| There are times when it is impossible or next to impossible to
get enough tubing in the floor or baseboard along the walls. Alternatives are floor mounted
recessed units or free standing radiators. With central air almost the norm in new construction,
ductwork is inevitable. Rather than push the hot water to its limits, Using a hydro-air air
handler (an air handler with a hot water coil and an evaporator coil for the A/C), the heating
demand can be done with a radiant loop and backed up with ducted heat. Hot water is required
for the radiant anyway, so adding another circulator and feeding the air handler isn't a big
deal. By using a two stage thermostat, the radiant loop can be the first heat call, and the
ducted the second. This design keeps the radiant as the priority heat source, and the warm
air as an assist.
Air rotation creates the opportunity for a central humidifier and improved air filtration
by using a high performance air filter or electronic air cleaner.
This combination gives the homeowner the ultimate comfort system: radiant heat in the
floor, central air conditioning, air cleaning and humidification, and the ability to lower
the room temperature during absences and retain the ability for fast recovery, which radiant
cannot do. |
