm
When you return to a home that had its temperature lowered
for vacation set back, low mass Warmboard will make you
comfortable in a couple of hours instead of a day later.
70º
60º
50º
Warmboard gets to temperature
far more quickly
Concrete heats up slowly
2 4 6 8 10
Bottom line, Warmboard is the best choice for radiant because
unlike the systems used in the infancy of the radiant industry,
it was engineered to take maximum advantage of the laws of
thermodynamics. Good science ensures your comfort.